MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Good advice.
I lied.
- Thread starter flashover604
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flashover604
TreeHouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #52
Woodslinger, thanks for the post. Right now the insurance company I'm working with tentatively has me at the landscaping/gardening as well. $300/yr for $500,000/occurrence up to $1,000,000 aggregate. I'm still waiting to get a handle on what is covered and what is not. If cutting a tree down is not covered, I'll probably do smaller jobs until it would pay to get the higher coverage. This is going to be a "pay-as-I-go" venture until I know whether it's something I want to really invest in. Safety gear and insurance first, then labor reducers. I guess most folks probably would think it's overkill to get insurance for a side job cutting up downed wood, but at $300 it's too cheap not too. If I decide I don't want to do it, I sell my gear and I'm out the insurance money.
greengreer
TreeHouser
Rationally managing fear is self preservation at it's best. Having no fear and irrationality handling fear can be equally as dangerous.
Being comfortable at 20' but not 40' is a bit irrational in my opinion. A fall from either height has the potential for the same consequence. I also believe by limiting yourself to those heights you are limiting yourself to work a tree safely. One of the best ways to learn how to safely work a tree aloft is by taking smaller bites. Taking 20' of top 60' off the ground is generally safer than taking 60' of top 20' up. Work your way up to the big cuts by working your way up the tree.
The best way to get comfortable is to spend time climbing. Do as much rec climbing as possible that way you can take your time and not feel the pressure of production.
I think you may have a niche in your market if you keep your overhead super low where you can take small jobs. It sounds like the other companies in your area simply cannot afford to be competitive in that respect. That said, do your research and try to anticipate all of your costs upfront. Getting into the treework game can be extremely expensive. There is a huge gap between the guys with a truck, trailer, climbing, cutting tools and a full on tree service.
Being comfortable at 20' but not 40' is a bit irrational in my opinion. A fall from either height has the potential for the same consequence. I also believe by limiting yourself to those heights you are limiting yourself to work a tree safely. One of the best ways to learn how to safely work a tree aloft is by taking smaller bites. Taking 20' of top 60' off the ground is generally safer than taking 60' of top 20' up. Work your way up to the big cuts by working your way up the tree.
The best way to get comfortable is to spend time climbing. Do as much rec climbing as possible that way you can take your time and not feel the pressure of production.
I think you may have a niche in your market if you keep your overhead super low where you can take small jobs. It sounds like the other companies in your area simply cannot afford to be competitive in that respect. That said, do your research and try to anticipate all of your costs upfront. Getting into the treework game can be extremely expensive. There is a huge gap between the guys with a truck, trailer, climbing, cutting tools and a full on tree service.
Chris E
I'm Not Slash
So true, its not the end of the world and as long as you learn from it then all good, the sense of relieve when you finish a job like this plus the learning experience is what you'll get out of it.
I was browsing some homeowner forum where they where discussing tree service prices, someone mentioned they had a four man team do a four day job. Grand total $800... everyday someone is out there doing that.
greengreer
TreeHouser
Wow that's ridiculous!
Chris E
I'm Not Slash
^ pretty extreme if its true.
I still remember our teacher at technical college saying if you don't attain the necessary skills then you will have to join the race for "the bottom" of the market. Sounds like these guys have won the race...
I still remember our teacher at technical college saying if you don't attain the necessary skills then you will have to join the race for "the bottom" of the market. Sounds like these guys have won the race...
treebilly
Student of the Jedi. OH-7106A
And it always seems that the people that hire those types are the ones to call you and say that they've found someone else " much more reasonable". I had someone pull that on me and then call me to finish the job after the company they hired smashed everything they could possibly smash plus run over the mailbox. I told her no thank you I don't do storm work. She proceeded to call me everything imaginable, plus some; because you know that always works.
Chris E
I'm Not Slash
Hope you gave her some back, not your fault she went with what sounds like a very low price.
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
I hated the cheapskate customer so much it really soured me to people quite a bit. Part of why I got out. Give someone a fair price and they try to put the hurt on you saying they got cheaper bids, would you match, why so much, on and on. It came to the point where instead of doing 'business' with people I just felt like telling them off and walking. Which may have happened a time or two.
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
I used to do my best to suss out bottom feeders on the phone before any time was wasted. I'd let them know straight up if it was what they considered 'easy' and they were looking for the cheapest price that I would not be it. When asked why I'd inform them there's a big difference in pricing between a fully insured, equipped, and capable company vs a guy with a pickup and a chainsaw who advertises insured......but really means his pickup is insured....hopefully.
SoonerFan
TreeHouser
So why not add 10, 20, or 30% to the original estimate and tell her I would be happy to finish the job for the new price quoted. (Takes longer to clean up someone else's mess than to do it right the first time)
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Agreed. I wouldn't have laughed - I'd have gave her an inflated price and hoped she'd say "Do it!"
Mick!
TreeHouser
IMO laughing down the phone at a client is petty.
Charge them triple or explain you cannot do it as you're too busy.
Your biz, your choice, just saying.
Charge them triple or explain you cannot do it as you're too busy.
Your biz, your choice, just saying.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Yea I'm pretty sure they won't be calling (or recomending) Willard ever again.
Chris E
I'm Not Slash
I like to think the good clients make up for all the trash, but yeah, there s plenty to hate on...
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Well now, she does sound like a beeyotch. I might have farted into the phone, myself...
flashover604
TreeHouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #67
I've tried wading through OSHA.gov to try to find what exactly is expected of me on a job site. I've also read that as the owner, it doesn't apply because I'm not technically an employee. I can't imagine a government fine collecting agency letting ANYONE be exempt, but that's what I've found so far. Does anyone have a link that might clear up the muddied waters? Most of the work I've got lined up is small brush removal from the ground and removing dead limbs 15-20 up. I've got a couple people asking to have small trees <25' taken down with nothing around them. Basically drop and cut up and remove. I'm comfortable doing these types of jobs, I just don't want to get slapped with a big fine out of nowhere. I'd rather just get my ducks in a row and put PPE on them...
Thanks in advance, I appreciate the help!
Zach
Thanks in advance, I appreciate the help!
Zach
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