# Pine tree removal



## TJay (Feb 12, 2008)

Sunday I was out back blowing some leaves and this guy gets out of his truck and walks over to me.  He said he would give me a good deal on taking some pine trees out of my yard.  I've actually been thinking on that very subject and he offered a free estimate.  I said ok and he said he could take 9 big mature pine trees down for $1600.  He said he could get $600 apiece for trees like mine all day long and I guess that is where he is going to make his money.  I measured the biggest one tonite and it is 68" in diameter and probably over 100' tall.  I am always somewhat leery of people that seek me out to offer me a great deal, do you think this guys on the level?  He gave me his business card and it says he is licensed, bonded and insured.  $1600 sounded awful cheap for 9 big ol' pines.


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## DannyW (Feb 12, 2008)

Twenty years ago my dad had someone take down all the mature pines in his backyard in exchange for the timber. He charged nothing. Based on the number of trees and how easy they were to access, I'd say both parties got a good deal.

Did you really mean that some of the trees are nearly 6 feet in diameter? Or circumference? 

Either way if you need the trees taken down and you are happy with the price, then go ahead. I am not sure what lumber is going for these days but I do know that $175 each to take down mature trees of that size is a good price.

Maybe you could get him to throw in grinding down the stumps? And make sure he cleans up and hauls off all of his mess.


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## centerc (Feb 12, 2008)

wait and he will do it for the trees the 1600 is like a used car pitch then come back lower


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## TJay (Feb 12, 2008)

Good catch Danny, I meant circumference.  A tree that was 68" in diameter would be a pretty fair sized tree.


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## rhbama3 (Feb 12, 2008)

Be very careful. A group came throught the Albany area a couple of years ago doing the same thing. After getting money for cutting and cleaning up afterwards, they cut down the bigger valuable "money" tree's and hauled ****, leaving huge piles of debris behind in the yard. i'd get references if possible.


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## Oldstick (Feb 12, 2008)

I  agree with Danny's comments.  I also had quite a few taken down about twenty something years ago by pulpwood loggers for free.  What they would do is come by in the afternoon if they needed several trees to finish filling the truck.  Within a week or two they had gotten over 20 or so trees of different sizes.  But they would only get the ones with a clear safe fall path.  They would not mess with anything that would have to fall on neighboring property, driveway, road or anything like that.  And the free deal left me to clean up the tops and limbs.

A few years later I had the rest taken down with a wood trading deal like yours, but it was less than $175 a tree, even though they had to be topped to prevent falling damage.  

So my point is you probably should try calling several places and negotiate depending on how easy the access is.


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## REMINGTON710 (Feb 12, 2008)

contact engrams tree sevice or something like that....a little more money, but from what I've seen good work


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## JR (Feb 12, 2008)

You kinda said it yourself... If the ol' boy admits he can SELL them, and make $$$$ off of them, than why in God's name would he charge you ANYTHING!!!!  Heck, he should offer to BUY your trees from you!

Let's see  $600 ea. for 9 trees = $5,400!  Minus, his labor, gas, and fuel charges, he'd STILL be looking at a $3,500-$4,500 PROFIT!!!!

Yea, if they are THAT nice, let him PAY YOU!  Better yet, follow up with him, and ask him, "Who did you say, or what sawmill did you mention, would pay you $600 ea.?  Cause, I figure I would just call them, and see if they would come out, cut 'em down, and haul 'em off, I'd sell the trees directly to them for $400 ea.!!!"


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## Pop (Feb 12, 2008)

No matter who you get make sure they are insured.  Ask for an up to date certificate and then call and verify with the insurance company.
I have a lady that works with me who hired a reputable company who claimed insurance.  Sure enough one of the trees fell on her house and the insurance policy was not up to date.  Moral of story is she has about 15 thousand in damage and the guys took off.  Warrants issued but the guys claimed she knew they were uninsured.  Court case in the future for all involved, but in the mean time she is out the money and headaches.


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## JR (Feb 12, 2008)

Isn't there a sawmill up around Rhinehardt College???  Mr. Young use to own/run it!  I know they would come cut timber for free or even pay....


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## ellaville hunter (Feb 12, 2008)

if he came to you and asked to remove your trees and charge you for it ask him to leave no honest treeman will work like this


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## Mako22 (Feb 12, 2008)

You better run from this one fast! He may not even own the company or the equipment, might be an employee looking to do some side work with his boses equipment. As others posted I would check his insurance, you better call the company yourself and make sure he is insured. We live in a litigent society and if he gets hurt on your property he could sue you. Remeber tree work is one of the most dangerous jobs on planet earth. If I were you I would leave this one alone. If he approached you then his phone ain't ringing enough and he needs cash. For that kind of work I want an established and respected company working for me.


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## deadend (Feb 12, 2008)

He could possibly get 600$ for all of them if they are good straight saw logs but he ain't gettin' 6 bills per tree unless they are made of gold or teak.  If they can be dropped or topped in a single cut then he can do it that cheap and get a log truck in to haul the logs.  That sounds like a good truckload of saw logs and nothing more.  The chipping and cleanup on those is fairly easy if he can get the equipment to them.  No more than a day's job if everything goes right.  We've done many jobs just like this and that price is fair.  Make sure he is going to chip the brush and clean up.  Stump grinding will be extra in most all cases.

This is the slow time of the year and a lot of tree companies, even reputable ones, will try to sell some jobs to keep the income coming in and the workers paid.  If he is insured I'd be all over it if you wanted to have the trees taken out anyway.


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## Red Man (Feb 12, 2008)

I had some pines removed from my yard a couple years ago. The guy came in cut the pines removed the tops and gave me half of the money he received from the trees. It took him 3 days to cut 24 trees. At the end of each day I went by his office and picked up a check from the saw mill that the trees were sold to. There is no reason for him to charge you to remove the trees. He should be paying you for the trees.


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## CRANEMAN (Feb 12, 2008)

*Take Pop's Advice*

Make sure they have insurance and don't accept a copy of a policy from him, have his ins. company fax a current one to you. I do a lot of crane work for tree companies and a few of them will try this. They buy a policy, pay it for a month or two and then have it cancelled on them for non-payment. The thing is that they still have a copy of the policy that states that they have ins till the end of the year.


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## LadyGunner (Feb 12, 2008)

someone in my subdivsion runs a tree company 
been in business for a while and good at what they do
for 3 very large pines in front of my house they said its normally $1100 - they would cut 'em & take it all away for $900 was their bottom line

some good advice here regarding references & ins

if their making that much $$ off the logs - they can come to my house take the 3 in front and about 10 huge pines out back for free


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## Eddy M. (Feb 12, 2008)

Red Man said:


> I had some pines removed from my yard a couple years ago. The guy came in cut the pines removed the tops and gave me half of the money he received from the trees. It took him 3 days to cut 24 trees. At the end of each day I went by his office and picked up a check from the saw mill that the trees were sold to. There is no reason for him to charge you to remove the trees. He should be paying you for the trees.



 had pines cut on my 5ac. in Mississippi-- cut and clean up free+ cash from the sale of the wood-- had to grind the stumps on my own


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## LadyGunner (Feb 12, 2008)

Eddy M. said:


> had pines cut on my 5ac. in Mississippi-- cut and clean up free+ cash from the sale of the wood-- had to grind the stumps on my own



I can use a few bucks - who can I call to cut my pines for free and they pay me for the logs?


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