# The book on how to run a tree biz, from the tree down



## jimbob (Jan 1, 2006)

Is there one? Is there a book on how to bid jobs? Maybe guide lines.


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## treeseer (Jan 1, 2006)

The American Landscape Contractors' Association should have something on general biz mgt. 

The ISA's A Guide to the Plant Health Care Management System is a great resource, if you're interested in building long-term relationships with well-to-do clients and getting steady work with them. Some accounts I visit monthly, and that's kind of nice.

It won't help you build a business based on removals, if that's all you want to do.

ISA also has a good guide to Golf Course Tree Management, which is another profitable niche with steady work.


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## Stumper (Jan 1, 2006)

No.


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## treeone (Jan 11, 2006)

*try this, its the best it gets .*

http://www.landcarenetwork.org/do/productView?id=1258


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## PTS (Jan 11, 2006)

TCIA is a great resource for the how to for a new business owner.


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## jmack (Jan 15, 2006)

*tcia*



PTS said:


> TCIA is a great resource for the how to for a new business owner.


pts have you joined with your biz and are you accredited, i spoke with them breifly on friday and they be sending a packet, i was hoping to get some strories good or bad on tcia thanks


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## Onelick (Jan 15, 2006)

I went to Border's the other day and looked up books on tree care. There was a book on how to start a tree care business, but it was out of print, so I didn't memorize the name. That might be a place to start to look for that book used somewhere.
Onelick


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## mtvigilante (Jan 23, 2006)

JIMBOB, 
this is my first post, but i think i can give you some help. there isn't a book that has ever been printed that will tell you exactly how to bid. i am new to the business, but i am being trained by an excellent, certified arborist that has had his outfit for 25 years. i already know better than to leave stubs or flesh cuts, i know how to shape and know better than to top a tree. i can climb (without climbers), and am getting better at identification. i am lucky to have such a good boss, that realizes that you cant train someone for a job like this and expect them to work for you forever. he has helped me guage my skills against those of other companies in town and other indivduals that trim without insurance, etc. with my very low overhead (no insurance, boom, payments), that knocks down about half of what i can charge, maybe a little less. so we figure i can charge about 60% or so of what he charges. 
You must know what it costs you to run for a day, that's a common mistake of many businesses. for me, my pickup, and my climbing gear; i figure about 300 a day. 150 for gas, truck ins, lisc., maint. and $15 an hour for my wage(you dont work for free, do ya?) my climbing gear and saws are borrowed, free on small jobs, 100 a day on big ones or so(that includes the 066 and 088) then i figure how many days or hours it will take, basicly i can only guess here, but that's how you get good at bidding. then, figure out what you need to profit on the job to make it worth your while.

heres an example:
i get a lead on a job for some random person, they want 2 green ash trees fixed after a big storm, and are interested in having them thinned out and shaped too. the trees are about 45 feet high, and are very thick, as ash trees usually get. one has 4 broken limbs, ranging in size from 4" to 11". the other has about 9 broken 4" limbs, and an 8" limb hanging low over the house. from all the jobs i have been on with the tree service i work for, i figure i could do this job by myself, haulout and all. it will take time though, time i'm not making money elsewhere. it will take me about 14-16 hours alone, so almost 2 days. if i'm out for almost 2 days, bet your last dollar i'm gonna charge for both days of overhead. so 2 days at $300=600 dollars in overhead and my meager wage. now for the profit...what are they getting for their money? well, i'm going up and fixing all breaks properly with the correct cuts. i also managed to talk them into some preventative maintanence. (sell the work!). so it will be properly thinned and shaped, with weight reduced in proper areas, also, that problem low limb is now gone. sounds like they are gettin the whole schabang! and i should be paid accordingly. so i figure i should charge at least $950, as a full tree service would charge $650 a tree, if they could reach it with a boom. that leaves me with $350 profit + $240 wage= $590 total wad....not too bad for 2 days work, and leaves a cushion in case i damage my boss's equipment. the customer also saves 350 bucks and wont have to worry about his ash trees for 3 years or more.

i hope my rambling helps someone on here, numbers arent that important, just make sure you pencil it out EVERY time before you go handing out a cheap bid. if they tell you they have someone that will do it cheaper, tell them thank you, and act as if it's no big deal. many times they will call you back after a few days or weeks, and have you do it if they think you are confident and firm on your price.


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## fmueller (Jan 23, 2006)

I bought a book called "How to Start a Tree Business'" off Amazon. It was a rip off. The guy wrote the same crap about 50 other businesses which was all the same. Other than that I don't think so cause I've been looking for quite some time. I would think there would be a good market for one if one of you pros wrote one and got it published you could probably retire.
I could be your agent eh? Ar ARR.


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