How'd it go today?

thank you very much for the insight. Dropping the cable would have things much easier, I'm not sure it would have been worth it to drop the power line, since there were people using the house at the time. I would assume there is a cost associated with having the power company drop the power line? thanks again, the community here is extremely helpful and friendly
 
No cost here for a power drop...the power company would rather drop and re-install it than have a yahoo tree slayer drop it with a limb. The homeowner has to call in and request the drop. The times I have done it they show up early, quickly drop the line, move it out of the way and if I call them by a certain time they come back that afternoon and reinstall it. You might have to make a big mess then clean it up later (may have to adapt your workflow) but they have always been cooperative, appreciative of us making the effort not to F stuff up and just fellow, hard working guys.

Re; people being in the house...if they all work away from home it's not a big deal...if some folks stay home all day...hopefully they can think of a way to deal with it. If not adjust your price....UP.
 
I carry a cable repair kit in the truck just in case I can't get them out of the way with out cutting them. There ussually is a fee for a service line drop on the electric but it's a lot cheaper than knocking one down. To comment on missing the bid, it happens. Makes you look harder the next time.
Now that I think about it I don't remember being billed for a power drop. I do remember a bill for the one I took down though.
 
woodslinger said:
thank you very much for the insight. Dropping the cable would have things much easier, I'm not sure it would have been worth it to drop the power line, since there were people using the house at the time. I would assume there is a cost associated with having the power company drop the power line? thanks again, the community here is extremely helpful and friendly
Click to expand...

No charge here in Wisco. They look at it as cost savings in the long run. It's cheaper to take it down for free nice and clean then to repair it being tore off the house, replacing poles, and potential electrocution. Besides even if they charge a few bucks pass it on to the custy.
 
congratulations Joe.

For a house service drop, don't worry about inconveniencing the customer without power, worried about inconveniencing the customer with a dead guy in there tree. Oh yeah and inconveniencing the dead guy. Frequently trees will we're through the weather coating on the wires. Don't consider it insulation. You might make a big check sheet to help you remember things like overhead wires, underground utilities, irrigation, need for plywood or specialty anything out of the ordinary. It can help you make a inventory of things needed for the day so that you don't have to remember, and you can turn the list over to an employee to help with.
 
Up here, in rural areas if the service line runs through private property, more than a pole, it will cost you, a lot, in time and money. In the built up areas, it's hit and miss, could pay, could not.

There was a situation where a tree fell on some hydro lines and resulted in loss of power for an elderly couple for over a week. Finally the the couple managed to catch the hydro crew at the home, the crew refused to cut the tree out of the lines, claiming it was on private property and it was their responsibility to take the tree out. 72 year old man had to borrow a chainsaw and cut it out himself!
 
treebilly said:
Best of luck Joe. Where about are you in Ohio and who did you get hired on with? If you don't mind me asking.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys! I'm in Chesterland and the company is close by called independent tree. Good guys and they seem very involved in the industry with training, climbing comps etc. it'll be the first company I've worked for so I know there will be a lot to learn but I'm looking forward to it.
 
Good looking crew that you're working with, Jim.



Sold some work, at least one of four bids.

Maybe a small logging job for a house build. It is going to be a short, steep uphill asphalt drive way that the guy will be starting with road base. Alder and maple. Try to make the mini and Stein cart or another tag-axle make some money. Some nice tall, straight alder. Looks like the best logs, over 12" on the small end and much shorter length pays $1000/ mbf, whereas 40' export fir is $650/ mbf (thousand board feet).

I will go back to have another look. need to learn about selling maple blocks for wood working. Stig sells some. As a woodworker, he has the eye for it.
 
Do you have any trees, Jim? I'd get nervous not being around any trees.:lol:

My sister had a new bull calf last night. 3/4 Holstein, 1/4 Swiss. He looks a little different. He also looks a little skeptical about his new surroundings.

quarterswiss.jpg
 
Well Jim.. we have two new baby goats... Two different moms. Katy had to go in and check for a twin she thought momma number 2 had but she did not.
Birthday party today for Lilly and Levi combined. Their birthdays fall so close to Christmas and the holidays we have a hard time planning them. So we had small family parties and then this one in the park with all their friends. Was a good day for the kiddos. The Boys were attacked by I swear the PowerPuff Girls with plastic slinkie stun throwers... I wish I had a camera. :lol:
 
Thank you to everyone who posted about my wires through tree and completely blown estimate issue. I went back today and finished the job with a helper, decided not take down the coax (which went through the tree) as I had already taken down most of the problem branches, and the power line was off to the side enough that it wasn't really an issue anymore. A few well aimed notches, 1 or 2 with a rope pull and she was done. And just to make things sweeter, the cutomer (who is also my Realtor selling our rental) misunderstood my estimate (verbal) and paid much more than my ridiculous low price, so I was well paid for my time after all. He also has more work for me and will be throwing lots of his clients my way. So big day on the business growth side for me, and thanks again for the insight and support, you guys are awesome. :)
 
Gotta love it when a plan comes together, Woodslinger!

Spent another 2hrs at the AT&T store today trying to get mama's phone fixed, no love, she has a new one now, more money we didn't need to spend! Then went to Autozone, the alternator on the Envoy I was working on wouldn't show a charge below 3k RPM. Spent 45min arguing with them to just give me a new one! "But sir, this one tests fine!" On your machine, at that RPM, which is a useless test for my purpose! Just give me a new one! Jeez!
Got it back on and trying to watch the rest of the game now.
 
So around 3mos ago I get a letter from my ins company, they'd sent an "inspector" out the month before. I call, he's not available, so I leave my cell number and ask he calls me back. I hear nothing, so I figure it's over.
Today I get another letter, they are going to drop us. After 22yrs, they don't give a shit, and it's all my fault for not following up with these "issues".
They sent a letter, with pics, they didn't like the riding mower sitting in the driveway, it's "yard hazard", I have some 4x8 sheets of plywood leaning on the metal rack beside the garage, that's a "Yard hazard", the gates on the fence aren't attached that well, cheap hinges, that's a "yard hazard". The back door needs another step, although it passed a home inspection? The siding needs painting, although I was in the process of putting it up when the inspector was here.
I actually got ahold of the asshat this time, I reminded him they are a service industry, and I have several other companies that would be more than happy to take my money. I also informed him that if his inspector had half a brain he'd know that the siding I put up was Hardiboard and I could let it sit out in the yard for 30yrs and never have to worry about it, and it was ten times better than the crappy Masonite siding that I had to repair and replace before I put the concrete siding on! I also told him if I couldn't park and work on things in my driveway with out it being a hazard, I didn't think I needed to do business with them anymore!
I lit him up pretty good, but never swore, and didn't really care what he had to say, but I got to the point I was ready to go, so I ended with "You figure out what you need to do on your end, I'm ready to find another agent, have a nice day!" and hung up on his dumb ass!
I'm sick of being treated like this by companies! This isn't right, or how things work! This agency is clear on the other side of Wichita, I've got two companies here in town that want, and have wanted, my business, they can get bent!
 
Up here they have some sort of "network" that they all "subscribe" to, you get in trouble with one insurance company they all know, can't shop around as easily.
 
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