Highest paid tree guys

HolmenTree said:
I think a certified ISA contract climber for example should easily charge no less then $50 hr. Like the plumber or electrician he has equipment and expenses to pay for too, and also the supply and demand for a contract climber versus the abundance of plumbers and electricians in the workforce.
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Al Smith said:
Well the plumber or electrician unless he owns the company will not be making 50 plus an hour.
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That was my point Al. When I call a local work alone electrcian or plumber from the yellow pages just him showing up is $50 and then $50 hr plus after that. A certified contract climber with thousands of $ of training and equipment under his belt should charge that too.
Just saying:/:
 
Oh I'm not arguing that fact .As a matter of fact I've got a big ash I'd gladly pay 50 an hour to have someone blow the top out of .Tom claims he has a guy but sometimes what is said and what actually happens aren't one in the same .

I can put the big SOB on the ground but it sure would simplfy matters with the top out of it .

Problem is the EAB that killed it has caused it to start to shed bark and that sap wood is hard as a rock .If it's unsafe to climb I certainly don't want to get someone hurt and I'll just Paul Bunyan that thing right over .
 
Well it would take you 4 hours to get here for one .3 hour job than 4 hours to get back .You'd spend half of it in gas money .I'm a nice guy but I'm not nice enough to pay travel time from Cleveland to Lima .

Then say it's a nice spring day ,the birds are chirping the top is scattered all over the ground .Time for a brewsky .Whole refridgerater full of beer always ,a few later off to Cleveland then get nabbed by Ohios' finest with a picture of a wheel with wings on the side of the cruiser going down US 30 and get tossed in the cooler .I'd feel bad and I don't like to feel bad .
 
I've had me some pretty lucrative days as a contract climber, but the reality is that I'm a sole P...with all the damn licensing and insurance to go along with it. I'm pretty barebones with regards to mechanized equip, but I've got pick em up and a pretty good kitty of gear and saws, but the fact is I'm out close to 5k/year on all the requisite papers it takes to be a sole P, not to mention the training and certs I maintain. I charge 75/hr to climb if I'm supplying the papers and equipment. When I work for someone who supplies the papers and equip I'd be happy to work for anywhere between 35-50/hr. Don't like it find someone else, there's plenty out there. But few, I suspect, are as good looking.

No one goes into business for themselves to break even.
 
canadiantreeman said:
I've had me some pretty lucrative days as a contract climber, but the reality is that I'm a sole P...with all the damn licensing and insurance to go along with it. I'm pretty barebones with regards to mechanized equip, but I've got pick em up and a pretty good kitty of gear and saws, but the fact is I'm out close to 5k/year on all the requisite papers it takes to be a sole P, not to mention the training and certs I maintain. I charge 75/hr to climb if I'm supplying the papers and equipment. When I work for someone who supplies the papers and equip I'd be happy to work for anywhere between 35-50/hr. Don't like it find someone else, there's plenty out there. But few, I suspect, are as good looking.

No one goes into business for themselves to break even.
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Great post
 
I helped some friendly competition a while back on a job. I billed him 50 hr and he billed the customer 100... He did just fine IMO as did I... ;) Only had to bring my saddle, some rope and a couple saws... No dragging.. no clean up... made a mess. That my friends is plenty lucrative :)
 
Yeah, they pay about 18.00 hr for a climber at the big A. ACRT pays a little better or the same to ride around in a truck all day and do risk assessment. $18.00 is about prevailing wage for a climber in CA.
 
I make $16/hr right now, pay for all my own climbing gear. Come March or April I'll get a raise to $20/hr. April or May I'll also be made a partner in the company. Once I get my Certified Arborist License I'll get another raise, but not much more after that.

Dad pays himself $30/hr I think, he doesn't climb much anymore, but he earns it with his knowledge and experience.
 
:what:
Arborkeith said:
I wonder if there is even a "prevailing wage" for climbers in Louisiana. We aren't exactly a big union state.
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It has nothing to do with union scale .They take the average which of course they lie about to suit whatever meets their purpose .
While I'm on my soap box I'd guess that a majority of employers that do bid work under prevailing wage conditions if truth were known don't pay it anyway .
My cheap assed buddy who was a non union brick layer had all but one employee listed as laborers .Imagine that one brick layer and 20 tenders .The state could care less .

Not to worry the way things are going the powers that be will do away with Davis -Bacon and have everybody working for a half a buck above minimum anyway before they are satisfied . Sons a Bs' .Hang em .
 
Arborkeith said:
I wonder if there is even a "prevailing wage" for climbers in Louisiana. We aren't exactly a big union state.
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New info on the state level .
You're going to just love this .
Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and Virginia No Prevailing Wage Law
 
Just as a statement of fact that list shows primarily southern states and midwestern states which are in effect so called right to work states .Have been and likely always will be .

Historically the more northern states in the more highly industrialized areas do have some union influence although quite frankly those numbers are rapidly dropping .New Hampshire has always been New Hampshire with regards to the work force or union influences .
 
Lake Charles union is highly industrialized, and unions barely exist. They used to be stronger, but to head dad and my father in law tell the stories, they ruined it for themselves.
 
One salary I heard of that was offered to me was working SF water district.
They own a lot of land from Yosemite to SF bay....

$35/hour Driving up to 4 hours and overnights chasing hazard trees along the waterways and vital infrastructures.
I imagine full benefits and kick butt retirement...

Some USFS contracts I've seen shows prevailing wage over $40/hour..

Day rates around here can go $250-$400+ depending on what you bring to the table.
 
ACRT just hired one of my competitors (I would not have hired him :lol: ) He rides around all day making his 18-20 hr and is studying for his CA to make a little more. Katy wanted me to apply for it. I just dunno... A lot of things about being self employed I enjoy.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #73
So it seems, bottom line, no one here has heard of any treeguy on the payroll year round making this kind of dough. It's amazing.
 
A groundmen here will get between 15 and 20 depending on experience and a climber will get 25 to 40 depending on experience and certs. Last job I subbed out I took lead groundmen, grcs, saws, climbing and rigging gear and we got 225/hr. Took us six hrs and we didn't have to do any clean-up, nice easy day.:)

Ben
Bushwacker Tree
 
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