Tree removalist requesting more than quoted price

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  captobvious on 21/12/2016 - 00:08

  +2

  It is unreasonable and Head office wont care and just fob you back to him.

  Whats the time frame like? between when he partially finished to job to when you decided not to remove the deck?

  He may have had the machinery there the first time and it would have been a better idea to remove the logs then than to wait for your deck decision

  Have you paid him already?

• 

  BudgetBountyOz on 21/12/2016 - 00:12

  I paid him $1000 for part job done to cover his cost. The job was partly done in late October. I recently decided not to remove the deck. Thank you for your comment. I might contact the head office first thing in the morning to find a solution.

  • 

    hypie on 21/12/2016 - 01:10

    +2

    Definitely unreasonable. Sometimes you make mistakes in business but you take the hit, not the customer. It sounds like he's just trying his luck for more money, be firm.

    • 

      BudgetBountyOz on 21/12/2016 - 01:22

      Thank you for your comment. Everyone makes a mistake and we need to cope with it. The franshise is one of the biggiest in the industry. I will see how they respond.

  • 

    captobvious on 21/12/2016 - 01:40

    +6

    The main cost would have been labour. $1000 would more than cover it. Don't feel bad, imagine all the time he would have over quoted someone but never gave them a refund!

    • 

      BudgetBountyOz on 21/12/2016 - 07:55

      Thank you. I thought it is not professional to leave the job unfinished and request more to finish the job later to cover for his mistake.

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  bargainslut on 21/12/2016 - 03:45

  +4

  It's best to keep a log of everything so you can root out any problems. You probably wont get stumped as his bark is worse than his bite.

  • 

    Euphemistic on 21/12/2016 - 07:18

    +6

    Nah, stick it to him. If he turns up and demands more money tell him you've sorted it with the branch office and he should leave.

    • 

      Baysew on 21/12/2016 - 11:37

      +4

      I bet he just shrubbed his shoulders, he is just acting like a sap, because he is saw.
      I call sawdust on the quote, it's only right he should prune the costs,money doesn't grow on trees.

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  cim85 on 21/12/2016 - 07:26

  How much was the original quote for the whole job?

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  BudgetBountyOz on 21/12/2016 - 07:33

  It was $3,000 for tree removal (few shrubs and one tree) and stump grinding of a tree.

  • 

    holdenmg on 21/12/2016 - 09:09

    So, have you now paid a pro-rata amount for the work done?
    (sometimes Stump Grinders have to be hired, but that would have been costed in of course).

    "It was mentioned to him before the job is started that I might want to remove the deck sometime in the future."

    Is it the case that prior to starting the job the contractor might have thought that access and removal of the logs without the deck would have been easier and costed on this basis?

    How much (extra) for them to finish the job now?

    • 

      BudgetBountyOz on 21/12/2016 - 09:19

      I did not paid pro-rata, I just tried to be nice and paid the cost that he said he already incurred.

      Job was clearly to be done on the day of the job in October. He came to me next day and asked if it can be done after the deck is removed if the deck is to be removed in the future.

      I clearly said the deck may not be removed and then he will need to come back to complete the job.

      No one would cut a tree down knowing that the the logs will be left in the back yard for months.

      • 

        holdenmg on 21/12/2016 - 09:46

        Well, you have paid for work done to date, yes?

        But the job is only part-complete.

        Are there any alternatives to cutting the logs and removing them across the deck?

        Can you remove a panel out of a back/side fence and get the logs out intact w/out cutting?

        Otherwise get a quote from the Contractor for removal now.

      • 

        BudgetBountyOz on 21/12/2016 - 09:48

        @holdenmg:

        There is no invoice and it was merely payment of deposit as a friendly gesture. The job can be done by cutting logs into smaller pieces. It is just that he under-quoted the job and does not want to bear losses for his mistake.

      • 

        holdenmg on 21/12/2016 - 09:55

        @oysbank:

        Well, if you have a written quote and it included the removal of the logs all in as it was with the deck where it was you need to look at writing them a letter (don't phone them) or maybe Small Claims Court.

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  PVA on 21/12/2016 - 10:02

  its reasonable.
  the quote will say something like it may vary due to other works that may need to be done once work starts.
  but try head office first and see if the extra cost can be removed

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  Hellfire on 21/12/2016 - 10:14

  If it was $3000 and you only paid $1000 then withold payment until the job is completed. Then pay the quoted amount. It is not your fault he got the quote wrong.

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  Slippery Fish on 21/12/2016 - 10:14

  Inform him he has 48 hours to complete the job or you will be getting another contractor in to finish it, said contractors fee will be directly from the 2k owing and he will be lucky if you dont claim storage of his log.

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  StewBalls on 21/12/2016 - 10:24

  +6

  He admitted that he under-quoted for the job and it was his mistake.

  Not your issue…

  Now he is requesting me to pay extra to cover his cost for his mistake.

  He must have the hide of a rhino…

  Do you think it is reasonable?

  No it is not…

  My Arborist recently did a tree removal job for me, he underquoted & did the job, I picked it up & tried to give him the extra but he wouldn't take it no matter how I argued that it was only fair, he kept telling me that it was his mistake…best I could get him to accept was a carton as a goodwill gesture!

  The difference here is personal & professional integrity.

  • 

    BudgetBountyOz on 21/12/2016 - 10:48

    Thank you for your comment.

    I have contacted the head office and customer service from the head office was actually very helpful.

    I am currently waiting for them to get back to me to resolve this..

• 

  garetz on 21/12/2016 - 10:49

  You made a big mistake paying him $1000, you are basically allowing him to take your money and not complete the job.That was probably his intention from the time he realised he underquoted you.

  • 

    BudgetBountyOz on 21/12/2016 - 11:08

    +1

    Thank you for your advice.

    I trusted the company not him as the company is reputable.

    The company is assisting me now so I believe I am in good hands now..

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  [Deactivated] on 21/12/2016 - 11:58

  +1

  If it doesn't get resolved, contact the local SES and ask them if they want a HARD WOOD CROSS CUT training opportunity. Be sure to mention the tree is down. They may not move it, but they will cut (at least some of it) into manageble chunks.

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  altomic on 21/12/2016 - 12:10

  +1

  advertise the logs on freecycle as "free firewood" someone will come and take them away in 24 hours

  • 

    BudgetBountyOz on 21/12/2016 - 12:26

    The wood is hard like metal. Also The stump grinding needs to be done..

    • 

      Euphemistic on 21/12/2016 - 13:46

      So it's great for firewood then. Long burn time.

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  Stewardo on 21/12/2016 - 16:14

  Put a pizza oven on the deck and burn the logs

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  Geekomatic on 21/12/2016 - 22:45

  Verbal or paper?

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  NotAMoodle on 24/12/2016 - 07:06

  Outcome?

  • 

    StewBalls on 24/12/2016 - 19:30

    +3

    Xmas bonfire…

  • 

    BudgetBountyOz on 05/01/2017 - 12:06

    +1

    I spoke to the manager of the tree removalist and he agreed to complete the job at originally agreed price (original quote less deposit paid).

    He admitted that it was a fault from their end not me as the car cannot access the backyard even if the deck is removed.

    The guy is coming on 12th Jan to finalise the job. I will let you know when the job is finally over.