Have you signed up for Facebook yet? We've been having some fun on Facebook, with trivia and interesting tree photos and stories. We've even got a "Name That Tree" contest going there. We've been giving away Q-Team hats, T-Shirts and pens.  If you haven't yet, go to www.facebook.com and sign up today. Then look us up at www.facebook.com/QTeamTreeService and click "Like". It's free, it's easy and it's just plain fun.

Well, thanks again and have a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Do you use Facebook? We would like to invite you to sign up for Facebook and become a fan of our page. We post new and interesting tree-related photos and stories daily. Face book is a great way to keep in touch with people you normally wouldn't have time to keep up with. Not only that but Facebook is simple, it's easy and it's just plain fun. Sign up today!

Who didn't get a Community Connection phone book over the summer? You've probably seen the small, easy to use, book at some point. We love that book and we have a box full. If you didn't get one, and you want one, please let us know and we will send you one, no charge (while supplies last).

1. Low-pay, low-quality, low-experience workers may carelessly damage your trees, your driveway, your yard or your septic system (or worse, your neighbor's). They may also return at a later time and try to rip you off. It's worth paying a little extra to have "professional" quality workers on the job.

2. Lack of insurance, especially workman's compensation insurance. Tree work is dangerous work and if a worker is hurt (or worse) on your property, he/she (or their family) is likely to seek compensation from you for medical expenses and lost wages. Always ask for proof of workmen's comp. before any work begins. Insist on being a "certificate holder".

3. Hiring workers "under the table". This is a very dishonest practice that defrauds the insurance company and the government (and you). This practice can save a company huge amounts of money, if they can get away with it. There's no easy way to tell who these contractors are, so you must rely on reputation. Always hire a company with a reputation for professionalism. Don't be afraid to ask for references before hiring someone.

4. Doing inferior work. Not taking the care to do the job correctly while protecting your property. It's worth paying a little extra to get the job done right, with no unnecessary damage to your property (or your neighbor's).

5. Dumping wood and brush without permission in the woods (on who knows who's property) to rot.

6. Not having the right tools or equipment to get the job done.

7. A lack of customer service.

8. Not standing behind their work.

It costs more to be an "Above Board" company, but we believe it's worth it. We are proud that our customers can know and trust that the work will be done correctly and professionally, that their assets will not be at risk, and that state and shoreland-zone laws will be followed. We hope our customers recognize that, even if we are not always the cheapest, we are worth the difference.

Too often, "Above Board" companies are vilified for charging higher prices, when it's the cut-rate companies and individuals that  are willing to cut corners, at any cost, that are the real villains. Why reward them and enable them to continue to "cheat the system"? We would like to challenge you, when purchasing any product or service, to look closely at the overall quality, value and risk rather than price alone. In the long run, cheaper is not always better.

We can obviously help you with this, so please feel free to call. We'll help you decide which trees to trim or remove to increase drying with the least amount of impact on your property. Typically, during this process, a few safety issues are discovered and can be taken care of while performing the work. So, look out for those ticks, and call us if you need help opening up your yard.

Workman's Compensation is very expensive so many companies and individuals try to save money by not carrying it. If a company has no employees, they are not required by law to carry Workman's Comp. However, the fact still remains that if the owner of the company gets hurt on your property, without any means to pay his/her medical bills and/or lost wages, he/she is likely to seek compensation from you.

Don't fall into the trap of  hiring a tree service contractor based on the cheapest price alone. Be prepared to pay a fair price for a good company to do a quality job. They may not be the cheapest but they will always be the best value. And don't forget to ask for that Certificate of Workman's Comp. Click here to see a copy of ours.