Ever quote low because the job looked fun

[treesquirrel]

Today I went to look at an oak tree for some folks who got a referral from a prior customer of mine.

Sorry I have no pictures but I will tell you this much. The DBH is 60 inches, the crown spreads at least 75 feet maybe even approaching 100. The tree is easily over 80 feet tall. Multiple leads that are over 25 inches where they join the trunk. Huge leads over the home requiring rigging from several points to control the pieces.

This tree has enough firewood in it for years of heating.

My partner and I told them we would do it for 1350.00 as long as we can leave the chips but we will take all the wood except what the owner needs for his wood pile.

If I get this job it will get video footage. I'm pumped for it. The damn thing will be tough but fun at the same time.

OK, flame away and call me a low balling hack.....:jawdrop:

 

[TreeClimber57]

Today I went to look at an oak tree for some folks who got a referral from a prior customer of mine.

Sorry I have no pictures but I will tell you this much. The DBH is 60 inches, the crown spreads at least 75 feet maybe even approaching 100. The tree is easily over 80 feet tall. Multiple leads that are over 25 inches where they join the trunk. Huge leads over the home requiring rigging from several points to control the pieces.

This tree has enough firewood in it for years of heating.

My partner and I told them we would do it for 1350.00 as long as we can leave the chips but we will take all the wood except what the owner needs for his wood pile.

If I get this job it will get video footage. I'm pumped for it. The damn thing will be tough but fun at the same time.

OK, flame away and call me a low balling hack.....:jawdrop:

Well, I won't call you a low balling hack!!

Considering the amount of firewood you might get out of it, and depending on what you can or may do with it.. I would guess you might have some value in that alone. Also, as you said you place some value on the adventure of the work. Just don't make a habit of it

Realistically, I would not bid that low even for the fun of it.. but then that is just me maybe. Not sure what you and your partner have for saws, rigging gear, chippers.. dump trailers.. equipment to lift or move the wood.. but how many hours do you expect to spend on this tree? With a DBH of 60".. and a crown of close to 100 feet.. leads over 2 feet.. you got a lot of heavy work there my friend..

That is going to be a lot of fuel and wear on saws, chipper, (are you grinding stump as well?).. Personally I could not do it for that and cover my costs.. but hey enjoy and ensure you post lots of pictures and/or videos

 

[tree md]

OK, your a low balling hack!!!

LOL, I'm not sure how things are going in the ATL these days but everyone is working for cheaper around here. If your working and making a profit I won't knock you. Generally, when I lowball a tree it involves a very sexy HO who comes out in the yard with us to look the tree over wearing a bikini or the like and is offering us iced tee...

 

[treesquirrel]

Well, I won't call you a low balling hack!!

Considering the amount of firewood you might get out of it, and depending on what you can or may do with it.. I would guess you might have some value in that alone. Also, as you said you place some value on the adventure of the work. Just don't make a habit of it

Realistically, I would not bid that low even for the fun of it.. but then that is just me maybe. Not sure what you and your partner have for saws, rigging gear, chippers.. dump trailers.. equipment to lift or move the wood.. but how many hours do you expect to spend on this tree? With a DBH of 60".. and a crown of close to 100 feet.. leads over 2 feet.. you got a lot of heavy work there my friend..

That is going to be a lot of fuel and wear on saws, chipper, (are you grinding stump as well?).. Personally I could not do it for that and cover my costs.. but hey enjoy and ensure you post lots of pictures and/or videos

I've done trees this size before so its not new territory. I have everything from a 200t to an 650 and 880. I suspect I will be wearing out my 044, and 460 in the tree on the larger stuff. I run an 18 inch bar on my primary 200t so it can chunk some large stuff also.

There is adequate space for me to drop the spar once it is at 40 feet and I can pull it with my bull rope and push with the bobcat. the bobcat is strong enough to load chunks cut to about 5 foot lengths.

We have all the gear we need for the rigging. I'm a gear freak and have lots of goodies I have collected over the years that are reserved for just this kind of job.

Not grinding the stump. I'll whack it off low as possible with the big saw.

I figure we will be done with all the crown in two days, day three will be clean up and haul off of the wood we want.

Even though there is a good bit of heavy duty rigging on the house side, the opposite side can be bombed out along with much of the upper crown once all the over hanging stuff is out of the way. I counted 4 large leads requiring tricky rigging that will take the better part of the first day, several others that are simple rigging jobs then it is bombs away. Once the rigging is done I will be free to cut as fast as I can move around the canopy.

 

[tree md]

Hey TS, what do you think of that 650? I was looking at one the other day. How does it compare to a 660? Does it have a decent power to weight ratio?

 

[gr8scott72]

We just did one almost like that. Canopy was every bit as large as what you are describing and half was over the house. We got $2000 but had to grind the stump and one other stump equally as large. It took 4 of us 2 full days (10-12 hour days) with just a Vermeer 6" chipper and my ASV RC30 skid steer and a dump trailer and I came back the next day and ground on the stumps for almost 3 hours with my Carlton 7015TRX. I feel I worked for free those 3 days. Just hauling away the wood was a project in itself.

Good luck and post some pictures!!

 

[treesquirrel]

Hey TS, what do you think of that 650? I was looking at one the other day. How does it compare to a 660? Does it have a decent power to weight ratio?

Truth is I'd get a 660 if the budget allowed. My 460 pulls damn near as good as the 650. I did swap in an 8 tooth drive to speed it up a bit and with the extra power over the 460 it cuts significantly better now.

It is a good saw no doubt. With the 8 tooth she will slash through some large wood quite handily. But compared with a 660 you can feel the torque difference once you run the 650. The two are damn near the same weight as far as I can tell.

I got it for a good price at a dealer that had it decorating his shop for way too long. I was really not in the market for it since I had the 880 but could not resist the deal. I paid more for the 460 than I did this saw. If I did it all over again I'd choose a 660 if my pocket book could handle it. If you do get one swap that 7 for an 8 and she will run hard.

 

[treesquirrel]

We just did one almost like that. Canopy was every bit as large as what you are describing and half was over the house. We got $2000 but had to grind the stump and one other stump equally as large. It took 4 of us 2 full days (10-12 hour days) with just a Vermeer 6" chipper and my ASV RC30 skid steer and a dump trailer and I came back the next day and ground on the stumps for almost 3 hours with my Carlton 7015TRX. I feel I worked for free those 3 days. Just hauling away the wood was a project in itself.

Good luck and post some pictures!!

Holy smoke! My hats off to you for tackling that size tree with a 6 inch chipper. Sometimes I want more than what my 1500 can chew up. We will be saving everything of decent firewood size so probably won't chip anything more than small brush.

I looked at a used RC30 here a couple of months ago. Looked like it would be quite handy in close quarters. The undercarriage on this one looked like it had run over some land mines and the tracks were shot. It looked like it had been abused. If I ran across one in better shape I think I'd get it if I had the cash.

 

[tree md]

Truth is I'd get a 660 if the budget allowed. My 460 pulls damn near as good as the 650. I did swap in an 8 tooth drive to speed it up a bit and with the extra power over the 460 it cuts significantly better now.

It is a good saw no doubt. With the 8 tooth she will slash through some large wood quite handily. But compared with a 660 you can feel the torque difference once you run the 650. The two are damn near the same weight as far as I can tell.

I got it for a good price at a dealer that had it decorating his shop for way too long. I was really not in the market for it since I had the 880 but could not resist the deal. I paid more for the 460 than I did this saw. If I did it all over again I'd choose a 660 if my pocket book could handle it. If you do get one swap that 7 for an 8 and she will run hard.

Good info! Thanks!

Good luck on your tree bro. Looking forward to the pics.

 

[gr8scott72]

Holy smoke! My hats off to you for tackling that size tree with a 6 inch chipper. Sometimes I want more than what my 1500 can chew up. We will be saving everything of decent firewood size so probably won't chip anything more than small brush.

I looked at a used RC30 here a couple of months ago. Looked like it would be quite handy in close quarters. The undercarriage on this one looked like it had run over some land mines and the tracks were shot. It looked like it had been abused. If I ran across one in better shape I think I'd get it if I had the cash.

Mine has the green turf tracks and they are great!!

This was the tree across the street that wasn't near as large although the stump was over the curb for 20' down the road.

 

[ropensaddle]

If your ok with losing money, go for it. I have bid low many times, because; I needed work but not cause I thought a big dangerous tree was fun! Its higher risk,harder work,more payroll, more wear on equipment and should be much more money. I would likely think 3500 a better bid for such a removal.

 

[Mikecutstrees]

I have bid a little low. But more like 10% off not 50%. Losing money isn't fun for me..... Mike

 

[mckeetree]

If your ok with losing money, go for it. I have bid low many times, because; I needed work but not cause I thought a big dangerous tree was fun! Its higher risk,harder work,more payroll, more wear on equipment and should be much more money. I would likely think 3500 a better bid for such a removal.

If you bid low because you think a big dangerous tree is fun go to the doctor. They have medication for that now that works pretty good. I know a guy in Longview, Texas that had that problem. They got him on some medication and he is OK now but I think he had to quit the tree business.

 

[ropensaddle]

If you bid low because you think a big dangerous tree is fun go to the doctor. They have medication for that now that works pretty good. I know a guy in Longview, Texas that had that problem. They got him on some medication and he is OK now but I think he had to quit the tree business.

Probably better off. I sometimes misjudge time, not nearly as often but I won't bid too low unless; I am getting desperate to work and even then, it won't be so low, as; to not profit if I can help it. I do have a soft spot for little old ladies sometimes but snap back into reality quickly!

 

[mckeetree]

Probably better off.

He is. You know, when you bid low like that you do a disservice to yourself, your family and your profession.

 

[tree md]

If you bid low because you think a big dangerous tree is fun go to the doctor. They have medication for that now that works pretty good. I know a guy in Longview, Texas that had that problem. They got him on some medication and he is OK now but I think he had to quit the tree business.

Well, they finally turned me aloose from the nervous hospital... Said I was well... Um Hmm.

 

[ropensaddle]

Well, they finally turned me aloose from the nervous hospital... Said I was well... Um Hmm.

Lol filmed ten miles from me ummm hmmmmmm.

 

[treeoperations]

a tree that size for me is $3500-$5000 grand, thats not making much profit either but jobs like that arent common here in New Zealand.

i dont see how you wont be loosing money BIG time doing it for $1300.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

I have done quite a few jobs on the cheap for the fun of it or to prove things can be done without a helicopter.

 

[ozzy42]

Well, they finally turned me aloose from the nervous hospital... Said I was well... Um Hmm.

LOL
I like the way you TALK.....Um Hmm

Lol filmed ten miles from me ummm hmmmmmm.

I like the way you tawk TOO.




When I feel like getting on the wifes nerves, for the fun of it ,I
scoot an old wooden chair across the hard tile floor ,,,,real slow ,for about 5 minutes or until she screams ''What the hell are you doing?''