OK, so here we are, on the verge of the wave. The wave of traveling tree guys, floating along with the bug. They come from all over. All with one thing in mind, getting in on the action. Soon you will see all kinds of people in town, knocking on doors telling you that they have the deal of the century for you. We already have our own population of hackers who go from door to door, trying to convince you that you need them. Bubba Hack and company. These unsavory characters are always out tearing something up and mutilating our trees by topping them or pruning with “spikes” or in a manner that might as well be considered Domestic Tree Abuse (DTA). We have our own rip off artists, the one”s who tell you a cheap price to get you into the door, then come back with a huge amount halfway through the job, basically holding you hostage. Recently we had a local rip off people for $7000.00, started of small, then somehow it grew and boy did it grow. Check our local BBB site and read all about it. So we don”t need anymore, we have enough. With no regulation on who does this for a living. We have all kinds of creeps that claim to be Arborist, but are far, very far, from it. Now, with EAB upon us, not only will you have these guys trying to rip you off by pretending to be Arborist, you will have a new wave of “out of towner”s” doing the same exact thing. Knocking on doors, giving you some sort of story on why you should bust out your checkbook on the spot. This is all very easy to deal with, first off, if they are knocking on doors, that is your first clue. Pros don”t do this, we don”t need to. Second, go to http://www.isa-arbor.com/faca/findArborist.aspx This is the International Society of Arboriculture. The only governing body that can actually certify a Arborist. Type in your zip and there ya go, the list of actual private, local Arborist from your area. Third, how about supporting your local businesses! There are a few real good outfits here, all on the list. Now I am not talking about the national big shows that operate in our area. The one”s where you deal with a salesman or someone using their position at a big national company to set up side work. But actual, local, private business owner”s! Many of which choose to be a Arborist before they choose to go into it for themselves. Like me! Many of us have worked for the big shows, but felt we could do it better, so………. we do! Fourth, and the most important. You do not want to hire someone knocking at the door to do tree work on your property. There is no way you can verify their skill, their ability to do the work safely and proficiently. I read about horror stories all the time. They hired a guy who said he was this or that, only to find out he has no idea of what he is doing, and he either destroys property or someone gets hurt. Hope your insurance is paid up, his is not. Fifth, the rip off. We, like I said before, we have our own scam artists in the area, at least with them, you have some sort of way to get your money back, and a way to sue them or get them to replace or repair the damage they did. They are local, you know where they live or where their shop is, you can take them to court. The “out of towner”s”, they will take your money and you will never see them again. Or they will damage your property and bail, leaving you with a half cut tree, bearing down over your house. The have no intent of doing all the work you agreed too either, they will cut corners every way possible and if they can get away with only doing half the work, they will. Make no mistake about it, they do no operate in your best interest. Remember, just because they have a business license, does not mean anything. You, yourself, could go to your local city, pay the 50-100 bucks and get a license to do the same thing I do, are you trained to climb 100 ft up and remove a 2000 lb chunk of wood over your house?………..either are they! Due your due-diligence and check your tree guy out before making a decision!
What do you do? Simple, call us!
Advocatus Pro Abora, I peak for the trees.