Complaint Review: Anthony Bernard Tree Removal

On December 25, 2016, an enormous tree limb broke off a tree in my yard.  On Dec. 27, I hired a man to cut it up and haul it off.  While waiting for this man, another man stopped and gave my son an estimate to remove the limb as well as another which was resting on my roof and cut down the entire tree. 

The first man removed the limb but said the rest of the job was too big for him.  So I called Tony Bernard who came over and gave me the estimate to remove the limb on the roof and cut the rest of the tree limbs off and  haul them away.  The estimate was for $400 for the limb on the roof and $1700 for the rest of the tree.

I paid him $400 in cash for the limb on the roof.  By now it's Jan. 3 .

Tony comes to the house on Jan. 3rd and tells me that the entire tree needs to come down and immediately because the limbs are hanging over my house and my neighbor's fence and house and the tree is so rotten that it could break at any time.   He also said that his estimate of $1700 only included 1/2 of the tree, but he would do the whole tree for $3700.  I told him I didn't have the cash and would have to wait awhile.

Tony suggested that we might be able to help each other.  He said,  "I need a couple of saws and some spikes to do the work so if you would buy them I could finish the job and then I'll deduct the amount you've paid from the total amount of the job.

He and I went to Arvada Rentals where I spent $2100.82 for two chain saws and R&M Sales where I spent $526.07 for climbing spikes and materials ($2624.89).  He left the saws in my home.

Tony arrived at 1:00 pm on Jan 7 with one other man and worked for two (2) hours.  He said he'd be back at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 8.  On Jan. 7 @ 4:43 p.m. Tony called to tell me he had to go to Mass on Sunday morning but would be at my house by noon on Jan. 8.

Three men arrived on Jan. 8 at 10:30 a.m. to work on the tree.  They left at 1:30 p.m. to go to lunch.  They had their trailer loaded with limbs and my saws as well.  They told me they had to go to unload the trailer and would be  back.  They did not come back.

I left two messages with Tony the afternoon of Jan. 8, but he failed to call me back.  I called the Arvada Police Dept. to report my stolen saws and they told me they  couldn't do anything because this is a civil matter.

On Dec. 9 my son called Tony who said he wouldn't be back unless I paid him another $1600.  He also said he'd be keeping my saws and the climbing equipment.

I filed a case with StopfraudColorado and Channel 31 Problem Solvers and have heard nothing from either one.

I can provide photos.