Tree Service

[tinytink]

Do you all tip guys who cut down trees? If you do what to you normally tip?

We are having two removed and there are like 6 guys working on it.

TIA

 

[StephMK]

At our house in NoVA, we had trees cut twice & I never tipped either time. Not sure if it's expected, but I never even considered it. I consider them like a repairperson & don't tip them either. I figure they set their prices & assume they build in what they want to earn from a job.

Curious what the responses will be.

 

[kathi29]

I don't have any advice on the tipping thing, but can I ask about what the cost is for cutting down the trees? I was about to post that question when I saw this post. We have 2 trees that need to come down and I need to budget the cost.

 

[grlpwrd]

I have had tree work done and some landscaping, too. I tipped the crew $20 or so to "buy beer or some drinks" after their hard day at work or I just have chilled bottle water, juice, or soda and gave it to them while they were here.

My dad was a trucker and now he owns a moving company so I know how it is to do hard, physical labor. The least I can do is give them refreshments.

 

[smacky1]

I also had several trees taken down by a crew and never considered tipping them either .....now I feel bad.

 

[Kies99]

I had the top 1/3rd of a tree come down on my cars and through my dining room window a few years back due to a microburst that went down my street.

A guy came down the street to check on his Mother-In-Laws house. He runs a tree service on the side and he had one of his guys bring over a truck and cut up the 1/3rd that came down. DID IT AT NO CHARGE! We didn't know the guy at all but he said he'd do it at no charge. We tipped him $50 for that. We also paid $500 or so to have him take down the remainder of the tree as well as a year or so later called him back up to take down a really large pine tree. We did not tip him for taking down the remaining 2/3 of the tree nor the pine tree. Figured he got some some good business out of his nice offer to remove the pieces free of charge.

Plus we reccommend them to anyone looking to have a tree down.

 

[Jodi3530]

I don't have any advice on the tipping thing, but can I ask about what the cost is for cutting down the trees? I was about to post that question when I saw this post. We have 2 trees that need to come down and I need to budget the cost.

I would call and get a estimate every tree is different and there are many factors that go into the price. My DH had a tree service for 5 years we just went out of business this year. In the 5 years he did it he only recieved tips a couple of times. It is a nice surprise when it happens but was not expected.

 

[kathi29]

Ahh, so a tree is not just a tree. I hadn't considered that. I'll make some calls.

 

[Kies99]

Ahh, so a tree is not just a tree. I hadn't considered that. I'll make some calls.

There was also an extra charge to take out the roots. We did it with the tree that came down but did not with the big pine tree. I wish we did as now the roots are starting to work their way to the surface and is starting to be a real pain to mow the lawn. I'll probably have to go dig them up myself this fall.

 

[Soulsearching]

I had many trees taken down on my property in the past and have just had two trees taken down in my front yard. Depending on the size and species of the tree will determine the price to take it down.

Having the stumps grinded down is another fee. If the trees were located on the lawn I had the stumps grinded, if the location was in with other trees they were cut down as low to the ground as could be.

As for tipping, I never tipped, but I did provide refreshments, soda and water, that I left in a cooler outside for them.

My father was a landscaper for many years, he always talked fondly of the customers who very considerate and left refreshments when they where doing big jobs at that location. I pay it forward.

 

[kathi29]

There was also an extra charge to take out the roots. We did it with the tree that came down but did not with the big pine tree. I wish we did as now the roots are starting to work their way to the surface and is starting to be a real pain to mow the lawn. I'll probably have to go dig them up myself this fall.

The stumps and roots won't be an issue. We are having a pool installed, and they will dig the stumps out when they dig the hole for the pool.

 

[TaraPA]

We've had a lot of tree work done in the last 10 years & have never once tipped the workers. Like the OP however, I do always set out a cooler with soda & water for them. One thing I learned is that tree work is NOT cheap. We lived in the woods & some of our pines were 75+ feet tall. Mega bucks to take those down. Get a few estimates.

 

[tinytink]

Thank you all for your input, we had a very large and tall old dying oak tree and a medium sized but tall holly tree removed with stump removal it was $750 for everything. This guys does a really good job and he cleans up everything after the are finished.

I did not tip this time(I did before when I had three trees removed) and I still provided drinks and I also made a platter of sandwiches for them. If anyone here in NoVA need a tree person I highly recommend this guy.(I get nothing from it, he's just really good and cheap)

 

[rainy~daze]

My DH has a tree service and has sometimes gotten tips.

Sometimes people give them drinks and food too. It is a really nice gesture and so very appreciated on the hot days to have cold drinks. But they always bring whatever they need as well...so no extras are ever necessary. They bid for what they need to get and it is expensive to have trees down so extras add up even more.

As a side note, anyone needing trees completely removed always get more than one estimate to compare and make sure they are insured, and if they have employees that they have workmens comp on them. If you are getting pruning or shaping done, seek a ISA Certified Arborist to do that work, as it truly is a specialty that needs to be done right and a lot of guys that do removals aren't skilled in pruning as much and can do more damage in the long run. And topping a tree----please don't ever do that. It is so bad for trees.

 

[tinytink]

My DH has a tree service and has sometimes gotten tips.

Sometimes people give them drinks and food too. It is a really nice gesture and so very appreciated on the hot days to have cold drinks. But they always bring whatever they need as well...so no extras are ever necessary. They bid for what they need to get and it is expensive to have trees down so extras add up even more.

As a side note, anyone needing trees completely removed always get more than one estimate to compare and make sure they are insured, and if they have employees that they have workmens comp on them. If you are getting pruning or shaping done, seek a ISA Certified Arborist to do that work, as it truly is a specialty that needs to be done right and a lot of guys that do removals aren't skilled in pruning as much and can do more damage in the long run. And topping a tree----please don't ever do that. It is so bad for trees.

Thanks again for the info.