Is there a word limit? If so, I will exceed it with this post! I won't apologize for it either…read more.. I can not believe the service I received today! I had already called four tree service company's and had them come to my home to give out quotes. Let's just say the prices ranged from understandable to ridiculous. When Bobby came over, he blew me away. His gift for gab and balance of professionalism and knowledge hooked me. His quote was fair, but the whole package he was selling me... was more than fair.
Day of arrival: We were told Bobby and his team would be here at 9 a.m. They showed up at 8:30. As trucks and equipment lined up Bobby greeted me and waved at my babies, who were super excited at the window. We discussed in detail what his plans were and safety precautions while his team worked. This gave me the tingles as I am that helicopter parent who loves to talk safety(lol). As I was going to enter my home he stopped me and asked if we didn't mind moving two of the vehicles on the street a little further down, as an extra precaution. I of course had no problems with that!!! Bobby then did something very rare and touching, a small gesture of decency. He offered to move them for me. Kindness seems rare these days don't you think? Most take and take some more.
Two trees were supposed to be cut on this day. One in my front yard which may have been up to 70 feet. And a massive pine which was close to tipping on a neighbor's house--given we had a bad storm. This tree was well over 170 feet. (in my opinion lol)
Time for action: With my two little ones staring bright eyed through the screen door, Brandon (which my kids re-named Mr. George of the Jungle) began to maneuver around this tree like he and it were one. The team on the ground including Bobby didn't miss a beat. As one branch fell they were picking it up and taking it to the tree grinder. Looking and making sure nothing was falling above them...Constant communication and leadership by Bobby and their headphone helmets , my kids called them, they busted that sucker down by 10:47 a.m. Oh, did I not mention that I should have been a foreman? I was all over this project like no one's business. I was just fascinated by it all.
Time for round two: So, somehow we thought clear our back yard meant pick up kids toys and really it meant clear out the BACKYARD...Bless these guys, next thing I know they had literally pulled my kids play-set out of the earth and placed it in a safe place on the other side from where they planned on cutting the tree. They also moved other heavy items that I cannot move myself. I am truly grateful. I don't do this for a living and have no clue what they expected, they didn't say a word, they just smiled when I apologized for my ignorance and gave huge grins and said, "no problem we got it."
There seemed to be a lot of discussion regarding that back pine. Every other branch, me and my girls would see them stop, look at Brandon in the tree (excuse me..George of the Jungle) and then get back to work. At some point most of the branches were gone and in the wood chipper, when a few more men from his crew arrived with different trucks and a stump grinding machine. Then new gentlemen fell into the job like it was already planned out. By 2:30 p.m they had half the pine (from the top) falling to the soft ground with a massive thud. Timber.... my girls screamed in excitement. The crew was on that tree like ants on candy. They cleared that massive mess up and hauled it out to the front where their vehicles were at--in no time. It was like a well planned military mission.
2:59 p.m. Job COMPLETED! NO injuries, all wood and debris cleared. Wait, out front while I was filming the tree falling out back, two men were getting prepped to grind the stump from the tree cut earlier. 3:15 stump was getting taken care of. It was like watching a dance occur. People moving in sync, messes disappearing, and in the end my flippen yards looked better than they did before they came. WHO DOES THAT??????? Trees & More...that's WHO!
Let's now talk about what happened in regards to integrity, pride in one's job and being a good HUMAN being. They noticed during the end of cutting the big pine that my neighbors' broken down fence was shifting more than it already was leaning(bless that fence lol). The vibrations of the wood falling was responsible for that. Anywho, without a word, they began to stand that fence upright and put some wood up from--I have no clue-- and made their fence presentable and gave them back some privacy. All I am going to say is if I had extra to give...that tip would have been enormous!!! I wanted to cry as 5:08 p.m. rolled around with the boys rolling out:(
I cannot express in words what I feel in my heart for those men. My mother and myself, could and normally would have been taken advantage of and in most situations when women are the ones in charge or bargaining that happens. It is what it is. Not with this company.