Affordable Tree Care

My experience with this company was excellent I received a call back within hrs of calling this company (unlike a number of others that never returned my call) and Mr[redacted] came later in the day to give me an estimate that was very much what I expected the price to be based on previous work done by other companies through the years The next day I received a call advising me of the day and time that the workers would be there They arrived exactly as advised and removed a large maple and a smaller tree very quickly, cleanly, and professionally

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
 As I
said previously, I felt threatened and mailed the full payment already via
online banking therefore there is a paper trail. This company said specifically
that my wife was splitting hairs when she requested the $30 credit therefore
they would provide a $15 credit. Due to the condescending response, a $15
credit is not acceptable. And when it comes to them providing a credit for us, it is a 15%
discount, etc. But when I am asking for it, it is "splitting hairs".
So apparently to them, it is a huge amount but for me, it must be a drop in the
bucket. Due to the hostile and condescending nature of this company's response
to e-mail, phone conversations and reviews, I already sent a check paying the
full original amount. I do not want any trouble from this company as in their
words "escalating". It would be nice to receive a $30 refund;
however, I do not believe this company would be willing to provide that especially since we already sent them the full original payment.
Additionally, this company is not willing to treat customers with respect
whatsoever. We wish to be done with this company. If they wish to have happy, satisfied, non-threatened customers, then they need to stop insulting customers by telling them that that will "escalate things", that they are "splitting hairs" and that they "have customers lie to them all the time". THIS COMPANY DID IMPLY THAT MY WIFE WAS LYING BECAUSE [redacted] SAID "WE HAVE CUSTOMERS LIE TO US ALL THE TIME TO GET THEIR BILL REDUCED" AND SHE IMPLIED MY WIFE WAS LYING AGAIN WHEN SHE SAID THAT MY WIFE DIDN'T MAIL THE CHECK AT ALL. And it appears they will continue to lie by denying it. This is very frustrating and I have never experienced such bad customer service in my life. I feel like this company is bullying us.Regards,
[redacted]

I apologize the [redacted]'s are displeased by conversations with our company
representatives. We share a smaller office space and everyone in the
office has been privy to these conversations with both Mr[redacted] and his
wife. We keep open lines of communication with each
other and with our
customers
At no time did anyone accuse anyone of lying. At this
time, these are the facts as we see them. When calling to confirm the job on 9/(job date 9/11), we always make arrangements for payment as that is
due upon completion of the job. Mr[redacted] had stated that he had mailed the
check (not mentioning that it was mailed with the confirmation card received on
8/14.) Although, it is true, we do not normally receive payments with
confirmation cards - we do thoroughly check in & inspect all incoming
mail. The verbiage on the Confirmation Card that we ask to return
when agreeing to our terms and conditions is "Payment is due the day
service is rendered". He did not write "paid in full" or
"payment included" and we have no record of receiving the check. When we confirmed the job we were under the
impression that he had just mailed out the check as he knew he was not
going to be home day of job and didn't feel comfortable leaving the check taped
to a door as most of our customers do. I am attaching a copy of the signed confirmation card as well as the Terms/Conditions & Estimate for
services. Our crew performed the contracted work and we have not received payment for our services
As they must know, the check was never cashed nor did it clear the bank.
I understand their interest in issuing a stop payment, although the check was
apparently made out to Affordable Tree Care and not cashed so I'm not sure how the bank would not
be responsible should something have happened to that check. It was never
anyone's intent for anyone to feel threatened or nervous. We just expect
payment for our services. We did even offer to Mrs[redacted] a credit of $(half of their bank fees) as a professional courtesy but
she was not pleased with that. I am still willing to settle this issue and have attached a credit memo of $15. Please keep in mind that the total job was $plus tax so $is approximately a 6% discount
As mentioned in the email, the [redacted]'s can pay by credit card over the phone or
if they prefer, mail another check or stop by our office. I'm not sure
about the statement about feeling nervous about giving us their credit card but
as mentioned, we accept various forms of payment We are a very
reputable business doing providing services to the community for over
years. At this point, balance due on this $248.75. We hope to expect payment soon as payment was due upon receipt of services. We are willing to not charge any late fee (as stated in terms & conditions - late fees of $per month per service date will be added to delinquent balances over days) but we do expect payment within the next week.Thank you.

We appreciate the payment for our services.  To reiterate, no one was called a liar - we simply stated that we did not receive the check nor did we cash it.  It is regretful that the customer rejected our offer to split the difference of their bank fee - $15 as a professional courtesy due to their inconvenience.   Once again, payment for our services is appreciated and we wish this customer best of luck in their endeavors.  Regards,The Team at Affordable Tree Care

We just spent a wonderful weekend enjoying our deck! We actually have sunshine now! And no dead sticks to sweep up every time we go outside! What a joy!! I can't thank you enough for all the expert work your crew did last weekend. Your team is so knowledgeable and friendly. I was a nervous wreck as this was a major project and your team handled everything and made short work of it all. The neighbors were amazed at the crane lifting these monster trees over the house!! Again, I will recommend your company to anyone who has problems with large troublesome trees! Your team is amazing!!

Review: I hired this company to remove a birch tree. The preformed the services. However, when I mailed in the confirmation to accept the estimate, it stated, payment must be received the day services are rendered. I was fairly sure I would not be able to take off work to be there for the removal of the tree; therefore, I mailed the check with the work confirmation. They came and removed the tree but never cash the check.

A week after the tree was removed, I received a invoice with a balance due of $263.75. I called their office and explained that we mailed the check with the confirmation to have the work done. The girl stated that she "may have thrown it out". So my wife called the office asking for a $30 credit because their office lost my check and I am being charged by my bank a stop payment fee of $30.

The girl then told my wife that people try to get their bill reduced by lying all the time and said that we were probably just trying to get my bill reduced. She explained that we could provide a copy of my bank statement with the fee for the stop payment, which will prove that we are not lying. And then she said that we probably never sent the check because there is no proof that we sent the check. She also told her that she could send a picture of copy of the "carbon copy of the check". And office girl continued to tell my wife that customers are always lying to them. We am highly offended that the office girl would speak to my wife like that. Additionally, the office girl said she would ask the owner if a credit could be provided. And my wife asked her if she could have the owner call me if he a credit would not be granted and with attitude she said "we'll see". The childishness we have encountered on the phone with this company is unbelievable.

My wife emailed the the company's e-mail on their website and recieved a response containing lies that I said I sent the check seperate, refused a $30 credit and stating "If we do not receive complete payment by Tuesday September 13th then we will have not choice but to escalate things to the next level which would be a shame for both of us." This statement was totally unnecessary. I never expressed in the slightest that I would not pay for the services. I also need to add that Sept 13 is a Saturday and this email took place on Sept 18, which does not make any sense.

Furthermore, the the owner and office girls I have spoken with or emailed keep insisting that I give them my credit card and that I do not need to put a stop payment on the check that they lost, which is a huge red flag to me.Desired Settlement: I would like an apology and a $30 refund. I plan to send the full payment via my online banking so I have a paper trail of the payment right away as I feel scared and threatend by the e-mail they sent to me.

Business

Response:

Review: I contacted affordable Tree Care to remove trees in my back yard and it has been a horrible experience. After they left the property I had to call the office to have them come back because they didn’t clean up after they were done. I was told that it was NOT my responsibility to clean up the debris. They came back and apologized. They said that they were in a hurry because they had another job. They picked up 2-3 bags of debris. They assured me that they had picked up everything and left. At the time, I was talking to [redacted] about getting a landscaper in to level the ground. We talked for a couple of min. That was the only time I talked to him and we never discussed the job that was done.

I did say the dirt area looked good after they were finished. It was nicely done with no debris. But on Sunday, my brother came over and raked the tree area and found a lot of tree branches and large pieces of stumps that was covered by the dirt. I was going to help him when I noticed big pieces of branches and stumps in the grass area.

I spent the next two days cleaning up my grass, the street and my neighbor’s yards. I would have called them but it was Memorial Day weekend and I knew that they would be closed. Besides I had called them once before and it still wasn’t done. I cleaned up the grass area so no one would run over the branches, stumps, etc. with their lawn mower. I felt I would be one who would be responsible if something happened to their lawn mower because it was on my property. I also cleaned debris from the street. I picked up 6 big grocery size bags and one garbage bag full of debris that they left behind.

I asked to meet with [redacted] at my house. They refused and sent [redacted] instead. [redacted] did come and pick up my bags of debris. He said that what I picked up in the grass was “unacceptable” which he is now denying. He told me that he was going to show [redacted] the bags he took out of my garage. Obviously he didn’t because they think they still claim THEY did a good job cleaning up. I told him there were still a lot of tree branches in the stones and he told me that they were hard to get out of the stones. I ended up picking up the sticks myself. Bag is in my garage.

He also tried to negotiate a deal with me. He said if he would clean the yard for an hour in exchange for the work that I did and we could call it even. I refused so they left.

That day, [redacted] also took some pictures. Now when I call them they said that they have pictures and everything looks good. It was a week later. Did he take a picture of the debris he picked up from my garage? Obviously he did not. I also have pictures of all the debris that I picked up but they don’t seem to want to see my pictures. I have pictures, witnesses and [redacted] who saw the debris in my garage. After they left, I again called to have [redacted] come and see the branches that they missed and obviously didn’t take pictures of. They refused so I picked up another garbage can and garbage bag full of branches. I have proof because they are now sitting in my garage. The branches were lying in different piles in my neighbors wooded area. The rest were an in my other neighbors yard near their tree.

They also claimed that they talked to my neighbors after they were done and said my neighbors said they did a good job of cleaning. I talked to my neighbors and they said that they never asked them. When [redacted] was there I told him that we could go and ask my neighbors but he refused.

My one neighbor did come over and a worker showed us a little saw dust and asked if that was ok to leave in the dirt. I agreed with small pieces but what I found was big pieces of stump and branches throughout the area which we found after we raked the area. Now that it is raining there is more debris. I was told it was the landscaper’s job to clean up and not theirs.

I have trying hard to settle this but the company is not very cooperative. One email they asked me what it is that I wanted. I told them that all I wanted was to meet with [redacted] and they refuse. I received an email saying [redacted] already met with me when he picked up the logs the day of the job and will not be meeting with me again to have the same discussion that he already had with me. I talked to [redacted] the day they did the work and we talked about getting a landscaper to level the ground. I have never talked to or had the opportunity to talk to him about the debris left in the yard because he refuses to talk to me.

I don’t understand what the problem is. Well, I think I have a hunch. I received an email that said my behavior was harassment and that I hear what I want to hear and twist everything that is said and twist it out of context. She was claiming that [redacted] never said that is was unacceptable. I know what I heard. It went on to say as long as they were concerned this matter is closed. We will not have another discussion with you about it. We will not respond to your phone calls or emails. We have never had a customer in our 22 years of business to be unhappy. You are the first. Well I see two complaints in the Revdex.com and a few complaints from the Racine County small claims court. Also I talked to another person who told me that they were messy and he knew someone that had to pick up after them. That is why I checked the grass area the first time. I should not have had to call them back in the first place.

I have spent over 7 hours picking up after this company. Not to mention all the hours I have spent emailing, calling and now writing this complaint. I have tried to work with them but they are very uncooperative. I have witnesses- my brother, [redacted] and my neighbors about the debris I picked up. I also have pictures that they don’t want to see. I still have branches in my garage that they don’t want to see or remove. I have proof of everything I said in this statement except that [redacted] said that is was “unacceptable”.

It is sad to have to do this. If they had just did what they said they were suppose to do according to the contract, we wouldn’t be in this situation. There were many excuses like it was a big job, long day, in a hurry, it was because of stump grinding, it is a busy time, and lot clearing vs. removing trees, etc. I was told in an email that there is no way to remove sawdust and all stump grindings when a lot is cleared like they did at my property.

I paid them a lot of money to get this done. The contract says remove all trees and stumps. Remove debris. Wood will be hauled, branches chipped up and the lawn raked of smaller tree debris such as sticks, leaves, and twigs. All work will be done in a professional manner. It also says “satisfaction guaranteed”.

It is not the workers fault. I blame [redacted]s. They should not have scheduled another job that day because it didn’t give them a chance to finish the first job.

The company should own up to the work done. When someone complains, it is not because they did a good job, it is because they did a poor job. They should act professionally and listen to the person instead of trying to avoid them. We could have come up with an easy solution. All I asked was to see [redacted] to get compensation for my time. It is ridiculous.

I know the company will get defensive and be little me but they can’t deny that I really only had one request and that was to meet with [redacted] at my house and they repeatedly refused. They asked me what it is that I want and I emailed her that I wanted to meet with [redacted]. They refuse to look at MY pictures and come back and pick up the rest of the tree branches in my garage.Desired Settlement: I paid a lot of money to get this job done and would like to meet with [redacted] to get compensation for my time cleaning their mess, emailing, calling and the stress that it has caused me with dealing with this company. I also would like them to come back and pick up the rest of the tree branches in my garage after [redacted] has seen them and we can come to an agreemen

Business

Response:

[redacted] contracted with our office to remove a group of

trees, chip the brush and grind the stumps. The trees were all in a

section together and she was planning to install a garden after the area was

cleared. It essentially was a small lot clearing.

Our crew cleared the trees exactly as quoted AND because there

were other existing stumps around the trees we were contracted to remove

we offered to grind those extra stumps at no additional charge and [redacted]

accepted that offer. We went above and beyond so that when we left the

area would be ready for her landscaper to come in and grade the area before

installing the garden. We felt completing our contracted

work and then having other stumps sticking up out of the ground would then be a

problem for the next contractor. Our crew completed the

contract work completely plus the add on work at no additional charge.

What [redacted] is stating is that there was debris UNDER the

dirt. We were NOT hired to clean UNDER the dirt or

grade her yard. It does not state anywhere on our estimate

that we will do any more than remove the trees. [redacted] is

complaining that we didn't do something that was never in the

contract. We cleared the wood and branches from the trees.

We ground the stumps and cleaned up the grindings. The attached

picture is evidence of that quality work. There will

always be some sawdust and little particles left from a tree job and that

biodegrades over time. It is not possible to get every spec out of

a yard. We use rakes and blowers and clean up everything possible.

[redacted] stated everything looked good when

the job was done and then AFTER

it rained the next day there

was new debris. debris from winds and rain, after our job is complete, is not

part of any customer’s contract.

Also any bags of debris [redacted] picked up on her own from general spring clean up

and yard maintenance are not part of our contracted work. We

always encourage a customer to call our office if when they have any questions.

We answer the phone 24/7 including holidays.

[redacted] of our company did inspect the job and met with [redacted] after the job

was completed. [redacted] was pleased

at that time and did not share any concerns with him. That was after she spent the whole day

outside when our crew was working in the yard. Affordable Tree Care’s Owner concluded from

that visual inspection that everything he estimated was completed 100% plus

noted the additional grinding we did complimentary.

We feel bad the customer is not happy yet believe there is

nothing we can do to make her satisfied short of giving her money off the job

which is completely unwarranted. We take pride in providing

exceptional customer service and great clean up. We have built our

business based on customer references and referrals.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

Obviously I reject this company’s response. Now you know why I want to talk to [redacted]. It is impossible to work with this person. I still have a request and that is to talk to [redacted] and get some compensation. The company is only 6.3 miles away so I don’t know what their problem is.

I don't ever take the time to right a review on a business, good or bad but felt the need to tell everyone about the professional service I received from Affordable Tree Care LLC. During a summer that was plaqued with rain every single day, I called no less than 10 other tree services in the South Eastern half of WI and no one would even come out for an estimate on my tree trimming needs but Affordable Tree Care took my call and took the time. Affordable Tree Care LLC does not turn away business or make excuses for weather. The free estimate was done within 10 days of my call and my trees were trimmed within several weeks after. The onsite arborist and crew were very professional and courteous and did a job in 6 hours that would of taken most other companies two days. I would highly recommend this company for any and all tree service needs. You will not be disappointed.

While the tree removal work was done very well, the workers courteous and the tree removal done very professionally,I would not recommend working with the owner's wife, [redacted]. She takes all the phone calls and is very rude and condascending on the phone. You try to ask questions and she cuts you off, she has an accusatory tone in her voice. I was told by the workers that the extra tree pieces (left on my parkway) would be picked up either that same day or the next. When I phoned the next day to determine pick up she was again irritating and said it would probably not be until next week Tuesday or later (meaning the tree pieces would remain in my front yard for at least 6 days or more). By city law you can't leave this type of material on your property for more than 5 days. Her "excuse" the truck is broken down. My thought was rent another truck for the job. I would NEVER think of offering their services to anyone else especially when you would have to work with [redacted]. I was even told by the workers that she is a problem in the office. Heads up Affordable, get yourself someone more people friendly to represent you in the front office.

ATC removed a red maple in our front yard Jan 2014 with snow on the ground...come spring we were left with a lot of large above the ground roots...on May 31 they finished the "stumping" process NO charge satisfactorily...we also contracted with them to add soil & seed to the area...it did NOT grow and we did water as told + the "top soil" crusted & was full of stones & debris...this was confirmed by [redacted] on

June 25 and he offered a redo at NO charge which was done on June 30 with more "top soil", seed and this time some mulch was added...3 weeks later only a few sprigs of grass...again we have been told we DID NOT water properly AND they are DONE with us as they provided double what we contracted for...Revdex.com site states 100% Customer Satisfaction...of note: we re-did

a small area by removing their "top soil", stones & debris...added black dirt + seed and it grew and is still growing, BUT we've been told it won't last because we probably used fast growing annual seed...NOT

the perennial seed they use (our seed bag states=perennial)

Save yourself the hassle, find someone else to do the work. I received a very simple 1 line quote for removing a tree. Due to it being 8 months old, they said the quote was still good but there would be a 5% increase in the cost due to the age of the quote, fine. The crew shows up and says they dont want to go over some other smaller trees to get to the big tree to be removed, so its going to be an extra $375 to remove the smaller trees to do the work.
So, since the quote from [redacted] said nothing about this, either the crew is being lazy and doesnt want to do things the way that [redacted] thought they should. Or [redacted] up the quote and didnt tell us there would be an issue with these other trees. If that was the case, its not my [redacted] up on the quote, so seems to me they should cover the cost of the [redacted] up. Nothing was done to make good on this supposed issue other than to tell me I had to pay more money or the work would not be done. Of course [redacted] was not available at the time in order to discuss this since he was the one that did the quote in the first place.
Avoid the hassle, find someone else to do your work.