Pricing a Job

[Gypo Logger]

It is to muddy now to do any logging, so I must take on other tree work. I will be pricing a power line right of way. 1000 ft. x 26 ft. How many acres is this? What's the formulae? It is mostly small alder and dogwood, just stumpjump and leave to lie. 1000$ comes to mind maybe 10 hrs. alone. With my girlie 346, those stems will jump right out of the ground I bet.
John

 

[jimmyq]

acre is 45000 sq. ft Gypo ( nearabouts anyways), so you are shy of 2/3 of an acre.

 

[tony marks]

yea that would work john. or get a competent man to help u,, or go halvers... that be easier,, on both of u ... 2 men could make 3000. while one made 1000.. .. im assuming u needed a per thousand price, and need to bid it. either way im sure u can get advice from some here who have done similar work.good luck.

 

[Stumper]

$ 1000 Canadian John? I recall doing 2000ft a few years ago fro $4500-chipping brush and dozing the little stumps. Did about the size you are talking about for $1200 including chipping but that was for friends. My prices were in American Official Counterfeit Currency.

 

[eyolf]

Acre here in yankee-land is 43,560 feet, so 26000 sq. ft is about 6/10 acre.

You mentioned alder & dogwood; in my southern (southern part of northern MN) clime, these seldom exceed 2"

Wouldn't the price depend on who you're bidding against and what the job has to look like when you're done, Will you need to hire a dozer, can you get by with hacking it up w/ a brush hog, or can you just drive everything under 2" down with the skidder (don'tcha love long sentences?)?

I did an access like that a while back; 340 feet X 66 ft. Got a little timber off it, spent $200 to rent a brush hog, and made about $300 for two half-days of work, including the value of the wood. Only pays to do this work if you're doing it on the side of a real job, and all your equipment is paid for.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Of Girlie Saws and Pecker Poles

Hi Eyolf, it's easy to underbid oneself on some jobs, but this one is about 1000 stem no bigger than your forearm. It's a very wet area so my skidder would get stuck for sure. There is no salvage and the wood can lie there. The pole installer guys may have more work for me as they aren't that handy with saws. Anyway, I got the job so my 346KD with 13" bar will do the talking.
Will take camera tomorrow and take pictures of girlie saw and pecker poles.
Good things come in small packages.
John

 

[mryb]

John,
Hire the guys from the brick factory again...Remember? Rick/Saw Slut

 

[Gypo Logger]

Hi Rick, I thought of doing that, but on second thought, I will save gas and wear and tear on my myself and my saws and just rip the darn vegetated matter, right out by the roots with my bare hands.
John

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Re: Of Girlie Saws and Pecker Poles

Originally posted by Gypo Logger
... but this one is about 1000 stem no bigger than your forearm. It's a very wet area so my skidder would get stuck for sure. There is no salvage and the wood can lie there....

This sounds like one of those rare situations where a little, baby, girlie saw might work best.
Figure out how long the job will take and charge between $50 and $100 a man hour, after all, they think you know what you are doing.

 

[SilverBlue]

Ya call that a job? More like an inconvenience.

I have to price out 250 acres of mixed wood and the customer wants the wood milled on site. Parry sound area with no road access only by boat or when river is frozen.

800 acres total western end Manitoulin island, roadway, beachfront clearing and some nice trees for salvage. Big shot American but real nice guy (ain’t they all?) Looks like a few months of solid work if I get them.

 

[jokers]

Hey Gypo, Mike is right, charge as near $100/man hr or more, as much as the market will bear. This may seem out of line but you don`t want to lowball yourself, especially if they want you to start doing bigger jobs where equipment is required. A job like that around here would involve only heavy equipment like a mower or pulverizer, no manual labor, and would cost several hundred dollars/hr but of course production per hour is also higher. Do they want you to cut any branches standing up as the trees lay on the ground so that everything lays flat and decomposes quicker? More work = more $.

Normally you should be able to speak to the guy authorizing your contract and get an idea of what they going rate is, don`t be afraid to ask. Most of those guys are former tree guys themselves and know first hand what is involved, and unless they have and inappropriate interest in giving all of their work to one crew, they want to see you succeed.

I`m posting a link to a cool tool that you may want to have in your new endeavor. Buy one of these and I`ll bring it up for you.

Meri Crusher

Russ

 

[jokers]

PS SilverBlue, all Americans are bigshots, and real nice guys! LOL

Russ

 

[Gypo Logger]

After almost thinking I wasn't gonna get the job- I was the only bidder, I got started at noon and cut till 2:30, using exactly 3 tanks in my 346JD. When I turned around to look back thru the slash I was about 400 ft. done, so I will be finished tomorrow. I knocked down the phone line which slowed me down cause I had to drag it all thru the slash, but was relieved to find it wasn't active. The electrical guys were pleased with my progress. I was cold, wet and stiff so I called it a day. Remember, it isn't how long you work, but what you get done. After the first tank I went into auto mode and the stems were flying. Although out of shape for this stuff, I still have the knack.
John

 

[Gypo Logger]

Here's the lil girlie saw that did the talking.
John

 

[Stumper]

Sure is green up there still.

 

[bwalker]

I would add $20/man hour just for the sore back your going to get.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Hi Ben, no backache barneys around here. It's a tough job, but somebodys got to do it.
John

 

[Marky Mark]

And if you are me you'll jack it up another 20% since people love to bounce checks. The worst ones are the Lawyers next to the Doctors.
On a lighter note John where did you get a 13"bar for that midger eager beaver.
Barky

 

[Gypo Logger]

Hi Mark, it was special order from Oregon, I think they made it for me special cause I had to wait so long. Can you get me some more of those bars you sent me? I will pay you handsomely.
Anyway as far as getting paid, if they ain't got it, their gettin' it!
The woodlot property owner is real nice and paid me a visit today, sorry about the somewhat glazed picture, my hands were shaking.
John

 

[WoodTick007]

John,
I bet that little 346 is so hot..... that all you had to do is show it to those little peckerpoles and they just jumped off their roots.... YUP, thats what I bet.