Must haves for business

[timbertramp]

I appreciate all of your ideas. But, I am one of those pay cash for it or I don't need it types. I just hear Y'all always talking about how having a certain item would have saved you a ton of headache or back ache. So aside from a chipper or a saw is there anything else that would put a new company in the running

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Knowledge is often free if sought out in the right places, and from what I hear, its very lightweight.

 

[Fiddler]

As there are so many differences in set-ups and tree jobs in general I'd suggest looking for spots in your own operation that are slowing down the rest of the job, or ways to streamline it where there is waste. It's kind of difficult for those not familiar with the ins & outs of your operation and job types to give advice that is pertinent to your specific situation.

For instance,

if you can always bury the ground crew but nothing is waiting ot be chipped you might need to speed that area of the oepration up a bit with more help, a machine to forward wood etc.

If groundsmen are standing around a lot you may need more efficiency in the tree or maybe have too much help.

If things move along well until you get to a big pile of brush waiting at the chipper - might think of a bigger/more efficient chipper.

There is a great variety in size and type of jobs, crews, machines, wood needing moved, etc. some of the crews do trees regularly that are bigger than any I've ever seen let alone worked on.

As a small crewed residential climber I find having the things I need to rig wood out in may different ways, and a groundsman who understands it, is highly important.

For some that have bigger crews, work on bigger trees/jobs, and have to move way more wood, They might opt for more larger machinery (like FJRs cool new truck).

It really comes down to first assessing your needs - what do you Need to do your job.

After that prioritize yours "wants". How to prioritize? by safety, efficiency, bang for the buck, or simply "I hate how we do this and it really bugs me so I'm going to improve it".

 

[rangerdanger]

Mini skid steer or articulating loader and BMG grapple

 

[cory]

Yup. You have to take the slave labor out of it as much as possible, so that what is left is merely, well, slave labor, just not as bad.

 

[lumberjack]

Usually a loader is more important than a chipper it seems. A chipper helps with brush and that's it. A loader can load brush and logs. Ideally, you would skip having a chipper all together unless it adds work that you wouldn't normally be able to do or reduces dumping expense. My tree company doesn't have chipper, which is ironic considering I'm a dealer for Terex chippers.


In my theories:
-For a pickup sized truck, the F550 reigns supreme.
-The higher the population in your area, the more you can specialize. My area is fairly large, and the population is fairly small. Lansing is 5x bigger than my town, Eaton county is a little bigger than my county. With my lower population, I diversify and do tree work, stump removal, site work, and industrial mowing/mulching.
-Goosenecks are better than tag trailers for pickup sized vehicles. My F550 is running a 40klb tag, it handles the weight fine.
-Handling material/hand work sucks. Cut out as much of that as practical, you'll make more money.
-Equipment is a depreciating asset, but labor is rent.
-Removals are easier than pruning/trimming if you have the equipment. Larger populations with more people support PHC, which can have excellent ROI.
-Doing the same thing as everyone else, the same way as everyone else, is a great way to make the same money as everyone else.
-A tree service is a viable business, if you treat it as a business. Businesses use smart credit to leverage their position.
-Jobber management software has been invaluable to me for keeping track of work, although it isn't really required when you don't have much work flow.
-Being a gear queer is fun, but it doesn't pay the bills. I used to spend tens of thousands of dollars on the latest and greatest. I only have three saws now, plus the grapple saw for the excavator.

8 years and 1 month ago I bought my first mini. I never guessed I was going to grow like I have, that I would have the financial means to have the equipment I have now to have the work production I have now. I bought my first excavator 2 years and a month ago, upgraded it 14 months back. It's my most used piece of equipment.

 

[Fiddler]

Nice post Carl.

I'm having a brain fart....PHC?

 

[lumberjack]

Plant Health Care

 

[Fiddler]

 

[timbertramp]

ROI?

 

[lumberjack]

Return on investment. The name of the game when it comes to business.

 

[MasterBlaster]

But of course!

 

[Fiddler]

 

[timbertramp]

I'm still a little green on business terminology I guess, should've known that

 

[lumberjack]

No worries! Starting out is a great place to be! I'd love to go back and start over... assuming I would keep my knowledge!

 

[timbertramp]

It definitely seems to be a lot of learning at a fast pace, and the lessons seem to get expensive.

 

[woodslinger]

This might sound like a "dumb" question, but what is a tag trailer? Is it a "normal" trailer as opposed to a gooseneck/5th wheel? Everytime I hear tag I think of a tag axle, which to me is the additional axle in a truck that is only lowered into use when sufficient weight is being carried. I could be wrong on much of that though. .

Also, what do you do with the brush without a chipper?

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Small Business Incubator, if not already said.

Machines do exactly what you tell them. If only employees could.

No Worker's comp on machines. A machine can mean less labor expenses and headaches. Plus the machine doesn't get sick, isn't missing childcare at the last minute, do dumb stuff, doesn't get tired, doesn't forget lunch, etc.

 

[lumberjack]

A tag trailer is a bumper pull style trailer, be it ball, weight distributing, pintle, etc.

The tree debris goes into the gooseneck dump trailer (8x20x4 in feet) and to a recycling yard or to my property where I can burn it.

 

[woodslinger]

Got it, thank you for the clarification. I thought that's what the tag trailer meant, but wasn't sure.

 

[lumberjack]

Sure. I started with a 7x16' tag dump. It sucked in comparison to the 20' gooseneck. I also have a 28' flatbed.

 

[sotc]

Any equipment that saves on labor expenses makes you money. The rent concept is great, money you will never get back, your biggest expense will likely become labor, the less you pay in labor, the more money in your pocket

 

[lumberjack]

My labor averages around 10-12% of gross, for comparison.

 

[NickfromWI]

Very nice business cards