MONSTER TREE up for grabs

[Dadatwins]

Looked at the pics and not seeing the need for a crane, tree does not look that tall, simply looks like a lot of spread out debris, I have not worked on ficus, I am guessing from description of sap and wood that chipping the debris is not option? Large uprooted root ball looks like it is probably more air than soil/wood? Probably cheaper and easier to grind out, than pulling out with escavator and then having to backfill hole. looks like many surface roots would have to be cut also, easier grind out in my opinion. Does not look like that bad of a job, just time consuming with a lot of debris to move, I would say 2k on that job is way underpriced.

 

[Treeinnovator]

Looked at the pics and not seeing the need for a crane, tree does not look that tall, simply looks like a lot of spread out debris, I have not worked on ficus, I am guessing from description of sap and wood that chipping the debris is not option? Large uprooted root ball looks like it is probably more air than soil/wood? Probably cheaper and easier to grind out, than pulling out with escavator and then having to backfill hole. looks like many surface roots would have to be cut also, easier grind out in my opinion. Does not look like that bad of a job, just time consuming with a lot of debris to move, I would say 2k on that job is way underpriced.

you're right about the tree having ALOT of vacant space under the rootball. a larger grinder (v502+) would chew it up in one hour. the sap is just an annoyance and in no way prohibits ordinary chipping and sawing. it's like a weak form of white elmer's glue.

if the (1) top branches were removed and chipped straight into a large roll-off dumpster, it's trunk could then be (2) uprighted with "something" then (3) it's trunk chopped up and (4) finally stump grinded.

that's the cheapest way i see it. the "something" would probably be a crane or large front loader.

$2,000 for crane service
$1,000 for 2 dump bins
$1,000 labor
----------------------
$4,000 total ballpark

 

[Treeinnovator]

Looked at the pics and not seeing the need for a crane, .

how do you not see the need for a crane???
the weight of that trunk is on 2 things...a large branch on the ground and the roof. when you try and cut the trunk off the house it might roll and do more damage or kill a worker. also, god for bid your saw gets pinched on the trunk, you'll never get it out.

 

[woodchux]

$2,000 for a crane! I really don't see $2k worth of craning there. 3,000 for crane and labor? Seems high to me. If I had that job, my expenses would be around $700 (or less)

 

[Koa Man]

woodchux,
How much do cranes rent for where you are? Here, they always come with an operator. none of the crane owners are going to rent it to tree guys without one. Craning is slow. The quickest way is a big ex with a grab. A big ex can break off most of the branches and lift way more than even a 28 ton crane extended half way out.

mr. t-innovator,
I doubt you will be able to get by with only 2 bins, even chipped. Banyans have a way of rapidly filling up a chipbox. I have done a lot of banyans. I removed two totalling about the size of the tree in your picture with no stump grinding for $8900 back in 1990. We filled up a 20 yd. chipbox 8 times and had about 3 loads of logs. No 18 inch chippers back then, only had a Bandit 200.

Big ex, like a Komatsu PC400 $2200 a day for 2 days = $4400
Delivery and pickup of big ex, $440 each way = $ 880
3 man crew for 2 days, includes chipper and chip truck = $3000
Disposal fees $10 ton for chips, $42 ton for other, est. = $1250
Administrative costs and profit = $2000
Dump truck with dirt to backfill hole and sod = $1000
Add 15% cushion for screwups and underestimating time.

My bid $14409.50. In reality, like I said earlier, a job like that would go for at least $16K here. Don't know why removals are so cheap in many areas of the CONUS.

I did the removal of this tree for $13853 last month. I was the low bidder. Job was done in 2.5 days. All my labor, crane, disposal and equipment costs was $7512.50. I was lucky and the job when extremely smoothly, but you have to add for delays due to equipment breakdown, damage, etc. A lot of bad things can happen when doing large tree removals and you need to be compensated for the risks involved. Bottom feeders only look at the $$ sign. Wow, I'll get $4000 for removing this tree. Ends up it costs you $7500 to get the job done and you have a "profit" of negative $3500.

 

[woodchux]

If i was to do that job i wouldn't use a crane. I'd just piece it out one limb at a time. It looks like alot of the tree could be just cut and chucked, limbs flying, a little technical rigging. No need to crane every branch. If I needed some mechanical muscle, I'd use a backhoe with a thumb (very cheap).That would take care of the stumps too. But hey- Thats just me. (I've never needed a crane yet)

 

[Koa Man]

A backhoe would not have enough reach. Most backhoes can only reach about 12-14 ft. in height. Leaning over even less.

 

[clearance]

A backhoe would not have enough reach. Most backhoes can only reach about 12-14 ft. in height. Leaning over even less.

You are right, backhoes are too small, big hoe, with a thumb, and a decent operator. Course this is just pretend. In the real world I love working with a good op. and machine, one guy with a saw and one guy with the right hoe can deck a lot of wood in a day.

 

[Dadatwins]

how do you not see the need for a crane???
the weight of that trunk is on 2 things...a large branch on the ground and the roof. when you try and cut the trunk off the house it might roll and do more damage or kill a worker. also, god for bid your saw gets pinched on the trunk, you'll never get it out.

Actually most of the weight of the trunk looks like it is still being held by the root system of that tree, cut all the weight off the top and you will see a far different picture. If all the weight of that tree was laying on the house it would have crushed it. A grapple escavator or even a prentice/fassi type grapple would be helpful, but I think a dedicated crane using slings would be very time consuming and not needed.

 

[Xino5544]

well you have to consider that i have supply the crane and debris removal. so it's not that great after all.

the more i think about this tree, the higher i go. if i don't make $3,000 profit from it. screw it. it's not worth the potential problems.

Do you have a bucket truck?
If you do, then good rigging is all you need. However, it will demand more than 2.5 days. Once you are cutting the main trunk you will need a fassi type of grapple or a backhoe with a claw.


1 bucket truck crew x 3 days = 1500 bucks
1 debris disposal = 2000 bucks
1 day equipment rental = 500

You look at $3000 + you overhead + over-inflated profit = $7000

You live in South Florida and still do not know how to price a tree like this?
Maybe you should limit your practice to do light prunning.

 

[Treeinnovator]

Actually most of the weight of the trunk looks like it is still being held by the root system of that tree, cut all the weight off the top and you will see a far different picture. If all the weight of that tree was laying on the house it would have crushed it. A grapple escavator or even a prentice/fassi type grapple would be helpful, but I think a dedicated crane using slings would be very time consuming and not needed.

all homes in south Florida are concrete block by law. this might explain why it can hold alot of the weight.

 

[Treeinnovator]

if you're looking at the roots holding a good part of the trunk's weight, then wouldn't it upright itself as soon as you cut all the top-rightside branches?

on the other hand, someone told me today that the roots are solid by now because of the recent rains. they have had time to settle in. they told me the trunk wouldn't even fall over if the house was theoretically removed from under it.

 

[Xino5544]

Your dilemma

Are gonna do it or you are just trying to get more feed back how to price it?

 

[Treeinnovator]

Are gonna do it or you are just trying to get more feed back how to price it?

i'd rather sub out the take-down and grinding because my schedule is hectic right now. i can take care of the debris removal.

 

[Xino5544]

I'll bet your sub is a guy with a crew that rides on a pick-up truck and has no idea of safety standar, has no insurance, and probably has not registered his company with the State. Maybe just a Pedro (no offense) Landscaping.....which at the end will do anything to make the day... no matter what risks he and his crew will take....

 

[Xino5544]

I wish you the best luck!!!!!

 

[Treeinnovator]

I'll bet your sub is a guy with a crew that rides on a pick-up truck and has no idea of safety standar, has no insurance, and probably has not registered his company with the State. Maybe just a Pedro (no offense) Landscaping.....which at the end will do anything to make the day... no matter what risks he and his crew will take....

nobody's that stupid to take on a project with these risks without Lic.+Ins.

 

[Xino5544]

Well, I've seen it in the past......
There are a lot of people just trying to get by the day.........
As said before, I wish you luck and hope you don't have to use your insurance because somebody else.

 

[Groundie30]

Treeinovator, formerly Treeminator.. That tree looks like it could be done without a crane from the two pictures. In my opinion. Judging from the plastic chair on the front porch, it looks like 50 feet or maybe a little more to the highest point. There a alot of angles and things that I cant see from those pictures though.

It looks like a good project to me though. Not too far from Central Florida where we are located. I would have to make it worth my while to travel to Miami.. If you supplied the bins and we skipped the crane.. We could do it for 4000. I would need 1000 up front. I guess PM me if your interested, or I will check this webpage in the morning.

A couple of people suggested that you were a spoof, or another poster messing around.. I'm assuming that you are being for real. I mean, you sent a picture of Arnold's head.. makes me wonder, you know?

Anyways, I will be in touch.

 

[clearance]

Treeinsanity

Anyone out there Tree whatever he is calling himself this week is a cull,troll whatever. Banned already for dumb stuff, he is still having fun. The guy will achieve mythical staus here soon. Your choice, you may be embarrassed.