The Hot Tree Guy!

When we moved into our house in July 2006, we knew eventually we would have to cut down the big tree right outside our patio door. The house has a small deck on it and this huge cottonless cottonwood was growing right next to it and pushing our deck up at an angle. Since we dreamed of a much bigger deck and one that was level of course we knew the tree had to go.

So Chris called a few tree removal people and got quotes around $1000-$1500 to take the tree down, cut it up and move it out. We first tried to get Chris's brother to do it, but the task seemed too daunting. Chris called one last guy on a recommendation from a friend. This was the hot tree guy (HTG) as I named him when he showed up in my back yard one day. He gave Chris a quote of $1300 and I told Chris he should hire him because he was hot. Well we hired him, because he is a local guy and not a big named company. We like to hire the little people. It seems right. But of course in my mind we hired him because he was hot.

Yesterday the HTG comes over and down the tree came. Chris was at work, the girls at school, and the boys and I went to Crookston for pictures. I got home at 3:30 and they were just taking down the rest of the tree. The HTG cuts them down and the other two guys, not hot by the way, clean up the mess. Our neighbor said the HTG literally climbed up the tree like a monkey to start piecing the tree down. I am thinking I should have stayed home.

Anyway, Chris said that the city will take anything 10 inches in diameter and smaller and for the HTG to leave that in a pile and he would drag it to the curb for the city to haul away. That would cut down our cost anyway. SO I get home and the pile is HUGE! OH man did I laugh. It reminded me of the time that Chris said it would only take like 10 wheel barrels to move a yard of sand from the driveway to the sand box. I think the final count on that was 44 wheelbarrels.

So here are the pictures of our tree. Cool huh? Our backyard looks so huge and I can't wait to see how much more light we get in the house once the sun comes out again. Thanks HTG!

August 2006 - right after we moved in.



August 2006



Yesterday morning. It really is two trees. One of the trees was growing at an angle that the HTG could just cut it so it would fall. The other tree split into two at about my height and was growing the opposite direction. That is the one the HTG scaled and the cut down, piece by piece. He then sent the sections down using a rope pulley system. Pretty cool. Still wish I would have stayed home to watch.



No that isn't the HTG.



Neither is this one. I never got his picture. :(






The boys outside checking out the new yard!



Look how small Ryan is compared to the pile, Chris agreed to move. It was a fair deal since we only ended up paying $1,050 instead of $1300.