Climbing and rigging
Every piece lands where I put it
Tight lots, tall trees, no room to drop anything. I climb the tree and bring it down in pieces, under control.
ISA Certified Arborist PN-7893AT · Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ) · 17 years in trees
Top down
Taking it down in sections
Once I'm up in the tree I cut it into pieces I can control. I start at the top and work down, sizing each piece to what's below it.
Some jobs go faster or safer with a second climber, so I bring one. I'm still the one who quotes the job and stands behind it.
Rigging
Controlled lowering
Say a piece would hit a roof, a fence or a garden bed on the way down. I don't just cut it and let it fall. I tie it to a rope first, cut it, then lower it so it lands where I want it.
Steep and tight
Steep ground and tight sites
A lot of Tri-Cities properties are
- Narrow
- Sloped
- Boxed in by fences and the neighbours' yards
That's where climbing beats a machine. I don't need to get a truck in, just somewhere to anchor my rope.
The bigger question is usually how the wood gets out. I figure that out when I'm standing in your yard, before anything gets cut.
Cleanup
The chipper
I bring a chipper, the machine that turns branches into wood chips. The branches get chipped right there instead of dragged out by hand, and I rake the yard before I leave.
FAQ
Questions
Do you always use ropes?
No. If the tree can be dropped safely in one piece, that's usually faster and cheaper, and I'll say so. I climb when there's no safe way to drop it.
Do you use a crane or a bucket truck?
If a crane or a bucket truck would suit the site better, I'll tell you. Then we can sort out the best way to do it.
Is working on ropes safe?
It's how I was trained and how I work day to day. I hold the ITA Certified Climber trade certification. My work is covered by $2 million liability insurance and WorkSafeBC.
Will this damage my lawn or garden?
That's what the ropes are for. Anything that would land on a garden bed, a fence or a building gets lowered instead of dropped. I'll walk the site with you before I start.
Does rigging cost extra?
It's one of the things that goes into the estimate, along with the tree's size, access, and what's around it. I quote the whole job on site, not by the piece.
What a removal costsDo I need a permit for this?
Climbing and lowering are just how the work gets done. They don't need a permit of their own. Whether your job needs one depends on the tree and the town.
Permit rules for each Tri-Cities municipality