Bidding treework by the inch?

[pantheraba]

I have been poring through a local government site where business solicitations are posted...they are issuing requests for quotations for treework...here are some I found:

"Tree and schrub removal service: Normal request cost per inch of tree diameter for trees which are (3 day response) considered easy access and may be dropped.

Tree and schrub removal service: Urgent request cost per inch of tree diameter for trees which are (1 day response) considered difficult access and must be de-limbed. "

Bold added by me. It does not specify diameter (DBH?)or circumference...I have a call in to the folks to ask exactly what they are looking for.

Have any of you ever bid TREEWORK by the inch? (heading off that line before it gets started...trying anyway).

 

[SkwerI]

DBH stands for DIAMETER at breast height. And if you reread the posting, they say right there that they are asking for

Normal request cost per inch of tree diameter for trees...

Yes, the format of bidding by the inch of diameter sucks, but that's government for ya. It's a common method for bidding those types of contracts. Where did you get the idea that they might be asking for circumference?

And there is no c in shrub. Government employees aren't spelling champs, either.

 

[OTGBOSTON]

Thats how I do it. 1"-10", 11"-20", 21"-30, etc.....

It is kind of focked, I certainly didn't invent the system, but it makes it easy for the downtown eggheads to wrap their minds around.

FWIW there is plenty of room for 'games'....trees can "grow" an inch or two if the situation merits

 

[sotc]

I just got an ITB from the city of Eugene tha was like that. I didn't even bid as it's a 1 year contract, 2.5 hours away, with over a hundred trees per year on average. How am I supposed to put those kind of numbers together

 

[Mr. Sir]

Here ya go, $50 per inch for the easy ones and $100 per inch for difficult.

Nuttin' tuit.

 

[sotc]

Does that include travel time?

 

[klimbinfool]

I have worked on contracts by DBH and if you have not done your DD work, you can loose your butt. There can be a fine line when bidding by DBH especially larger projects like we worked on in Hutch KS last year. Removed 1300 hundred Syberian Elms in 27 days and grinding the stumps.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I had a weird gig trimming for the telephone company. We'd measure the dripline of what we were cutting and were paid according to that. It worked out OK, sorta.

Anyone else ever heard of that?

 

[klimbinfool]

Drip Line.....hmmmm thats different

 

[MasterBlaster]

It was a suprise to us.

 

[OTGBOSTON]

Thats a new one to me boss.

I have hourly rate trimming contracts and lump sum contracts for street tree pruning. They both have their own advantages and disadvantages.

 

[pantheraba]

DBH stands for DIAMETER at breast height. And if you reread the posting, they say right there that they are asking for Yes, the format of bidding by the inch of diameter sucks, but that's government for ya. It's a common method for bidding those types of contracts. Where did you get the idea that they might be asking for circumference?

And there is no c in shrub. Government employees aren't spelling champs, either.

Good eye...I read it all so quick I missed that...I still have to clarify DBH, though that is probably what they mean.

Where did I come up with circumference?? Me working at about 90mph today because of their website insisting that quotes be submitted via their online bid service and then the website was all screwed up in a fubar loop...there is a bid due on some eqpt. maintenance we do for them...bid is due tomorrow..I just found out about it this afternoon. Then their software gets all nancied up.

Circumference just jumped into my head with all the other monkeys.

Thanks for youse guys chiming in.

 

[stehansen]

I bid a city contract like that once. I went and looked at some sample trees and put down what I would charge for removing them and then measured the diameter of the trunk. Got an average and submitted my bid. Mine was for a removal only contract.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I could see applying the inch rule if you had to go to the extensive effort of putting on the long bar to cover it.

 

[Jonseredbred]

I bid a city contract like that once. I went and looked at some sample trees and put down what I would charge for removing them and then measured the diameter of the trunk. Got an average and submitted my bid. Mine was for a removal only contract.

I remember talking to you on the phone about that, Was your pricing close?

 

[squisher]

Good eye...I read it all so quick I missed that...I still have to clarify DBH, though that is probably what they mean.

Nothing to clarify Gary DBH means diameter at breast height and is a very common form of measurement for trees.

 

[sotc]

I bid a city contract like that once. I went and looked at some sample trees and put down what I would charge for removing them and then measured the diameter of the trunk. Got an average and submitted my bid. Mine was for a removal only contract.

I've done that also for the state but this city contract was for trees in the future, contract to begin next month for trees yet to be marked as removals in a town 2 hours north of me. Not in my league there

 

[stehansen]

I remember talking to you on the phone about that, Was your pricing close?

Yep, the city bid on their own contract and got it. I was about 20% higher than them. They get to use labor from the county jail so they are pretty hard to beat. There were three of us besides the city that bid on the job and we were within 10% of each other. Thanks again Andrew.

 

[Stumper]

I think Gary meant he needs to find out if they mean Diameter at breast height or something elso(like Diameter at ground level).

 

[Newfie]

I think Gary meant he needs to find out if they mean Diameter at breast height or something elso(like Diameter at ground level).

Either way, it really shouldn't affect the dollar value he chooses to put on that inch. I would bid it at DBH when making my calculations. If it turns out that they figure diameter at the base, then its bonus money.

 

[Ridgey]

I know a guy and most of you know a guy that charges $100per foot,Usually starts at 120ft

 

[pantheraba]

I think Gary meant he needs to find out if they mean Diameter at breast height or something elso(like Diameter at ground level).

Exactly right, Justin...since they didn't say DBH I want to know what they really mean.

Newfie has a good idea...bid DBH and get some gravy if they mean otherwise.

 

[squisher]

I see what you meant now Gary.

 

[Bodean]

I got an RFP for 5 random euc removals every 100 feet along Highway 1.

I gotta go take a peek.
With traffic control and permitting I don't see it being cheap.