# help me out



## BigSawBob (Jun 24, 2008)

:chainsawguy: I am going to start a tree service business. I plan on infiltrating a local tree service for experience then become a competitor next season. I have $15000
to invest. Should I just buy a chipper truck and climb until a boom truck is warranted? Any help on my first investments would help. Thanks

BigSawBob


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## snowyman (Jun 24, 2008)

Yes, forget about it!


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## John Paul Sanborn (Jun 24, 2008)

Assuming your not trolling...

The 15k should get you a usable dump truck and chipper combo, a certified bucket will cost 10-12k if it is on it's last legs.


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## tomtrees58 (Jun 24, 2008)

bullet proof vest is good to start with tom trees


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## I can do it (Jun 24, 2008)

15 sounds a little tight. I started with 28,000. I got a nice chip truck for 10900, insurance with 2 mil. GL and WC was total down payment of 1500, new chainsaws cost me 4,000. New lowering lines and a few pulleys cost me 
2,000. It was 1200 at the printers to get business cards made up and 3 sheet proposal sheets. It was 1000 dollars in tax and registration for the truck. It cost 1000 to get the truck lettered. It was 600 down to get online yellowpages with banner and search engine. It was 250 to get T shirts made up. It was 400 dollars to go with quick books payroll service, 800 for the year to advertise in the yellow pages. There are a bunch more odds and ends I didn't mention like license fees, and state applicators fees. I was lucky enough to get a chipper on loan until I start to get some cash flow coming in. 

I wish I had about $60,000 to start out with but I am thankful for the $28,000. I have a bunch of money coming in with in the next year that I plan on loaning myself to put in the business that will really help out. I'd like to decent bucket truck, log loader and stump grinder. 

Sometimes I think we really went a little too far trying to hit the ground running but so far so good.


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## mckeetree (Jun 24, 2008)

tomtrees58 said:


> bullet proof vest is good to start with tom trees



Good advice. I am pretty good at knocking out sneaky competition. Especially infiltrators. I had to pull a couple political strings to get rid of an "infiltrator" a few years ago. The guy got mad and came to my house. That was his first really bad ,bad mistake.


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## (WLL) (Jun 25, 2008)

there is much more too it than just buying a tree circus. LOL:monkey:


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## ropensaddle (Jun 25, 2008)

(WLL) said:


> there is much more too it than just buying a tree circus. LOL:monkey:



Not for some around here rich daddy bought boys buy
their way in and hire everything out and I can't understand
that mentality.


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## ClimbinArbor (Jun 26, 2008)

BigSawBob said:


> :chainsawguy: I am going to start a tree service business. I plan on infiltrating a local tree service for experience then become a competitor next season. I have $15000
> to invest. Should I just buy a chipper truck and climb until a boom truck is warranted? Any help on my first investments would help. Thanks
> 
> BigSawBob



sounds like a good case of bad karma to me.

-1


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## ropensaddle (Jun 26, 2008)

A way more realistic approach would be work for someone established
and be a blessing for him until you have mastered the profession.
Then make a plan and borrow around 250000.00 or more depending
on the size you want to be. I wish I would not have underfunded
it takes profit away for several years as you learn more of this and
that become necessary. Best scenario 125000.00 new bucket,145000.00
new grapple truck,175000.00 decent crane 200000.00 tub grinder and
75000.00 stumpgrinder with 100000.00 for miscellaneous advertize
and small gear + prudent reserve for three month slow downs!
A million would be a start in the direction I wish to take!


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## ClimbinArbor (Jun 26, 2008)

holy mexican't jesus rope! a million dollars? god i wish. you know what i started with? a $250 leader removal lay and leave. me and my old lady went and got some arborplex and put a basic saddle on the credit card. rented a saw and paid off the equipment and put a little in my pocket. i said "baby, you can expect to see this occur quiet abit." more mone going to equipment than anything.


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## ropensaddle (Jun 27, 2008)

ClimbinArbor said:


> holy mexican't jesus rope! a million dollars? god i wish. you know what i started with? a $250 leader removal lay and leave. me and my old lady went and got some arborplex and put a basic saddle on the credit card. rented a saw and paid off the equipment and put a little in my pocket. i said "baby, you can expect to see this occur quiet abit." more mone going to equipment than anything.



A million is small potato's in business sense of things. I really want
to get investors and put my last employer out of business but I need
more like 15 million to effectively accomplish that goal! Year round
line clearance work steady but competitive but I would so love to
see the look on the punks face as I took his work

Oh don't even for one minute think I started with much
I started with a 85 f 350 that was wore out and a trailer
that now needs the axles welded back on basic climb gear
an echo climbsaw and my still running 372 that was five year ago!
When my business instead of their's began!


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## secureland (Jun 27, 2008)

BigSawBob said:


> :chainsawguy: I am going to start a tree service business. I plan on infiltrating a local tree service for experience then become a competitor next season. I have $15000
> to invest. Should I just buy a chipper truck and climb until a boom truck is warranted? Any help on my first investments would help. Thanks
> 
> BigSawBob




perhaps he can provide a better social service than the local tree service he plans to infiltrate.

Why not?


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## tree MDS (Jul 11, 2008)

ropensaddle said:


> A million is small potato's in business sense of things. I really want
> to get investors and put my last employer out of business but I need
> more like 15 million to effectively accomplish that goal! Year round
> line clearance work steady but competitive but I would so love to
> ...


I got one of them dirtbag ex-employers that bought a shop right next to mine and I too am trying to burry his a$$. Aint it fun. The best part is all I got to do is what I do anyway-good work priced reasonably and keep buying more toys and work safe. That fat F#@$ is finally starting to feel it, NICE! BTW, I started wit a sandblaster, welder and 10 year old truck.


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## Backwood (Sep 4, 2008)

Hopefully your first 12 employees will have the same idea


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## OLD CHIPMONK (Sep 6, 2008)

Rope: Take the million , invest in a diversified profolio ( stocks, municipal bonds & some mutual funds ) then go hunting, fishing & some travel. Forget the " Tree Business " !!!!!!


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## BC WetCoast (Sep 8, 2008)

OLD CHIPMONK said:


> Rope: Take the million , invest in a diversified profolio ( stocks, municipal bonds & some mutual funds ) then go hunting, fishing & some travel. Forget the " Tree Business " !!!!!!



Win the lottery and then run your tree business/farm/logging business until it's all gone.


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## ropensaddle (Sep 8, 2008)

OLD CHIPMONK said:


> Rope: Take the million , invest in a diversified profolio ( stocks, municipal bonds & some mutual funds ) then go hunting, fishing & some travel. Forget the " Tree Business " !!!!!!



Well yeah, that is the truth but that would get boring to a tree man


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