# Whats the average pay for a climber who can do it all?



## B-Edwards

I've stated in other posts i own a small Tree Service in NC. I'm curious what you guys pay climbers (who can do it all) .I'm trying to find a guy who can do what he says he can do ,I want a guy who has a problem and fixes it,, not call me on radio and make every excuse he can so he can sit for an hour waiting on me. I'm afraid this is going to put me out of business. Wondering what the average cost in other areas is for a good climber?


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## skwerl

I used to make $300 per day as a freelance climber. Prior to that, every time I would go to work for a company they would make me a foreman just because I was a good climber. I'd spend most of my time running a crew instead of climbing. Besides that, the pay sucked and I was the one stuck driving the dump truck to the dump and working on equipment after getting back to the shop. None of that had anything to do with climbing and I hated all of it. Why do tree service owners think the climber needs to be the foreman? 

Find a good climber and pay him to be a climber. Find a good foreman and pay him to be a foreman. You can't run a crew from up in a tree anyway. Just my two cents.
:spam:

edit: I may have misinterpreted your post. But good climbers are few and far between. Any that can really think through most problems are either freelancing or starting their own tree service.


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## clearance

Check this out-no climber can do it all, because they are climbers! If you want someone who is a heavy duty mechanic, public relations expert, pyschiatrist for groundsman and others, a traffic control person, a saw mechanic, a salesman, a foreman, etc., all in the same day, good luck. Skwerl is right, if you are a small tree service I suggest that you be the foreman and help your good climber to do his job by providing decent equipment, running interference, encouraging the crew and all the other things a good foreman does.


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## Shaun Bowler

Excellent comments!


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## A&Atree

*hey skwerl*

hey buddy i agree with your ideas, but i would have to say that you can run a crew from the tree, but you can not run a company from the tree if that makes any sence to you. I am in the same boat being a excellent climber+a crewchief+maintenace mechanic+saw mechanic and it really takes a toll on your body. There is nothing like getting back a little late from the undersold job that you are worn out from getting it done with yourself and 3 newwbies, then since no one else on your crew is capable of dumping the truck you must go dump it, hook back up to the chipper and then park the truck. after that you need to go sharpen 2 saws that your crew members ran into the dirt earlier in the day,and you think you might be out of ther by 5 when the sales rep. tells you that you need the stumpgrinder tommorow so you go back there to check the machine out to make sure ity has fuel and the teeth are in good shape, but you discover that it needs 4 teeth so then you must pull that around and change 4 teeth by your self, or showing one of the newwbies again because they dont remember you showing them before.I guess one last thing before you go home you must complete the paper work for the job that your crew completed for that day, check the board for what and who you will be doing the next dayso you know how much asprin to bring with you. its very frustrating when the company has other crewchiefs that are capable of helping you but are constintantly gone before you get back because they are given easy jobs+ the more experianced help , sorry to take up all this space and even jump off topic but this is alot of frusturation comming out. Chris


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## A&Atree

*about pay*

sorry i never even anwsered the question about the pay. well the anwser like said before unless your are freelancing you are not getting paid enough, i think sine i am doing a few peoples jobs maybe i should get some of there pay that would only be fair


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## B-Edwards

I see what you guys are saying, You've misunderstood me or i've tried to explain it wrong. A&A i hear ya ,been there done that. A climber who can put his chain on the saw the right way would be nice, thats what i meant not be mechanic salesman and everything else. I'm willing to pay top dollar for this area ,just wondering how it compares to other areas? So again what do you guys pay your TOP climbers? Thanks and good replies btw.


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## B-Edwards

Oh and one more thing, we've all talked to the guy who can do everything and really cant do anything well. He can take any tree down in any circumstance that is until he has to actually do it. So just an average wage of top climbers in your areas. Thanks


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## clearance

No one has answered your question yet, I say you should find out the going rate in your state, here in B.C. Canada it is $20-25hr., in town. I moved a long way and got a job windfirming big trees for $275per 61/2hr day. I just climb, after work, in the crummy and home, no b.s. at all from anyone, I love it. Seeing as you have high expectations you will have to pay a little more than average. The good guys are already working, maybe one of them is mad with his boss,wants a change, etc. and will jump ship, that is ok, but it is sleazy to poach. I understand that good help is hard to find and hold onto, seen it many times. Maybe when you talk to prospective employees you can emphasize the self starter/troublefixer attributes you want. It is only fair to pay a little more for the right guy, or maybe some profit sharing/bonus deal. Good luck to you.


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## a_lopa

what skwerl said, and between $25-$50 hr


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## PeteS

Around here the pay scale usually ranges from $20-27, depending on experience and credentials. Although some shops will pay off the books, $250-300 per day.


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## ASD

hear in ca. top climbers are $35 + phone + truck + gas card


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## PeteS

Are you looking for climbers?


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## ASD

PeteS said:


> Are you looking for climbers?



we are always looking for qualified employs 

climbers

ground men

equipment operator's

truck drivers (CDL)


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## aussie climber

*looking to head over that way around mid year*

G'day. just wandering if you guys would know about getting to the US to do some climbing? sounds like you just need a half decent climber and a experienced crew leader mate. Never take a climbers word who tells you they can do every thing, take the out to a job 30mins watching the way he moves up there will give you half a clue if their full bs. Actions speak a louder than words


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## magicmic

*climber pay*

I start all my climbers @ 125 a day.Ive had 1 climber who could do it all and i paid him 175 a day.I know for a fact this guy has made 250 a day before ,but due to his attitude he didnt last long.If a guy can trully do it all he is worth 300 a day.The problem is getting him ,and all the other guys paid in one day.
300 dollars before dump ,expenses ,and the rest of the creww is a chore.All these figures are off the books.


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## Huskyrod

*What are you willing to offer ?*

I guess the questions is what are you offering?


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## Removalwizzard

*climber pay*

around atlanta, ga you would consider top pay being around $25-27... that should get you a Cert. arborist, class b CDL, and one killer climber (someone like me:greenchainsaw: J/k)

At my company, all of our forman are climbers.... of course, all of the guys on our crews are decent climbers.... you should have seen my face when i climbed my first tree for them..... i looked down to see where all of my groundmen were, and i should have looked over..... yep, three guys go out on a crew, and they are all climbers.\

Rob


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## arborvor

Looks like I need to go back to being a crewleader.


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## Pilsnaman

Seems for the most part you guys are saying around $20-25 an hour in the US. Does this include health insurance?


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## SCE1966

Wow those rates are really high compared to the midwest. I think top climbers are getting around $16-$18. In our area we do a lot of trimming and the removals we do are usually out of a bucket. I find that having a good trainer climber is essential. The trainer is the main climber, but he takes the "green climber up with him all the time. Our area has a lot of basic trimming and deadwooding and the trees in large percentage are not that big. So getting a guy in a tree trimming deadwood with a pole saw is not too tough This has been a way to keep a guy in the system. So if a climber quits we are not hanging. We also cross train our help to be chemical applicators, I try to avoid letting a climber hold to much power over what happens in my business. We try to keep a team concept on the crew and the guy with responsibility is the foreman, he is not always the top climber he just has the ability to get the work done. Someone who will step up and lead a crew effectively is a huge plus for daily production. I have been lucky because most of my guys have been with me for a while. This year I will be hiring another climber that is more skilled, I have 1 now and myself to do the large removals. I still do it but would hate to do it daily again. We also try to make it fairly easy to get the work done, we try to have plenty of manpower, and the right equipment at there disposal. The hardest part of the job is usually on the ground so this combination helps. The unfortunate part about in house training, is at some point those guys can leave for better jobs with the municipalities or go into business and compete with you, but thats all part of the game.


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## xtremetrees

I've always gotten 200-300 a day.
I wont do another person job unless I like them alot.
Rish life limb for a egoist.. Not me.
Tomm is a 500 day. After I bid 4 dead pines.
Im booked up full for a week already and its really dead of winter.
Spikeless pays in repeats.


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## xtremetrees

wizard thats how it should always be a team effort


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## SCE1966

xtremetrees said:


> wizard thats how it should always be a team effort


Well glad you got the right attitude about that. Some dont. I prefer guys that work together well, one bad apple can mess things up. Your down in Georgia huh? Lots of big old trees down your way.


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## Removalwizzard

SCE1966 said:


> Well glad you got the right attitude about that. Some dont. I prefer guys that work together well, one bad apple can mess things up. Your down in Georgia huh? Lots of big old trees down your way.


Oh yeah! going to prune and cable a 42" Beech tomarrow, and then wednesday i will be removing a 40" popular..... lots of big trees around here


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## xtremetrees

take some pics bro


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