# An economic downturn?



## mjellison (Jan 29, 2008)

I've been doing this about six years now. During that time the economy has been pretty good. I was wondering if there was anybody out there that's been through rough economic times before here in the US and the effect it had on the tree care industry. I've had the slowest winter I've had yet and I'm wondering if this economy is having anything to do with it. I know it varies due to which part of the country you're in. Just wondering how it's going with others compared to years past.
thanks


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## lxt (Jan 29, 2008)

I dont know this winter has been good for me, I usually have nothing in jan-feb, but this year I do???

My area has a lot of retired folks with decent pensions(not great), they`re frugule, watch every penny & will look for those who match & beat prices, of course you have the well off retired who want it done & done right, this is pretty much my area with a younger group thrown in here & there.

I would think michigan & some other states who lost high number of jobs would show in the service sector by work diminishing!!! hope not!

LXT...................


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## ROLLACOSTA (Jan 30, 2008)

I'm in the UK and its been a very slow winter for me too! we may be thousands of miles apart, but our economys are linked


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## Tim "Bo" Snell (Feb 3, 2008)

mjellison said:


> I've been doing this about six years now. During that time the economy has been pretty good. I was wondering if there was anybody out there that's been through rough economic times before here in the US and the effect it had on the tree care industry. I've had the slowest winter I've had yet and I'm wondering if this economy is having anything to do with it. I know it varies due to which part of the country you're in. Just wondering how it's going with others compared to years past.
> thanks




I'm in North Carolina, just below Raleigh. This has been slowest Dec. & Jan. for me in the past 5 years. I'm a small businessman (1 employee), a Certified Arborist, and have Worker's Comp & Gen. Liability ($2 million). I believe in doing only quality work (no topping, prune by ANSI A300 Standards, no spiking up trees to prune, always clean up job site, always have written contract spelling out terms of agreement, always insist on helmet/safety glasses/chaps/hearing protection/etc. On just about every estimate I've written I've been undercut by another tree service (which usually has no W.C. insurance) to the point that I've decided to just wait it out (this economic slump, that is). I've re-done my website, worked on my taxes, worked my marketing, etc. It's very stressful not having the income, but I'm not going to work for free. People are holding onto their money and only spending money to do emergency work around here (i.e., remove dead or fallen trees). Come March, I expect I'll be as busy as ever (if not, I'll be in trouble!)


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## ROLLACOSTA (Feb 4, 2008)

Tim "Bo" Snell said:


> I'm in North Carolina, just below Raleigh. This has been slowest Dec. & Jan. for me in the past 5 years. I'm a small businessman (1 employee), a Certified Arborist, and have Worker's Comp & Gen. Liability ($2 million). I believe in doing only quality work (no topping, prune by ANSI A300 Standards, no spiking up trees to prune, always clean up job site, always have written contract spelling out terms of agreement, always insist on helmet/safety glasses/chaps/hearing protection/etc. On just about every estimate I've written I've been undercut by another tree service (which usually has no W.C. insurance) to the point that I've decided to just wait it out (this economic slump, that is). I've re-done my website, worked on my taxes, worked my marketing, etc. It's very stressful not having the income, but I'm not going to work for free. People are holding onto their money and only spending money to do emergency work around here (i.e., remove dead or fallen trees). Come March, I expect I'll be as busy as ever (if not, I'll be in trouble!)



Good post Tim, the same thing is happening to me, i'm just hoping for a good spring, if not i'll be like you in trouble.....


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## ronnyb (Feb 17, 2008)

Very busy winter here, but overall I have noticed a big increase in the amount of completely dead trees we are taking down. Not out in the middle of the backyard, but trees that are right on the house. People are definitely hanging on to their money. Back in the 90's, we would be backed up 2 to 3 months and praying for a rain day so we could sleep in. Now we are booked 3 weeks out, but that is remaining pretty constant. Spring will tell.


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## familytreeman (Jan 29, 2010)

*downturn*

We noticed a lot of people we've worked for in the past, have been laid off. Lots of people we know have been laid off. My wife even got laid off.

The wife being laid off will work to our benefit, as she is a great accountant, and good at business tax.

Work did slow more this winter than previous winters, but work is still there. You have to try hard to contact everyone you talked to in the past that hasnt committed to doing anything yet, and give them a deal to get the job.


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## ozarktreeman (Jan 30, 2010)

Been the worst dec,and jan, for me 4 years have done about 15 jobs past 2 months.
Hope things turn around.I dont have the indicator that some of you guys have had this year due to ice storm last Jan,that has kept me rolling all year.Without that I might have had a bad year as well.Have to replace a bucket truck this year which Ins,has paid for but kinda slow to pull the trigger on it right now.And the triple threat turned out to be frosty,s best friend. No Ice!


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## hrmanagement (Feb 15, 2010)

The US economy grew at an annual rate of 5.7 percent in the final three months of 2009, according to an initial estimate by the US Commerce Department Friday that marked the biggest quarterly gain in six years.
The fourth-quarter growth rate signals a stronger-than-expected recovery from the deepest US recession in decades and is more than double the 2.2-percent growth of the previous quarter.Economists had predicted a 4.7-percent gain in a Bloomberg News survey


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