Agreed we didn't have a price he just said " Hurry up and get down here before the tree falls on the house" I have done work for this guy before,Just not as much volume in one day and not as much equipment and help on one spot. The last job was 800 bucks to get a few oaks on the ground. It was just me climbing and I used the bucket also. He was happy as hell. Apparently I should charge the same price for an extra employee and an extra 50,000 bucks worth of equipment in his eyes. I should have shot him a price range before starting the work. Obviously my bad on my part. I guess I should have known he drives his rusty pickup to work and makes 160 dollars a day. I guess I should drive my thousands of dollars of equipment to work and charge 160 dollars a day. Because equipment, fuel, insurance, and maintenance costs just don't exist! **** 1400 a day I should quit working for the week! That's a lot of money! I am starting to hate people. Lol.
So aparently i'm a criminal
- Thread starter RDAA
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You bet or anyone with that kind of attitude. I think he qualifies in the category as a bottom dollar feeder. Looking for Macdonalds prices but wants a steakhouse meal!
old_soul
ArboristSite Operative
Sounds like you charged him a fair price considering it was a hazard plus equipment.
Trying to do work for cheap people is the worst worst worst part of having a tree business. Roll up with 100k of equipment and the guy is fussing about something like 800 dollars.
my blood pressure goes through the roof.
Trying to do work for cheap people is the worst worst worst part of having a tree business. Roll up with 100k of equipment and the guy is fussing about something like 800 dollars.
my blood pressure goes through the roof.
Toddppm
Addicted to ArboristSite
Meanwhile a single plumber will show up with a regular van stocked with cheap parts marked up 600% and want $300.00 for 20 minutes of work. How does tree work demand such little money??????????
treeclimber101
UNCLE BUCK
I remember an ol head telling me a while back .... I don't ever agree to open ended contracts , never works someone always gets screwed
AMEN!! My buddy has an HVAC business he tells my how much he grosses per hour when he sells system installs. Its crazy due to the mark up like you said. I have a mid 90's tractor backhoe and dig a few sewers, water lines, and a basement here or there. I think I paid 15 grand for my unit. People don't ***** when it costs a couple of grand to dig up and replace their sewer. But when it comes down to removal of that overgrown hazardous tree they say "2 GRAND???" I guess to cut any tree down all it takes is a poulan wild thing. Hell its just tree cutting for god sakes how hard can it be? I had a graphics designer gripe about a thousand dollar tree job once. His exact word were "If I can make a thousand dollars a day with just a chainsaw and a bucket **** I should just start doing it!"
Did you try talking to him? At this point its heresay from the neighbor who might be a whack job. Maybe the neighbor is a drama queen. Maybe he wanted to back out but didnt have the balls to say it. If he wrote you a check no questions asked, i'd atleast give him the decency to explain himself.
My best friend works with the home owner and heard it from the dumbass all the next day "how I got him" and continued to spill his guts to my best friend the next day about what he did. I do run into this guy a couple of times a year. I have his number yet. I don't know if I should call him and try to explain how my business numbers work. Or maybe I should just let it be.
I'm doing a trim job at a government owned, income based housing unit. The manager didn't bat an eye at 1500 bucks for a price. It was kinda nice not to have someone look at me like I have two heads and wish they could make 1500 in a day. Lol
You didn't screw him on the price at all. But you should have showed up and named your price. When you saw the trees you had the price in your head anyway just let him know. As far as him talking crap about you and he knows your buddy's. When you see him bring it up make him defend dragging your name in the mud when you helped him out. Now a days 1400$ is your truck breaking once that ain't beer money.
