Where has all the business gone?

[tree MDS]

More money than a lawyer per hour? I need to move to CT. I never wanted to see a lot of bureaucracy in this business but something needs to change the way things are going now.

Well you get my point anyways. Last job I actually made 200 per hour gross. Not bad. Thats decent pay here. The start ups are usually around 1200 a day. I try and be middle road with my pricing. My customers usually are refferals or people that can just generally tell I've got a pretty good clue as to what needs to be done and how to go about it.

Sometimes I still wonder if I'm charging enough though.

 

[tree MDS]

Not to derail a good cat fight though....

 

[Daddy M Dawg]

How many years have you been out of the biz, though? If you are still active in it, which I doubt, how do you get the time to post more than four posts a day, everyday, for the past 7.5 years? I really want to know how that's possible. 4X365X7.5=10,950.

Didn't TreeCo use to be the moderator here? If so that answers the questions for me.

 

[tree md]

Been slow here too until the past week. I booked 6 jobs this past week for a little over 5K and have a $3800 sale pending. I am getting about 1/3 less on jobs than I was last year but I'm having to compete with market prices. Hey, I'm working. Maybe things will pick up for some of you guys soon. I sure hope it stays busy here.

 

[ewoolsey]

i have been doing alright here for this time of the year, have lots of jobs lined up for fall, did a $2,400 job last week plus got 5 others.

 

[treevet]

Been busy enough this summer but anything will seem slow after you experience a hurricane. For 6 straight months every day storm work for top dollar and unlimited work. Buy anything you want watch your bank accounts bulge. Tired but happy tired.

Took a bid today in an area I won't usually bid in as I am used to the money properties but my insurance agent recommended me and I thought it was a claim. Big red maple removal on a small island in a concrete driveway, wires everywhere. Have to crane the big fat trunk out and too fat to wrestle into firewood. One day's work with 75 foot aerial bid $2200. intentionally low to match the nborhood as she told me it was not a claim upon arrival. $200 on the stump and $60 to scoop the excess. In front a busted up red maple over the roof. Busted absolutely everywhere. No climber could get to some of the stuff hanging by a thread over a brand new roof. $975. with again 75 foot bucket instead of my smaller one. No way around a day's work even with the big bucket and crane and BC 2000 on the take down alone.

Start quoting the removal and you can tell by the reaction it is a waste of time. Ask her what the bid she had was. $1500 for everything. Removal, wire drop, take all the huge trunk, grind the stump and clean it up, pick all the damage out of the front tree and lighten over the roof? Yup.

What in the world is she expecting to beat that idiotic bid?

 

[GlenWimpy]

work

There are Mexicans in Memphis climbing trees for minimum wage! They have taken the cost way down in Memphis. If I know I'm biding against them , I'll purposely bid cheap just to beat them. Climbing trees , big trees , for minimum wage! A lot of them have left because the work is so slow!

 

[sharkfin12us]

bids

There are Mexicans in Memphis climbing trees for minimum wage! They have taken the cost way down in Memphis. If I know I'm biding against them , I'll purposely bid cheap just to beat them. Climbing trees , big trees , for minimum wage! A lot of them have left because the work is so slow!

Not every one goes for the lowest bid.For me word of mouth works great.Last half of july was slow and now mid august is picking up.I think when september comes around and kids are back in school things should pick up.If you do good work reasonable price and have full insurance.

 

[treemandan]

I like to think that tree work is one of the last jobs where a real man can make a good living doing something that he loves. Heck, its not everybody that can make more money than a lawyer per hour with no education to speak of! This speaks of the sort of man this trade requires.

I'm not for more bureaucracy by any means...on the other hand I dont want to see the trade ruined by low-ballers.

I just go about and try and let my work speak for itself. Its coming together slowly.

No education to speak of? Then how are you able to write?

 

[treemandan]

How many years have you been out of the biz, though? If you are still active in it, which I doubt, how do you get the time to post more than four posts a day, everyday, for the past 7.5 years? I really want to know how that's possible. 4X365X7.5=10,950.

It's easy to be an "arm-chair arborist" when you haven't been in a tree for many years, or been out there seeing the hacks tearing it up for the same amount of time.

Hold on there Sparky. I am putting in a voucher for Treeco. I am sure he has some kind of comfy chair, most likely a couple but I doubt he takes them along to the job. Now if you did the math on me you wouldn't think I ever left the house.
I suppose if they mandated certification I would go get it to continue working. I also suppose that might be a good thing because of so many guys trying on tree work for size.
No don't go getting mad at me as I am only just saying.

 

[mckeetree]

There are Mexicans in Memphis climbing trees for minimum wage! They have taken the cost way down in Memphis. If I know I'm biding against them , I'll purposely bid cheap just to beat them. Climbing trees , big trees , for minimum wage! A lot of them have left because the work is so slow!

I know, I know. We deal with it all the time. It is pitiful and ridiculous. How can we start liking anything the government is doing when we are all so mad over the illegal alien problem they won't do anything about.

 

[ropensaddle]

I know, I know. We deal with it all the time. It is pitiful and ridiculous. How can we start liking anything the government is doing when we are all so mad over the illegal alien problem they won't do anything about.

They don't have to do anything but stay outta the way, problem solved and cheapo. Of course I don't want that until I get ticked when they have illegally stole my work.

 

[BC WetCoast]

While certification is a reasonable idea, and I agree with it whole heartedly, it is still no guarantee. After all, how many unlicenced electricians or plumbers are out there doing work, even though there are regulations already in place.

 

[mckeetree]

how many unlicenced electricians or plumbers are out there doing work, even though there are regulations already in place.

Around here? Not many. There was quite a few 25 years ago but they sorta self police nowadays.

 

[bighugetrees]

I lost job/bid of $1,200 to someone who could do it for $800. He fell a tree the wrong way through the neighbor's enclosed car trailer. That's when the owner found out he had no insurance for this type of work. Not sure if he felt the savings was worth it or not. Owner will not talk to me now.

I love "ill-eagle" companys.

 

[stihlhere]

I bid a job to remove 28 longleaf pines 80'plus some dbh range from 16 to 40inches 3 over house 1with split top no access climb cut and catch at least 20 of them, grind all stumps and remove all debries. oyea there are so many small oaks around them you cant see the tree tops from inside the yard home owner dosent want any damaged. yard fenced in with privacy fence in town. he and a bid from some shirtless scratched up guys that had slid down trees for 4000.00 dollars his second bid was 5000.00 i was so desperate for a job i bid 6000.00 i think i can salvage 1000.00 worth of wood with out risking property damage.

 

[arborworks1]

That is way to cheap for a zero impact job. Plus think about how long 28 trees will take. The mulch from the stumps will take you at least a solid day hauling and grinding. You will not get it anyway being that you where 2000 bucks off the low bid.

 

[Sunrise Guy]

I bid a job to remove 28 longleaf pines 80'plus some dbh range from 16 to 40inches 3 over house 1with split top no access climb cut and catch at least 20 of them, grind all stumps and remove all debries. oyea there are so many small oaks around them you cant see the tree tops from inside the yard home owner dosent want any damaged. yard fenced in with privacy fence in town. he and a bid from some shirtless scratched up guys that had slid down trees for 4000.00 dollars his second bid was 5000.00 i was so desperate for a job i bid 6000.00 i think i can salvage 1000.00 worth of wood with out risking property damage.

$7000/28, or $250/tree. I guess I don't feel so bad, now. With the trees being as big as you describe, and some being a major hassle to rig down, you are working for peanuts. The joker bidding $4000----Heck, I'd let him have the gig, bring a lawnchair and some beers, and laugh my butt off watching him work for a few days.

 

[GlenWimpy]

work

I'm doing trees for 375 , I once did for 875 , and I'm doing trees for 875 I used to do for 1675 , and I'm doing trees for 1275 I used to do for 2500!

 

[BRCCArborist]

I'm doing trees for 375 , I once did for 875 , and I'm doing trees for 875 I used to do for 1675 , and I'm doing trees for 1275 I used to do for 2500!

Why? If the tree cost $875.00, I say do it for that!