to think that £150 is a lot of money for this

[idiuntno57]

just need to see if IABU about this potential cost.

In recent storm a branch if a tree in our garden has almost snapped and is lying down in my neighbours side of the garden. We are going to have to get the tree trimmed and branches removed to stop it being lopsided.

It is just the cost. NDN's &
friend has said he can do it but wants £150.

We are super skint and I need this like a hole in the head. However if this is what I need to pay I will. I just feel it is a lot of money but don't want to upset mtg n
NDN who is a very good NDN.

AIBU to think it is a lot and WWYD?

I think you're massively over-thinking this.

I'm rather surprised that everyone is saying £150 is a rip off. It depends on the tree obviously but we paid around £350 for a large tree to be pruned by a tree surgeon last year. We used to do this annually but it is now only done every 3-5 years.

Get another quote and see. Waste disposal does take up a fair bit of it as the professionals usually have to pay to dispose of the waste.

about right for a tree surgeon. bit much if its just mate with a chainsaw. Far too much if its mate with bow saw who wants it for firewood.

Can you DIY the damaged branch and get it tidied up in late winter when tree will be dormant if the shape really bugs you.

If your with-in 10 miles of Okehampton I'll come and see if I can DIY it and take it for firewood. and not charge you anything.

You woudo be a mug to take the first quote you get.

Getting a second opinion doesn't imply anything other than you have some common sense.

If NDN thinks you don't trust their judgment or their friend, so what? If they really are the great NDNs you say they are then they might be a little miffed, or even annoyed, but that isn't going to have any impact on your life whatsoever. If they do have a problem with it and let you know about it, then they they weren't very good NDNs to start with, and it's better that you know that.

Can't you claim on your house insurance anyway? In which case they'll be the ones to decide.

i really think it depends on exactly what needs doing.

tbh i'd probably baulk a bit at paying a friend £150 for doing it (unless the happen to be a qualified tree surgeon?)

i'd definitely ring around and get some quotes.

That does sound like a lot of money to saw a branch off - if you are trying to avoid offending the neighbour then say your insurance company have said you have to get three quotes?

Would the insurance company cover a broken branch? Surely not?

not sure it is even worth engaging insurance. Excess is £250 plus £250.

I don't think it sounds much if the are a qualified tree surgeon? Are they?

I had quotes for 200/250 to have my tree trimmed. Depends on the used suppose.

You really shouldn't be handing money over to people to avoid offending them though.

Just checked for you and unless you have a non standard policy your insurance wouldn't cover it anyway. If your tree feel and damaged your property then the insurance will cover the cost of removing the fallen tree plus any damage. If your tree is just damaged then it won't be covered. If your tree falls and damages neighbours property then they claim on their insurance and their insurers claim back from yours.

Don't use the NDN's friend unless s/he's a professional. They could get hurt and sue you, or do damage. I'd leave it to the professionals.

But it sounds like what you actually really need done is the branch removed that's in your NDN's garden, so it depends on whether it's a branch you can just go and pick up or one that no one could lift which will need a professional.

thank you squirrel

Sorry, just realised it's hanging and likely to fall so I think you need to get it done.

Seems a lot. For comparison, we have two huge trees in our garden, taller than the house, one an oak. Insurance says we have to have them pruned every two years. We get a professional tree surgeon to do this, they are here at least two hours, with several men, they shred and take away all the cuttings and it costs around £450 including Vat. So if it really is just sawing off one branch, that's too much. Oh, and we are a conservation area so they have to do it properly according to the permission we have been given.

How long will it take him? 150 pounds per hour for a tree surgeon is about right, I'm afraid. if you offer cash, no receipt, you may get a discountbut I disagree with such practices.

Check that for £150, that includes the tree being wood-chipped and removed from the site, with fully tidy up.

The qualifications and training TS's must do, plus insurances, make it a very expensive profession. Most tree surgeons I know are not well off despite the eye-watering fees.

I pay 100 per hour (with receipt!) but then I have about 500 trees to tend to, and do my own wood chippings, so get a good discount.

I'm surprised you haven't got a queue of helpful neighbours offering to do it for free in exchange for the firewood .... that's what happens round here.

If the branch when it was healthy was previously overhanging (albeit safely!) your ndn's garden, then wouldn't she have been allowed to remove the branch that was over her garden? She would have had to have offered you the branch but legally if it is over her property then she is allowed to cut it up to the boundary line. And I think that that would have been at her expense - I don't think she could say that she wanted the tree cutting back and that you had to pay for it. Sometimes this has been a good thing and sometimes it isn't, depending on the neighbour!

I don't know if the same applies here - maybe somebody else will know the finer details of branches over boundaries... But it might be that she is allowed to cut that branch off herself if she is worried about it and if she is able to pay for it herself. She might get a better mate's rate if the guy is her mate than you do (she might even be taking a cut of the money as a referral fee or treating themselves to a few rounds down the local as a part of the deal, who knows?).

If the friend took off up to the boundary line of the branch - would that be enough to sort out the tree, at least for now?

I'd definitely be looking into whether or not I should be paying for all the work or if she should be paying for some or all of it too!

Dont you know anyone with a woodburner
We needed a tree taking down and had loads of offers of people who just wanted it for the logs, had their own chainsaw and tidied up

after a storm, there is always a lot of profiteering to be done by anyone with a saw.

Call a few local tree surgeons and get some quotes; and get them to leave it in the garden; post on freecycle and someone will come, chop it up and take it away for you. Should get the bill down loads.