The life of an owner of a tree service company in Bellingham WA can be exhausting.
Yesterday was a good example.
It started out with an estimate at 7:30am for $350.00 off Wiser Lake Rd. Jill has a ginormous birch tree that was growing over the roof. She had called for an estimate on one branch, but after talking and considering cost, we took three. All were well over the house, and needed to be lowered. Told her we might be able to get to it today.
Then it was off to Galen's. He has used DigLynden Tree Service for work at Peoples Bank and called me to look at a few trees he is considering removing at his home. Two maples need to be reduced and five cedars taken out. Not huge cedars so the price is around two thousand. The pricing should be around what he is hearing if he gets other estimates, so we are hoping for the go ahead. Would get some good pieces for Jaquin for next years fair. He's a carver I befriended over the last two years.
My third estimate was supposed to be at 9:30 but I had texed a climber I am using part time now, and he said he could do the job. Went home to get what TJ might need for this small job and went back to Wiser Lake Rd. When I was getting the gear ready, TJ texted me and said he would not be able to do the job until the afternoon. The afternoon was crammed full, so I decided to just start doing the job myself. Called a high schooler, Titus, that I hired over the last couple weeks and he came to help.
Titus got all my climbing gear, saws and ropes to the tree and up I went. The main problem was a branch that was 15" at the truck of the tree and extended 10 feet above the roof, 20 feet over the roof. Not cut and dry. Had to get to the tip and place a lowering rope. Once all the rigging was in place, I cut the branch and lowered in gently.
Cut everything on the ground for Titus to keep moving it to the front for chipping, and left Titus to finish that stage of the tree service. I headed down to Sandstone Way, in Bellingham WA, to look at Jeff's issues. We're at around 1:00ish by this time.
While all this is going on, in the back of my mind, I am trying to figure out how to get down to Mt. Vernon to look at a tree service job for Andy, a ReMax Realtor. And get to my friend Kevin's house by 3:00pm to help him get started using the stump grinder he rented from Westside Builders in Lydnen.
Ok, first Jeff's. He has a 50' maple totally rooted out in the base. The scar is 10' feet up from the ground, and could easily be taken out with a light tool. The tree has plenty of life throughout and I am confident can be safely climbed and dismantled. Nice to be able to leave the chips and wood at the job, since Sandstone Way is out there a ways from our property.
Now, it's 1:15. Do I head for Mt. Vernon or go straight to Kevin's. Was so far towards Mt Vernon that I went for it. About 20 miles with no traffic and little gas in the tank. Took some pictures of this walnut tree. Probably the biggest I have ever seen. The branches are the size of trees. Some are 30" across. Not sure what Andy needs for this listing of his. Probably just get the branches touching the roof.
2:50 already and supposed to be at Kevin's at 3:00pm. Flew up to his home on Enterprise Road and got there close to 4:00. One of the stumps Kevin needs to grind was up about 18". That's a lot of time grinding, so I decided to go finish my job started earlier, go home and get the 066, and come back to cut it down for him.
First had to go home to get the chipper and chip truck. Back to Wiser Lane around 5:00pm to get'er done. Took less than 30 minutes to finish and we're off to my property to switch trucks and go back to Kevins.
6:30pm at Kevin's to cut down the stump. Saves so much time grinding when the stump is as low as it can go. The 066 made that a quick job. The stump was 40" across.
Home at 7:30pm. Man, that was a crazy day. Whenever you throw an un-expected job in the middle of an all ready busy day, it can get crazy. Love the challenge of the tree service industry. Hard work and high risk makes for a new adventure every day.
Tim Bento Owner/Climber DigLynden Tree Service
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