Ya ever underbid a job just so you can do some big wood cutting?

[fearofpavement]

I got a call from a guy today that has a huge willow oak lying across his entire front yard. I left my card there the first day it fell and never heard anything. I drive by there about once a week and the tree has gradually been getting smaller as it was apparent someone was cutting firewood out of it. Last Saturday, I left another card in his front door and today I heard back from him. Apparently his "buddy" has reached the limit of his saw (or more likely his woodpile is full) and now it needs to be cleaned up. So, I have a couple larger saws that really haven't had all that much of a workout since I've had them. So I am considering bidding the job lower than I normally would just so I can play with the saws.

Hence my question, have any of ya'll done something similar? It is probably about 5' dbh. I will have to make an allowance for the inevitable metal lurking in this very old yard tree.

 

[REJ2]

I dont know, something about wearing your equipment and yourself out for so little gain that would keep me on the fence. I trust your not talking about a close friend, close neighbor, family member, etc., some things warrant a break. I got nothing, sorry!

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I guess it would depend on the kind of equipment I was working with.


The sawing will be fun, the rest will suck without some equipment to make it easier. It would'nt be worth it to underbid it just to do some cutting, but I could charge a fair price if I had something to get it moved quick once I had it cut up.

If just a big skidsteer with a root grapple on it. Rent one if you have to. You'd be amazed at what a NH LS180 with a root grapple can get moved. I think you can rent them around here for about 200-300 buck for 8 hours.

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

I wouldn't! He knows you're in the tree business and he called you. He's ready for that thing to be gone! Go in there and make some $$! He's ready to pay! Before he was hoping that his wood burning 'friends' would be able to take care of it for him. He's ready for the 'big guns'!

 

[REJ2]

In the business world you dont want to destroy your own market.

 

[discounthunter]

as said,he called you. no need to under bid,maybe over bid for the fact he didnt call first, now he has too. and at 5 ' i dont think you'll get too much competition.

 

[fearofpavement]

Thanks for the input, I talked to my son who is my partner in the tree service and he said to just bid it for what it's worth. I do have equipment but it's a factor to move it of course. I am considering just sectioning it up and loading it with a Bobcat and bringing it here to be smallerized at leisure. Guess I'll shoot him some numbers and see what he says. It would be an opportunity to give that Jonsered 2172 a workout. Wish it had a longer bar...

 

[Jacob J.]

Ya ever underbid a job just so you can do some big wood cutting?

No...

In the business world you dont want to destroy your own market.

Exactly. Crackhead log cutters here lowered the bar and every logger wants it done cheap now.

 

[Gologit]

No...



Exactly. Crackhead log cutters here lowered the bar and every logger wants it done cheap now.

Yup.

 

[Dennis Cahoon]

As the saying goes......You can lay on the beach and make nothing!.....Why work for nothing!

 

[zogger]

Thanks for the input, I talked to my son who is my partner in the tree service and he said to just bid it for what it's worth. I do have equipment but it's a factor to move it of course. I am considering just sectioning it up and loading it with a Bobcat and bringing it here to be smallerized at leisure. Guess I'll shoot him some numbers and see what he says. It would be an opportunity to give that Jonsered 2172 a workout. Wish it had a longer bar...

I love new words, thanks!

SMALLERIZED

Post pics of the big jawjah tree!

 

[timmcat]

Dont take any chances on that one, as you said, theres bound to be an old birdhouse or plant hanger embedded in the trunk somewhere thats going to absolutely destroy a chain or two, it happened to me in my sister in-laws backyard, made me feel less bad about landing a chunk of the trunk on her fence.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[fearofpavement]

I went today to bid the tree. It is a bigger task than I initially thought once I studied what is still there and the access issues to the site. I have numbers for the guy now and I will bid him two ways: just cut it all up and option two to remove it all. There is a very large root ball and that is going to be a beast. (it is completely separated from the ground at least)

Have any of you had any success finding metal in a tree with a ordinary metal detector? I have a pretty good one but never tried it on wood.

 

[Sport Faller]

I went today to bid the tree. It is a bigger task than I initially thought once I studied what is still there and the access issues to the site. I have numbers for the guy now and I will bid him two ways: just cut it all up and option two to remove it all. There is a very large root ball and that is going to be a beast. (it is completely separated from the ground at least)

Have any of you had any success finding metal in a tree with a ordinary metal detector? I have a pretty good one but never tried it on wood.

mos metal detectors have a bad time going through something dense (like a tree) so you'll probably spot all the stuff near the outside but should get a nice surprise from the old T post that was wired to the trunk in 19-####ety three

 

[OlympicYJ]

No...



Exactly. Crackhead log cutters here lowered the bar and every logger wants it done cheap now.

And all the loggers underbid one another to get work cuz the timber companies like the cheap rates and then they wonder why they can't find good loggers that will work cheap for em after they've all gone outa business.

But there's always some guy out there that thinks he can do it cheaper than the other and occasionally succeeds. Its what made this country. Can't unionize indipendent folks lol

Do like ya said, move the big chunks off to your place and then smallerize at your leisure :msp_thumbsup:

 

[2dogs]

No. If you want to play with a big saw then bid the job to load trunk into a dump truck or a lowboy. The crane and truck will cost you thousands so bid carefully. Then you can dump it at your yard and pick away at it. Otherwise just send your money to me and be greatful you didn't bid on it.

 

[komatsuvarna]

As the saying goes......You can lay on the beach and make nothing!.....Why work for nothing!

I like that! The saying here is, "I can go broke setting at home."

 

[pro94lt]

In the business world you dont want to destroy your own market.

possible bad move

 

[Winchester356]

Give him a reasonable price and got cut a bunch of cookies.

 

[spacemule]

I got a call from a guy today that has a huge willow oak lying across his entire front yard. I left my card there the first day it fell and never heard anything. I drive by there about once a week and the tree has gradually been getting smaller as it was apparent someone was cutting firewood out of it. Last Saturday, I left another card in his front door and today I heard back from him. Apparently his "buddy" has reached the limit of his saw (or more likely his woodpile is full) and now it needs to be cleaned up. So, I have a couple larger saws that really haven't had all that much of a workout since I've had them. So I am considering bidding the job lower than I normally would just so I can play with the saws.

Hence my question, have any of ya'll done something similar? It is probably about 5' dbh. I will have to make an allowance for the inevitable metal lurking in this very old yard tree.

Well, fish tells me that hookers sometimes give freebies to good looking guys. I guess that's sort of the same thing. :msp_tongue: