Don't cheap out!

I have a few tree stumps in the front of our yard that I needed removed and I also have an annoying old maple stump in the backyard that my husband so desperately wanted gone. So I called a few stump grinder companies to get some quotes. A couple of larger companies were the most expensive being $50-75 more, compared to the mom & pop quotes. So who do you think I chose? Of course being "tight" on the budget, I decided to go with one of the cheaper quotes.

So the guy comes over with his teenage son and a very large industrial stump grinder, which I thought was fine. I figured he was reputable because he had 30 years of being an arborist under his belt including stump grinding and he sounded like he knew what he was doing. He also said he was insured...

One thing that should have tipped me off was that he was the only guy that was willing to remove the stump in the backyard as part of it was right under my neighbor’s chain link fence which did concern me but after discussing it with him; he said it wouldn’t be a problem.

At any rate he grinded the stumps in the front yard and did a good job. Then he went to the backyard and what do you think happened then?!? Yup, you guessed it; he nicked the chain link fence, bent the crossbar and cut through it. He even got the machine all caught up in the links and had to completely cut my neighbors fence panel right off!!

It gets better..... He then had the nerve to say he was trying to do a good job for us and got to close to the fence!?! You think? Hmmmmmm, that would make sense wouldn’t it! Get to close and you’ll cut the fence! I‘m sure that is why everyone else wouldn’t do it!!

Didn’t end up being a good job after all eh? After wrecking the fence you’d think he’d at least finish the job now that he had access to the stump? Nope, he was more concerned about payment. So, I told him I’d be more than happy to pay him so long as the fence was corrected or else we’ll deduct the cost to fix the fence from payment. He actually agreed to fix the fence so we’ll see how he does. He said he’d get back to me in a couple of days and go from there...

So what did I learn today......? Well, I learned to never cheap out on any job because every time I do, it turns into disaster! I will also never look for companies on Craigslist again! Stupid, stupid, stupid.... Burn me once, shame on you! Burn me twice, shame on ME! Trust me; I’ve now been burnt twice! *sighs*. Accidents do happen so if the problem is fixed, everything should be just fine! We’ll see...

Want a job done right; go with a reputable company even if it means it’s a corporation as I’m sure they guarantee their work. If it costs you a bit more, it’s for the best!

I’ll keep you posted on how the “fix” goes.... until next time!

Cheers!

Never think surgery is simple & always go with your gut!

Our doggie Gucci is a miniature pinscher (minpin) who is nine years of age and has had two lumps/cysts growing on her backside for two years now, and for two years we've been asking that the vet remove the lumps, and for two years they've come back saying that it's no big deal and to leave the lumps alone as the scar would be worse than the cysts.  Well... those lumps kept growing and the vet kept coming back with the same answer until finally the cysts started to bother our dog Gucci and effect her walking. 

At this point the vet listened and agreed that it was time for the cysts to come out as they were causing pain and had tripled in size.  Needless to say, not pretty to look at.  We were given the impression that the surgery would be quite simple so even though we had planned to go away this long weekend we agreed to do the surgery before the trip.  Well, things weren’t so “simple” in the surgery and it didn't work out the way the vet had hoped so our dog has come back to us pretty much butchered and her body now looks even worse then when she had the cysts. Instead of bumps, she has indentations!  So we've had to cancel our long-weekend get-a-way to take care of our little doggie that is now in a lot of pain, is still bleeding and trying to recover.

So, what lessons have I learned from this ordeal you ask? #1 – ALWAYS go with your gut and do what YOU think is the right thing to do and don't just take the "professionals" opinion or at least get a second opinion!  #2 - don't believe it when they tell you the surgery is not a big deal and NEVER plan anything like this before a trip!..

I pray our dog will come out of this better than before the cysts and that she will be able to run around like the crazy pup that she’s always been!