Alot of little jobs or less bigger jobs

[CwbyClmr]

Heres a question for the Veterans. Is it better to have more volume of smaller work or less volume with bigger jobs?
I feel that my company is better equipped for smaller jobs with a truck, chipper, saws and climbing gear. Bigger jobs are harder because I don't have a bucket or a log loader. I can do the bigger jobs but it takes longer and I can't compete with bigger companies prices. The answer is obvious but I wanted a second opinion.

 

[notahacker]

I run my own business. I work alone 5 days per week. I have "weekend warriors" for Saturday removals. My situation may be different from XYZ Tree Service with multiple crews.

I'm not a vet arborist, but I think multiple small jobs are great! For a couple of reasons:

--They are easy to hit the mark on hourly rate.

--You get a higher hourly wage.

--And if you are dealing with a higher volume of customers by doing lots of small jobs, then you increase the chance for "word of mouth" business to grow faster.

Think about it; if you do one large job for a month. That is contact with one customer only. On the other hand, you do 60 small jobs in a month... I'm sure you get the point.

I love doing the small jobs. If I do 3-4 small jobs at $150 each that is the potential of making $450-$600 in a day. I have done days like that. What is so bad about that? Easy work on the body, more networking, etc...

Don't get me wrong. I love the big jobs and I am capable of doing some big work, but small jobs are my forte.

 

[l2edneck]

Small Jobs?

Name of my company says it all......

After many years in the biz,im tired of the big crap.

Now i just farm it out and collect my 10%

 

[cwelvy]

I prefer one day TKO's 700 to 3000 a day with one ground person. This one under bid at 1000 9 hrs into it 3 left.View attachment 42960

 

[Ekka]

I don't have a bucket or a log loader. I can do the bigger jobs but it takes longer and I can't compete with bigger companies prices. The answer is obvious but I wanted a second opinion.

You can hire in the gear as req'd. The hardest part of a bigger company is getting the work, they go on volume and tend to come in cheaper coz they have to get the jobs to keep the show afloat.

Just remember, turnover is vanity profit is sanity.

A huge benefit of smaller jobs is that people wont get 5 bids and often first come is first serve, also the bigger companies cant compete on those small jobs.

Personally, I like the bigger jobs, day jobs are the best, one place, all day, sweet. However, the competition on those is fierce.

Trouble with tree work is it is hard to do it all on your own. Lowering limbs, loading, dragging etc ... does get to you.

 

[treeman82]

Honestly I don't want jobs that take more than a week or two. Honestly, the week - 2 week long jobs, they had better be with a GOOD customer, or somebody who I trust or something like that. I make out alright, and know that I am not competing against anybody else. For the most part though, I want small jobs... 1 - 2 days tops. In and out, not much to worry about typically, a day is X much, it's going to be 1 or 2 days... Going and doing a large job for a new customer is not where I want to be.

 

[a_lopa]

I like 2 jobs a day,there my highest profit making days.

All dayers sap your crew too much IMO 2 average jobs qouted right..

 

[NickfromWI]

As a worker, it's easier to work hard knowing there's going to be a travel break in the middle of the day.

 

[lawmart]

as a small bus. owner i think that the days where you can 2-3 jobs in a day are the most profitable. some days i will have 2-3 man crew also. Some days you need the extra man to drag the brush. if you only have 2 men it makes for a long day.productivity drops.

lawmart
play safe

 

[beowulf343]

As a worker, it's easier to work hard knowing there's going to be a travel break in the middle of the day.

Too funny, I'm just the opposite. As a climber I like one big job a day. Only have to unload and load all the gear and equipment once.

 

[John464]

Doesn't matter to me. I like them all. Long as the saws are screaming.

 

[Husky137]

Whatever pays the bills and keeps things happy.

 

[ASD]

we like um big but like others said when u got all the shi* we do u have to keep it rolling

 

[1I'dJak]

i like the one dayers...most of my employment is topping/pruning trees for the logging industry, but this month i've been doing res jobs...basically i've been hiring myself out for a dayrate cuz it seems a lot of the people want me to pick away at things and i'm still not the best estimator...i've been lucky too, since all of the jobs have been down and dirties and cash money, great for christmas time...

 

[Husky137]

we like um big but like others said when u got all the shi* we do u have to keep it rolling

Chasing wood is too stressful for my taste.

 

[clearance]

i like the one dayers...most of my employment is topping/pruning trees for the logging industry, but this month i've been doing res jobs...basically i've been hiring myself out for a dayrate cuz it seems a lot of the people want me to pick away at things and i'm still not the best estimator...i've been lucky too, since all of the jobs have been down and dirties and cash money, great for christmas time...

Thats cool buddy, don't say it here, some do-gooder will drop the dime to the taxman. Imagine that, a hardworking treeguy stuffing cash into his jeans, OMFG!!!

 

[Sunrise Guy]

One job a day is the way I like it. I can't stand loading and unloading more than once each day. Work three days a week, and that's a perfect work week. On three, off four---Yeah! FWIW, we're busier than that, but my ideal week is still one where I put in three days.

 

[Quercus34]

From a business point of view you should consider your cash flow needs. You need to be certain that you have enough money comming in to pay the bills. With small jobs you should have a steady stream of money comming in provided most people pay on time. Large jobs and commercial accounts may take longer to pay. How long can you go without being paid? I know of tree companys that have done $10,000 to $20,000 worth of work for a University that have had to wait up to six months to get paid.

 

[Bermie]

Yeah, I've got a good thing going with the Government for providing training, but I'm still waiting for a cheque from the end of November! That one is supposed to cover this year's liability insurance. Slow paying commercial accounts can be havoc for small business.

The small jobs keep ticking over nicely filling in the gaps, the majority of clients will pay at the end of the day, thank-you, cha-ching.

Besides, variety is the spice of life.
Three day work week - ideal

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

Big or small either I don't care,just as long as i'm getting the rate I need to earn a worthwhile profit..........