any point in fighting it for $382? miscommunication with tree company

[icyappraiser]

I have a huge Silver Maple in my backyard that has limbs over both my and my neighbor's garage (both detached behind house) and coming right up to my house. I hired a company trim it and asked them to 'cut the branches back that are over my house and mine and my neighbor's garages'. The language in their written quote reads 'prune back 10 feet from house and both garages' (mine and my neighbor) and they quoted me $765.

I interpreted 'prune back 10 feet' to mean that once they cut the branches they wouldn't be over either garage anymore. After they finished the work, I pointed out that there were still limbs over both garages. They said that prune back as written in the quote meant they would lift the elevation so no branches were within 10 feet of the garage (they would still be above it, just not within 10 feet vertically from the roof). Essentially, they took a lot of the smaller, lower branches off but left some of the larger, higher branches.

I told them that was not what my understanding of the work to be performed. They said they performed the work according to what was quoted and even called their sales guy who told me the same thing on speakerphone. Before this miscommunication, I felt they had been reputable and honest in all their communications.

I still owe them half the balance, $382.50. Should I bother fighting them on it or just chalk it up to a lesson learned to be more specific and careful in the future? Just want a gut check if I am being reasonable or not here. Thanks!

[seemsright]

I am a hard ass when it comes to this type of thing. I would call the sales guy back, make him come back out and figure out how much more it will be to have the job done the way you want. If he is smart it may only be $100 more. Then that day that the crew is out pay the whole bill. Be nice but assertive.

I had my roof done. And I was not happy how it was done. The owner of the company came out and finished the part that his crew missed. They missed the little fire place roof thing to my gas powered insert thing. And then since there was rain he got some marks on my house. (this was not a big deal as painting was next on the to do list) but if I was going to write that check I wanted the job done right. He took care of that too.

I want the jobs done exactly the way I want. And I try really hard to get the contractors to understand what I want. I pay people to do things that I do not want to do.

[ReadyOrNot]

I would definitely fight it.  No one in their right minds would look at a tree and only think to prune from a vertical perspective only unless the language is specifically to raise the tree up a certain height.  I think the common sense interpretation is to trim it from a horizontal perspective and out of the way.  At least ask for a discount on the mis-understanding.  If they don't, you can always leave a bad review and let others know.

Also, $765 seems quite high just to trim a tree.  I had an arborist thin out my tree, trim it on the sides and top and paid less than that.  Seems like you're paying high retail prices on this work.  I recommend getting multiple quotes in the future for this type of work to see if it's reasonable.

[Blue Skies]

I guess I am the odd one out.  I would have interpreted their "prune back 10 ft" to mean exactly what they said - nothing from the tree is within 10 ft of the structure in any direction. 

I have a tree overhanging my house and we have had this done.  If they cut off all the branches overhanging it would look ridiculous.  I just want it far enough away so the wind doesn't blow them into my roof/siding every time we get a big storm.

[Fishindude]

I guess I am the odd one out.  I would have interpreted their "prune back 10 ft" to mean exactly what they said - nothing from the tree is within 10 ft of the structure in any direction. 

My thoughts also.