Hourly rate to subcontract, . Mini with BMG/ bucket and operator?

[SeanKroll]

Reg, I'm thinking of a few people who I know, who would be potential resources to help with other jobs of mine.

Its employee-free. Low risk. Much easier to do if injured, as well as a lot less physically demanding (not getting younger).


I'm hoping to get a small mill, sometime. Seems like a niche that I could fill, and have as a one-rig, one-person operation.


I was thinking that if I can be in demand in more ways, I can bid stronger on tree jobs when I am in demand.





In part, its trying to figure market-value (weak-suit of mine) on the service, for a case where I might help another company on one job for a few hours, and need some help in exchange on one of my jobs where I need a lot of people, or a bigger chipper. Each company would have to assign the value of their resources. I've subbed a guy to climb and provide a groundman, or two of his groundmen at another job. He gave me a rate, I said ok. People ask me how much I'd charge, so I'm just trying to figure.

 

[SkwerI]

Some of you keep mentioning WC. IMO that's an entirely different world. WC is required for companies with three or more employees, virtually everyone I've ever known or worked with in the tree business has remained under that number in order to avoid WC. The ones with more than 3 employees also avoid WC by whatever means, I don't want to know. The only ones with WC are the super big companies and they do everything in house anyway. WC for tree work here is 40-50 cents per dollar of payroll (the rate paid at my local Davey Tree office 20 years ago), which will cripple any legitimate small business. Not trying to derail the topic but IMO bringing up WC is simply a lie. If you actually do pay it then more power to you. Sorry you work so hard for so little.

 

[SeanKroll]

That's may be correct in FL, but not here. Any employees require WC.

 

[treebilly]

State to state laws may vary.
I’m really not sure on what price to charge. I wouldn’t think you would want to discount a rate to a competitor. When I rent mine to my boss I make my hourly rate plus $200 for the day with the machine. Plus any fuel

 

[RegC]

Reg, I'm thinking of a few people who I know, who would be potential resources to help with other jobs of mine.

Its employee-free. Low risk. Much easier to do if injured, as well as a lot less physically demanding (not getting younger).


I'm hoping to get a small mill, sometime. Seems like a niche that I could fill, and have as a one-rig, one-person operation.


I was thinking that if I can be in demand in more ways, I can bid stronger on tree jobs when I am in demand.





In part, its trying to figure market-value (weak-suit of mine) on the service, for a case where I might help another company on one job for a few hours, and need some help in exchange on one of my jobs where I need a lot of people, or a bigger chipper. Each company would have to assign the value of their resources. I've subbed a guy to climb and provide a groundman, or two of his groundmen at another job. He gave me a rate, I said ok. People ask me how much I'd charge, so I'm just trying to figure.

I'd be happy to pay you 150 an hour. But try to limit you to 3 hours per job

 

[Merle Nelson]

When your facing big trees and big wood any way of moving that doesn't involve your back starts to look real interesting.

If I didn't have a loader I would hire you. Even having one I would budget it in some jobs and hire you. I would definitely trade you equal value in work, and I would do that far more often.

In my mind it's more like why wouldn't I. Talk to a bunch of potential 'bosses' make your integrity and not stealing clients/jobs prominent. I bet you'll have a bunch of takers.

 

[Merle Nelson]

In my area stumps aren't a huge concern for most people. Cutting it low is more than enough. So for some odd reason, even though Mick is right about consumables, I could charge far more moving out brush and wood than grinding a stump.

 

[Page]

I’ve thought about doing the same thing with my dingo. I used to sub out my truck and chipper and gear for other guys that didn’t have it. It worked out well but I never pushed for it much cause I was too busy with my own stuff. I found for me the best priceing was to have set rental fees for the iron and an hourly rate ( with minimums) for personnel. I watched a guy down the street from me spend 2 days cleaning up fallen spruce trees that would have taking me a 1/2 day. It would be well worth it for him to pay me 5 or 6 hundred, charge the HO $1200 and for him to barely have to work.

 

[treesandsurf]

This thread boggles my mind honestly ����

I know one thing very clearly, you helping other businesses won’t help your business unless that’s your business — make sense? If that’s your business then great. But I thought you owned a tree service?

 

[treesandsurf]

As far as the WC discussion I can say I would never go back to the days of NOT paying WC.

The quality of employees that are paid legitimately versus trying to build a real business with hired hands and under the table methods is night and day. Once you play by the rules all sorts of doors start opening and the money you once fretted about spending on things like WC you soon realize was actually preventing you from making a lot more money. It’s funny how it works.

 

[Tree09]

Here's how i see it. If Sean can sell this to his competitors, he will be making no risk money on the bids that they win. I assume all of his trucks have signage, so people will see him driving around town, and on the job as well. The other company, who isn't a bad guy but just a fellow tree worker, will make more money per hour than normal, and Sean gets a sizable risk free chunk of it. Sean still is able to do trees, in fact, this could likely end up in his upgrading equipment while having passive income from existing paid off equipment. Some people see other people as competition, others see their competitors as brothers in arms. There is tons of work to go around, and helping others while making money assures that you get your hands on as much as possible. The gentleman that got me started actually refused to hire me as a part time climber, he insisted that i start my own outfit. I've hired him repeatedly on jobs that i needed help with equipment wise, and i refer jobs to him that he can do better than i, and he refers climbing jobs to me. It's a symbiotic relationship for sure, and i gained a lifelong friend in the process.

 

[SeanKroll]

There are so many trees to go around.

Maybe its best to keep it to myself. Dunno.


Stacked red alder mill logs, and some fir firewood logs at the stuck-in-the-backcut house. We'll see what that adds up to minus loading and hauling costs. Alder is the best paying peeler logs and sawlog around here, outside of music wood/ figured wood.

 

[Page]

I’ve made a lot of good connections helping out other tree crews and vice versa. I’ve had easy access to a log truck almost from the beginning because of this. Now I have a few guys that I trade work with depending on what area it’s in and who’s closer to it. We all have plenty of work, we are setting ourselves up to travel less, we all have people we can count on to use equipment if something breaks down, and we get to know other guys in the biz. I know in some ways it’s all about the money but in other ways it’s not at all. I like what I do. I like helping out, and people have helped me out along the way. There is plenty of work out there

 

[MasterBlaster]

If local tree guys worked together instead of against each other, it would be a better industry.

 

[Page]

What he said ^

 

[SeanKroll]

The resident on a 5 acre, forested parcel asked about a day rate for some pruning and removals.

I would either climb/ fell or run the machine.

How much extra added to the day rate, over staffing/ gear/ overhead?
If told him a day-rate with $120 extra for the chipper.

Thoughts on that number?