when to walk away ?

[wildernesstree service]

The more I get into hazzard tree removals the more I realize how crazy we all are getting. I guess the easy answer is will I be able to walk away from the job with my health and my crews health? The trees are getting more dangerous and risky all the time. If the insurance and guts hold out we will keepdoing them , and hope to make the right decision on when to walk away....................................... robdog

 

[treeman82]

I usually don't know when to walk away until its too late. I had taken on the removal of a 6' DBH Norway Maple this spring, the thing was massive and really in bad shape. I started it, and things started going wrong immediatley. I should never have given a price for it. Then I was going to remove a 30" DBH rotten Wild Black Cherry tree for a friend. Got up in there, thing started shaking real bad. I came down and said no way.

 

[ArborView]

6' diameter Norway Maple????????
Where's this tree at? I'd like to see it.

 

[treeman82]

This picture was taken AFTER I removed a limb that was 2' in diameter going out over the roof of the house, and half of another limb that same size. I think it was about 75' tall and had a spread of at least that.

 

[sgreanbeans]

im getting together the resources to do this monster cottonwood
the more i wait the more i want to walk. i know this is stupid but i want to do it so i can claim it! john paul sanborn and brian kotwica both looked at it. they said to get a crane, a big crane! so im kinda leary of this whole job........ but i still want to say i did it! ill post a pic tommorrow!

 

[sonny]

Its better to walk away , than be carried away

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Scott, that tree is an easy crane job. You can get right up on so you can pick big peices.

Do some video, get some proffesional pictures, put out a news release when you have a date set. One news crew is a lot of free advertising.

Will we see you at the WAA conferance this weekend? I still have room.
27th - 29th.

 

[sgreanbeans]

unfortantly not,
we will be working all this weekend! id love to go but it has not snowed here but 1 inch! so i need to get all the work i can!
as far aas the cottonwood, im still looking for a crane operator that i trust!i pretty much have a crane!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

You need an extra bodey, you know where to call.

 

[Greg]

I also have a problem waking away beacuse I like to think that I can do anything. I normally do go up on the price for dead trees quite a bit, but when ever I think about that practice I get mad at myself. Hazard trees do deserve more money, many times they deserve a lot more money. However I price them high more so that the customer will get another estimate and save me from doing the work.
Have you every been up there and said to yourself why the hell am I doing this? (due to danger/fear of working in a dead tree) I have on several occasions, but have always finished the job. I have never walked away mid job, I just can't bring myself to do it even when I feel that I should. Stupid pride!!
Greg

 

[sonny]

I guess I was wrong about walking away. I ran a tree bus. for yrs.
& always told my employes that if in dought do not do. yes i was the one that always did the hazard or exciting stuff. Big is big but hazardus is hazardus.Yes Greg you are so correct(stupid pride).

 

[treeman82]

Yeah, Sonny. The tree in that picture, I had taken the first branch out, had my lowering line in 2 crotches. 1 of those 2 crotches broke. The branch got hung up in a few of the many cables and it was just a mess. I looked much later and saw that there were vertical splits in the tree that had occurred from lightning strikes. I am supposed to be giving a price for a tree now up an easement from one property I work at. The thing is a white ash, bout 20" in diameter. The thing is at least 2/3 of the way rotted out. It also has multiple cavities, some occurring for whatever reason, several from woodpeckers. The thing goes up and would have to be lowered out. I know the thing will be really punky. The guy who I gave the price to told me that no price makes a job worth it if you get hurt doing it. I think he is right. Therefore if I get the job I will just turn it down, either that or call a bucket truck person and re-bid it.

 

[Treebeard]

Well..in my experience, the easiest way to walk away is to give an accurate bid price on the job. After the owner picks himself up off the ground they'll usually be glad to help you walk away

 

[Treeman14]

When to walk away?

The time to walk away from a job you don't want is BEFORE you bid on it. Once you've given a bid, that is you're commitment to do the job for that price. Its not about pride or machismo, its about integrity and good business. If you're afraid of a tree or have doubts about your abilities, DON'T bid on it. Be honest with yourself and your customer. Charging extra for hazardous trees is fine if its done in the original bid. But if you get a job and then try to add on money afterwards, you're going to have problems. You'll ruin your reputation and you'll lose the customer's trust.

 

[Treeman14]

When to walk away?

The time to walk away from a job you don't want is BEFORE you bid on it. Once you've given a bid, that is you're commitment to do the job for that price. Its not about pride or machismo, its about integrity and good business. If you're afraid of a tree or have doubts about your abilities, DON'T bid on it. Be honest with yourself and your customer. Charging extra for hazardous trees is fine if its done in the original bid. But if you get a job and then try to add on money afterwards, you're going to have problems. You'll ruin your reputation and you'll lose the customer's trust.

 

[FSburt]

Well I'll give my 2 sense on this subject. Doing tree work off the ground and and on the ground are two different tasks. I started climbing in 1993 and was lucky to have a experienced climber who lived next door and was watching me trim my inlaws mulberry with a piece of truckers rope and a saw. Whew that thought scares me thinking about it now. He came over and showed me the basics and let me use his equip and to finish the job. Since then I have gained more knowledge through reading and doing and talking to other climbers and going through the Forest Service Climbing Certification Program in Placerville in 1997 it has been a thrill and I enjoy doing it but have learned that mistakes are alot more unforgiving when up the tree and evaluating a hazard tree to fell from the stump and one for climbing removal?trim are way different. I have cut some sketchy trees since I started in the Service in 1988 most of my trees have been on fire and are snags(usually Old Growth Red Fir) that have been struck by lightning and have chunks hanging off them. I know its a big ego thing to tackle a sketchy tree but just remember ego and can get you in lots of trouble to. Mistakes or misjudgements in taking on a job are not as easy turn away from after taking a bid. I agree with the others about not bidding on a job if you are in doubt of your safety in completing it. Just to clarify I cut the burning snags from the stump and not from in the tree. Don't wwant to confuse anybody. Be safe think smart. Work smarter not harder.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

My thoughts exactly. I call it "Ego Work" you don't need the job, it is not your normal thing, but you do it anyways.

I was talking to a woman who works for the City's Forestry Dept. Skilled climbers that take side jobs on the weekend, her hubby and freinds were doing a willow that was "falling apart" and "jump cutting" ofre high voltage!!

Dumb Dumb Dumb. If you're not doing it with soem regularity, so you can be sure that you won't be creating a burden for your family and employees, find someone who does.

 

[Treebeard]

That was indeed the point....