How Do You Clean Up A Yard? Interesting Post!

[tree md]

Most tree services around here don't have loaders except the larger outfits. Most use some kind of log dolly to move logs from the back yard. When I hear someone say they can't believe nobody has a loader that screams inexperience to me. Sounds like someone with a rich daddy who started out with all the equipment. I've won several bids where people did not want equipment in their yards and knocked the bucket jockeys and the steer que*ers out of the picture... If you can't imagine working without one, then more than likely you never have.

 

[BC WetCoast]

When I made my comment about companies around here not using small equipment, it was an observation, not an opinion. There are some regular sized skid steers, but I haven't seen a mini loader around here. Wish I did, in our yard.

 

[Henry111]

Never said that hard work was bad, I will be willing to bet I work circles around you. It is foolish to punish guys when equipment is cheap and will work as hard as you can take it. My tree crew runs lean with one groundie and myself climbing, We use the bucket truck when we can, and alot of crane work. Us "tree sissies" down south do things a little different its cool.

Change is not bad at all.

I'll take that bet any time your ready pal ive worked hard since ive been 13 and with some of the hardest men, the kind they dont make anymore. SO BRING IT ON BROTHER and by the way i have a CAT that will carry logs and drag your mini at the same time. i also have a bucket truck, chip truck, chipper, stump grinder, dump trailer, 15 chain saws, and every hand tool and gadget known to man, don't pay a red cent of pay role out of my pocket. I can do it all and i do. thats not stupidity thats a hard, stronghearted tree man. AND WHAT MD TREE SAID SISSY WITH A RICH DADDY........

 

[arborworks1]

Pure stupid comments, I have humped wood in 100 degree weather, dragged brush from sun up to sun down. I had a pickup and a trailer when I started. I choose to equip myself so that I won't be crippled by age 60.

Call me a rich ##### whatever. Its all paid for and I made the dough right by myself. I'll take my mini loader and my corona and laugh all the way to the bank. I highly doubt someone that has been climbing and running a successful business for 10 years is what you call inexperienced.

This board is full of of a bunch of windbags IMO.

 

[arborworks1]

I would rather pay 2 good TOUGH tree guys then make a MINI payment when theres families trying to support them sevlves. It all comes down to who you are and what you prefer but in my opinion " BRUTE FORCE KICKS ASS". Im 6 foot 8 and 355 lbs. so brute is my way of life

You don't climb many trees do you, Tiny!!

 

[Henry111]

Pure stupid comments, I have humped wood in 100 degree weather, dragged brush from sun up to sun down. I had a pickup and a trailer when I started. I choose to equip myself so that I won't be crippled by age 60.

Call me a rich ##### whatever. Its all paid for and I made the dough right by myself. I'll take my mini loader and my corona and laugh all the way to the bank. I highly doubt someone that has been climbing and running a successful business for 10 years is what you call inexperienced.

This board is full of of a bunch of windbags IMO.

LOL you know what i like you instead of argueing you and i should team up and take over, you remind me of myself.

 

[prentice110]

I could and would quote a lot of you but it would take up 3 pages!!! One way or another we all know what were doing and are going to continue to do it the way we want. One poster said that he likes paying good employees so they can feed there familys and theres nothing wrong with that, but for myself, Ive had such bad luck with employees, weather they be drugged out losers, or the "Im white so Im worth SO much money" syndrome, now I just go out with one guy that knows how to rope, get the thing down and everyone goes home but me. Then I go solo with the mini untill the sun goes down. Like the old man said, and he started with brute force in 1947, "Equipment never asks for a raise.".

 

[B-Edwards]

I'm with "The Dan", Dingo Dingo Dingo. But if I were staying in business I would chant ,Boxer Boxer Boxer.

 

[asthesun]

I'm interested to know how you clean up yards on your smaller residential tree jobs?

Many yards I'm in don't fair well with front end loaders like a bobcat, so most all jobs have to be without larger machinery. Keep this in mind.

Here are some things I'm interested to know how you do it:
(Please keep in mind these are smaller yards)

1.) How do you clean up and haul the stump mulch to the truck?

2.) How do you clean up the smaller leaves, sticks and debris from the yard?

3.) How do you haul the logs out to the truck?

4.) How do you haul the brush to the chipper?

Last fall I purchased a Dr. Powerwagon.... motorized wheelbarrow, and I haven't used it as much as I thought, yet. It does wonders for longer hauls or softer yards where using a wheelbarrow is extremely physical and slow.

Currently to do the jobs listed above, it's mostly manually done... grunt work. The smaller debris are hand raked with hard & plastic rakes and hauled away with wheelbarrow or placed on a tarp. The logs are cut into handable pieces like firewood size to fit horizontally in the wheelbarrow or about 4ft. long, depending on size, to be placed length-ways in the wheelbarrow. The brush is hand stacked and carried to chipper, unless they're longer and heavier, then they're dragged to chipper.

I created the post to share ideas and hopefully pick up some tips on how you do it... plus might pick up great ideas on using different equipment I never considered or even knew of!

Edit: Forgot to mention that I use to use a Shindaiwa Powerbroom with the rubber flaps, not the bristles. I see Stihl has the same attachment(s) now. Do any of you use the powerbroom paddles or bristles for raking? What do you think of them? (mine was stolen early when I had it, so didn't get to test much, but liked it)

Thanks,

StihlRockin'

just keep doing what you're doing and charge more when necessary. occasionally if the job is too labor intensive, you can hire some day laborers, ones that you wont ever have to see again, and abuse them a bit. dont be afraid to tell the customer that you need to dig up a few plants and take down a section of fence to complete the job cost-effectively. as long as your operator knows how to be easy on the grass, a pitchfork works well on ruts. i only use plywood when the ground is really wet.

how do those powerbrooms work? are they as thorough as raking? will they move sticks and large pinecones and sweetgum balls and such?

 

[StihlRockin']

how do those powerbrooms work? are they as thorough as raking? will they move sticks and large pinecones and sweetgum balls and such?

Don't know about sweetgum balls, but larger sticks and pine cones are a breeze for the paddle powerbroom I used.

Like someone mentioned above, if a raker and blower worked together, that's a good way too to move debris quickly. I've done that and should do it more.

StihlRockin'