Heather M.
1/5
I regret to say that my experience with Maverick Tree and Lawn was not the best. The initial contact was made by a crew member who knocked on my door despite my "no soliciting" sign, but I did have some trees along my patio that I had questions about so he looked at them and I found out later that the information he gave me was inaccurate and misleading.
The crew member then assessed my cottonwood tree, claiming it had a serious infection and recommending the immediate removal of a large branch to prevent potential damage from snow or wind. Despite the tree branch appearing healthy, I was initially quoted $3,000 for the work. Kevin, his supervisor, offered to do it for $1,200 instead, adding extra services like cut back the crab apple tree in the front of the house and do the spraying on the trees and clean the roof and brush out the gutters and haul away the extra sticks that had been collected and piled by the tree. I appreciated the offer, even though I usually have someone else handle those tasks yearly. Kevin emphasized that this price was a special deal for me. Kevin mentioned later that it seemed like I was struggling to come up with the money. I’d like to point out that it's unreasonable to expect most customers to come up with $3,000 in less than a week, especially since I was single, felt good about managing to gather $1,200.
Communication was lacking, and I sent a text to confirm the tasks that Kevin added on, which went ignored. The screenshot of the text is attached. The crew member was present when Kevin made the offer, and instead of addressing it or suggesting we consult Kevin again, they chose not to respond. When they finally completed the work, one branch was removed and was cleaned up very well.
When he came to the front door for payment, the crew member informed me at this point that my tree was much worse than they realized and should be taken out ASAP and they could do it for $5,000 within the next 6 months.
To my dismay, I later discovered from two different licensed arborists that the condition Kevin had described was actually "wetwood," a common bacterial condition that does not require immediate action.
From the Internet: “Can slime flux or wetwood kill a tree? Typically not. These are weak pathogens that take advantage of an already weakened tree.” “There is no satisfactory control for wetwood. Proper care of the tree, in terms of watering, and fertilizing, if needed, will help to maintain the overall health of the tree.” One arborist even mentioned that signs of a falling tree, like ground cracking, were absent.
In my discussion with Kevin, he denied what two other licensed arborists said and accused me of fabricating our conversation regarding extra services, particularly related to gutter work, which I never requested; he offered it himself. The text I sent could have clarified any misunderstandings, but it was ignored. Kevin also disregarded the assessments from two other arborists, insisting his opinion was right. He claimed that I signed an invoice indicating my approval and satisfaction of all the work that was performed, which was not true. The invoice says nothing of that sort and I never signed it, only printed my name and address. I would be happy to post it. While I acknowledge that the limb removal was done well, I wouldn't recommend this company for tree health assessments without consulting other arborists first. Additionally, Kevin denied that I was told about the urgent need for the full tree removal for $5000, which adds to my frustration.
I advise new customers to seek multiple estimates before accepting one from a door-to-door company and to get all terms in writing. While it may feel awkward to ask, it’s necessary to avoid being taken advantage of. My main complaint is that I felt pressured to make urgent decisions when the work could have waited, despite the company's claims of “bending over backwards for me”. I also regret assuming they would follow through on their promises, as I've learned that many companies do not.
