tree triming by electrical company (sub contractor)

[sandman2234]

One reason that I don't buy property with any easement for a powerline! If I am paying taxes and payments on the property, and they want to come onto it and do anything, then they better do it "my way" or there is going to be a problem!
Can you say that I am stubborn?
David from jax

 

[rekees4300]

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

No your expectations are reasonable. Last year our power company hired subcontractor for tree trimming. They made 3 feet wide X 1 foot deep ruts in my pasture with their huge shredder machine because the idiots did it when the ground was wet. Called the power company to complain. Power company guy came out to inspect the damage. He said it's the subcontractor's responsibility to fix the ruts and that he would contact them when the ground is dry this Summer. So far no action.

 

[sandman2234]

No your expectations are reasonable. Last year our power company hired subcontractor for tree trimming. They made 3 feet wide X 1 foot deep ruts in my pasture with their huge shredder machine because the idiots did it when the ground was wet. Called the power company to complain. Power company guy came out to inspect the damage. He said it's the subcontractor's responsibility to fix the ruts and that he would contact them when the ground is dry this Summer. So far no action.

Might want to give them a call and remind them of the decision to call the sub-contractor!
David from jax

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

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

Your expectations are too high. But as has been said, they should do better than that. Call the electric company.

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.

Expect to go to jail, then. We'll see ya on Youtube!

 

[BoylermanCT]

I just was notified that the power company is removing 14 trees along the lines. They did this 3 years ago as well. They took the trees down, cut the trunks in 12' lengths and chipped everything else. They spray the stumps so they won't grow again. Works for me. I take the logs back to the back side of the barn with the tractor and cut them into rounds when I have time. I'll get 2 years of free firewood with a lot less work than me doing everything from start to finish. My power company hires out to Asplundh, and they seem to do a good job. I am sure they are not the cheapest! Of course, CT has one of the highest KW charge for electricity, so we are paying for it!

 

[3Ts]

I've got both electric and pipeline easements and they are treated differently. Even the electric easement is a "depends". The pipeline - if a tree is encroaching on the pipeline they will cut it down close to the ground, cut it into 16" long rounds and stack them at the side of the easement. The electric easement - if it's within the 15' of the power line they will cut the tree, branches, etc and remove all debris. They also have the right to extend beyond the official easement line of 15' if it looks like the tree could fall on the power line. In this case they will only top the tree low enough that it doesn't hit the power line and the top is left where it falls.

 

[oosik]

My power line comes in right down the entire length of my driveway - the entire mile. The last time they "trimmed" the ROW - the subcontractor came in and asked how I would like it done. The final decision - they cut down every single tree on that side of the driveway. Anything of any value, they limbed, cut to twelve foot lengths and left in piles along side the driveway. Everything else was chipped. Not a single tree was touched on the other side of the driveway(upwind side). I keep the trees cut, trimmed and chipped on that side. This is a fantastic situation for everybody - their easement is clear and my driveway protection from snow drifting is maintained by the border of trees along the entire upwind side of the driveway.

"Things" seldom work out this way.

 

[Sigarms]

Your expectations are too high. But as has been said, they should do better than that. Call the electric company.





Expect to go to jail, then. We'll see ya on Youtube!

1 - Well, if my expectations are too high, exactly how should they do better? Everytime I talked to anyone prior to any work being done, my expectations were always given (anything that could be chipped should be done so and any logs left over should be cut up into pieces where it could be handled by one man, and stumps should be taken down to at least 1' off the ground. As others have mentioned, you would think there would be a list of requirements set forth by the power company as far as exactly what work should be expected done. I've been told by the power company that a list of procedures on how trees and brush should be removed does not exist.

2 - If someone keeps coming onto my property and makes a mess and leaves it that way, I have no qualms going to jail over it. I doubt however it would be on boob tube.

 

[oldballs]

A couple years ago the sub-contractor cleared Cedars, Walnuts and Sycamores along my property power lines. They left a **** of a mess hanging high. It took me two weeks to fish all the dead hangers out after I could see them turning brown up high. Later I saw them working nearby and mentioned it to the foreman. He said that I should have called them about it. But I'm a DIY kinda guy. I figured the electric service was more important than my complaint.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

It will be spelled out in the easement agreement EXACTLY what they are responsible for. First call should be to someone in charge at the utility company. I worked for a utility company for 5 years before we moved from AZ. The normal expectation is the site will be returned to the way it looked before work was started. Only had to call the cops on land owners a couple of times. Only once or twice the owner got put in handcuffs and stuffed in the police car, where they got to sit the entire time and watch me (and crew-if needed) through the back or side window of the squad car, finish the work we had to do.

One guy was a habitual problem, and the city actually went through the legal process to seize the portion of the guys land the utility easement was on. So he ended up losing about 1/3 of his pasture because he thought he could be a bad-*ss. His loss.

Start with the utility company. Most likely the guy that oversees the contractors isn't aware that they are leaving messes behind. A few phone calls can usually get things straightened out and cleaned up. But there is ALWAYS an easement agreement, and it ALWAYS spells out who is responsible for what. They just don't always want to stop what they're doing and take the time to look up the agreement to see what is spelled out.