Newbie to this!

[PLM-1]

I have a customer that had several trees dozed down. There is probably 12 of them. She wants me to cut them up and haul them away. I was thinking $40/man hour. I was thinking that it would probably take at least 2 days by myself. Does that price and time frame sound crazy?? I don't do much of this so I don't really wanna screw myself!

A little more info, I have a new Shindaiwa 18" 488. Most of these trees i could wrap my arms all the way around (if that helps on size). No chipping, splitting or anything. I contacted my insurance company about this as well...he said as long as i'm not dropping the trees i'm fine. In my neck of the woods, a tree company could come drop the tree, cut it up, and haul it off for like $800 each, if that helps.

Thanks!

 

[Lumberjack]

40 dollars a man hour times 1 man (yourself) times 20 hours (2 days) is only 800 bucks.

Thats only 66 bucks a tree to clean it up. I would say double that for starters.

 

[Lumberjack]

Oh, and try to hire at least one worker maybe 2. Where are you gonna haul the stuff off too? How much will that cost?

With 2 groundies working I aim for $41.75 dollars a man hour, but thats with 3 people working, so its 125 an hour.

How long will it take you to make one load? Are you using a truck and trailer? How do you plan on moving the logs?

I would say your way way low.

 

[vharrison2]

Where are you going to haul them? Include your dumping fees also. We will sometimes bill the dump fee with no upcharge as sometimes it is hard to estimate.

 

[PLM-1]

I am taking to logs to you property about 15 mins away. I have one guy that can help me. I have a John Deere with a loader but i have to be able to get the logs out when i get it to where i'm taking it. I will prolly try and cut it up so i/we can handle it manually. I'm am just going to load my 18' trailer (don't wanna scratch the truck ). It is sorta in a ravine too so i may have to watch my weight so that i can get out.

I appreciate your help guys...keep it coming!!!

 

[Lumberjack]

I use a 18' trailer as well.

If the tops are whole then drag them to a landing zone out of the ravine (with the tractor) so you can haul more weight if the landscape allows.

What kinda truck you runnin?

There is money to be made there it sounds but it aint easy work, make sure you aint afraid of hard labor for decent money.

 

[jason j ladue]

welcome plm1, you should maybe see about the possibility of chipping as much of the brush as possible. it sounds like you are working for a pretty reasonable rate. you may be able to get the customer to pay for a chipper too- explain the benefit of having all those useful/beneficial chips. when i work on an hourly basis i typically charge $60/hr (just for my self). when i bid a job i shoot for more like $100- but i understand that sometimes it is difficult to gage the scope of the job@hand, and you need to guarantee yourself a little some some. if you can do the work in two days it sounds like both sides will make out alright. good luck, let us hear how it went, send pics, jj

 

[Lumberjack]

400 bucks a day for 2 people?

Have ya seen gas prices???

What do you do (not you jason) for a day job?

 

[PLM-1]

I will be pulling it with a 1/2 ton, 360 V8. Can tow 6500lbs (trailer's a 7000lbs).

 

[PLM-1]

400 bucks a day for 2 people?

Have ya seen gas prices???

What do you do (not you jason) for a day job?

I mow grass! But i run off road diesel! And run a tight route.

 

[Lumberjack]

I use a 1/2 and have towed more than its rated to on more occasions than I care to think about.

Trailer brakes are nice, as well as flat land.

How many loads do you think it will be?

 

[PLM-1]

I use a 1/2 and have towed more than its rated to on more occasions than I care to think about.

Trailer brakes are nice, as well as flat land.

How many loads do you think it will be?

YES brakes are NICE! I honestly have no idea how many loads...i guess we may find out!

 

[Lumberjack]

Your price should be somewhat less than the tree companies, but not too much lower. If they where charging 800 a tree times 12 trees then thats 9600 bucks. If they put them on the ground for 3600 then your price could/should be around 4-5k give or take, assuming those numbers are correct.

Got any pics?

Its alot harder to clean up the mess afterwards, its probably a big tangled mess, so that could make the cleanup side more espensive. Dont sell yourself short.

 

[PLM-1]

Alright guys! Just came from the property. I told her $55/man hour. She told me to take my time! So we will see how long it takes. I will take before and after pics and then post!

Thanks guys for all your help!!!

 

[NickfromWI]

Work dillegently while she's watching!!!

I think that's a fair deal, the $55. I think a lot of the guys are quoting what they'd charge for their time.

But if you're not busy and would be doing NOTHING on those days, even $40 would be more than 0!

love
nick

 

[Lumberjack]

55 per man hour sounds good to me. Include travel time and loading and unloading, but I dont include breaks, or eating, its either on or off the clock, not factored in breaks.

 

[tnttreeman]

I mow grass! But i run off road diesel! And run a tight route.

Better be careful with the off road diesel on-road. I don't know how it is in your area, but the D.O.T. here starts off with a minimum of a $1000 fine plus costs. And, the truck doesn't even have to be running. If it is on a jobsite, with a registered license plate, the D.O.T. can pull in and stick the truck. Yes, even a pickup. If the stick comes out red, you'll be wishing you paid the extra for the on-road. Just a word to the wise.

 

[Ax-man]

Good thing you got that extra $ 15 / hr. You will probaly be spending that on extra chains and getting dull chains sharpened unless you know how to sharpen a saw.

You will be earning your money cutting up and hauling away a dozed pile, most tree guys won't mess with a clean-up like that, myself included. Famous last words from a general or excavating contractor " It is not dirty, we did a good job pushing those trees through the mud" ya right Seems tree guys and contractors are at the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to this type of work, what they call clean, I call extremely dirty and will not run crap like that through my chipper, no way. A rented chipper would be a different story.

I have only seen one job ever get done right when it comes to this type of work and that was only because they asked me first how I wanted it done. That operator was darn good with that track loader, the only thing we didn't get rid of were the root balls, the excavating contractor took care of those things.

Larry

 

[PLM-1]

Better be careful with the off road diesel on-road. I don't know how it is in your area, but the D.O.T. here starts off with a minimum of a $1000 fine plus costs. And, the truck doesn't even have to be running. If it is on a jobsite, with a registered license plate, the D.O.T. can pull in and stick the truck. Yes, even a pickup. If the stick comes out red, you'll be wishing you paid the extra for the on-road. Just a word to the wise.

I just run the o/r diesel in my mowers...the trucks a gasser .

Well i have worked on it for 5 hours today. Bout all i can do. Very tiring! Walking up and down up and down hill sucks! And my chains are dull.

Can anybody suggest a good chain that will hold up? I've got 3 OEM oregan chains. The saw is a Shindaiwa 488-18.

 

[Lumberjack]

It aint the chains fault. No chain will hold up in dirty wood.


Check out the chain sharpening threads and welcome to saw running!