Are there any bigger scam artists than Arborists

[blissful88]

A few years ago I got some quotes to fell two sizeable trees, about 40 feet tall; probably 8 hours worth of work with a crew and machinery


Quotes were from $3800 - $4200 per tree








Now I'm no mathematician but $500/hour is comical in any profession let alone tradies with chainsaws(which I'd pay to watch gladly)



I recall having a tree felled in 2011 for $1100, even taking out the stump

Apparently trees have been bulking leading to more difficulty since then, despite advancements in machinery making the job easier than ever








Inb4 "OP is poor"

[Channel83]

Just let it grow or hack it down yourself with an axe.

[xxAchillesxx]

Yea they can be all over the place. I had a crew trim limbs from 3 trees overhanging our house, probably 50 feet or so in the air, and then take down another smaller tree and cut it up to manageable chunks for me (cherry wood I can use for smoking). One company wanted $4,700, the one I went with wanted $1,200. They all had the correct harnesses, protection, and tools. Hell, they felled the one tree and had the trunk in chunks for me in less than 10 minutes. Granted it wasn't near any structures so relatively easy, but with the right equipment it can be a breeze.

[dingler]

Not a lot of arborists and there are a chit ton of trees. I prune fruit trees as a side hustle and charge $150 - 350 per tree and people gladly pay it.

[nrowles]

That is crazy but if people will pay it they'll charge it. What did you end up doing with those trees? Let them stand?

[N0rds]

because insurance.

because dangerous

because just the callout cost for pickers is a grand

because you aren't gunna do it yourself or you would have

[Hutrapper]

My arborist for remote boat access properties doesnt even charge what is in the OP.

In canuk pesos too.


I still haul away brush and stuff, but I'm assuming the price was just to climb the tree and drop it safely?

[Jasonw1178]

Well, start your own business doing it, and underbid everyone.

First, go work for a tree service. Hard work and dangerous work, a lot of liability as well. You'll feel like a puny little bitch when wrestling with a tree.

I've got a massive hardwood that is about 5-6ft thick and I don't know how tall that is dead in my yard. If it falls the wrong way my house is going to get damaged bad. I think I am going to have someone insured cut it down and I'll do all the haul away and such.

[IAMBEE]

Just get some fly by night tradie that doesn't value his life or equipment. I think the last time I had a tree and stump removed it was around $1200, 5 years ago.

[crupiea]

There are "arborists" and there are mexican guys who cut down trees.

If that tree guy doesnt speak spanish, you done goofed.

[guest89]

I know someone that does it. Truth be told its a fairly dangerous profession with high liabilities for injury and property damage. The equipment can be quite expensive. The insurance can be expensive. It takes years of experience to actually get good at it. Etc.


You can always rent some equipment and do the job yourself for a small fraction of the price. A lot of it just depends on what you need done and the risk to yourself/ your property.

Just get some fly by night tradie that doesn't value his life or equipment. I think the last time I had a tree and stump removed it was around $1200, 5 years ago.

People that hire arborists own land. Typically a home or business. If he gets hurt or killed on your land you're going to get sued.

[blissful88]

My arborist for remote boat access properties doesnt even charge what is in the OP.

In canuk pesos too.


I still haul away brush and stuff, but I'm assuming the price was just to climb the tree and drop it safely?

Hack & tether job; I've seen them do it in a few hours with on-site equipment & a team

The price for such work tends to vary from person to person, I consider this scam work



One of them came back and said "I'll trim up the branches for $2200" and it wood've been literally 20 minutes worth of work

LOL'd him right off the property

Well, start your own business doing it, and underbid everyone.

First, go work for a tree service. Hard work and dangerous work, a lot of liability as well. You'll feel like a puny little bitch when wrestling with a tree.

I've got a massive hardwood that is about 5-6ft thick and I don't know how tall that is dead in my yard. If it falls the wrong way my house is going to get damaged bad. I think I am going to have someone insured cut it down and I'll do all the haul away and such.

I'm aweir of how dangerous it is; I've felled several trees & nearly got taken out by a 500lbs+ piece while 20 feet up a ladder last year

Imagine going out tradie style

[BlackJack619]

I had/have a drunk friend that does this as a side hustle, and once he cut a limb that fell on to a dog house injuring the dog.

Then he was mad the owner was going to make him pay the vet bill.

And my friend was mad at the guy for not taking his dog inside.

Sounded like a f up story. But yea don’t get a drunk who does it as a side hustle.

[CuttyUnderleaf]

because insurance.

because dangerous

because just the callout cost for pickers is a grand

because you aren't gunna do it yourself or you would have

This. The insurance is ridiculous for tree surgeons.


If you don’t want to pay the cost for a tree surgeon, don’t hire one. Landscapers and Tree-fellers can do the same.

[Destor]

Seen quite a few videos/gifs of what I assume are the cheap guys