Making a Living?

[Haulinwood]

I am new to this site and I am sure this question has been asked before. Real quick, I live in IL., just below the Wisconsin border. I am thinking about getting into stump grinding, and tree removal. I am very familiar with a saw, spliter, and the basics. The question I have is, is there enough work out there to support a family? To be comfortable, not a millionaire! I plan on being insured and bonded. What if any advice can you give to a new guy wanting to make a living at something he loves?? I appreciate any and all advice.
Haulinwood

 

[Tree Pig]

I am new to this site and I am sure this question has been asked before. Real quick, I live in IL., just below the Wisconsin border. I am thinking about getting into stump grinding, and tree removal. I am very familiar with a saw, spliter, and the basics. The question I have is, is there enough work out there to support a family? To be comfortable, not a millionaire! I plan on being insured and bonded. What if any advice can you give to a new guy wanting to make a living at something he loves?? I appreciate any and all advice.
Haulinwood

This reply mainly applies to the tree removal end of it ...

Go get a job with a respectable company the the business from the ground up... start with dragging brush. In a few years when you know enough to not kill yourself or someone else then decide if you want to still do it and go for it.

 

[Haulinwood]

Thanks Tree Pig. I have done all that. Have done a lot of tree work for the Forestry service, etc. Looking into the stump end of things. Faught a lot of forest fires also, in WV. during college. Is there money to be made and can you make a living. I know there are companies out there making it, but are they just surviving, or can they afford to take a vacation anytime?
Thanks again.

 

[Carburetorless]

Thanks Tree Pig. I have done all that. Have done a lot of tree work for the Forestry service, etc. Looking into the stump end of things. Faught a lot of forest fires also, in WV. during college. Is there money to be made and can you make a living. I know there are companies out there making it, but are they just surviving, or can they afford to take a vacation anytime?
Thanks again.

The real question; Can you do it?

Successful businesses don't drive themselves, it's takes someone at the wheel with the know how and determination to make it all work.

If it were simply a matter of going into this or that business then everyone would be in business and doing great.

 

[no tree to big]

Thanks Tree Pig. I have done all that. Have done a lot of tree work for the Forestry service, etc. Looking into the stump end of things. Faught a lot of forest fires also, in WV. during college. Is there money to be made and can you make a living. I know there are companies out there making it, but are they just surviving, or can they afford to take a vacation anytime?
Thanks again.

when you say "forestry service" what exactly did the forestry service do? residential removals? or flop the dead trees in the woods? can you climb?

we have this one ground man that supposedly worked for the forest preserve for 2 years in the forestry division doing trees, well he's now been with us for 2 years and still doesn't understand how to do anything tree related... lol. he said they would drop lots of "hazard" trees, so one day I handed him the saw cause I was feeling lazy and said drop it. (we were making the notches just above ground level) he some how put the saw in the ground for the notch AND back cut notch was 4" outa level, then the back cut was 4" outa level the other way, and ended up aimed damn near 45 degrees off, and the tree was only about 20"

 

[Tree Pig]

Thanks Tree Pig. I have done all that. Have done a lot of tree work for the Forestry service, etc. Looking into the stump end of things. Faught a lot of forest fires also, in WV. during college. Is there money to be made and can you make a living. I know there are companies out there making it, but are they just surviving, or can they afford to take a vacation anytime?
Thanks again.

It all depends some markets are better then others... services you offer open more doors. If you can only do removals the your limited. but you educate yourself learn how to properly climb and prune, cable n brace. get licensed to fertilize or apply insecticides. The more you get qualified to do the more your business will grow. But these things take years to learn and its not something you picked up at summer camp with the forestry service.

Can you make money on just removals and trimming... of course, or else most of us here are wasting our time aren't we? Also dont worry about vacation time you will always have slow time that will allow that.

 

[Haulinwood]

Thanks to all that replied. I know this is not easy, and I hope you all know that I am not trying to make it look that way. And to be honest, as far as taking down trees, that will be the last thing to bring on. Mostly just stumpnig! I have dropped a lot of trees during a fire, but nothing compared to dropping a tree between two houses, etc. I could take it down little by little, but not my main goal at this time. If the stump grinding pays off, as I know it will with a lot of hard work, then the rest will come later, if at all.
Thanks again.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I am a bully, so some say.
Wanna here what a bully would say?
Jeff :msp_biggrin:

 

[Haulinwood]

Fire away Jeff.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Fire away Jeff.

I hope you are retired and doing this as a little side stuff to keep you busy.
Otherwise, I think it is a dumb idea.
Jeff :msp_biggrin:

 

[Haulinwood]

I am only 43 years old. I have a very good job, but I always like to have a back up plan. I though that grinding stumps might be the wy to go. Around here most companies like taking the trees down, and leave the stumps. My wife lost her job, so I thought this would be great extra income.
Thanks.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I am only 43 years old. I have a very good job, but I always like to have a back up plan. I though that grinding stumps might be the wy to go. Around here most companies like taking the trees down, and leave the stumps. My wife lost her job, so I thought this would be great extra income.
Thanks.

Haulin, just do it, I'm not knocking it,
Like I said, it's regional.
Jeff :msp_biggrin:

 

[Haulinwood]

Thanks Jeff, I am going to do just that.
Thanks for your reply.

 

[no tree to big]

not sure exactly where your located but I'm familiar with most of northern IL. you might be able to make some money at it as long as its not a full time biz(just stumps) you might get lucky. starting off might be rocky just get your name out there with as many of the smaller tree services out there and as long as your on the same page with pricing you might stumble into something. If they profit 100 bucks on a stump doing it themselves or make a hundo on it letting you do it I'm sure they'd be more then happy to stay home...

 

[jefflovstrom]

Save some money by not advertising and just call every tree service in your area, give them a good deal and later you can spread the word. After some good tree guy connection's, thing's may pick up.
Jeff

 

[Haulinwood]

Thanks a lot guys for all your replies, and words of wisdom. I will keep all posted.

 

[OLD MAN GRINDER]

Don't know about your area, but down here plenty of work, i am booked into september and the only adv i do is signs on my truck, i do stumps for 3 diff tree services and they keep me plenty busy, plus the business off my signs, i was doing mowing also but had to drop it because of all the stump business, just couldn't keep up, but then again i'm an old man LOL...

Good luck..

Bob...