How'd it go today?

I here ya.... its all dependant on the local market I suppose. Just to give perspective. In 2002, I wrote an estimate for $87,000. It took me almost 2 full days to gather the required information, view the site and draft the proposal.

I didnt get that job.

Not all of my estimates are wham bam, there is a time and place when an onsite meeting is required. The trick is to know which ones are which, prequalification is key!

I do lots of commercial estimates that I have over 2 hours invested in.
 
I hate doing bids! Normally I have an idea in five min. what it's going to cost/take to do, and I always feel I am high. Then when I get the job done I am damn glad I bid it for what I did!

It's amazing how the small things change things for you! Got my (our) new garage door and opener installed today. Man, I'm like a pig in shit! Man is that nice! No "Clank, chunck, bang, slam" as it goes up and down. No more having to hold the second to the top panel up as I try to force it closed. Just push the damn button and it goes up and down! Even got the van programed tonight (finally got her to park it long enough) so the button in it works on it.
Got a ticket, but that's a story for another thread and Bubba ran over the sprinkler with his tractor tonight, not really happy about either, but what do you do?
 
I here ya.... its all dependant on the local market I suppose. Just to give perspective. In 2002, I wrote an estimate for $87,000. It took me almost 2 full days to gather the required information, view the site and draft the proposal.

I didnt get that job.

By chance, did you ever hear how much the winning bid was??
 
Had a good day, weather was reasonable, came home to a nice UPS guy delivering my box of stuff from Sierra Trading Post. :D
 
Good week.

Fourth day of a week out of town, working in 3 parks. Hazard removals in and around the campgrounds. Some evaluations with the park managers. One bucket job for each of us, otherwise all groundfelling. P. Schweinitzii in an old sitka spruce. A shell of a cedar over a campsite.

Sometimes campsites/ areas are closed rather than trees getting cut.

Nothing particularly close to building/ significant infrastructure this week some CG water spigots, some electrical boxes, some signs on wooden posts.

Only one hiccup with a near vertical, hung up alder snag, but no big deal. Lifted it too much with out enough tipping, so the hinge ripped, sitting it on top of two stacked wedges. Just pounded them until the whole works slid over the front of the stump, and it dropped.
 
Today was the second day of wrecking cottonwoods with Matt Mayo. They are down and the brush is chipped. Big day of woodclean-up for tomorrow. Matt was fun to work with-smooth and efficient.
 
Showing up on time. Half way clean. Act professional. Gets the job 9 out of 10

That's how I've always done it, plus a bit extra talking and explaining if you really want the job. Saved me this week, I had nothing except a little job on Wednesday because of the holidays and rain but got a good one for today.

Some long branches over the house and the garage next door, plus two dead trees the brother started on. Nearly got finished before another downpour, just had to clean up a bit and only ten minutes from home.8)
 
Had a good day so far myself.

I had seven Birches to take down, and a small Maple clump. Thomas (mini) and I banged those out in no time. Staged a pile of wood, went back with the trailer had cash in hand by lunch time. Went and picked up some lumber for my window I have to put in, gotta do an estimate at 430 and haul a load of wood to my house.

There is so much pollen floating around right now the air is yellow. Everything is disgusting.

I might make out rigger pads tonight too. Anyone have suggestions?
 
On the outrigger pads I've had the most success with layered plywood. I paint them with cheap sealer (fence paint), especially the edges. Then glue 3-4 layers together using wood glue or construction adhesive (PL400 or whatever). I also run a few deck screws through them around the edges to keep them together until the glue sets.

Mine are 24"x24" so I can get two pads out of one full sheet of plywood. My last set was made from 5/8" ply instead of 3/4" and they are significantly lighter but have held up very well. I also use pieces of old loop runners as handles which I embed between the layers as I'm gluing them together.
 
Finished up a chipping contract today for a small local municipality. They were so pleased with my performance that they gave me some additional real treework, no questions asked just do it. My kinda work.

I'm gonna have a two day weekend this weekend. I need to chill and re-charge, been going all out. My new guy is still working out really well, he's the real deal I don't forsee any issues.
 
The crank case for Toms' 200t came today.Darn fast shipping from Wisconsin I'll have to say .I found him a 21 foot bale elevator to help out with his firewood .

My dear daugher inlaw at 30 some years old is recouping from cancer surgery .Poor kid was misdiagnosed with hemroids and it was colan cancer .:(

She's a toughy though and I'm sure in time which will take some time she will be okay .It really sucks when you can't do a thing to fix it .
 
Geeez Al. I hope her recovery and remission goes well.

Slashed through a grove of smallish live oaks today on a thinning job. Did some storm clean up also. Came home with a truck load of oak and then went and picked up a small pondo we had to leave the wood on. 1/2 cord in the trailer and then went up the street to an estimate. Doubt I got it and will be surprised if they call. The competitive bid was 1/2. Told the HOs SIL that I hope he had insurance with all the rot in it and it is splitting over the neighbors house at the codom. The neighbors house is a customer of ours and wants us to do the job. And this particular oak (over the master bedroom) will crush the one side of his house once it splits. The guy that under bid us told my client he might damage a little Japanese Maple next to his house :roll: . I'll be surprised if he does not damage the roof too.
Felt good to get back to work today after the flu bug bit me in the gut day before yesterday. Beat being camped out in the bath room. About noonish I kinda of did wish I had a private bathroom at the site though....:wickedfart: :lol:
Was going to have the Willys with us today to extract more wood and check into terrain access for the chipper for summer time on that site. Started acting up just out of the driveway. Looks like I will be peering into the head for a stuck valve :/:
 
A follow up on Brendon's inquiry about outrigger pads. Here's the last pair I made up a year ago. They have held up very well considering how much abuse they have taken and how inexpensive they are to make. The better you seal the edges, the longer they will last.
 
Wonder if screwing some strips of metal to the edges would help longevity? Long screws. Maybe with getting scrunched all the time it doesn't matter.
 
Water intrusion is what starts them crumbling. I'm getting a lot longer out of them since I started putting 2-3 coats of stain on the edges when making them.
 
Al my well wishes. Asked by five different guys to go north today and would love some of the cash but my own schedule has me out as much as I care to do in the daylight hours. Cleaned up a pine, three palms and floped two oaks with throw bag pull. Plums picked that are close to ripe before the birds:|:
 
It was a easy high dollar day for me. It was a bitch of a cut and chuck norway maple but done and done. Then beers oh, God I should be asleep because I have two maples to hike up tomorrow mourning to prune.
 
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