just drop

[ewoolsey]

what do you guy charge just to drop a 2-3 foot threw tree , in the open field, i feel like i am over chargeing at $ 75 a tree ?, i have been payed more.

 

[JCONN]

Depends on how far you travel if you had to look at it then go back to do it that's a min of 1 hour time plus gas and equipment. like anything you could hit something in the tree and destroy a chain. If its up the road and paying right their could be done for cheaper then going 30 miles away. In my opinion its worth 100 bucks to take a pee next to the tree especially after the ho has to tell all of his stories for two hours on how he used to do this work and he is not up to it anymore, yet they are up to bucking up the log, splitting it, and removing the brush.

 

[ewoolsey]

thanks, this next job is about 40 miles away. these drop and go job's is about all we can do right now , snow and mud now.

 

[rarefish383]

I''m retired now, 20 years ago we had a $120 min, even to snatch out a dead rose bush. We had to send a crew. I couldn't tell my $20 an hour climber/foreman, his best $16 an hour rope man, to go split wood on the wood pile, while I sent an $8 an hour groundie to drop a tree for $75. I wouldn't send a groundie to drop the tree, I'm just making the point that you have to send a crew. Just because the job is easy for you doesn't mean you have to do it super cheap. Even if you can throw 1 saw in the back of your personal car and run out to the job, you still have trucks, chippers, stumpers, gear to pay for and it doesn't care how hard, or easy, it has to work.

If you call an Electrician because your lights went out, he's gonna send an Electrian and a helper and charge you for a min of 1 hr at a min of $85 per man hr just to throw the circuit breaker that popped. Same with a plumber, just to put in a 12 cent washer, to stop a leak.

My daughter is in a 5 year masters program to become an occupational therapist, it's costing me a small fortune. Respectively, my parents spent a fortune sending me to college, as a botany major. My schooling was not that much different than hers, lots of biology. Why would I work for the price of a kid raking leaves? Any licensed, insured, and certified Arborist is a profesional that should be charging pro rates, Joe.

 

[rarefish383]

To more acuratly answer your question. About 10 years ago I did a job of dropping a bunch of big Oaks around a customers house. They all were felled into the woods, put a rope about 60' up and dropped them. The final count was 23 trees and charged them a flat rate of $1000 per day to get as many as we could. We got all the trees they wanted down. The woods had been logged in the past and were thin enough it was easy to lay them down without hangening them up. To me it was no different than laying them in a field. I'm sure the custoner felt otherwise, Joe.

 

[treevet]

You want an understanding that if foreign bodies are discovered (with saw) that the cost is on them not you, either by contract or word of mouth. Slamming trees may seem easy to them but there is lots of chance for injury by widow makers, barberchairs, hungup pressure loaded trees, etc. So sending the cheap guy to save them money may not be the prudent choice.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

I always tell my customer $50 to drop the tree, $50 not to drop it on his house.

 

[abetterworld]

dropped, limbed, bucked, burned and split 3 trees a few days ago (White oak and two mtn Live oaks bout 24-30" diameter a piece). Ended up with 4 cords split and stacked, burning anything smaller round than my wrist in a burn pile. Customer kept the wood, I charged $145 for the day. He paid me $300 instead because a tree service wanted $1300 to do the same work. My saws, ropes, truck etc. one was leaning over their house and had to be sectioned out first.

When it comes to what you charge. It all depends. Measure what your doing and the circumstances, and charge what you feel is fair.

I cleared 2 solid acres of dense growth for free a few months ago.

 

[tree MDS]

where the hell is Treeco when we need him??

 

[abetterworld]

where the hell is Treeco when we need him??

??? confused ????? I don't drink

 

[teamtree]

I have a minimum as well. You never know when things will go wrong. You have to be paid for your expertise as well. I would say a $100 - 125 minimum would not be out of line. I drop 2 trees this morning for $125. Had to set a pull line in both. Started at 8:00am and was done at 8:30am. It is not the time...it is the know how.

I had a notch and drop yesterday. We had to cut a big hickory 30" dbh that had half of the crown laying east attached at approximately 20' and the other half laying northwest attached at 20' with the trunk leaning to the north. I thought I could notch and drop south and have the two broken tops push the trunk south. I was wrong. I was like a tri-pod. Well, two hours later we finally got the tree on the ground. It was in the middle of a woods so we had to walk back to the truck 4 times to get ropes, pulleys and a tractor.

My point is this, you have to get paid for knowing what to do. You have to get paid for taking a chance with your life to cut a tree. Things can go wrong in a hurry.

When you don't charge what you need to make money....you only hurt yourself and the industry in which we work. Don't cheat yourself.

 

[teamtree]

dropped, limbed, bucked, burned and split 3 trees a few days ago (White oak and two mtn Live oaks bout 24-30" diameter a piece). Ended up with 4 cords split and stacked, burning anything smaller round than my wrist in a burn pile. Customer kept the wood, I charged $145 for the day. He paid me $300 instead because a tree service wanted $1300 to do the same work. My saws, ropes, truck etc. one was leaning over their house and had to be sectioned out first.

When it comes to what you charge. It all depends. Measure what your doing and the circumstances, and charge what you feel is fair.

I cleared 2 solid acres of dense growth for free a few months ago.

Guys like you make it hard for the rest of us to survive. How in the hell can you pay your bills on $18 per hour. Your insurance will cost about $1 per hour, your fuel will cost about $1 per hour, your truck will cost about $3 per hour, your chainsaw will run you about $1 per hour over the life of the saw, not sure what other equipment you have but let's say you only have $2 in other overhead. You are now making $10 per hour. After self-employment taxes you are down to about $8 per hour.

In this scenario, I am only assuming you had no climbing gear or other big equipment. I assume you had no help either, which is really safe as well.

Most respectable tree companies would not burn their brush and in most states it is illegal for a commercial operation to burn anything on a job site.

So tell me why you are a genius and got it figure out.

I hope you retire in style.

Your theory on pricing will make you a broke man. If you think is is fair to charge $100 but it cost you $200 are you doing the right thing.

I would like to know....are you a tree service? what type of insurance do you carry? If you had to rig out a tree over a house and you only charged $18 per hour....are you a true professional.....are you saying the guys that do that everyday should not be paid fairly for having the skill to take down a big tree over a house.

I find it hard to believe you are the real deal and can say with a straight face you think charging $145 for doing what you did is fair and reasonable. I may be going off on your here but I find it insulting.

 

[teamtree]

by the way...what is "saw work"?

 

[abetterworld]

Guys like you make it hard for the rest of us to survive. How in the hell can you pay your bills on $18 per hour. Your insurance will cost about $1 per hour, your fuel will cost about $1 per hour, your truck will cost about $3 per hour, your chainsaw will run you about $1 per hour over the life of the saw, not sure what other equipment you have but let's say you only have $2 in other overhead. You are now making $10 per hour. After self-employment taxes you are down to about $8 per hour.

In this scenario, I am only assuming you had no climbing gear or other big equipment. I assume you had no help either, which is really safe as well.

Most respectable tree companies would not burn their brush and in most states it is illegal for a commercial operation to burn anything on a job site.

So tell me why you are a genius and got it figure out.

I hope you retire in style.

the guy was 85 and didn't have $1300, so if I didn't do it, it probably wouldn't have gotten done. He gets his SS every month and was screwed out of a pension. Its 20 degrees at night here, and him and his wife were almost out of firewood. cost me $145 to do the job, that's what I charged. Aside from harness ropes etc. I didn't need any additional equipment or climbing gear. This was by no means a commercial operation. You assume too much. It was my day off, and a couple friends stood around stacking firewood and working splitter. Besides, his birthday is on Monday.

"So tell me why you are a genius and got it figured out."

I'm not a genius, but I am Very well educated. I can see that I am a few steps ahead of you, as I am not under the misconception that money is to be put on a pedestal and worshiped, or the general misconception that money has any real value at all.

And you would respond "but you need money to live...."

And I laugh.

I am the richest man in the world because I choose to be, but poor by your standards.

And WHY I have it figured out...... to be asked why is to be asked a rhetorical useless question.

HOW is simple. I was raised right.

Commercial fires.........

Ever hear of prescribed fires? How bout the one in Yosemite that just got out of control last season? the one started by the government........ pollution air quality control in regards to this, turn off your cars and trucks the lights in your house, and walk and the control measures aren't necessary..... take away all of the fire prevention, let nature take its course......

Now to get back to the subject.....

said he felt he may be charging too much. I displayed a scenario where I charged basically nothing. And you fell into providing me with the appropriate platform to respond with my reasoning for it.

he was 30, a millionaire, healthy....... I wouldn't have done it at all. I would have let him pay who ever what ever.

When I retire, I will be loved and appreciated. I will die knowing that I am a good person.

 

[abetterworld]

by the way...what is "saw work"?

saw
1   /sɔ/ Show Spelled [saw] Show IPA noun, verb,sawed, sawed or sawn, saw·ing.
–noun
1.
a tool or device for cutting, typically a thin blade of metal with a series of sharp teeth.
2.
any similar tool or device, as a rotating disk, in which a sharp continuous edge replaces the teeth.



work
   /wɜrk/ Show Spelled [wurk] Show IPA noun, adjective, verb,worked or (Archaic except for 35, 37, 40 ) wrought; working.
–noun
1.
exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.
2.
something on which exertion or labor is expended; a task or undertaking: The students finished their work in class.
3.
productive or operative activity.
4.
employment, as in some form of industry, esp. as a means of earning one's livelihood: to look for work.
5.
one's place of employment: Don't phone him at work.
6.
materials, things, etc., on which one is working or is to work.
7.
the result of exertion, labor, or activity; a deed or performance.
8.
a product of exertion, labor, or activity: musical works.
9.
an engineering structure, as a building or bridge.
10.
a building, wall, trench, or the like, constructed or made as a means of fortification.
11.
works,
a.
(used with a singular or plural verb) a place or establishment for manufacturing (often used in combination): ironworks.
b.
the working parts of a machine: the works of a watch.
c.
Theology. righteous deeds.
12.
Physics. force times the distance through which it acts; specifically, the transference of energy equal to the product of the component of a force that acts in the direction of the motion of the point of application of the force and the distance through which the point of application moves.
13.
the works, Informal.
a.
everything; all related items or matters: a hamburger with the works.
b.
harsh or cruel treatment: to give someone the works.
–adjective
14.
of, for, or concerning work: work clothes.
15.
working (def. 18).
–verb (used without object)
16.
to do work; labor.
17.
to be employed, esp. as a means of earning one's livelihood: He hasn't worked for six weeks.
18.
to be in operation, as a machine.
19.
to act or operate effectively: The pump will not work. The plan works.
20.
to attain a specified condition, as by repeated movement: The nails worked loose.
21.
to have an effect or influence, as on a person or on the mind or feelings of a person.
22.
to move in agitation, as the features under strong emotion.
23.
to make way with effort or under stress: The ship works to windward.
24.
Nautical. to give slightly at the joints, as a vessel under strain at sea.
25.
Machinery. to move improperly, as from defective fitting of parts or from wear.
26.
to undergo treatment by labor in a given way: This dough works slowly.
27.
to ferment, as a liquid.
–verb (used with object)
28.
to use or manage (an apparatus, contrivance, etc.): She can work many business machines.
29.
to bring about (any result) by or as by work or effort: to work a change.
30.
to manipulate or treat by labor: to work butter.
31.
to put into effective operation.
32.
to operate (a mine, farm, etc.) for productive purposes: to work a coal mine.
33.
to carry on operations in (a district or region).
34.
to make, fashion, or execute by work.
35.
to achieve or win by work or effort: to work one's passage.
36.
to keep (a person, a horse, etc.) at work: She works her employees hard.
37.
to influence or persuade, esp. insidiously: to work other people to one's will.
38.
Informal. to exploit (someone or something) to one's advantage: See if you can work your uncle for a new car. He worked his charm in landing a new job.
39.
to make or decorate by needlework or embroidery: She worked a needlepoint cushion.
40.
to cause fermentation in.









pretty self explanatory, not limited to only the use of chainsaws or other tree care tools.

 

[newsawtooth]

Have you met

a gentleman here, by the name of ForTheAction? You two could have a rhetorical field day together. It's almost as if you're the same person, though I don't think FTA likes the sticky.

saw
1   /sɔ/ Show Spelled [saw] Show IPA noun, verb,sawed, sawed or sawn, saw·ing.
–noun
1.
a tool or device for cutting, typically a thin blade of metal with a series of sharp teeth.
2.
any similar tool or device, as a rotating disk, in which a sharp continuous edge replaces the teeth.



work
   /wɜrk/ Show Spelled [wurk] Show IPA noun, adjective, verb,worked or (Archaic except for 35, 37, 40 ) wrought; working.
–noun
1.
exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.
2.
something on which exertion or labor is expended; a task or undertaking: The students finished their work in class.
3.
productive or operative activity.
4.
employment, as in some form of industry, esp. as a means of earning one's livelihood: to look for work.
5.
one's place of employment: Don't phone him at work.
6.
materials, things, etc., on which one is working or is to work.
7.
the result of exertion, labor, or activity; a deed or performance.
8.
a product of exertion, labor, or activity: musical works.
9.
an engineering structure, as a building or bridge.
10.
a building, wall, trench, or the like, constructed or made as a means of fortification.
11.
works,
a.
(used with a singular or plural verb) a place or establishment for manufacturing (often used in combination): ironworks.
b.
the working parts of a machine: the works of a watch.
c.
Theology. righteous deeds.
12.
Physics. force times the distance through which it acts; specifically, the transference of energy equal to the product of the component of a force that acts in the direction of the motion of the point of application of the force and the distance through which the point of application moves.
13.
the works, Informal.
a.
everything; all related items or matters: a hamburger with the works.
b.
harsh or cruel treatment: to give someone the works.
–adjective
14.
of, for, or concerning work: work clothes.
15.
working (def. 18).
–verb (used without object)
16.
to do work; labor.
17.
to be employed, esp. as a means of earning one's livelihood: He hasn't worked for six weeks.
18.
to be in operation, as a machine.
19.
to act or operate effectively: The pump will not work. The plan works.
20.
to attain a specified condition, as by repeated movement: The nails worked loose.
21.
to have an effect or influence, as on a person or on the mind or feelings of a person.
22.
to move in agitation, as the features under strong emotion.
23.
to make way with effort or under stress: The ship works to windward.
24.
Nautical. to give slightly at the joints, as a vessel under strain at sea.
25.
Machinery. to move improperly, as from defective fitting of parts or from wear.
26.
to undergo treatment by labor in a given way: This dough works slowly.
27.
to ferment, as a liquid.
–verb (used with object)
28.
to use or manage (an apparatus, contrivance, etc.): She can work many business machines.
29.
to bring about (any result) by or as by work or effort: to work a change.
30.
to manipulate or treat by labor: to work butter.
31.
to put into effective operation.
32.
to operate (a mine, farm, etc.) for productive purposes: to work a coal mine.
33.
to carry on operations in (a district or region).
34.
to make, fashion, or execute by work.
35.
to achieve or win by work or effort: to work one's passage.
36.
to keep (a person, a horse, etc.) at work: She works her employees hard.
37.
to influence or persuade, esp. insidiously: to work other people to one's will.
38.
Informal. to exploit (someone or something) to one's advantage: See if you can work your uncle for a new car. He worked his charm in landing a new job.
39.
to make or decorate by needlework or embroidery: She worked a needlepoint cushion.
40.
to cause fermentation in.









pretty self explanatory, not limited to only the use of chainsaws or other tree care tools.

 

[randyg]

I charged $145 for the day. He paid me $300 instead .

I'm thinking the very least you could have done is gone out and spent a small portion of that $155 over payment and bought a really nice tarp or two and gone back and covered top of wood pile for him?

By the way, nice TRAP you set there, abetterworld.

 

[abetterworld]

FTA???

what is "the sticky?"

 

[jefflovstrom]

dropped, limbed, bucked, burned and split 3 trees a few days ago (White oak and two mtn Live oaks bout 24-30" diameter a piece). Ended up with 4 cords split and stacked, burning anything smaller round than my wrist in a burn pile. Customer kept the wood, I charged $145 for the day. He paid me $300 instead because a tree service wanted $1300 to do the same work. My saws, ropes, truck etc. one was leaning over their house and had to be sectioned out first.

When it comes to what you charge. It all depends. Measure what your doing and the circumstances, and charge what you feel is fair.

I cleared 2 solid acres of dense growth for free a few months ago.

Wow, you are amazing!!
Jeff

 

[jefflovstrom]

FTA???

what is "the sticky?"

Sticky weed that you are smoking.
Jeff