People must be hungry
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richard t
ArboristSite Operative
I bid a job in the fall got a call on it today guy said remember you bid it at 500 my papers said 750 for taking the limbs off a big dead oak tree and leaving the log stand he said he had a bid for 400 and I told him to call that guy then he said he was iffy about a guy trying to do it off a 40 foot ladder:msp_w00t: So he told me to set it up.
I smell a Troll,,,,,,,,,
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
Opps I musta been nuts
I went to look at a job today 8 large pine two medium gums and one oak trim. Why is it everytime I bid a large project I tend to include a discount per tree thinking the end price will scare them off lol. Looks like I will get the job, oh well, at least pine chips nice and even at 500 per pine I should come out ok because of quantity. The guy immediately said we will be calling you soon that price seems real reasonable. I then explained any one of those trees alone would easily be 750. to a grand but since there's 8 it is a production job lol.
I went to look at a job today 8 large pine two medium gums and one oak trim. Why is it everytime I bid a large project I tend to include a discount per tree thinking the end price will scare them off lol. Looks like I will get the job, oh well, at least pine chips nice and even at 500 per pine I should come out ok because of quantity. The guy immediately said we will be calling you soon that price seems real reasonable. I then explained any one of those trees alone would easily be 750. to a grand but since there's 8 it is a production job lol.
richard t
ArboristSite Operative
Grace Tree
Impossible Access
In most cases I'd work for $500 per day with no cleanup.
Phil
Phil
treeclimber101
UNCLE BUCK
I bid a job for 2300 that was done for 650 .oo so yea there are some ripples in the tree industry around here , when the lady called and told me the other guys price was , I immediately thought hey this guy may be my new tree sub 
TreeFrogTC
ArboristSite Lurker
I invoiced a lady 40$ today for not calling to cancel a quote she requested 3 days ago, I showed up to see the removal job was already done. Thanks for wasting my time, fuel, office etc. costs. We need to see about major changes in the industry and charge for quotes to curb the volume of tire kickers and people looking for free consultation.
sgreanbeans
Treeaculterologist
I used to get all worked up over the hacks, now I dont even care. I get calls all the time from people who want my advice after the fact, like they are tattle telling on the guy to me. I get a kick out of the stories I hear, but what do they want me to do, tell them they are a dumbchit for hiring them? Ok ur a dumbchit! My neighbor has a pretty damn big oak, it needs to go, hazardous. I would be around 4500 for something like this but told him 2500, he is across the street and owns a gun store, so I thought the discount would be paid forward. He went with a known hack for 800! I just laughed and said good luck. I have done alot for this guy over the years and was pretty taken back when he told me. Kinda a FU. I cant wait, I will stay home the day he does it. This guys has no equipment, has a huge rep for tearing chit up because he goes big all the time. Climbs a ladder up as high as he can and that's where all the cutting is done. So I will park my skidsteer out front so he can look at it all day. I keep all oak and bring it home for firewood and would have kept this, but I will watch him disc and qtr all those 45" dia chunks and hand load them out and pile them into his new F-250 that looks like it has been in demolition derby (poor truck). I bet it take him 3-4 days to get it done.........with a crew................for 800! I will probably set up the GoPro, just in case something cool happens.
No matter how much we beyatch about them, they will never go away. I tried to bring rules to the game here, but all the hacks have a uncle or FIL on the city councils and they are not going to vote their family out of business, so I gave up. I just focus on doing the best job I can and try and get the most money. Once I drop a bid, I move on to the next, no sense and wondering if I will get it, if I do, they will call. The AA's of the industry will always be there, mucking it up as normal, putting out adds that say "pro tree topping" and jazz like that. I try to educate each client, so then they can pass it along, the dif between us and them. While I was gone, I had several clients use other services for some stuff. It only helped me as they were use to how I did things, then these ********s show, not knowing the client has already has a high expectation, then they perform as they always do, like fools with a bad habit, cementing the need for a pro. Had some line clearance hacks do side work at a clients home, they pruned the trees the same way they do when they are on the clock for the ROW, again, same reaction. Client is pissed at himself because they hired them, tore the hell out of their trees, no concept of proper pruning, told me "never again" When I left, I forwarded my clients on to the local branch of the same company I was working for. Got beyatched out yesterday by a longtime client for it. "They suck, why did you refer them" I wanted to climb into a hole. So whether its the small crack head out fit, line clearance hacks doing side work or the big shows who don't care about quality, just quantity. It makes it pretty easy for the Jedi to look like..............well... Jedi!
As JPS told me, we need hacks, makes it easier for us to look good!
No matter how much we beyatch about them, they will never go away. I tried to bring rules to the game here, but all the hacks have a uncle or FIL on the city councils and they are not going to vote their family out of business, so I gave up. I just focus on doing the best job I can and try and get the most money. Once I drop a bid, I move on to the next, no sense and wondering if I will get it, if I do, they will call. The AA's of the industry will always be there, mucking it up as normal, putting out adds that say "pro tree topping" and jazz like that. I try to educate each client, so then they can pass it along, the dif between us and them. While I was gone, I had several clients use other services for some stuff. It only helped me as they were use to how I did things, then these ********s show, not knowing the client has already has a high expectation, then they perform as they always do, like fools with a bad habit, cementing the need for a pro. Had some line clearance hacks do side work at a clients home, they pruned the trees the same way they do when they are on the clock for the ROW, again, same reaction. Client is pissed at himself because they hired them, tore the hell out of their trees, no concept of proper pruning, told me "never again" When I left, I forwarded my clients on to the local branch of the same company I was working for. Got beyatched out yesterday by a longtime client for it. "They suck, why did you refer them" I wanted to climb into a hole. So whether its the small crack head out fit, line clearance hacks doing side work or the big shows who don't care about quality, just quantity. It makes it pretty easy for the Jedi to look like..............well... Jedi!
As JPS told me, we need hacks, makes it easier for us to look good!
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ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
Lol well these pines if lucky I will get two finished per day I was not thinking clear that day but it will pay bills! Pine does clean up well though!
I'm a self proprietor only working on saturdays (maybe 2/3 of them). In a normal year, I can expect 15 to 20K. I have my won 6" chipper, a F350 self constructed chip truck, a Bobcat MT55 with a stump grinder attachment. If I charge by the hour (lots of my regular clients do), I get 135/Hr. If I bid on a job, I add only 20% more to it. It worked out great for the past 14 years, hopefully another 14 before I pay off the house and retire. In this economy, one has to find his own nitch and establish a good reputation.
Woodgar
New Member
Same thing happening here, customers more n more seem to just be chasing numbers, as I call it... Darn illegitimate hacks just inflate the industry. I for one would rather let the equipment rest at my shop than waste my time working for less than jobs are worth!
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
I went to grind stumps 8 of them and I told the customer that I have bucket and do trees too. We made small talk a bit, then I said did the tree men stick it to you, he said yes, they charged me 3 k lmfao the smallest stump was 36" at a foot tall ! I told the man he got a steal that it would of been much higher had I done it 
Two of them were 46 inch sycamores the rest were gum and he said they had 8 men on it two days!
Two of them were 46 inch sycamores the rest were gum and he said they had 8 men on it two days!
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Where I live we have a tree service that tries to rape all their customers. I've subcontracted with them they charge crazy high prices. I bid on a job trimming one limb off an oak over a roof, and taking down an ash tree (approx 35 ft tall out in the open), and elevating the crown of a silver maple that hit the lady in the head while she mows (her words not mine). but I said Id do the job for 600. and this other guy came in and told her 1000 on just the ash tree alone. she told him no right then and there but I woulda been interested to see what the rest of the job woulda cost her by going with him.
mckeetree
Addicted to ArboristSite
You sound like my competition around here talking about me. I hear it all the time...but hey, when there's not much dough I won't go.
RAG66
ArboristSite Operative
Having a hard time getting people to understand they do NOT need 5-6 estimates to get the job done at a resonable price. I go in as number 4-5 sometimes and the customer admits to this. I ask sometimes if they have ever had someone waste their time and how did it make them feel. I figure most of the time I will NOT get the job at that point anyway, so why not make them aware of how they are treating someone else. I do get the job from time to time at that point, maybe they feel bad. Sometimes it is the lowest bid. I see huge variables in price and quality of work. LOTS of cut throat going on here!!! :angry2:
Grace Tree
Impossible Access
Called a guy for an estimate appointment last week for a guy who lives 30 miles away. I keep the appointment but no one's home and he doesn't answer his house or cell phone. I leave a message but he still hasn't called back. Nice. He went into my contact list with a ringback tone that repeats don't call me; don't ever call me. I like it when they call, hear the ringback and hang up. I've only been stiffed a few times but one woman actually had a guy use her name as a reference. "Mrs. Green says you do great work." I gave lots of reasons why I wouldn't work for anyone using her name as contact. Mrs. Green was an elementary principal and he was a teacher. Hope the whole faculty got the word. The other was a woman in a sub who stiffed me and then gave my name to her neighbor. Sorry, but we don't work on that street and here's why. Small revenge but it's better than feeling like you just bent over and took it without saying a word.
Phil
Phil
stltreedr
ArboristSite Operative
funny, those services that "rape" all their customers seem to be around the longest.... You'd think people would catch on. Or maybe they're paying their employees decent wages with benefits, paying taxes, doing everything legally, and actually turning a profit.
Toddppm
Addicted to ArboristSite
Usually heard from the new guys who have no idea what it actually costs to run a legitimate business and stay in business. A few of my friends used to say it to me too, #### I know I've said it too about a couple of co's when I first started.
mckeetree
Addicted to ArboristSite
I have been in business 27 years. Every new outfit that tries to start up around here and every Mexican around here claims we are just outright highway robbers demanding ridiculous fees for our work. I remember one clown from a few years ago that trashed us and our prices everywhere he went. He was one of those D250 Dodge pickup and a 16ft light duty utility trailer cats. I watched that guy just literally sink to nothing. He got down to trying to borrow his neighbor's old Datsun pickup to do tree work out of. Now there is this guy that has sorta took his place with the exact same set up.
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