We contracted Steve's Tree Service to remove some trees, he told us it was a two day job and he charged us $2700, took over a month for the job to get done and we had to have someone take the wood away that he never removed off our commercial neighbors property. We discovered he didn't even have his own bucket truck and one of his workers told us he was out on Workers Comp getting paid under the table by Steve.He wanted to get paid for "work done" the first day and asked for half the money. We had also had him do a planting at the same time and in hindsight this was an even bigger mistake. His estimate got changed to $1000 more after he had picked up our trees telling us he "priced incorrectly and needed an additional $954 that day so his account wouldn't be overdrawn. We gave him almost $1600 a month prior when he requested the material deposit and told us he was personally tagging our trees at Sylvans Nursery, the Nursery confirmed that was not true as orders are placed out of a catalog. We asked for a breakdown of materials to justify the difference, he got testy with us and said we would get receipts which we never did. He dropped the trees on our lawn and left them there for two weeks before planting them.The trees began dying off in a month after they were planted. We heard every excuse from a cold, stung by bees, hurt his back when he didn't show up for work and he was working on getting our trees replaced etc...We paid him $4511 and 8 of the trees he planted died and we had to remove them the other two trees and shrub have declined as well. He told us when he planted them to water them for two weeks and forget about them, we didn't feel that was right and continued to water. Two of the trees were crooked and we asked if he could straighten them, he said he would after they were rooted? Does that make sense opposed to the week they were planted before they took root? Claimed his is a certified Arborist but look him up...he isn't listed on the registry in MA. Not a person of his word, dishonest and doesn't return calls or follow through with what he contracted to do. We would contact him every few weeks asking what was going on, he wouldn't answer his phone but respond with a text. By mid august we told him that we wanted to be reimbursed for the 8 trees or $1600, he agreed to reimburse us for the 8 trees that were dead or dying, he never stood by that either. The nursery gave him a credit of $600 which he gave us and assured we would get the rest. We were already taking a beating of $2911. We contacted him a few weeks later, asked where the rest was and that we now have no trees, he told us to stop harrassing/threatening him and to get a lawyer if we didn't like it. Trees planted in april and started dying may. We had to remove the rest that were dying and dispose on our own. He accused us of sabotaging our tree job. In the end it isn't the money in my world that is most important it is the dishonest business practices and repeated lies. He assured us that he guaranteed these trees wouldn't die and he was going to take care of them for a few years. Instant gratification were the wordsw he used. Initially we asked him to look at 1 tree...he told us our whole line of trees had to come down, they were diseased. He then tried to talk us into taking our side yard trees down, told us he gets 1200 a day off season and $1800 a day peak season but then told us he couldn't scrape together the money as he has no work. All lies and when you try to reach him you get voicemail. Even his workers complained on the job that they were waiting to get paid. I have had my roof replaced, fence put in and asked these contractors if they needed a deposit and it is always "when the job is finished". He also damaged our stockade fence in several sections and never offered to repair or reimburse us for it. If I could give Zero stars I would. Beware!! If I could post pictures on this site I would! read more
