Decision Deferral
The Branch Deferral
Postponing dead tree branch trimming. The late-stage repair cost of a deferred maintenance choice.
Trimming a dead tree branch hanging over the roof is a chore that is easy to postpone.
The branch seems stable, and the three-hundred-dollar cost is a minor detail on the household budget, so we defer the work because scheduling is tedious.
But ignoring the trimming for three years allows a winter storm to tear the branch down, destroying the roof and gutters. The delay premium is four thousand dollars.
We postpone domestic repairs because scheduling is dry and the danger is hidden behind leaves.
One trimming on schedule, not deferred. $4,000 stays in the account.
The branch hung quietly for seasons. The storm made the delay structural.