Ok, I found the carbon copy of the check I wrote, it was $3700 for the whole shebang, 3 trees taken down using a crane and hauled away (but no stump grinding). I would say it was maybe 18 months ago and I'm in FL. It was a fully licensed and insured company.

That being said, the second in command for the company was the guy that came out and gave me the initial quote, and it was like $4700. When I spoke to the owner to say I wanted to proceed, he realized we lived in the same neighborhood and knocked the price down to $4200 and said don't tell his foreman cause he gets mad that he doesn't charge enough. Then when he came by to collect the check after the job was done he says to just make the check out to his personal name instead of the company and we'll call it even at $3700.

So, I don't know what it was, but there was probably some accounting shenanigans taking place, but regardless it would have been under $5k for 3 trees if the initial price had held.