Update: A landscaper in my town said topping a tree is fine if the client asks for it
I was at the supply yard last week and heard a guy from a local landscaping crew tell his buddy, "If they want it flat on top, just give it to them, it grows back." That really got to me. In my experience, topping creates weak, fast-growing sprouts that are a hazard and stresses the tree. It might look okay to a client for a season, but it causes way more problems down the line. How do you guys handle a client who is set on a bad cut like that?