Who are you going to call? Tree Busters!

Eric Frei · 29th August 2008, 08:49 PM

Thank goodness for technology, Google Maps Street View was able to give me a shot of the past.

Location is 12 Coventry Court Slacks Creek but backs onto Paradise Road Slacks creek.

paradise road springwood - Google Maps

Was driving past and saw this mess.

Before photo from Google.

After, the tree on the right is fortunately on council land and was spared.

Spoke with the lady there for some time, she told me the whole story, paid $2500 for that too!

She said no-one would come out and do the job, took the only quote she had.

The trees are Cadaghi's (Eucalyptus torelliana), around Brisbane they tend to drip a black sooty mould from the leaves, so she figured get all the leaves cut off, she asked for a 1/3 off all around and as far as she's concerned got exactly what she wanted.

She showed me the quote, the tree company, the lot!

Anyway, about 30mins after I left I got a threatening abusive phone call from a guy who claimed he was from the company that did the work. He had a blocked number on the phone and wouldn't provide his name or details. He reckons he's gonna "f@*# me over" and "who give's a shit they're just f@*#en trees, you do the job and get paid".

They did spike them to by the way.

Anyway that conversation went for some time, maybe 5 minutes then the idiot hung up. About 30 minutes later I rang the company and asked for the boss who played dumb, reckons "smelly people" live down this way and they're from the other side of town so it wouldn't have been them. He also reckons some-one is copying their quotes and they're trucks etc and pretending to be them.

Now that total reversal and change of attitude is due to my comment to the previous caller that taking pictures and talking to people is not illegal, heck Google photgraph the entire planet! And that there's nothing they can do, and threatening to sue, beat or defamate me is no way to cover up the truth.

Also, As a professional arborist I informed the lady that I could have treated those trees to stop the sooty mould sap dripping problem for around 10% of the cost she was ripped off with, and also given her the life long instructions of making all further treatments herself for under $40 a year.

However, you know what it's like, people dont like to admit they were ripped off, had malpractice work done, had AS4373 breached and supported a business who appears to have their own monetary gains in mind and tree care last. She was agitated and I'd say she rang them after I left, they found out who I was and triple stacked their lies in her head to make her feel alright.

Ultimately this customer does have the right to sue for damages and malpractice, also has the right to contact the Dept of Fair Trading to say she was ripped off.

I advised the owner of the business that if there was a company impersonating them it would be a criminal offence and they should co-operate with the govt enquiry. Tracing that kind of money should be easy, signatures, witnesses, quotes, perhaps they fuelled something nearby, camera's etc it would be easy to know if they did the job, which of course they did as the customer did ring them after I left not some impersonator.

What a wonderful industry we have, almost like Chicago 1930 with mobsters in tree work.

Here's the funny part. I asked the customer if the trees would regrow or die, she said, "they'll regrow really fast".

I then asked if that regrowth would have leaves, she replied, "of course".

I then asked if those new leaves would get the sooty mould again, then you saw the penny drop.

So now, she still doesn't know how to fix the sooty mould when it returns and has lopped trees which we all know what the future is for her.

How many other trades or businesses are like this?

It's a ticket for mobsters and hacks, and the good guys, time to make a noise, dont let these thugs run the show!

Drouin Tree Service · 29th August 2008, 09:40 PM

Damm how could anyone pay that kind of $$$ for that!!

newguy18 · 30th August 2008, 04:14 PM

Thats sick,plain and simple.Who would even think that looks good?

Eric Frei · 30th August 2008, 09:54 PM

Now while I was talking to the lady she said she had contacted Logan City Council about the problem of the black sooty mould and they were coming out to do the same with the last tree.

As she was already defensive, and thinking she was right (due to her not knowing what is really going on and going to happen with the lopping) I replied that I'd be very surprised if the council did the same and it would be their undoing if they did coz I'd personally take them on for it. They'd either treat it or remove it, gone.

Well, drove past today and council had been out earlier in the week and dealt with the tree. The way I saw it was the council would either have treated the tree and dealt with the sooty mould problem or removed it. And of course they removed it as seen below.

And of course the stump grind as you cant have stumps

So there you have it, 2 parties receive the same information from the customer. Have a look at the 2 different results. And for the customer .... more problems will come than the original. Do that to trees elsewhere you'd get a thumping fine. In this thread here the customer did, because the trees were protected.

So, who's gonna care? Who's gonna do anything about it? Who's gonna try to inform the rest of Brisbane people to LOOK OUT THERE'S COWBOYS EVERYWHERE?

It's a start to refer them to this thread.

Brisbane residents, dont be fooled by big ads, big trucks, big chippers and remember .... talk is cheap. Demand to see qualifications, what about when the boss isn't qualified, or the boss isn't there, or the worker isn't qualified, or the person quoting isn't qualified??

Honestly, start asking the name of who will be doing the tree work and what their qualifications are.

That still wont help you at the quote as the person who came out in this case simply had no idea, so better still, get qualified (preferably L5 Diploma Arboriculture) people to come see the tree when it's more than just a straight forward removal, and be prepared to pay them for the advice or time. Here's my certificates for example, easily seen on my website. Certificates and Training

Like I said, I could have solved the problem for 10% of the price she paid and showed her how to treat the trees herself for around $40 a year. Alternatively I would have quoted a removal, tops $1500 for that, it's an easy job and there's lots of room to do those trees, they are EASY trees to cut down and the lot would go through an 18" chipper.

TrevMcRev · 31st August 2008, 10:36 PM

That is just INSANE!

The homeowner & the contractor would get fined down here by council.

Tree Solutions · 5th October 2008, 02:24 PM

Like those old Sherril shirts said.. if god wanted trees to look like that he would have given birds chainsaw feet..

that's pretty average work by anyone's standards.

I long for the day when our industry becomes regulated...

newguy18 · 5th October 2008, 04:15 PM

I long for the day we can tar and feather tree guys who do that kind of work.

pomie · 9th October 2008, 06:06 PM

i went past them trees the other day,i was going to get some photos 4 you ekka,who was the firm not anyone i work 4,i went to an old cliant the other day he had had a quote to remove 3 alex palms around a pool by some somoans and thought he was getting ripped off anyway he got my number of a friend as he had lost it ,the palms where about 25 feet tall at best these guys wanted to do there and then the price started off at $1700. dollars went down to $900.00 i bet they did not even have insurance i am doing it next week for $450.

Eric Frei · 9th October 2008, 06:12 PM

The name of the company .... it's cryptic, but it's right in front of you. Who are you going to call?

Eric Frei · 17th March 2009, 10:45 PM

And here we are just 6 months later, luckily it was hot and wet this summer so they took off!

So tell me, did the client solve the problem?

Or did they just create a rod for their own back with a faster growing weaker tree?

And perhaps either an expensive repetitive pruning regime or removal. No matter how you look at it the money on that job was ALL WASTED.

Drouin Tree Service · 17th March 2009, 10:49 PM

Give them 3-5 years they'll be huge!

Eric Frei · 27th February 2011, 07:54 AM

I took these picture yesterday, it is now 2.5 years since they were lopped.

Darrell Mcleod · 27th February 2011, 08:38 AM

Very effed

Jeff Darby · 27th February 2011, 09:16 AM

I would not like any trees on my property that looks as disgusting as these do. topped trees urghh...

Apocalypsse · 27th February 2011, 09:20 AM

I like the color of those green leaves, except the fact the trees have been fkd.

becmate · 27th February 2011, 09:24 AM

Looks like she got what she paid for ... or not.

so you'll be putting in a quote for removal then?

Hard-as-Stihl · 27th February 2011, 09:21 PM

eric, your an inspiration to me. we have the same issues with tree services topping//lopping trees here in hawaii. it pisses me off so Fing bad that NO ONE gives a shit about why topping is bad. the arborists who know about topping here dont get involved because they are to lazy. i wanna try SUPER hard to make a difference here. i cant stress to you how much i want the topping to end. it is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo irritating when i see a topped tree

29th August 2008, 08:49 PM	#1
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,792	Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! Thank goodness for technology, Google Maps Street View was able to give me a shot of the past. Location is 12 Coventry Court Slacks Creek but backs onto Paradise Road Slacks creek. paradise road springwood - Google Maps Was driving past and saw this mess. Before photo from Google. After, the tree on the right is fortunately on council land and was spared. Spoke with the lady there for some time, she told me the whole story, paid $2500 for that too! She said no-one would come out and do the job, took the only quote she had. The trees are Cadaghi's (Eucalyptus torelliana), around Brisbane they tend to drip a black sooty mould from the leaves, so she figured get all the leaves cut off, she asked for a 1/3 off all around and as far as she's concerned got exactly what she wanted. She showed me the quote, the tree company, the lot! Anyway, about 30mins after I left I got a threatening abusive phone call from a guy who claimed he was from the company that did the work. He had a blocked number on the phone and wouldn't provide his name or details. He reckons he's gonna "f@# me over" and "who give's a shit they're just f@#en trees, you do the job and get paid". They did spike them to by the way. Anyway that conversation went for some time, maybe 5 minutes then the idiot hung up. About 30 minutes later I rang the company and asked for the boss who played dumb, reckons "smelly people" live down this way and they're from the other side of town so it wouldn't have been them. He also reckons some-one is copying their quotes and they're trucks etc and pretending to be them. Now that total reversal and change of attitude is due to my comment to the previous caller that taking pictures and talking to people is not illegal, heck Google photgraph the entire planet! And that there's nothing they can do, and threatening to sue, beat or defamate me is no way to cover up the truth. Also, As a professional arborist I informed the lady that I could have treated those trees to stop the sooty mould sap dripping problem for around 10% of the cost she was ripped off with, and also given her the life long instructions of making all further treatments herself for under $40 a year. However, you know what it's like, people dont like to admit they were ripped off, had malpractice work done, had AS4373 breached and supported a business who appears to have their own monetary gains in mind and tree care last. She was agitated and I'd say she rang them after I left, they found out who I was and triple stacked their lies in her head to make her feel alright. Ultimately this customer does have the right to sue for damages and malpractice, also has the right to contact the Dept of Fair Trading to say she was ripped off. I advised the owner of the business that if there was a company impersonating them it would be a criminal offence and they should co-operate with the govt enquiry. Tracing that kind of money should be easy, signatures, witnesses, quotes, perhaps they fuelled something nearby, camera's etc it would be easy to know if they did the job, which of course they did as the customer did ring them after I left not some impersonator. What a wonderful industry we have, almost like Chicago 1930 with mobsters in tree work. Here's the funny part. I asked the customer if the trees would regrow or die, she said, "they'll regrow really fast". I then asked if that regrowth would have leaves, she replied, "of course". I then asked if those new leaves would get the sooty mould again, then you saw the penny drop. So now, she still doesn't know how to fix the sooty mould when it returns and has lopped trees which we all know what the future is for her. How many other trades or businesses are like this? It's a ticket for mobsters and hacks, and the good guys, time to make a noise, dont let these thugs run the show! Attached Thumbnails __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

29th August 2008, 09:40 PM	#2
Drouin Tree Service Veteran Heritage Status Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1,694	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! Damm how could anyone pay that kind of $$$ for that!! __________________ Drouin Tree Services \| Excavator Hire - Drouin and SE Gippsland \| Landclearing Melbourne

30th August 2008, 04:14 PM	#3
newguy18 Part of the Furniture Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: orlando,fl Posts: 4,977	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! Thats sick,plain and simple.Who would even think that looks good? __________________ Have your say join us today. old schooler

30th August 2008, 09:54 PM	#4
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,792	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! Now while I was talking to the lady she said she had contacted Logan City Council about the problem of the black sooty mould and they were coming out to do the same with the last tree. As she was already defensive, and thinking she was right (due to her not knowing what is really going on and going to happen with the lopping) I replied that I'd be very surprised if the council did the same and it would be their undoing if they did coz I'd personally take them on for it. They'd either treat it or remove it, gone. Well, drove past today and council had been out earlier in the week and dealt with the tree. The way I saw it was the council would either have treated the tree and dealt with the sooty mould problem or removed it. And of course they removed it as seen below. And of course the stump grind as you cant have stumps So there you have it, 2 parties receive the same information from the customer. Have a look at the 2 different results. And for the customer .... more problems will come than the original. Do that to trees elsewhere you'd get a thumping fine. In this thread here the customer did, because the trees were protected. So, who's gonna care? Who's gonna do anything about it? Who's gonna try to inform the rest of Brisbane people to LOOK OUT THERE'S COWBOYS EVERYWHERE? It's a start to refer them to this thread. Brisbane residents, dont be fooled by big ads, big trucks, big chippers and remember .... talk is cheap. Demand to see qualifications, what about when the boss isn't qualified, or the boss isn't there, or the worker isn't qualified, or the person quoting isn't qualified?? Honestly, start asking the name of who will be doing the tree work and what their qualifications are. That still wont help you at the quote as the person who came out in this case simply had no idea, so better still, get qualified (preferably L5 Diploma Arboriculture) people to come see the tree when it's more than just a straight forward removal, and be prepared to pay them for the advice or time. Here's my certificates for example, easily seen on my website. Certificates and Training Like I said, I could have solved the problem for 10% of the price she paid and showed her how to treat the trees herself for around $40 a year. Alternatively I would have quoted a removal, tops $1500 for that, it's an easy job and there's lots of room to do those trees, they are EASY trees to cut down and the lot would go through an 18" chipper. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

31st August 2008, 10:36 PM	#5
TrevMcRev Mature Tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Posts: 1,605	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! That is just INSANE! The homeowner & the contractor would get fined down here by council.

5th October 2008, 02:24 PM	#6
Tree Solutions Sappling Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brisbane Posts: 14	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! Like those old Sherril shirts said.. if god wanted trees to look like that he would have given birds chainsaw feet.. that's pretty average work by anyone's standards. I long for the day when our industry becomes regulated...

5th October 2008, 04:15 PM	#7
newguy18 Part of the Furniture Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: orlando,fl Posts: 4,977	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! I long for the day we can tar and feather tree guys who do that kind of work. __________________ Have your say join us today. old schooler

9th October 2008, 06:06 PM	#8
pomie Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: brisbane Posts: 84	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! i went past them trees the other day,i was going to get some photos 4 you ekka,who was the firm not anyone i work 4,i went to an old cliant the other day he had had a quote to remove 3 alex palms around a pool by some somoans and thought he was getting ripped off anyway he got my number of a friend as he had lost it ,the palms where about 25 feet tall at best these guys wanted to do there and then the price started off at $1700. dollars went down to $900.00 i bet they did not even have insurance i am doing it next week for $450.

9th October 2008, 06:12 PM	#9
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,792	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! The name of the company .... it's cryptic, but it's right in front of you. Who are you going to call? __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

17th March 2009, 10:45 PM	#10
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,792	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! And here we are just 6 months later, luckily it was hot and wet this summer so they took off! So tell me, did the client solve the problem? Or did they just create a rod for their own back with a faster growing weaker tree? And perhaps either an expensive repetitive pruning regime or removal. No matter how you look at it the money on that job was ALL WASTED. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

17th March 2009, 10:49 PM	#11
Drouin Tree Service Veteran Heritage Status Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1,694	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! Give them 3-5 years they'll be huge! __________________ Drouin Tree Services \| Excavator Hire - Drouin and SE Gippsland \| Landclearing Melbourne

27th February 2011, 07:54 AM	#12
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,792	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! I took these picture yesterday, it is now 2.5 years since they were lopped. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

27th February 2011, 08:38 AM	#13
Darrell Mcleod Mature tree Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Victoria Australia Posts: 242	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! Very effed

27th February 2011, 09:16 AM	#14
Jeff Darby Moderator - Previously known as JayD Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: TreeWorld, Sydney Australia Posts: 2,025	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! I would not like any trees on my property that looks as disgusting as these do. topped trees urghh... __________________ Member: Australian Tree Association Join the Australian Tree Association...Have your voice heard ! Arboriculture, A life long study for some, a passing phase for others © Jeffrey J Darby 2011

27th February 2011, 09:20 AM	#15
Apocalypsse Veteran Heritage Status Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 1,154	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! I like the color of those green leaves, except the fact the trees have been fkd.

27th February 2011, 09:24 AM	#16
becmate Sappling Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Victoria Posts: 15	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! Looks like she got what she paid for ... or not. so you'll be putting in a quote for removal then?

27th February 2011, 09:21 PM	#17
Hard-as-Stihl Mature tree Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: maui, hawaii Posts: 267	Re: Who are you going to call? Tree Busters! eric, your an inspiration to me. we have the same issues with tree services topping//lopping trees here in hawaii. it pisses me off so Fing bad that NO ONE gives a shit about why topping is bad. the arborists who know about topping here dont get involved because they are to lazy. i wanna try SUPER hard to make a difference here. i cant stress to you how much i want the topping to end. it is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo irritating when i see a topped tree

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