Mellow
BCMA
There you go again, jamming that religious talk down our throats. 
How's Business?
- Thread starter Stumpshot
- Start date
- Replies 75
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Mick!
TreeHouser
Who’s that aimed at?
Mellow
BCMA
Mick!
TreeHouser
Oh ok, gotcha!
Sorry you had to explain it.
Sorry you had to explain it.
Superb post, Kyle. Very well put and I 100% agree
I believe Sean was simply explaining why one is able to charge to charge more for storm work, all those reasons he stated plus as mik stated you got the ins. co's by the short hairs.
I believe Sean was simply explaining why one is able to charge to charge more for storm work, all those reasons he stated plus as mik stated you got the ins. co's by the short hairs.
Mick!
TreeHouser
Mick, I'm gonna have to agree with Sean here that wear and tear is real. As is the costs of working so far from the house and working that many hours. We were talking about it at work, and we have decided that we can tell who has actually been working for longer than a decade in construction by how they walk and move. The guys who are new to it walk around with a purpose, thinking that walking fast will speed them up. Experienced guys walk with a slight hitch in their step because of wear and tear, and don't move too fast, because they don't care to. They get their speed by thinking ahead and knowing all the tricks to do the task with as little effort as possible. They also can work continuously all day every day, because they have figured out the pace that allows that.
I have done many different jobs including a builders labourer. In tree work, or at least domestic/commercial stuff as opposed to logging the difference is that there are periods of intense work, ie. balls out shouty, get on with it type madness, followed by less crazy periods of clearance/chipping/cutting. Whereas in building work it’s consistent steady work.
In tree work you need hustle, at least when shit is getting real, no sauntering, no loitering, job and knock, do it quick and go home.
Different worlds.
Fair enough. I guess with my lack of equipment all of the tree work I've done is continuous hard labor, so i haven't gotten to that point yet I work at a pretty good clip, but i guess my point is that the wear and tear is real, and noticeable. I'm only 36, in decent shape other than a little gut caused by eating and drinking horribly for years, and out work most people on a jobsite. However I'm definitely feeling the years of work, and i can tell it's slowly wearing me down.
I work at a pretty good clip, but i guess my point is that the wear and tear is real, and noticeable. I'm only 36, in decent shape other than a little gut caused by eating and drinking horribly for years, and out work most people on a jobsite. However I'm definitely feeling the years of work, and i can tell it's slowly wearing me down.
I've never been more busy, which is funny because 2 years ago we were about to close shop for lack of work.
The last generation of fallers working for the private estate owned forests are retiring, and they are not being replaced.
The days of generations of fallers working for and living in housing provided by the big castles are done.
Now they use " Has saw, will travel" types like us.
After we started working with the guy who is slowly getting all the forwarding jobs on the island, we are drowning in work.
Just this summer we got 4 new private districts as clients.
I've raised prices 15% to try to scare some of them away, to no avail.
Since our recent job grew way out of what we'd bid on ( 1800 cubic meters and ended up being 3200 cubic meters) we are severely behind scedule.
Next week I'll divide the troop to 2 districts, just so the foresters get the feeling that we haven't forgot them.
The problem is, it is all big woods falling jobs.
They will wear a fellow out after a while, so we need to find something else that is less physically demanding, to stick in between the falling jobs.
I'll see how next year starts out and then hire some more fallers, or train them myself.
The last generation of fallers working for the private estate owned forests are retiring, and they are not being replaced.
The days of generations of fallers working for and living in housing provided by the big castles are done.
Now they use " Has saw, will travel" types like us.
After we started working with the guy who is slowly getting all the forwarding jobs on the island, we are drowning in work.
Just this summer we got 4 new private districts as clients.
I've raised prices 15% to try to scare some of them away, to no avail.
Since our recent job grew way out of what we'd bid on ( 1800 cubic meters and ended up being 3200 cubic meters) we are severely behind scedule.
Next week I'll divide the troop to 2 districts, just so the foresters get the feeling that we haven't forgot them.
The problem is, it is all big woods falling jobs.
They will wear a fellow out after a while, so we need to find something else that is less physically demanding, to stick in between the falling jobs.
I'll see how next year starts out and then hire some more fallers, or train them myself.
Stumpshot
General Purpose
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #35
After a slightly worrisome slump in late August/early September (wherein we only had 2-3 days of work, typically), we are actually now 4+ weeks out! And we have several jobs scheduled for November (elective pruning/trimming jobs). Hurray! Now we need to keep it up through Dec/Jan!
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Some days you eat the bear...
treebilly
Student of the Jedi. OH-7106A
September was always the slowest month for the company I’m with as well. Best I could figure was school was starting and a lot of people do vacations just before that. Kinda puts their trees on the back burner for a bit
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
For me it was always January.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
College and private school Toronto, school clothes, books, laptops, new phones, vacation, all at the end of the summer.
Get into the swing of school...
Oh F! I didn't get those dead trees cut and winter approaches. Next paycheck!
Get into the swing of school...
Oh F! I didn't get those dead trees cut and winter approaches. Next paycheck!
Stumpshot
General Purpose
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #41
BBB/Chamber of Commerce?
Today we did a light job (removing 2 leaders and 2 limbs from 2 osage oranges) for the chairman of the local Chamber of Commerce. Of course, he said he'd like to sign us up for membership. I'll bet you would! We just recently joined the Better Business Bureau, mostly for a badge to put on our web site and be able to name drop it from time to time. What is everyone's experience with the BBB and Chamber of Commerce? Good for business-to-business networking? Social club? Waste of time? Don't bother?
Today we did a light job (removing 2 leaders and 2 limbs from 2 osage oranges) for the chairman of the local Chamber of Commerce. Of course, he said he'd like to sign us up for membership. I'll bet you would! We just recently joined the Better Business Bureau, mostly for a badge to put on our web site and be able to name drop it from time to time. What is everyone's experience with the BBB and Chamber of Commerce? Good for business-to-business networking? Social club? Waste of time? Don't bother?
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
If the dues don't bother you, I say go for it. The badges will look good on your website.
Mick!
TreeHouser
Had a mad rush of quotes and jobs this autumn which was welcome.
Sitting in front of clients talking prices when you’ve a packed diary is a much better feeling.
Sitting in front of clients talking prices when you’ve a packed diary is a much better feeling.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
SeanKroll
Treehouser
So true, Mick.
Staying busy as I can handle, mostly within 5 miles of my house.
Steady simmer. Minimal advertising.
Just had our first round of minor but wake-up wind.
Been a while since the whole area had a strong blow with wet ground.
Staying busy as I can handle, mostly within 5 miles of my house.
Steady simmer. Minimal advertising.
Just had our first round of minor but wake-up wind.
Been a while since the whole area had a strong blow with wet ground.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Busy busy here. Almost done booking through Jan, started booking Feb.
Had two clients cancel and booked that week with a returned call.
Gonna wear this old man out....
Had two clients cancel and booked that week with a returned call.
Gonna wear this old man out....
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Hang in there! Just 5 years til SS!!! 
Same here, absolutely swamped with work.
I called all our private forest foresters and told them they had to book us now for next years logging, or risk not getting us.
Next day we were booked solid to end March with 2 summer jobs of 1000 and 1500 cubic meters tossed on top.
WTF happened?
3 years ago we were about to close shop for lack of work, now we are 6 guys and busier than the proverbial one legged man in an asskicking contest.
I called all our private forest foresters and told them they had to book us now for next years logging, or risk not getting us.
Next day we were booked solid to end March with 2 summer jobs of 1000 and 1500 cubic meters tossed on top.
WTF happened?
3 years ago we were about to close shop for lack of work, now we are 6 guys and busier than the proverbial one legged man in an asskicking contest.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
Dayum, up to 6. Good work, Stig.
