That elm I tried to save ended up costing the homeowner $2,000 more in the end

Was out in Aurora on a job last spring. Homeowner had this big American elm with some dieback up top. I told her it was probably Dutch elm disease and she wanted to try everything to save it. Did the injections, did the deep root feeding, the whole nine yards. Seven months later the thing split right down the middle during a windstorm and took out a chunk of her garage roof. Should have just told her to take it down from the start. How do you guys handle customers who want to save a tree that's clearly on its way out?

2 comments

2 Comments

maxm5016d ago

Dude SAME thing happened to me with a big silver maple a few years back. Customer insisted on saving it even though it had a massive crack in the trunk. I did the cabling and bracing, the whole works. Six months later that tree dropped a HUGE limb right onto their fence. They ended up paying me to take the whole thing down anyway plus the fence repair. Now I just tell people straight up "look, sometimes the cheapest option IS the most expensive one long term." You gotta be FIRM with them or they'll waste your time and their money every time.

james_martin9316d ago

How's that any different from what @maxm50 said though? You can't really blame the homeowner for wanting to try... they're attached to their trees, especially an old elm like that. If you told her the odds upfront and she still wanted to go for it, that's on her. At least you gave her a chance, even if it cost more in the end. She's not gonna blame you for the tree failing when you warned her it was a long shot. Sometimes the cost is worth it just for the peace of mind of knowing you tried everything.