Starting a tree service.

colin-roberts

Young Arborist
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
86
Location
Ontario, Canada
Hello, hope this is the right area for this.

I'm a young man who is looking to start his own tree service, i've been climbing off and on for a few years along with working as an advisory arborist for a nursery. My problem is wherer to start and getting the motivation to take the risk to start. looking for advice in any topic you guys can help with, you guys are the best and brightest without the drama. Many thanks looking to be a long term member here.
 
IMO buy stump grinder and start part time with that. Around here it is easy money (if boring) and you dont need any employees.. Get some savings as a tree co. is going to need it to get started.
 
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  • #6
ye making a small fortune would be very very nice.. although unlikely.. I'm definatelly not expecting to get rich from this adventure. As for the help, luckly have family who is well versed in owning a business/ running a business but not in the tree care industry. Around me noone really climbs tree's so its hard to get experience or get knowledge from local tree services. i think i know my niche but its the reassurance that i can make it work ect.
 
Whereabouts in Ontario are you located?
I'm ~2 hours north of Toronto where lean winter months = negative cash flow.
 
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  • #9
I'm about 2 hours south of Toronto. I replace my gear slowly, some of the original is fine, mostly just need to add gear
 
Maybe start accumulating the equipment that you will need. You don't have to be using it, but preparing for when you want to take the plunge. Days off at your other job can be doing your own work, more and more phasing into it and minimizing your risk by already having some client connections when you do go full bore. Know that running your own business is a job of many colors, being chief cook and bottle washer while answering the phone. Are you up for the commitment?
 
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  • #11
Growing up in a family business, I definitely got to experience the challenges first hand. As the boss you have to do everything
 
Do you currently have disability and liability insurance?
Before I launched into this full time, I had already accumulated a chipper, stumper, forestry bucket truck, insurance, steady clients, etc..........and it was still a tough hard decision to quit a steady paycheque full time job in order to launch my little arborist boat into the big ocean.
 
You sound like me when I started, broke

Hello, hope this is the right area for this.

I'm a young man who is looking to start his own tree service, i've been climbing off and on for a few years along with working as an advisory arborist for a nursery. My problem is wherer to start and getting the motivation to take the risk to start. looking for advice in any topic you guys can help with, you guys are the best and brightest without the drama. Many thanks looking to be a long term member here.

Work full-time or part-time somewhere, preferable in the tree buss. for first year to get $$$ up. You have to get your name out there to, do side jobs whenever and whatever you can,even leaf jobs, hedge trimming, planting, whatever. EVERY WEEKEND or whenever you have off. These will be your customers who were with you from the start. It will also get you interacting with the public.

Flyers work only in certain sections so choose wisely and get permit. First year I passed 10,000 flyers out, got enough work, well I've been in buss. about 6yrs. that year and the following were the only years I advertised. My buss. is a word of mouth business. Keep doing A+ jobs and work hard and you'll do fine. Its hard and won't see a big profit for a long time. ALL THE $$ YOU MAKE GOES BACK INTO BUSS.
Most important things you need dump truck, chipper(u can rent), Stump grinder(rent and do all jobs from week in a day to save $).P.P.E, chainsaws, and ropes, only one employee for start. For first couple years you'll have to put your all into it, then follow through

I started with only climbing gear and a 192 stihl. Saved $10,000 grand in one year by working for other companies and side jobs. Bought chip truck, chipper and ground equipment for tree removal(shopped for best deals, fixer uppers). 3yrs later got bobcat, better pick-up truck, and a good clientele base, 4th & 5th year bought bucket truck, grapple truck, 2 stump grinders. All paid in full. Last year was the first year I turned a good profit. So good now my wife who was in law-firm now works for our business full-time (paperwork, phone calls, taxes. lol)-
LIABILITY Ins a must is very cheap, dont want to work hard for that one time oops!!!

We live in an unstable economy don't borrow if you don't have to, or if this is the only source of income.
Rememeber if you start small, you fail small. Alot easier to pick yourself back up and do it all over again. Welcome to the roller- coaster
Goodluck hope I helped , it gets alot easier as time goes on.
Welcome to Master Blaster
Name is Jamin
 
Starting small and staying small is good , I started my tree service company as a sideline job in 1995 with a pickup and flat deck trailer . Still small today with a pickup and a side dump trailer unit with chipper, stump grinder and power barrow all in one unit and I work alone, from once having as many as 6 employees.

Learn to fall trees eliminating having to climb and piece out each tree you do. Go to our "tree falling and rigging" forum and check out "My Advanced Gun sight Technique " thread.
 
I climbed full-time for several different companies (~6 years) before going out on my own this year. I compiled lots of climbing and rigging gear while working for others and scraped and saved. Started off with a 200t, 372xp, and a f-250 diesel rig. Upgraded to a non-dumping 16' trailer, then picked up a 65xp Bandit a couple months ago. Chip 5 yards into the back of my f250 and unload by hand. I run my one employee through a staffing agency.
Best advice is to create lasting relationships and HUSTLE ALL THE TIME.
 
Hustling comes natural when you have responsibilities like mortgage payments, bank loans, and little kids to feed!
 
I climbed full-time for several different companies (~6 years) before going out on my own this year. I compiled lots of climbing and rigging gear while working for others and scraped and saved. Started off with a 200t, 372xp, and a f-250 diesel rig. Upgraded to a non-dumping 16' trailer, then picked up a 65xp Bandit a couple months ago. Chip 5 yards into the back of my f250 and unload by hand. I run my one employee through a staffing agency.
Best advice is to create lasting relationships and HUSTLE ALL THE TIME.
Yes I learned very early on that hydraulics rule:)
 
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