5 Foot Wide Utility Trailer?

[SeanKroll]

I have a 12' tandem axle trailer that is strong like bull.
Logs or loader/ grapple/ bucket/ small grinder fit.

Easier to deliver firewood with truck and trailer.

I generally sold only small load of firewood, to get on new customers properties. Now, I am too busy, and available handling/ hauling firewood as much as possible, unless machine loaded.

Look at your firewood input to output.i also used firewood to keep guys working, and around for project work.

Firewood processing is for a low-skill, young back, and personal heat, maybe.

 

[stig]

Once we finish telling Robert how to do the different aspects of treework, I think I'll copy all the relevant information and make it into a new version of "Fundamentals" seeing that Jerry won't be updating his.

 

[rfwoody]

The larger the trailer, the easier it is. Backing up a log splitter is almost impossible, a semi is so easy my dog could do it. And a bumper pull will more or less track directly behind you, it's not until you get into a gooseneck or 5th wheel that you really need to watch your inside turns.

I have a 12' tandem axle trailer that is strong like bull.
Logs or loader/ grapple/ bucket/ small grinder fit.

Easier to deliver firewood with truck and trailer.

I generally sold only small load of firewood, to get on new customers properties. Now, I am too busy, and available handling/ hauling firewood as much as possible, unless machine loaded.

Look at your firewood input to output.i also used firewood to keep guys working, and around for project work.

Firewood processing is for a low-skill, young back, and personal heat, maybe.

Thanks Kyle.

I'm wondering about maneuvering a bigger trailer in small neighborhoods.
For example, the job with the silver maple in the small front yard is in a neighborhood that looks as if they took a "regular size" neighborhood and reduced it in scale by 25%.

Firewood to get on new customers properties.... for tree work, right? ..... I hadn't thought of that!

haha, one of the main things about the firewood that had initially gotten my interest was the "keeping/getting in shape" aspect of it... also the low stress aspect.

haha, yeah, and the young back... that is a real factor in all this.

Once we finish telling Robert how to do the different aspects of treework, I think I'll copy all the relevant information and make it into a new version of "Fundamentals" seeing that Jerry won't be updating his.

haha, sounds good, stig!

I do need to go back and re-re-read and sort out and soak in all the good stuff everyone has written.

Sometimes in reading several things I haven't given some of these posts the attention they should get.


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== SOMEHOW I'M NOT EDITING PROPERLY AND MY POSTS ARE GETTING JUMBLED TOGETHER ....
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Speaking of firewood...

Here is my inventory more or less....






This load I am set to deliver today for $125

I am hoping I effectively communicated the size to the customer the amount of firewood he is getting.
An intelligent sounding older man, but who called a truck load of firewood a "cord".
The amount in the truck is more like 2/5 cord (4'x8'x19" or so) ... actually 4+ x 8+ just to be sure.

But people down here (or everywhere) have different ideas on what a cord is (technically 4'x4'x8' cube).

After this I am thinking about trying for $140 or $145 a truckload (except for this customer which I will sell for same price this season if he wants more).

 

[DMc]

---- but do you ever have to haul off, say, 5 or 6 truckloads from 30 or 40 minutes away? .... don't you get tired of all that driving and time?

The short answer is no, but five or six truck loads is a big job for one old guy or two old folks in my case. Is that the kind of jobs you are planning on?

I am in no rush to finish one job just so I can start another. I have all the work I can handle and people are willing to wait. Jobs are bid for how long they will take and that includes moving the wood. I don't use any heavy equipment so time is calculated on making wood easy to load by hand. All my wood gets used as firewood so that process is going to happen anyway. Doing it on the job site gets me paid for doing work that others are doing for free on their own time.

 

[rfwoody]

Yeah, I have done several (from the ground) removal, or cleanup jobs that took a lot of trips.
Some on my own street were no big deal and not bad.... but one cleanup job was 45 minutes away and took 5 or 6 trips! ...... live and learn on that one!

You sound like the kind of speed I am looking to work at, DMc.

Do you process and sell firewood from the trees you remove?

 

[SeanKroll]

Sell it by the truckload.


Is their yard smaller than the trailer??? You're overthinking this trailer thing. Again, if the trailer worries you, get out of hazard tree removal.

Driving is the safest, easiest part of the day. Pedals and a wheel. Seat belts, truck built to withstand roll-overs.

 

[DMc]

....Do you process and sell firewood from the trees you remove?

No. We live in Montana and do all our heating and cooking with wood. We use a lot of wood and get paid for doing so. We also don't plow through work on the scale that most here do, so our volume of wood processed is not monstrous but is commiserate to our needs.

You know, work to live...not live to work.

 

[stig]

We use a lot of wood and get paid for doing so. .

Lost me there Dave.
Care to explain.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Some kinda state rebate?

 

[DMc]

Haha! You guys are over thinking it. I am moving the wood from job sites in fireplace lengths and calculate what I charge based on that. In essence, getting paid for possessing my own firewood.

 

[FireFighterZero]

Man, I would love to come over and see your set up someday.

 

[DMc]

And I would like to see your set up also. Too many people have built around us in the last few years and we miss the solitude.

 

[stig]

What a let down!
I thought they subsidized you for not using fosstle fuel.

 

[SeanKroll]

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Go buy some rattle cans. Because it's a work truck doesn't mean it can't be one color (or close), and washed. You don't want to look like Itchy and Scratch, will work for meth tree guys.

My chipper is 42 years old, and all white.

Get some magnetic signs cheap at Vistaprint.









Try to sell firewood to affluent people who Want to burn wood, not have to because it's cheaper.

I had a professionally made 4x8 sign on my 1/3 of cord (tossed in, stacking means more labor ) little trailer $65-75, parked at the end of the main road leading to lots of water front houses. I learned quickly not to sell full cords.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Sell it by the truckload.


Is their yard smaller than the trailer??? You're overthinking this trailer thing. Again, if the trailer worries you, get out of hazard tree removal.

Driving is the safest, easiest part of the day. Pedals and a wheel. Seat belts, truck built to withstand roll-overs.

I thought, shoot, now you've done it, you got Sean annoyed.

 

[SeanKroll]

Not annoyed, just straight-forward.

 

[Tree09]

Sell it by the truckload.


Is their yard smaller than the trailer??? You're overthinking this trailer thing. Again, if the trailer worries you, get out of hazard tree removal.

Driving is the safest, easiest part of the day. Pedals and a wheel. Seat belts, truck built to withstand roll-overs.

This. You need to remember what a company that does this all day every day looks like. If I went full time, I would have a lift, a mini at the least probably bigger, and this would be my truck, pulling a mammoth trailer behind it.


This is not overdoing it by any stretch of the imagination, around here I would almost blend in. At least 2 outfits here are rolling with cranes.

You aren't there yet, but you need to be moving towards efficiency. A truck is ok to start, but you will be running all over town. Hand loading works, but takes forever and wears you out. Climbing is the only way sometimes, but a lift is so much faster on certain trees. Eventually, you will build up enough equipment to make money fast enough to justify getting chased by wasps, sweating your ass off, and having sawdust in every pocket of every pair of pants you own

 

[Merle Nelson]

Just remembered that I have gone out and rented a comparable item to just about every piece of big equipment I ended up purchasing. Or else I traveled to where I could work with a similar item and or try it.

Probably rented 5 different chippers to nail down exactly what I wanted in having a new one built. And, with those I was earning money all the while.

Trailers rent cheap.

 

[rfwoody]

Sean, Kyle, Merle, and All, thanks for the great advice!

Yeah, Sean, I just plan on spending a day practicing with the trailer.

You are right, Sean. That is a good idea to paint the worn parts of my truck with spray paint.... and I was talking just today about getting a (e.g. magnetic) sign for the truck.
Kyle, haha, I don't know if I want to be a big operation like that.... I will just see how it goes after a few paying jobs hopefully --- but I will keep all this in the back of my mind.
Merle, that makes a lot of sense!


FYI .... on the firewood delivery last Friday... when I called the guy up to verify the delivery, he started asking questions to make sure he understood how much firewood he was getting for $125. .... He said he was used to paying $75 for that much, but would give me $100 for the load (that I had already loaded previous day), since I had to drive 30 minutes to get to him. Since I wanted to get the "cash flow" going and I had already loaded it up I was kind of short with him but said ok.
Suspicious guy I am, I figured the guy planned it this way in order to get the firewood cheaper and I was angry and had a chip on my shoulder about the whole thing.

My wife had heard the whole thing and gave me the best advice: "Just smile and act professional"
My wife's advice kept my mind on track the 30 minutes to the customer's house (mobile home... we lived in one for 9 years).
Turned out he seemed like a regular ok guy and we had had a legitimate misunderstanding...he asked if I was sure the price was ok, etc... and had his son-in-law come out and help me unload and stack it. (the guy had a bad back).

When he said he would take another load next week (his day off) I said I wasn't sure I'd have to think about it (i.e. for $100).
I said to "live" with the wood for a few days and make sure he liked it and I would call him back or he could call me.

I think I will try to get $115 from him if he wants another load.

But I am learning and refining my communication and sales shpeal, descriptions, etc.

 

[Tree09]

Yeah I rent a dump trailer all the time for about 100, and if it's a big enough job, I just have my buddy drop a 30 yard dumpster, sometimes even just having him come out with his mini ex. You can fit a whole lot of tree in a dumpster if you load it right

 

[sawman]

I tried the dumpster before,but got hit with the extra weight fee.
Customer had to eat it.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Robert, Wives....they do have great advice often times. Being professional with the guy and taking the high road was THE good choice at the time. Now, is a new situation. You get to practice the next skill you need to learn - salesmanship. First and foremost you have to sell yourself that you're worth your daily bread.

When you talk to that customer next you can tell him how much you appreciate him, how much you love him, how much you wish him well, and whatever other good tidings you can think up. But, you also must tell him why your wood sells for $125 per load for the exact size of load delivered.

Don't have a lot of focused attachment on whether he buys from you or not. Have your focus on why he would do best to buy from you and express that naturally.

 

[SeanKroll]

Send people a picture before you drive over there.







Those magnetic tow-hitch alignment balls are very, very worth the $8. Stick them on the sides of the trailer.


Set up a target cone. It helps you to have an easy to see target that is not that one green bush, by the other green bush, by the...

 

[pantheraba]

That's a very good idea.

 

[SeanKroll]

electronic info is great.

I try to get on Google Maps when I'm in front of a computer/ tablet, and get a call. I can tell a lot about access that is not always evident from being onsite.

Spending a bit of time, sitting on my couch, and talking to the customer while looking at a map during the initial contact has saved me from wild goose chase bids before. During that discussion, I find out a lot about the customer's perspective, goals, values.

If they happen to live in a place where I can easily see the pool from space, might make me prioritize the bid.

https://www.google.com/maps/@47.0441139,-123.0067306,568m/data=!3m1!1e3
My customer's pool/ pool house/ outdoor kitchen/ fountain/ house and shop. Not in this older picture... the $65k treehouse. Neighbor has a small vineyard. I'm due back there to manicure trees as soon as they go dormant. snip snip snip.

If they have cars on the front lawn...pass.

Asking them to send a picture tells me about both the tree and them.