Anyone Having Trouble Finding Climbers?

[imagineero]

I've long held the belief that tree work is under priced by a large margin as compared to any other qualified trade. Seems like there's money coming in because cash is changing hands, but when you go over the books at the end of the year it's easy to see there was very little. You don't even need to go over the books just look at how tree guys are generally living, how many hours we work, and how much money we have in the bank. In aus, very few even buy our own houses; we mostly rent.

 

[beastmaster]

I'm glad someone brought up the money issue. Average pay around here is 15.00 an hour. Why would anyone on the ball and with half a brain want to get involved in this industry? And people wonder why most climbers are ex cons, drunks, tweekers, and are unreliable. In and out burgers pays 15.00 an hour, those guys that twirl those signs make 12.00 and hour. mean while painters make 25 to 30.00 an hour, truck drivers make double what a climber makes.
I know thats a generalization and there are lots of exceptions, true. But its not that far off the mark. I love what I do, I have a good reputation, I'm reliable, and I make more then most climbers around here, but if my wife wasn't a computer programer, I wouldn't have the luxury of being in debt up to my eyeballs and at lest have a home and be able to help my kids with college.

 

[mckeetree]

1. I've heard they've dumbed it down for the Mexicans to pass ....

That's what I understand has happened.

 

[mckeetree]

I have thought many times about bringing a climber in from "up north" but my problem is they want to work here in the winter where they can avoid the real cold weather up north and that is the time we don't have a lot of work...from Xmas until around first day of Spring. By then there is plenty of work everywhere and not much interest in coming here. There are lots of illegal alien climbers around here but I'm not going that route...although many tree companies in Dallas and I won't mention them here seem to think that is the way to go.

 

[treeclimber101]

I've long held the belief that tree work is under priced by a large margin as compared to any other qualified trade. Seems like there's money coming in because cash is changing hands, but when you go over the books at the end of the year it's easy to see there was very little. You don't even need to go over the books just look at how tree guys are generally living, how many hours we work, and how much money we have in the bank. In aus, very few even buy our own houses; we mostly rent.

I made very good money in the past , now I exist I save money all summer to carry me through 2/2.5 months of hard times , now I am faced with college .... Worst case scenario 2 kids in at once ! For instance I was gonna really spend some money on the trucks and I got hot with braces ! LOL my wife is in school full time and I am carrying all of it ! Scary for me

 

[kyle goddard]

Money is funny. I have been offered many job. Some would pay better. Sometimes i thinks about them jobs when im removing a crispy crispy tree.
Then i remember how much i love this trade. I turned other jobs down because i would down right miserable. There is an inner peace i have doing tree work. Especially climbing.

 

[404 in the ATL]

We pay 20 to 27 an hour. We work all year and duing the summer we work dawn to dusk. A few of our climbers cleared 60k last year.

We need climbers by the way!!

 

[treeman75]

I learned a long time ago if your going to make it you have to save up for winter. I dont think I could go back punching a time clock again

 

[BC WetCoast]

I think Beastmaster summed it up well in terms of job competition. We are not talking about why we do this job and not some other (like punching a clock) but rather how do we entice young, intelligent go-getters into the industry.

I think there needs to be training colleges, so companies aren't stuck with the cost of training. Yes, for a while those graduating will think they are hot stuff and demand huge money immediately, but over time there will be an evolution where grads will understand that like lawyers/accountants/engineers who article first, there is an on-the-job training component required.

 

[Pelorus]

I have thought many times about bringing a climber in from "up north" but my problem is they want to work here in the winter where they can avoid the real cold weather up north and that is the time we don't have a lot of work...from Xmas until around first day of Spring. By then there is plenty of work everywhere and not much interest in coming here. There are lots of illegal alien climbers around here but I'm not going that route...although many tree companies in Dallas and I won't mention them here seem to think that is the way to go.

Have you ever imported any legit workers from south of the Rio Grande?
There must be loads of them willing to work their butts off to support families back home, for wages that Americans /Canadians wouldn't work for.

 

[mckeetree]

Have you ever imported any legit workers from south of the Rio Grande?
There must be loads of them willing to work their butts off to support families back home, for wages that Americans /Canadians wouldn't work for.

I don't really think there are any legit workers from south of the Rio Grande to import.

 

[futbalfantic]

$15-$20 hr isn't good money? And what position was that for?


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[2treeornot2tree]

$15-$20 hr isn't good money? And what position was that for?


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$15-$20 is what most ground guys get around here.

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[futbalfantic]

$15-$20 is what most ground guys get around here.

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I call that good money. I am a paramedic in a 1mil response area and make 18.xx an hour and you can be paid ALOT less in smaller areas.


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[2treeornot2tree]

A good climber around here makes $20-$30 a hour.

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[treeclimber101]

Yea and we all know a good climber is like a unicorn , your in awe when you see them ....... But after that they never show back up for a long time ! I always say that all the good ones are taken the scraps are what you find lingering about bouncing from place to place so when someone says I know a good climber looking for work I really pay no mind .

 

[jefflovstrom]

Interesting thread,
Jeff

 

[imagineero]

I sometimes wonder what kind of money I'd do full time climbing work for. I think it would have to be at least $1500 a week, or maybe $1500 plus a vehicle and fuel allowance. Realistically, I could go back to contract climbing and charge $550-$600 a day and get 2 or 3 days a week then get one more day doing my own small job. That's obviously turning up with all my own gear. I don't even know that I want to have a full time climbing job, at least not one where they slay me every day. But they do need to pump out some big numbers to pay $1500 a week to a climber.

I've given some thought to just going back to contract climbing at the end of this year maybe, and give up running my own company. When things go well, I might make $800 a day after all expenses, but things don't always go well. I don't think the extra $200 a day compared with contracting really covers the stress, extra hours, quoting, bookwork, liability, risk, dealing with staff, breakdowns, and the endless unexpected costs associated with running a company. I know I had a lot more spare time to enjoy my life when I was contracting, and I think I ended up with more money at the end of the year.

That said, I'd hire myself for $1500 a week if i could find me

 

[treeclimber101]

I sometimes wonder what kind of money I'd do full time climbing work for. I think it would have to be at least $1500 a week, or maybe $1500 plus a vehicle and fuel allowance. Realistically, I could go back to contract climbing and charge $550-$600 a day and get 2 or 3 days a week then get one more day doing my own small job. That's obviously turning up with all my own gear. I don't even know that I want to have a full time climbing job, at least not one where they slay me every day. But they do need to pump out some big numbers to pay $1500 a week to a climber.

I've given some thought to just going back to contract climbing at the end of this year maybe, and give up running my own company. When things go well, I might make $800 a day after all expenses, but things don't always go well. I don't think the extra $200 a day compared with contracting really covers the stress, extra hours, quoting, bookwork, liability, risk, dealing with staff, breakdowns, and the endless unexpected costs associated with running a company. I know I had a lot more spare time to enjoy my life when I was contracting, and I think I ended up with more money at the end of the year.

That said, I'd hire myself for $1500 a week if i could find me

No offense but id hire a spider lift for that kinda money !

 

[treeclimber101]

I sometimes wonder what kind of money I'd do full time climbing work for. I think it would have to be at least $1500 a week, or maybe $1500 plus a vehicle and fuel allowance. Realistically, I could go back to contract climbing and charge $550-$600 a day and get 2 or 3 days a week then get one more day doing my own small job. That's obviously turning up with all my own gear. I don't even know that I want to have a full time climbing job, at least not one where they slay me every day. But they do need to pump out some big numbers to pay $1500 a week to a climber.

I've given some thought to just going back to contract climbing at the end of this year maybe, and give up running my own company. When things go well, I might make $800 a day after all expenses, but things don't always go well. I don't think the extra $200 a day compared with contracting really covers the stress, extra hours, quoting, bookwork, liability, risk, dealing with staff, breakdowns, and the endless unexpected costs associated with running a company. I know I had a lot more spare time to enjoy my life when I was contracting, and I think I ended up with more money at the end of the year.

That said, I'd hire myself for $1500 a week if i could find me

No offense but id hire a spider lift for that kinda money !