Contract climber rate?

[chris_girard]

I think it's different being a subcontractor than an employeeas to responsibility for damage.

This gets messy when a subcontractor is working with tools and employees of the general (main) contractor.

Subs can't use/ work with general contractors', tools, employees, nor supervision/ direction.

If I hire an electrician to do something for my company, I wouldn't be involved. Same trade or different trade... no involvement (in Washington State, ymmv).

You got it Sean, that's how it is here in New Hampshire as well.

 

[Kaveman]

Hmm. Legals aside, I am personally responsible for what I break, damage or what have you. If I made the cut, it's on me. If I gave the "go" word, I am taking responsibility for what happens. I take ownership to extremes. That's what I'm paid for, responsibility to mitigate risk and the skill to complete that task.

Legal jargon aside, I do what I feel is right, even if it bites me in the ass.

 

[Bodean]

What happened to Treesmiths post? It disappeared

 

[treesmith]

I deleted it since Sean refused to answer the question. I wanted to know what he meant by “working illegally”. Working without liability insurance is not “illegal”. Illegal implies criminal activity.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

It's a matter of word's meaning. Illegal is quite broad, but it's just what's outside de laws. From slightly over speeding on the road to mass murder for example, the gap is huge. Somewhere in-between, the thing becomes qualified as criminal. So working without complying with the official system (tax, liability, insurances...) is indeed illegal, but has a long way to go to become a criminal behavior. I guess. The actual meaning for each cases is defined inside the laws themselves.

 

[treesmith]

I don’t know about all localities, but it is not illegal to work without liability insurance where I live and work. Very foolish to do so, but not illegal.

License, certification, insurance….all can be bought…and none (of their own worth) make one a professional.

 

[Kaveman]

When folks ask if I know what I'm doing, I now reply with "I saw a YouTube video once." Or " You can learn anything off YouTube now."

That said, I now work for a company with a triple platinum reputation, who's reputation proceeds them, and who maintains clients for literal decades. These are not just clients of the company, my name is attached, so they are MY customers too. It's important to me that I do not waste their time or money, just as it is important not to waste company time and money.

I have lived and worked in small communities my entire life. One's reputation, a man's word, still has value in these places. Call me what you will, but you cannot say that I don't do good work.

I am answerable to these folks who part with their coin for my skill. Stephen and I just pruned fruit trees for a lady I know from the Mariposa Story Swap. How could I ever show my face there, if I don't live up to the tradition of quality that Da Boss has established over the years?

How much should a contract climber make? What are you worth? I mean really. Sit down and actually think about it. Now weigh that against your love of the game. I spent a year living out of my truck, climbing for $20 and hour, when the little caulk-sucker could be bothered to pay me.

$200-300 plus travel expenses is perfectly fair, provided you bring both experience and equipment. This 1k day rate I see being bandied about the Internet? That's laughable. I'd pay that for some of the guys(and our ladies) here on the forum, but not for some rando. 1k a day is less than we(typically) pay our independent crane operator. You are not a 27 ton crane with a butter smooth operator, get over it.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

The bigger guys here doing ROW will advertise 500.00 per diem. Often flip the travel and hotel/food bill. But, those are 10-12 hour days with hardly trained grounds people. Bennies too. If you live.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Crane op cost more than 1 k a day. If you work him the day. 250.00 hr plus potal to portal. and he is 45 minutes each way on a good day.

 

[canadianclimber]

The blackhole of contract climber rates.

I've always told climbers asking about rates to try and align themselves with the other professional trades(electrician, plumber, tiler etc) in their area. These trades typically require X amount of work hours plus sometime spent at the trades school. Their list of tools can easily match a climbers kit. That can be debated but you get the gist of it. Rates are very dependant on your location.

They should also be properly set up. Applicable insurance, all your own gear, saws and rigging equipment. ISA cert is't needed in most areas, but considering how easy it is to get it should be a given. Or similar related certs. Shows a certain level of commitment to your trade.

 

[Mick!]

Markets vary, here and everywhere.

Most climbers have established relationships with a number of different companies that they juggle to suit all parties.