whadja do today?

[treevet]

It is a tough equation to balance. To me the variable that HAD to go was intoxicants. Eliminating them had a huge effect on my ability to balance personal and business life. But that's just me.

 

[capetrees]

I realized that my wife and her two kids REALLY don't like me working sun up till sun down six days a week trying to successfully run my business. She was crying while we were talking with her aunt. I'm not around enough for everyone she feels like a second priority to my business. It takes a lot of time to be the employee, mechanic, book keeper, estimator and such. Lots of fun. I always take Sunday off no phone calls at all. It's been really busy this last week or so trying to catch up with the work load from the previous week and a half of rain. I guess I am a work a haulic. I love how things have been going business wise but the personal life has really suffered. Any tips about how to make this work without ruining my family life? Or do I have to sell everything and work a miserable 8 to 5 job again?

Same here. Huge workaholic. Realized recently when my kids were continuously bummed I wasn't at their games.

Realize what you make year to year and cut the jobs and dutys you don't need. You'll make a bit less money but it frees up immense amounts of time. Have mechanics work on the machines. You'll be out working making it to cover the costs but then you'll also have free time in the end. Little by little focus on where your money is coming from and cut the junk.

 

[treeclimber101]

this is how we started the day after vacation with a 80 ft punky dead oak tree

 

[RDAA]

Same here. Huge workaholic. Realized recently when my kids were continuously bummed I wasn't at their games.

Realize what you make year to year and cut the jobs and dutys you don't need. You'll make a bit less money but it frees up immense amounts of time. Have mechanics work on the machines. You'll be out working making it to cover the costs but then you'll also have free time in the end. Little by little focus on where your money is coming from and cut the junk.

I have a client base started already doing this part time for a few years now turned it full time. I would love to be in such demand that I could line up the good money making ones and pass on the small pain in the ass jobs that in the end you mess around more than its worth. It would be nice to have a pick of what I wanted to do. I'm working on a lot of small jobs but they are in a close area that I can stack a few and make up an ok day. I do have some good medium sized ones lined up also. I realized that maintenance days I save money but not enough to justify not working.

 

[ducaticorse]

I have a client base started already doing this part time for a few years now turned it full time. I would love to be in such demand that I could line up the good money making ones and pass on the small pain in the ass jobs that in the end you mess around more than its worth. It would be nice to have a pick of what I wanted to do. I'm working on a lot of small jobs but they are in a close area that I can stack a few and make up an ok day. I do have some good medium sized ones lined up also. I realized that maintenance days I save money but not enough to justify not working.

Becareful becoming too selective. Never give your services away, but just because someone is a pita is not always a good reason to pass up on them, and at the same time, you're also putting money in someone else's pocket, someone who eventually be your direct competition

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[no tree to big]

To bad I didn't get pictures of the huge removal we did today. to many cars in the way to set up the,crane so we did it the hard way but we were still able to take entire leaders at a time it was wicked! multi stem dogwood right up against the building. Still not sure why the landscaper subbed it out it took 10 mins lol

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk

 

[RDAA]

Y

Becareful becoming too selective. Never give your services away, but just because someone is a pita is not always a good reason to pass up on them, and at the same time, you're also putting money in someone else's pocket, someone who eventually be your direct competition

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Yeah that is true I have one local competitor that is doing all kinds of stuff like land clearing and excavator work. I bid a small tree at four hundred bucks last fall when he was apparently swamped. We hammered out in about an hour and a half at the end of a day When I gave her the bid she damn near gave me a hug. I can only imagine what his price was! He made it really easy to get my foot in the door with this customer which led to a few nice reference jobs. I don't think I did that job too cheap but it made him look like he was trying to screw her. If I was ever in that spot that I had zero time I think I would tell her nicely my schedule was full instead of throwing an outrageous price at them. That small job really got me more than a few hundred bucks in the end.

 

[treevet]

To bad I didn't get pictures of the huge removal we did today. to many cars in the way to set up the,crane so we did it the hard way but we were still able to take entire leaders at a time it was wicked! multi stem dogwood right up against the building. Still not sure why the landscaper subbed it out it took 10 mins lol

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk

was this it? (just kidding)

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Got rained out after gomping the living crap out of some shrubbery and left it all on the pool deck.

Went to the bank to get 25k for the tractor I have been messing around with. When I see little Dingos my heart skips a beat and I could get another real nice one instead of this big assed tractor but I am going with the tractor, well, because its a tractor.

I could even get a decent used full size skid steer for that money but I hate those things.

The hoe on the tractor is kind of a pain. Its an attachment, not like a real back-hoe, it has its own seat so you have to get off and come around to the hoe side.

I have been on the fence about the tractor thing all winter into now.

 

[tree MDS]

Got rained out after gomping the living crap out of some shrubbery and left it all on the pool deck.

Went to the bank to get 25k for the tractor I have been messing around with. When I see little Dingos my heart skips a beat and I could get another real nice one instead of this big assed tractor but I am going with the tractor, well, because its a tractor.

What'd ya get?

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

was this it? (just kidding) View attachment 352542

I just now notice the other loader and the gentleman in the brush and just how close to the wires he must have came to have shinnied up the longer ladder which I can't even figure out how they got set up without dying or plain coming to their senses in the first place.

 

[tree MDS]

Tractors are awesome. Everyone can see and hear your ******* head yelling at them and telling them what to do. Seems like the enclosed cab on a skid steer type machine would take all that away.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

What'd ya get?

That blue one I had posted a while back. We were talking about what kind of tires you had on yours. So far the deep knobs seem fine on lawns and actually would be a little scared with turf tires on it now that I have used it a little.

I can't wait to take it and my new man out.

This guy seems like a winner. He was actually looking to go to climbing school. I keep asking myself if I am dreaming, putting myself on about the guy. He is green but not stupid. One thing that tells me he is not stupid is that he doesn't fill my ears with things I don't need to hear.

Got him going on the chipper, he can get it started, in gear and running. Only stalled it once, his first try on the clutch, picked it right up.

Pays attention too. I showed him the crazy guy sticker on the chipper, he operates nicer than I do.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Tractors are awesome. Everyone can see and hear your ******* head yelling at them and telling them what to do. Seems like the enclosed cab on a skid steer type machine would take all that away.

Yes, I agree. That is why I liked the Dingo too.

One thing I like about the tractor is you don't have to have the engine screaming to use it. Dingo ran around 3k or it didn't run, skid steers just make a lot of noise sitting still. Spinning 2k on the 3cylinder diesel tractor one can hear himself think.

And I was thinking how nice it would be to be plowing with that tractor without a cab.

If this guy sticks around til winter guess what his job is going to be?

Oh and guess what!? I am getting one of those steering wheel spinner knobs. Can't do that with a skid steer!

Get some pictures of your tractors set up so I can copy it. You always have some weight/implement on the 3 point? I was wondering how far I could get with nothing back there if I had to.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

I don't think I am fooling myself with this new guy although sometimes all they have to do is show up to impress the crap outta me.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

This guy Jared would shred in half a day.

 

[tree MDS]

Wait.. you spent 25k on a 23hp tractor?? Good god, man.. you didn't even get a whole hp per grand!!$$ I dont know about that deal, but whatever. Just being honest. It's like you won't listen, no matter what I say anyway. You ask questions first, and do your own thing after. Please tell me that thing is more than 23hp!!??

 

[Brendon Phillips]

Id assume if he has the money to pay $25k in cash for a tractor he knows what he's doing. Or else he wouldn't have made the $25k to play with in the first place.

 

[tree MDS]

Id assume if he has the money to pay $25k in cash for a tractor he knows what he's doing. Or else he wouldn't have made the $25k to play with in the first place.

Didn't you ever hear the saying about that? The assuming, that is.

 

[no tree to big]

was this it? (just kidding) View attachment 352542

We actually have one of those 60 foot extension ladders its the cats meow! Who needs spikes digging in to there calves?

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk