Blakesmaster
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'm at $4800 for 2 mil here. NY sucks.
How much do freelance climbers make?
- Thread starter Tree lover 1989
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I'm at $4800 for 2 mil here. NY sucks.
limbwalker54
ArboristSite Operative
Since we're on insurance, I believe I just renewed this year at $1300 for a 2 million with some equipment coverage as well.......my chipper, saws, etc.....
I only have a million (I don't break things anyway), but its so retardedly cheap, I wont even say. Sounds like some need to shop around a bit. Ouch!
sgreanbeans
Treeaculterologist
Fur sur! I shopped for a while, have the same underwriter as before for WAY less, just different agent.
Dutch295
ArboristSite Member
From my experience agents are pretty lazy and are going to take the path of least resistance. After giving her the contact info on Nautilus my agent discovered she could by coverage through them and my rate dropped tremendously. I carry 2 mil for just over 900 per year. You may want to check 'em out.
Concerning contract climbing... Cfield pretty much nailed it. I still climb a little (usually when I can bomb it) but my contract climber is the real deal, can climb circles around me, I'm tired of the BS ground workers I've had from stealing, not showing up etc. so it works out good ... $300 per day / no dragging on his part. I usually get him to drop the spar and stump out if needed, then cut the spar into sections the mini can handle and then he's gone.... sometimes as early as 3:30 but it's usually close to 5.
Concerning contract climbing... Cfield pretty much nailed it. I still climb a little (usually when I can bomb it) but my contract climber is the real deal, can climb circles around me, I'm tired of the BS ground workers I've had from stealing, not showing up etc. so it works out good ... $300 per day / no dragging on his part. I usually get him to drop the spar and stump out if needed, then cut the spar into sections the mini can handle and then he's gone.... sometimes as early as 3:30 but it's usually close to 5.
mattfr12
The Bulldog
Ryan and a few other of the home development places are making me carry 5mill, not sure why but anymore anything less than 5 mill they wont let you do it.
mattfr12
The Bulldog
You can get a generally 1 mill liability policy pretty cheap. i think ive seen them for around 750.00 a year or something like that. once you start adding all the bling to it they go up drastically.
Ask you agent if you policy covers crane assisted tree removals? i have to carry what they call boom bend insurance. for the rental companies. your insurance will take a good hike up the $$ train once they find out your lifting wood over a dweling.
treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
2 mil would go nowhere if you had to do structural rebuild on a tree damaged house a hundred years old that is historical.
mattfr12
The Bulldog
Let me try to answer.
You are only worth what someone will pay you.
You say you know how to use spike's. (insert comment's here.)
Demographically, where are your client's?
OK, You call or meet or what-ever to sell what you do.
Chance's are they got someone .
We live in the 21st century,
I Freelanced for 8 or 9 years and man, the IRS is a #####!
Tough life, hope your'e up for it!
Jeff
ahh the old IRS that orginization is the only thing that scares me. they go over everything with a fine tooth comb even tho your not hiding anything you still gotta worry if they find a mistake you made. i had to hire an accountant to take that kind of worry off of me.
mattfr12
The Bulldog
you are very correct because it actualy isnt 2mill in any givin area on an insurance policy like that. they are broken up like 500k comp 50k bodily injury and so on intill it adds up to 2 mill.
arborjockey
ArboristSite Guru
I have to call and up my insurance if a crane ever shows up to help. Jeez 5 mill. In Penn sounds like a lot. Is. Anything worth 5 mill in Penn? Just kiddn I had a good time there. I pay 1,400 a year on a million dollar policy.
How much trouble do you get in paying your employees $8 hr on the books, then give them a $5 an hour bonus at the end of the week in cash?
As far as freelance climbing. Depends are where your at and who you know. Seems like if the cost of living is high your pay is low. If your cost of livings low, its high??? Some climbers in the midwest make 3-400 a day where they can buy a house for 50k . Here you can't get a 10,000 sq ft lot for under 180k. Housing starts at 750k. Climbers here get 15-30 an hour and there ain't to many hours either.
Dutch295
ArboristSite Member
agree... mine reads 1 mil per occurrence / 2 mil aggregate.... which if I'm not mistaken means I better not do more than 1 mil damage on any given jobsite.
Local CC wanted 5 mil but I didn't see the return being worth it; I would imagine Ryan is a good outfit to work with.
Mattfr12, is it your in house crane or do you outsource? I have a crane operators insurance on file and have checked with my agent about this and she said I was fine. My wife (attorney) cautioned me bigtime on this about a year ago saying it will probably get very messy if something were to happen and ever since I've stayed away from crane work.
MarquisTree
ArboristSite Operative
"Boom Bend Insurance"?
MarquisTree
ArboristSite Operative
Messy is an understatement. If something ever happens everyone gets sued. If it gets really ugly insurance companies all start suing each other. (Homeowners, company, crane co insurance company...) Thankfully i am not taking from experience with major accidents, just some petty BS regarding tree ownership.
We upped ours to 6 mil 4 years ago. That was tough because the insurance company requested driving records for every employee and
mattfr12
The Bulldog
Thats what the rental companies call it its a slang term. meaning if you eff our crane up your insurance is gonna pay for it. call stephenson equipment and ask what you need to rent a crane they will use that term. 1800-692-7600 they are probably one of the largest crane rental companies out their from my guess. they have at least 4-5 100ton on standby to go out just out of the office 2 blocks away from us.
mattfr12
The Bulldog
Right now we outsource larger cranes like 60ton and so on. and our insurance is setup to cover us if something say comes out of a sling. when we rent a crane we have to make them a rider on our insurance policy. basically meaning that my insurance provider knows what I'm doing and is willing to accept the risks involved.
on my k-booms i just have to have it in my policy that we do overhead lifting with a crane and would be covered lets say if you flipped the truck or worse. a lot of general liability polices won't touch that. you have to let them know what your doing so when the policy is written your covered from all aspects.
arborjockey
ArboristSite Guru
because :arg: and 
Tree lover 1989
New Member
Thanks
Thanks everyone for your input. I appreciate all your advice. I never really thought about alot of what you said. And wow insurance prices really vary!
Thanks everyone for your input. I appreciate all your advice. I never really thought about alot of what you said. And wow insurance prices really vary!
Bermie
Addicted to ArboristSite
YOu've got spikes and a rope and harness...but can you climb WITHOUT spikes, because you are going to need to for pruning jobs.
I have 5mill ins. for $900 from an outfit in Melbourne...
I have 5mill ins. for $900 from an outfit in Melbourne...
DLCRL
Organic Demolitionist Expert
I freelance for several companies, I earn $100,000 a year this isn't a fluke as I've earned $275,000 in the last 3 years, I average around $100 hour while on site. I don't charge by the hour, I take 20% of the gross for getting the the work on the ground. Once I've done that I'm on my way to the next job or I'm done.
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