looking into the business full time

[gremlin]

Ok guys i have some kinda personal questions for all of you arborists. Im currently a mechanic and not to toot my own horn but im a very good one too. But im getting kinda bored with it. My question is..... im looking to maybe get into the tree service full time, is this a good time with the economy being the way it is? Do you make a confortable living? (please dont post any actual numbers. i dont wanna start a war here hehe) Right now i make very good money and have adapted my living accordingly. so money is kind fo an object here.(i hate to say that in a way. makes me sound snotty but honestly om not. just wanna know that ill be able to take care of myself) i dont wanna starve so to speak
Do you enjoy what you do day in and day out?


Thanks in advance for any and all replies and time spent helping

Ps please be brutally honest. Id rather someone shoot me straight.

 

[mckeetree]

If you have any sense at all you will stay where you are.

 

[(WLL)]

i think woman's underwear is a way better biz and is far more profitable not to mention all the bennies.lol

 

[gremlin]

If you have any sense at all you will stay where you are.

Ha my dad always said if i had any sense at all i would get out of turning wrenches while im still young and capable of doing so. thanks for the reply. Im just kinda tossing ideas around right now. i enjoy tree service and do some for friends

 

[Blakesmaster]

Gremlin, I like your honesty, and as another honest fellow I would say the choice is yours. I can look at my boss and know that he hates what he does but he did it because he wanted to make a good living and couldn't come up with a different plan...family business sort of thing. I know I'll never make as much as he did/does because that is not my motivation. I've found that being up in a tree is a very fulfilling experience...even dragging brush, or carrying wood. I know I work harder than most men and I take pride in that. The fact that if I run my business properly and can also make serious coin is just a benefit. I don't know...I guess the sawdust is in my blood now and I can't conceive another method of occupational satisfaction. That's why I do it.

 

[gremlin]

Gremlin, I like your honesty, and as another honest fellow I would say the choice is yours. I can look at my boss and know that he hates what he does but he did it because he wanted to make a good living and couldn't come up with a different plan...family business sort of thing. I know I'll never make as much as he did/does because that is not my motivation. I've found that being up in a tree is a very fulfilling experience...even dragging brush, or carrying wood. I know I work harder than most men and I take pride in that. The fact that if I run my business properly and can also make serious coin is just a benefit. I don't know...I guess the sawdust is in my blood now and I can't conceive another method of occupational satisfaction. That's why I do it.

Thanks blakesmaster. I too am a very hard worker thats in my blood no matter what i do i take it seriously and do the best that i am capable of doing. I love tree tree work and love climbing. Used to stack cellular towers. Lately i have found that getting up and going to work seems like a chor so to speak i just dont enjoy it like i used to. I also build drag cars on the side so i think this has something to do with it. Looking at cars all day long sucks sometimes. Im not looking to become a millionare either just wanna support myself and have a little extra to go to the race track and run my own car. things like that ya know. Gotta have some form of enjoyment in life

 

[Slvrmple72]

Thanks blakesmaster. I too am a very hard worker thats in my blood no matter what i do i take it seriously and do the best that i am capable of doing. I love tree tree work and love climbing. Used to stack cellular towers. Lately i have found that getting up and going to work seems like a chor so to speak i just dont enjoy it like i used to. I also build drag cars on the side so i think this has something to do with it. Looking at cars all day long sucks sometimes. Im not looking to become a millionare either just wanna support myself and have a little extra to go to the race track and run my own car. things like that ya know. Gotta have some form of enjoyment in life

Kinda makes you feel sad for the doc who is a gyn. and goes home and the wife is frisky and he just .... well, you get the picture. Seriously Gremlin, If you know how to work hard and smart and price your work accordingly tree work is worth a shot. By your comments you indicate that you have dabbled in it but to do it full time is like everything else... a whole other animal. It is a lot more dangerous than turning a wrench so really weigh your options.

 

[gremlin]

Kinda makes you feel sad for the doc who is a gyn. and goes home and the wife is frisky and he just .... well, you get the picture. Seriously Gremlin, If you know how to work hard and smart and price your work accordingly tree work is worth a shot. By your comments you indicate that you have dabbled in it but to do it full time is like everything else... a whole other animal. It is a lot more dangerous than turning a wrench so really weigh your options.

I have done some jobs with moderate to low risks. Felled trees my whole life and have a thing for climbing. I have accepted the fact that there are many dangers in the business. If i decide to do this it will be done the right way. Ill sacrifice needed time to go to school and earn my certs. Start at the bottom of the totum pole just as everyone else did and earn my way up. I used to enjoy turnign wrenches but after doing it all day and going home to a speed shop in my back yard only to do it some more has gotten to me. I used to go to the track every weekend to run my own car now i almost refuse to do something i love for fear of having to work on the car if something breaks. Guess im just plain burned out on it. I also enjoy all aspects of the business. I tell everyone that i have removed trees for to plant new trees in it place. Love and respect mother nature. Ha i kinda feel as though i missed my calling at times. Anyway thanks for yours and everyone elses input.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Being mechanically inclined is a big bonus, you can do the work on your own equipment, which is a big plus for a startup.

I've known several people who have started as second job and turned it into a career.

If you are as good of a mech as you say, then you can allways fall back on it. Call a local garage on rainy days or slow times to pad the bank account.

Start part time, look for cheap fixer-upper equipment that you know you can get rolling. Then when you hit the critical mass of tree work taking too much time, you can either scale back on the wrenching, or go full bore on the tree work.

If worse comes to worst, you can allways sell the rig you fixed up for break even.

Diving in head first is never a good idea, when you do not know what is in the pond.

 

[arbor pro]

Good mechanics are hard to come by. If you go into tree care and learn the ins and outs of working on tree care equipment, maybe you can hire out your mechanical services on the side to help subsidize your tree work income until things really get rolling.

Get involved with your state's arborist association and find out who's who in tree care in your area. Ask if you can sit down and 'pick their brain' about how to do get started and build your clientel. Also, have you thought about starting out as a subcontractor to a bigger tree service? A lot of the bigger companies neglect the smaller jobs that are just perfect for a newbie starting out. As a part-timer, I pick up a lot of pruning jobs from bigger tree services in my area that don't want to 'bother' with smaller jobs because they don't think they're as profitable as the big removal and pruning jobs.

If you charge right and do a good job, they can be every bit as profitable and you might just get a pile of jobs instantly thrown in your lap if you can sell yourself as a dependable, trustworthy businessman to the big guys.

Good luck.

P.s. -sounds like you're single? Not that it's my business but, if you don't have a family to support at this time in your life, it's going to be a whole lot easier to make the change now than to wait until later in life when you have other things (wife, kids, mortgage) to consider. You really have nothing to lose, Gremlin. If it doesn't work out and you're the mechanic you say you are, you can always fall back on that and have no regrets for not trying. Go for it! - But, be safe, learn how to properly do the work and grow your business like an oak not a poplar (slow and strong not fast and brittle).

 

[masiman]

+1 on JPS's comments. It would be a big risk to dump all you have now for an unknown. I'd go the build slow route until you can comfortably make the switch to full time tree work. But different people have different risk tolerance .

I wish you the best of luck with it, and keep posting on your progress. Others like me would be interested in how it goes!

 

[reachtreeservi]

Great advice from all the guys !

I'll add my 2cents : I'd do trees on the side until:

1) You have all the gear - Chipper, ropes, rigging, GRCS, Plenty of pro saws, double axle trailer for trunk wood.

2) You have completed all the arbormaster training modules (you'll need every bit of knowledge as a full timer). The sooner the better.

3) You are booked every weekend doing trees

4) You have been in the phone book a year

5) You find some good ground help (Good Luck!)

When you buy equipment, buy the very best you can afford. Cut no corners on saws and climbing and rigging gear. Do what you have to on the big equipment.

Getting all the ducks in order takes alot of cash, hard to do when you are just starting out and full time. You have to have seed money coming in from another source.
You can't work if you don't advertise, and advertising is very expensive.

If I had it to do over, I'd wait a year or two longer before I went full time.
The 1st 2 years were very lean and hard.
And I was able to reinvest almost 75% of what I made because my wife had a great job.

I stayed just barely ahead, I'd do a job ; buy the gear for the next job . Do a job ; buy the gear for the next job....

I think it would have been alot easier had I worked my day job a little longer.


Having said all that, It's a great business to be in.
If you concentrate on the basics early, you'll be successful.
There's alot of greenery to be made in this trade, I wish you the best !

 

[ropensaddle]

The best way I can describe it is; feast or famine always put back money. I could see daylight if it were not for ins,fuel and advertisement They make my money for nothing and I feel like I support the Ins advertisement agents but at least someone profits Illegals and hacks will give you a hemorrhoid condition after a few years. Remember to keep bids high enough to profit on the jobs you do! Tree work is not a volume gig especially as you age and bidding low will break you down for no rewards.

 

[tomtrees58]

my to cents i have Ben and arborist for 34 years now never seen it so bad stay wear you are good luck tom trees

 

[arbor pro]

Remember too, with all the advice you're getting, that the economy in one area of the world in not always indicative of the economy in another area of the world. Just because tree work is on the upswing in one area, doesn't mean it's a booming business to be in in another area. The inverse also holds true. Business for tomtrees may be slow in NY but, maybe in Arkansas, you will be able to make a go of it.

Best advice - as many have been saying is, don't be afraid to go for it but, go slow. Get your feet wet before diving in. Keep your overhead low and be willing to put money back into your business to allow it to grow. If, in the first year, you are set on making as much money doing tree work as you now make as a mechanic, be prepared to work some long, long hours. It may happen, it may not - lots and lots of unknows to figure out and it all takes time and experience.

 

[PlaygroundHero]

As a new tree company let me tell you times can be tight $ wise! BUT in my mind it is the best job in the world!, i did it with some help! my advice to you is to look into Grant programs to help you start your business! we got a grant through the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, (i don't know about the US) they gave us 15k cash! bought all my saws/climbing/rigging gear from that loan!(at 1% interest) but to get to that stage you need:

1) a solid business plan, this will help investors like banks get you money! along with that business plan you need good realistic financial forecasts for the next at least 3 years, no one will lend you the money without it! (a good plan can take 6 months to complete!)

2) also you will need training i think the best is to work in the industry for a couple of years (as a climber) this might mean working as a ground guy for a while before you get the chance to climb gain as much as you can and get your certs, if you can do all of that you should be OK!

Just MO hope this helps a bit!

Cheers

 

[arbor pro]

gremlin,

I should have mentioned how I got started in the business. I was in my senior year in college studying landscaping and arboriculture. My only real assets at the time weren't money or experience but rather, a great network of individuals who helped me get started. My best asset was my college forestry instructor who was very well connected both within the community and around the region. He connected me with the area urban forestry guys who ultimately promoted my services (unofficially) to residents of the community. It helped that I bought out the part-time tree care businesses of two of the urban foresters (just their clientel lists - no equipment) for much cheaper than I could have bought advertising. Doing so got me their support and support from many prominent members of the community. It all snowballed from there.

Networking is key. That's why I highly recommend getting involved with local organizations, getting to know the better tree services in the area and getting your name out there to the people who make things happen within the communities you wish to serve.

I'm not saying that advertising mediums and promotional materials aren't necessary when you're just getting started but, learn how to network with and identify your company with the right people in your area and things will move forward in a positive direction for you.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to a large list of good people who bent over backwards to help me succeed in this industry. I believe our nation is full of good people eager to see an optomistic individual who's willing to roll up his sleeves and work hard to achieve the american dream.

Go find those people...

 

[treemandan]

Thanks blakesmaster. I too am a very hard worker thats in my blood no matter what i do i take it seriously and do the best that i am capable of doing. I love tree tree work and love climbing. Used to stack cellular towers. Lately i have found that getting up and going to work seems like a chor so to speak i just dont enjoy it like i used to. I also build drag cars on the side so i think this has something to do with it. Looking at cars all day long sucks sometimes. Im not looking to become a millionare either just wanna support myself and have a little extra to go to the race track and run my own car. things like that ya know. Gotta have some form of enjoyment in life

Wow! You say that getting up and going to work seems like a chore? There is something terribly wrong with you.
Go to PEP BOYS and make them pay you 4 hrs on a job that takes you 2, look around for side jobs doing trees that you can handle without going broke and take your car to the track on the weekends. You'll feel great!

 

[gremlin]

Great advice from all the guys !

I'll add my 2cents : I'd do trees on the side until:

1) You have all the gear - Chipper, ropes, rigging, GRCS, Plenty of pro saws, double axle trailer for trunk wood.

2) You have completed all the arbormaster training modules (you'll need every bit of knowledge as a full timer). The sooner the better.

3) You are booked every weekend doing trees

4) You have been in the phone book a year

5) You find some good ground help (Good Luck!)

When you buy equipment, buy the very best you can afford. Cut no corners on saws and climbing and rigging gear. Do what you have to on the big equipment.

Getting all the ducks in order takes alot of cash, hard to do when you are just starting out and full time. You have to have seed money coming in from another source.
You can't work if you don't advertise, and advertising is very expensive.

If I had it to do over, I'd wait a year or two longer before I went full time.
The 1st 2 years were very lean and hard.
And I was able to reinvest almost 75% of what I made because my wife had a great job.

I stayed just barely ahead, I'd do a job ; buy the gear for the next job . Do a job ; buy the gear for the next job....

I think it would have been alot easier had I worked my day job a little longer.


Having said all that, It's a great business to be in.
If you concentrate on the basics early, you'll be successful.
There's alot of greenery to be made in this trade, I wish you the best !

This is pretty much what i had im mind. I would like to work my way into the industry.Dont really wanna jump in head first. It hurts iv done it before. I would like to get all my certs first. If i decide to do this ill do what ever i have to to make it work. Im dedicated to anything i do so if it calls for being a groundy on someone else crew for a while then so be it.

 

[gremlin]

Wow! You say that getting up and going to work seems like a chore? There is something terribly wrong with you.
Go to PEP BOYS and make them pay you 4 hrs on a job that takes you 2, look around for side jobs doing trees that you can handle without going broke and take your car to the track on the weekends. You'll feel great!

I currently work for a dealership and my knowlege is geared towards one make. I couldnt survive working at pep boys having to work on other make vehicles. Dont get me wrong i work on them on the side all the time but on the side i can take my time. Having to diagnose and repair a veh that i dont know would starve me being that almost all reputible companies only pay comission. And i spent most of the past two weekends giving the ol car a freshin up so ill be headed towards the track anyway. Ha pray that nothing breaks. Thanks for everyones input.