tree triming by electrical company (sub contractor)

[Sigarms]

When you have the electrical company come by and need to do tree maintenance, what are your expectations when they're finished?

Honestly, this is the 3rd time they've been by in about 5 years (new pole lines in this time), and I'm not to happy. I'm just wondering if my expectations are too high.

What I expect is that any limbs that can be chipped, be chipped. Any and all trees cut on my property should be cut in 2-3' lengths so they can be hauled by me in my pick up truck. Any stumps left in the ground should be no more than 3' high protruding out of the ground.

The first tree the took down the first time out here has now grown back right under the one power line and they will have to cut it down again (which I knew would happen). Then they left a couple of pine trees cut just laying on the ground. When I complained, they removed the one I pointed out, but left another one that was laying right behind it (go figure).

The second time out here, it still cost me about $300 to grind the stumps down around the house. Also left various sizes of logs left on the ground in various lengths ranging between 4' to 15'.

They just finished out back by the road on my property the other week, and it looks like a mess for the most part and I'm thinking they have no intentions to come back and clean up. My wife isn't too happy either.

Are my expectations too high that the area should be relatively clean and any thing left over should be movable by one person?

I'm at the point where I feel like telling them I don't care if they have the right of way. If they can't keep my property clean when doing the work, call the cops the next they're out because we will need them.

 

[TractorGuy]

Have you contacted the electrical company with your complaints?

It's been many years since they have been on my property but when they did they chipped and removed everything they cut. There was one sub contractor that was leaving a mess along the the roads and one call to the electric company got action within a day.

 

[GAFarmer2]

I would ask to see the right of way contact they maintain with you, along with the permit for the power lines. It should (note I said should) spell out what is expected of each party.

I feel your pain. Just spent 4 hours last Saturday cleaning up under a new "drop" full of oak tree trimmings. Our EMC is responsible for maintaining all lines, but only for the clean up under the main ones. The individual drops are to be cleaned up by the homeowner. Go figure!

 

[boggen]

x2 of GAFarmer2

recently going through finding easements myself. had to goto down to local county court house, were the county recorder is located, and went through finding any easements for my property, including surveys, and deeds.

being power companies run every were through out the world. you might double check laws, to see if there and specific easement law or like that denotes electric companies in specific.

 

[Sigarms]

Have you contacted the electrical company with your complaints?

The first time they were out, they came out 3 different times because I called them. The employee at the power company knows me all to well because I sent pictures and dates of all the issues. Funny thing was I paid the subcontractor some extra cash to chip some extra trees I cut down and he asked for cash (not a check) because he didn't want the power company to know what he was doing it, and yet failed to do what he was supposed to do for the power company to begin with (makes a lot of sense) so I had to call them out again.

The second time out they had some "big stuff" to remove and the power utility employee told me that it was his best crew and he assured me I wouldn't have any issues, and I didn't.

The subcontractor saw me clearing out my creek crossing the other week and we talked and I informed him what my expectations were.

I mean is it too much to ask that the area just be "clean" and anything cut and left over actually be organized instead of just laying on the ground in a mess?

The way I see it, they have the right to do what is nessesary on my land for their power lines, but they don't have the right to cause me more work and money AFTER they're done. At worst, I should be able to deduct my time off my power bill if I do.

 

[riptides]

Interesting, I have about 800 feet of cedar right under the power pole lines to the house. They come out every few years to trim them back. Would never know they were there other than the letter in the mailbox and maybe if I am not on travel, the trucks themselves. Now when the lines came down due to storm damage, the "branches" were just cut and left on the property. Some mulching was done, but it was hauled off and I had to chainsaw the "branches" myself. I also had a tree right under the power line that had died. The guy topped it off, but would not cut it down. Odd, as it was right under the line. I guess it just depends on the crew and their workload for the day.

 

[Sigarms]

I guess it just depends on the crew and their workload for the day.

I'm thinking your right, and perhaps my expectations are higher than those of my neighbors perhaps.

If it's storm damage, I expect to be held accountable for my own trees.

Part of the area in question below. Again, perhaps I'm just over **** retentive.



Thing is, sooner or later I'm going to have to have a shoulder replaced, and I can't work physical labor like I use to.

The utility employee has been spot on and has already had the sub contractor crew supervisor stop by. I just feel like a butthole expecting the area to be clean. The way I see it, if the power company should have the same expectations I have (the area being clean).

 

[fishheadbob]

Your picture shows a mess. The sub is trying to make as much money in as little time as he can. That's just natural. Call the power company, they should make it right, but I'd get on it sooner rather than later. Once the sub gets his money he's gone.
I have gas and electric easements on my property, very major lines, if there is a problem I get the right guy at the utility who usually shows up with the subcontractor foremen and I'm kept happy. Your letter may have the name and phone of who to contact with issues.

 

[Sigarms]

Well, guy came by and said he'll make it ok. He didn't realize it was my property, which makes me wonder what difference that should make, added he saw me drive out from the area in question in my pick up truck and followed me up to my driveway to talk to me about some other stuff the other month on some other trees.

 

[JRobyn]

My EMC has lately just contracted with whatever lowball tree service/logger will respond to their RFP. Surely the contract has specifications regarding exactly what sort of cleanup is needed. And I assume that the requirements differ depending on "surroundings".

In our area there were a couple of trees that had grown up enough to soon be in danger of contacting the live wire. I called the EMC and a week or two later a couple trucks (unmarked) with guys with saws showed up and mowed down everything 20 or 30ft on either side of the line. Left it all where it lay, but then we are out in the woods. Part of the clearing is adjacent to the field, so we were happy they didn't drop anything on the fences!