Thinking of starting a tree service

[jason84]

i am a lineman, so I can climb poles and have cut my fair share of trees. I am thinking of starting a tree service/business, but was wanting some input from people who already do this. I was hoping to start out by climbing trees and maybe adding a bucket truck later, if the business is strong. This would be a evening/weekend business, unless of course it is really successful. I know of an old timer that did a lot of this kind of thing in his day, I plan on talking to him but hope I can find help here too. To my knowledge, there is no one in my area that actually climbs trees to prune or take down. I am hoping to be kind of a specialty business. There are tons of bucket trucks and that sort of thing around here, but no climbers. There is also a private lake in my area, that houses many people that are pretty well off, and of course the oak trees on the steep lake lots are impossible to get a truck to in most cases. This would be a target area for me. What kind of money is there in this kind of business? How do you decide what to charge? What would it cost to take down a typical large oak tree by climbing? Do you charge by the hour or by the job? can a guy expect to make say $30/hr. or $100/hr. I just dont have any idea, so I am open to all comments, Thanks.

 

[scenescence]

Good thing you're open to all comments . We get at least one a week (gunna start a tree company) and many think it's a quick way to easy money. Hard dangerous work requiring lots of skill and expensive equipment. Poor economy = less jobs and more competition. That said if you really want to learn and enjoy climbing try and find someone to teach you the ropes. Maybe that old timer could teach you some basics to get you started. Stay safe.

 

[mic687]

First off pruning and pole climbing are totally different animals. Rope climbing is the only way to prune properly(you can't limb walk with out a rope), spurs on a prune are just damaging to the tree and it looks bad. If you can rope climb you could do ok for a side business but part time help will always be a problem. I do not know your background or knowledge base but rigging trees is very dangerous if you don't know what you are doing there is lot of potential to get hurt or worse. I don't mean to be a downer but I hear from time to time people say well we have a family friend who works for the power company who can climb that tree. Just because he can climb it dosen't mean he should or will have any idea what to do when up there and I have seen my share of pruned trees with holes all over them and I am shocked that people pay for that, some folks are ok with it others will run you off. $30 an hour $100 an hour depends how well you bid and how good you are but $30 an hour is damm cheep if you are any good and at that low price, as hard as the work is you will not do it long. You may take a beating from some here and many will tell you need to work for someone else to gain experiance and that is the best way to learn, from a good climber but ony you know what you are capable of and hopefully your limitations. Their are so many ways to get hurt in this business but it can also be very fun and profitable for the right person. Good luck and I hope this helps out.opcorn:

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

With the slow economy there is more competition. Dont quit your day job. Good luck! Be safe out there!

 

[jason84]

thanks for the replies so far. I know that this takes some skill and safety is paramount. This is not something that I just dreamed up last night, I have been thinking of a business like this for some time. my brother has a skid steer and a tree shear, with a grapple bucket and all that stuff, and he says people are all the time asking him if he trims trees or can cut down trees in their yards, unfortunately he has to tell them no. Ideally we could work together and someday have a business that could do everything from trimming, felling, chipping, shearing, and maybe even spraying. I also have the liscence to spray trees in the right of way here in the state of Iowa, which could be valuable becaues I dont know of any utility company that doesn't fight trees in the right of way. Are there any books or anything that would help a guy in regards to rigging, and rope climbing?

 

[Florida23]

Don't just get a truck and a chainsaw and figure you're in the business like 90% of the new "companies" out there.

It hurts the people that actually know what their doing.
If you want to get into this business, do your research and don't go around topping and lions-tailing trees, telling customers that "it's the right thing to do".

Being a lineman and being a treeman is 2 way different things, because climbing with spikes is not the way to go, unless you're taking down a tree.

IDK, I'm just tired of people thinking they can get into the business over night. It's so much more than that.

Like other people have said, learn from some another respectable company and know the ropes, THEN if you feel you still wanna become an arborist, go for it.

Just know what you're doing before you start doing it.

 

[mic687]

thanks for the replies so far. I know that this takes some skill and safety is paramount. This is not something that I just dreamed up last night, I have been thinking of a business like this for some time. my brother has a skid steer and a tree shear, with a grapple bucket and all that stuff, and he says people are all the time asking him if he trims trees or can cut down trees in their yards, unfortunately he has to tell them no. Ideally we could work together and someday have a business that could do everything from trimming, felling, chipping, shearing, and maybe even spraying. I also have the liscence to spray trees in the right of way here in the state of Iowa, which could be valuable becaues I dont know of any utility company that doesn't fight trees in the right of way. Are there any books or anything that would help a guy in regards to rigging, and rope climbing?

The tree climbers companion and the guide to practical rigging are good books and you can order them from sherrill tree or wespur. Tree rigging is very dangerous so practice and starting small is the way to go. Good luck learningmand practice at home low and slow.

 

[arborist]

If you like having money and or spending time with your family,reconsider.It takes years to learn,many more to master,and I'm told a few more years to start actually making money that can be kept,But I can't promise that,as I'm not there yet.It's only been around 15 years though.I'll let you know after 15 more if I actually made any money before I retire.
Oh,the family.......Yeah I remember them nice folks.Sure do miss seeing them.

 

[ropensaddle]

i am a lineman, so I can climb poles and have cut my fair share of trees. I am thinking of starting a tree service/business, but was wanting some input from people who already do this. I was hoping to start out by climbing trees and maybe adding a bucket truck later, if the business is strong. This would be a evening/weekend business, unless of course it is really successful. I know of an old timer that did a lot of this kind of thing in his day, I plan on talking to him but hope I can find help here too. To my knowledge, there is no one in my area that actually climbs trees to prune or take down. I am hoping to be kind of a specialty business. There are tons of bucket trucks and that sort of thing around here, but no climbers. There is also a private lake in my area, that houses many people that are pretty well off, and of course the oak trees on the steep lake lots are impossible to get a truck to in most cases. This would be a target area for me. What kind of money is there in this kind of business? How do you decide what to charge? What would it cost to take down a typical large oak tree by climbing? Do you charge by the hour or by the job? can a guy expect to make say $30/hr. or $100/hr. I just dont have any idea, so I am open to all comments, Thanks.

Lmfao tell you what go find the meanest sob in your county and call him a wuss then if you survive it try it again I worked twenty two years for the other man before making a go on my own and I could not dream of starting a tree business without the training I endured. Good luck hey I think I may be a jouneyman lineman I mean I already climbed three times as high as them huh I know what birdwire is,transformer, insulator,overhead guy,three phase,I mean crap it could not be that hard right