Alright, let me tell you about this so-called “east coast tree” situation I got myself into not too long ago. Wasn’t exactly a walk in the park, more like wrestling a bear.
We had this massive old tree in the backyard. Looked nice from a distance, I guess. Real typical east coast vibe. Problem was, it was getting way too big for its britches, hanging right over the roof. Every storm, I’d be sitting there just waiting for a crash. Branches kept dropping too. Just a constant mess and worry.
Getting Started
First off, I figured, how hard can it be? I got my ladder, trusty old handsaw, thought I’d trim some of the lower, nasty-looking branches myself. Save a few bucks, you know? So, I climbed up there, started sawing away. Let me tell you, those branches were thicker and heavier than they looked. One wrong move and a big piece came swinging down, missed my head by inches. Scared the life outta me. That was the end of my DIY tree surgery career right there.
Calling in the “Pros”
Okay, plan B. Called a local tree service company. Guy came out, looked it over, nodded a lot. Sounded like he knew his stuff. Gave me a quote. Wasn’t cheap, but seemed fair enough for the size of this beast. Said they could do it the following week.
Next week rolls around. No show. I call them. “Oh, yeah, uh, we got delayed on another job. We’ll be there next week.” Same story the week after that. Then it was, “We need to check about permits,” even though he never mentioned that before. Felt like I was getting the runaround, big time. It was incredibly frustrating. The tree’s still looming, I’m out here chasing these guys down.
The Real Work
Finally, after weeks of back and forth, different guys show up. Not the original dude. They had the big truck, the chipper, all the gear. Looked serious. They got to work, and man, it was noisy. Sawdust everywhere. Took them the whole day. They were hacking away at it, piece by piece. It was kind of intense watching it come down.
- First, they roped off the big upper limbs.
- Then, carefully cut them so they wouldn’t smash the fence.
- Worked their way down the trunk section by section.
- Ground the stump down, though that cost extra, of course.
They did the job, eventually. Cleaned up most of the mess, but not all. Left some ruts in the lawn from the heavy equipment. And the final bill? Higher than the original quote. Always seems to happen, doesn’t it?
End Result
So, the tree’s gone now. Yard looks way bigger, and honestly, less character, but I sleep better during storms, that’s for sure. No more branches hitting the roof. It was a whole process, though. More hassle than I bargained for. Dealing with that tree felt like dealing with any big, stubborn problem – takes more time, more money, and more patience than you think you have. But you gotta just keep pushing, I guess. Get it done.
