# Rise and fall of work throughout the year



## Cutler tree (Sep 23, 2010)

I live in ohio. My partner and I are just starting out this year. My question is how far does buisness fall off in the winter?


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## TheLumberJack (Sep 27, 2010)

Cutler tree said:


> I live in ohio. My partner and I are just starting out this year. My question is how far does buisness fall off in the winter?



My experience in Western PA is, A LOT. My busiest months are March-June. then another rush come fall when I market to homeowners that instead of having a tree on their roof the first time there's ice, they should just have it removed...ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.



Good luck.


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## deevo (Sep 27, 2010)

TheLumberJack said:


> My experience in Western PA is, A LOT. My busiest months are March-June. then another rush come fall when I market to homeowners that instead of having a tree on their roof the first time there's ice, they should just have it removed...ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
> 
> 
> 
> Good luck.



Same here, although I have a few contracts to keep somewhat busy during winter months:greenchainsaw:


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## Cutler tree (Sep 28, 2010)

thanks for the replies. Does it die off completly or just a bunch? Like if we were averaging $3-4k per month this spring/summer peak do you think we will make like $1k in the winter months?


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## Mikecutstrees (Sep 28, 2010)

I'm usually busy through dec. Then Jan feb are pretty dead. March picks up a little and april is back to the norm. Drops off about 75% or more in jan, feb....

Mike


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## bulldoglover (Sep 28, 2010)

Cutler tree said:


> thanks for the replies. Does it die off completly or just a bunch? Like if we were averaging $3-4k per month this spring/summer peak do you think we will make like $1k in the winter months?



Tough to say, if you were able to get your name out there this summer you may do ok. But since you are in your first year it might be tight, a good ice storm can change that in 12 hours though. If I bid on a job though out the year and the person can't afford to have everything done at once I always toss in the "Winter would be a great time to remove this tree"(if it is safe to hold off). That will hopefully get me a winter job and gives them some time to save money.


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## mattfr12 (Sep 28, 2010)

just keep building your good name and sooner or later it will keep coming the only holiday we take off is a few days for the forth of july, xmas, and thanksgiving the rest is work.

where at in ohio are you.


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## flushcut (Sep 29, 2010)

Cutler tree said:


> I live in ohio. My partner and I are just starting out this year. My question is how far does buisness fall off in the winter?



My partner and I started up last year and the winter was kinda tough if it were not for our plowing contracts we might have went under. We also worked into the second week of December and then the cold really set in. You just need to figure out how much your biz needs ($) to survive two or three months or set up some other income aside of tree work. As for us come spring time we were balls to the wall from repeat customers and word of mouth. Being the new guy is tough, but if you can make it through the winter of you first two years you'll be money. The key is do good work and be professional. "You do good work and people talk, you do bad work and people talk!" We also had a few jobs over winter but were mostly storm clean ups.


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## treeoptimizer (Sep 29, 2010)

I have been told by the folks I work with that they get more stump jobs when the leaves have fallen at least in SC. I guess because they are more visible. Anyone else find that to be true?

Great thread!


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## Grace Tree (Sep 29, 2010)

We're in Northeast Ohio. The last 3 or 4 years we've shut down in Jan. & Feb. We don't announce it. We just do it. The phone stops ringing. When we start again in March the phone starts ringing. If you're around the snow belt plan on being hungry.
Phil


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## lxt (Sep 29, 2010)

Work for everyone doing primarily trees in my area drops off big time!! western pa, parts of ohio, etc...

The only guys doing steady work are the utility guys!!!!! I work up till the week before xmas & then jan, feb off with a job here or there! march slowly starts & april on its go,go,go!



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


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## Cutler tree (Sep 29, 2010)

wow thanks for all the great advice! We're not full time yet anyway so I think we'll just have more free time this winter. We've done well on building our name and are gonna try to put a 3 man crew on full time in the spring and want to be able to offer as much job security as I can. We're out of the Canton- Massillon area.


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