I initially reached out to General Tree Services based on their impressive performance during a complex tree removal in our neighborhood. Witnessing their efficiency and effectiveness in removing several large Douglas Fir trees, I decided to hire General Tree Service to address the issue of branches from one of our maple trees encroaching on the main trunk of a Douglas Fir.
Brian Haskins, the Arborist from General Tree Services, arrived at my home to provide an estimate. During his visit, he noticed other maple trees in our backyard that required trimming and the removal of dead branches. Brian was generous with his time and provided multiple estimates, including one for the pruning of a five-stem big leaf maple, one big leaf maple, and the maple I originally contacted them about. The estimate for this work amounted to $1,980, which was a fixed rate.
However, I expressed my budget constraints to Brian and explained that I only wanted the work done on the specific maple tree that was touching the Douglas Fir. In response, Brian provided a revised estimate of $650-$750 and suggested that I halt another backyard project, assembling a gazebo, to allow his crew to carry out the tree trimming. The revised estimate accounted for time and materials, based on an onsite labor rate of $180.00 per hour.
Finding the revised estimate reasonable, I agreed to proceed and signed the estimate to initiate the work.
The crew from General Tree Services arrived on schedule, consisting of three individuals: one climber, one person in charge of rigging, and one responsible for debris removal. Before commencing work, I confirmed with the crew leader that the labor rate was indeed $180 per hour. Simultaneously, I started a timer to keep track of their time on site. The crew worked efficiently, taking the necessary precautions to ensure a safe working environment by properly setting up ropes and rigging. It took them approximately two hours to complete the setup. Once prepared, they proceeded to trim and crown clean the maple tree, removing dead, crossing, and structurally unsound branches with a diameter of 2" or larger. This phase of the work took around one hour, followed by an additional 30 minutes for cleanup, resulting in a total of three and a half hours.
Unfortunately, one crew member left after two hours, contributing very little or no work to the site. The remaining two crew members completed the task within the following hour and a half. After finishing, the crew leader informed me about damage caused to the gazebo by a falling limb (refer to the attached pictures). It was at this point that I inquired about the estimate for the services provided. Based on my calculations, the total cost should have been ($180/onsite labor hour * 3.5 hours = $630), and I included a $60 tip, bringing the amount to $690.
However, a miscommunication arose when the crew leader explained that they charged $180 per person per labor hour. This calculation resulted in a total of $1,675 when accounting for the 1.5 hours that one crew member was not present. Such a substantial discrepancy of 223%-258% over the original estimate for a relatively small-scale job far exceeded any reasonable expectations and should not be justified by the "an approximation that may be reduced or exceeded" statement commonly found in estimates or bids.
To address the issue of the estimate and assess the damage to the gazebo, Brian Haskins visited my property. Brian defended General Tree Services' position, stating that they have consistently used these terms in all their contracts and have never encountered a customer concern before. He also emphasized that the presence of the gazebo necessitated complex rigging, leading to the damage. Furthermore, Brian acknowledged the damage and offered compensation for it.
In response, I asserted that I had confirmed the labor rate with the crew leader and would not have proceeded with the services at a rate of $180 per person per hour since it was clearly inappropriate for someone merely assisting with rigging or debris removal. Additionally, I mentioned that Brian had requested me to postpone assembling the gazebo until after the tree trimming to avoid the need for complex rigging.
As seen in the attached photo, General Tree Services compensated for the damages to the gazebo with a payment of $600 and invoiced us a total of $1,075. While the trimming and pruning of the tree itself were performed satisfactorily, the customer service and communication from Brian did not meet my expectations. As a result, I was left dissatisfied and am unlikely to return as a client or recommend their services. read more