WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE? We have been clearing land since 1994. We only utilize highly experienced climbers, if needed, on oak take-down jobs. HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE WORK TO BEGIN? We do not have a lot of employees. Jason does most of the equipment work and hauling himself. Due to nature of heavy equipment and weather, delays can and do occur but we can generally accommodate smaller jobs within a couple of days to a week's notice. We can't do much when it rains so we try and stay off a wet property. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EQUIPMENT? We utilize state of the art, powerful high-flow machines, a whole tree chipper, the latest technology in brush mowers, a powerful stump grinder, and numerous high production attachments as well as experienced and chain saw helpers. DO YOU CHARGE FOR TRAVEL TIME? We generally charge an hour's labor for local travel and setup built into an 8 hour day. WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM "BY THE DAY" CEDAR CLEARING? You can expect 7 HOURS of actual machine time and an hour of hauling/setup/clean up included in an 8 hour, by the day job. You do not pay for our "down time" for repairs that aren't caused by hazards on your property. We work fast and efficiently and do not take many breaks. Our machine is stronger than the competitions. Approx. 90 hp. machine running the tree shear and the same machine can cut and clean up faster than your average machine. Our experience makes us faster than some of our competition. WHAT DOES THE MULCH LOOK LIKE AFTER YOU CHIP? The chipper produces a usable, fairly uniform chip, though different species of tree and dryer wood can vary the chip quality substantially. We do keep our blades sharp! WHAT DO THE SHREDS FROM THE BRUSH MULCHER LOOK LIKE? Please look at some of the pictures of the shredded brush piles but keep in mind our new teeth produce some of the smallest shreds of any brush mulcher currently in use in rocky terrain. Mulch thickness will depend on the density and size of the trees or piles being shredded. Grasses WILL eventually grow through the mulch as it breaks down, starting in as little as a few weeks to a few months depending on pile thickness and tree types, time of year, and moisture available. CAN YOU MAKE MY PROPERTY PARK-LIKE? We believe we can. Most park-like properties are the culmination of clearing, trimming, mowing, and spreading chips. This process can take a few days on smaller tracts to a few weeks on large properties. Each property is unique and we are happy to discuss the alternatives. Please keep in mind that spreading "fresh" cedar or wood chips can act as a weed or grass blocker in the short term. The best prescription is to let any chip piles cure and compost naturally for a few months before spreading, however, this is up to the customer. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TREE SHEARING AND BULLDOZING? Tree shearing leaves the tree stumps intact at or below the surface of the ground. This promotes quick recovery of the surrounding areas that have minimal soil disturbance. Bulldozing literally pushes roots, rocks, and trees into big piles along with the dirt, seed, and anything else in the way. While dozing is necessary on some properties there are alternatives such as tree shearing, hand work, and brush mowing. Tree Shearing is an EPA "Best Management Practice" for erosion control. WILL YOU BURN IF WE RATHER NOT CHIP? We have burned on occasion. We will assess each job on a case by case basis to see if it is safe to burn. We have a 550 gallon spray rig to assist us should we feel burning is a safe alternative. Of course, we will set up piles should you decide to burn and may lend a hand with the spray rig. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER CEDAR MULCHING COMPANIES? Our equipment is smaller and more maneuverable and we can work on smaller projects with less impact to the property. We are occasionally called in to clean up after the other contractor left an unsatisfied customer. We have been called in to regrind after some of the bigger machines cleared a property. We look for a long-term relationship with you and your friends and won't try and get rich on one job. ON DRIVEWAY AND ROAD REPAIR: Does Yellow Dog offer a warranty on road work? This is a difficult question. While we will do what we can to keep you, the customer, happy, it is difficult for us to offer a warranty when we live in an area where there are so many flash floods and heavy rain events. It is not uncommon for the hill country to receive 2, 3, and 4 inch rains over a couple of hours. Short of concrete and some asphalt, it is nearly impossible to build a flood proof gravel road when even the largest culverts are overwhelmed in a flash flood. We will work with you, though, to provide repairs as inexpensive as possible should a flash flood or extremely heavy rain cause ruts on your gravel driveway. We understand and have our own gravel roads on the family ranch that are constantly under siege from heavy rain and erosion forces. A GUY On CRAIGSLIST IS ADVERTISING cheap or free CEDAR CLEARING--Is that a good deal? What can I say? You literally get what you pay for. Please be wary of free or "for the posts" cedar choppers or you may end up with a big mess of tangled wood and stumps. We are also fully insured with liability and workman's comp. Please ask any contractor to provide proof of insurance before starting a new project. |