The coming hurricane season. Anyone gonna chase this year?

[vharrison2]

If you have any inclination to travel...go because they are going to need the help.

 

[darkstar]

really ...ive never done a full blown hurricane clean up befor ... i have a new holland w/ grappple attatcment seems like that could be of use ... also a 200 xp w/ winch ... i was wondering who i should try and contact ... or do you just go straight to the damage and start with the home owners ... my old boss says he contacts the sheriffs department first ....

 

[darkstar]

so whats the news??????? .. people here are packing up and heading with loaders stump grinders and boom trucks ...i saw 15 bucket trucks at the local hotel ... every one is heading south ....what s up with you alll ????????????

 

[rwilk]

I went last year for the trio of storms and did well. I found all you have to do is show up with your normal good business appearance and give people a fare deal. They understand you are away from your family and won't mind paying a little more, but don't be a hack. Do what you contract to do. I won't be going down for Dennis, it seems to be very localized and not so wide spread, (as far as I can tell from news reports). But guys don't worry, the season is still young.

if you go be safe and do good work

rwilk

 

[murphy4trees]

hurricane position

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT04/refresh/AL0405W_sm2+gif/024841W_sm.gif

 

[TreeJunkie]

Looks like they may have dodged a bullet this time. I think I'll be staying home for now.

 

[Yellowdog]

my old boss it trying to talk me into going and bringing my loader ... he says about 300 an hour possible .... i thinking about it

wouldn't that be gouging? Maybe the rates are deflated around here but even after the big flood of 2002 that wiped half the county's roads and a shopping center out, the rates weren't that high. Heck, if I thought that I could manage 300/hr ethically, I would move a Vermeer BC2000 with loader into the area and start chipping... We get max $150/hr here for big oaks..

 

[darkstar]

?

thats not my price just what the contractor promised .... im staying home anyhow ...we got 5 storm related calls today already

 

[TreeJunkie]

I ran w/ two skidders down there last year. No way was anyone paying 300 an hour. If you were lucky you might be getting a bit over a hundred an hour. And if you did sand cleanup then more like 65-75

 

[vharrison2]

They need the help, I am sure.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

They need the help, I am sure.

The trick is finding some one down there to act as primary contractor for you so that you do not have to worry about any sales or A/R problems. They allso know the local codes.

As for ethical pricing;

When I worked with Brandon sevral years ago after the ice storm in KC, his uncle was billing out around $200/mh due to the level of demand. They would get the option of immidiate service or wait for the workload to fall back to something sane.

Figure what your weekly payroll is if the guys are working 70-80 hr manweeks? With an 80 hr manweek half your payroll is OT, and are you going to give them bonuses? Do you guy food so they dont take off to go to Subway?

How do you get a piece of equipment in the shop when all those crews are down there? When I was in Wmsburg VA for the hurricane 2 years ago, you could not get a saw fixed so people were buying new ones just to get the work done, I talked to a fellah who siad he had to bribe the shop forman at a garage to get his truck worked on...

Now lets touch on the risk factor of working so many hours. Why should you not make very good money to drive down there and climb hung trees day in day out? I don't think $100/mhr is enough.