"Tracey" wrote in message
om...

"Default User" wrote in message
...
I had a fairly standard tree-trimming job, removing dead limbs from a
large silver maple and cleaning up some debris. So I get a couple of
bids from local companies on doing the work, such things are usually
within a fairly small range of each other.

One gives me a bid for $450 (about what I'd expect).

The other, bids $2500. What! Five times the other?

Same thing happened here about two years ago when we wanted a tree taken
down (too close to the house). I called about 5 places, three returned my
call, two actually showed up to give me bids. There was no way for them
to
use their big bucket truck because of how the land next to our house is
(steep hill, the tree was in the back too far from the road and downhill
from the street). Company #1: Drop the tree and nothing else (they
would leave all the wood and brush here) The quote was for $2000. He said
he wouldn't be able to do it until mid-January (It was November at the
time). YIKES! Company #2: He said he would drop the tree, cut it into
firewood size lengths and leave that wood here, he'd haul/chip the brush
for
us and clean up after himself. The quote was for $800, and he could do it
next week. We obviously went with company #2. They came and did a nice
job. They even chipped up and hauled away another pile of brush from a
lot
of other trimming we had done ourselves.

Glad to see tradesmen like that still exist. And once you recommend them to
a couple of neighbors/friends/coworkers for stuff they need done, the
company will be paid back multiple times for their good practices.

aem sends...