"so....hows bizness"

[No_Bivy]

Seems like every estimate I do folks ask this question. As if they a referring to how hungry I might be and therefore be cheaper. I matched a price the other day but it really sucked because the dudes that gave the other estiimate were not insured, and truthfully suck.

I think things will get worse before the get better. More people losing thier jobs may cause a flood of new "tree guys".

What say yall', things getting more competitive out there? We are slow but damned if if I will roll if things get really cheap

 

[SkwerI]

None of the guys I work for are calling me. When I do talk to them, nobody has any job leads at all. Nobody is looking to have treework done.

When people ask me that question, I say "I've worked 10 days in 3 months. I'm borrowing money off my credit cards to pay my mortgage".

 

[No_Bivy]

damn....I shouldn't bitch too much then...

 

[PCTREE]

Im still getting calls but it is slow which seems normal considering its Jan. I have always worked on the cheap side as Im an idiot so maybe that helps too. I tell my wife that Im actually enjoying the breather as Ive been so busy with everything Ive got going on but if it doesnt pick up in spring like it usually does it mught get tough. I left England in 91 in the midst of a rescession and it was tough there, This could hurt but in the long run I think it will be for the best as hopefully people will focus on things other than their greed

 

[No_Bivy]

I have enjoyed the extra time a bit too.....when you say cheap side...how cheap 40 per hour?

 

[MasterBlaster]

I never seem to trim anymore. It's always a TD.

 

[No_Bivy]

I never seem to trim anymore. It's always a TD.

same here.....mostly dead or hazard

 

[MasterBlaster]

Or PERFECTLY HEALTHY.

 

[NeTree]

My local Craigslist is full of woodticks at the moment.

 

[PCTREE]

Hey Skwerl, in England back in the 90s the banks gave up repo-ing houses after a few months as they soon realized they couldnt sell them and they had to pay to maintain them. I think the same will happen here.

I think there is the potential for a complete economic colapse ie all the banks and credit co.s are going to fold. Have tangable assets such as land, gold and tools/ equipement as even in bad times some work will have to be done.

ABOVE all else keep your chin up. Its just a transitory part of your life which will pass. Be happy. All the happiest periods of my life have coincided with the least amount of income Buddy of mine is an ER doc and he says a lot of folk are commiting suicide!! How can you make money if you do that?? Plus as Blaster has pointed out one day this will all be gone.........

 

[No_Bivy]

I aint lookin for no bridge to jump off thats for sure....

 

[brendonv]

I've worked more this winter than the last 2. A little bit of tree work thanks to the storm, and some jobs I looked at in November. 4 small jobs to look foward too. I've also done some excavation. He had to come down $24,000 to get the job, to pay his guys and keep equipment working.

Next year I can probably get a job at a nursery through my old boss. Might do that and my own tree work the other 3 days a week.

 

[PCTREE]

I have enjoyed the extra time a bit too.....when you say cheap side...how cheap 40 per hour?

No I always bid by the job. Seems like Im the go to guy for big ugly wrecks and I typically gross $1000-1500 a day with 1 guy. But we show with 17" chipper , wheel loader or mini and Knuckleboom for wood and Wraptor to get in trees. It is common for me to be half of the next bid As I have stated previously its hard for me to price high when its so easy, Shit I dont even climb anymore, I dont think yaall fully realize how easy that makes our job

 

[Blinky]

Last half of November and all of December I billed maybe $2500 on 5 jobs. It was bad slow. Right now I'm getting a couple of contract days and one or two bid requests a week so, still slow but more like normal winter slow.

I'm not getting any pruning work either unless it's getting limbs away from houses. And the TD's I'm doing are almost all big, live, healthy trees near structures... which, I hate to say, is a nice break from all the dead nightmare trees I was doing last quarter of 08.

I would rather be working for myself through this mess than working for somebody else and always worrying if the axe is gonna fall.

 

[No_Bivy]

I bid around the same....but I am usually the most expensive.

Other dudes show up with trailers and day labor, sucks when you up against that....

 

[wiley_p]

Slow as hell. This month I have only done 250.00. No really enough. Since November, 8 days of work. How the frig do you think "bizness" is?

 

[Wagnaw]

I have about 1900 coming in this week, but this is almost my busiest week since November.

 

[The Branch Doctor]

I did a juicy one for over $11,000.00 last week which saved my ass!! If not for that I'd be SCREWED!!

So I'm a thankful mofo and watching my denero! lol

 

[Frans]

It seems like I am not servicing to many new clients. But the repeat business has been steady.
Still working on being burnt out with tree work, but at my age what else can I do?

 

[Banned by Squirrels]

I loved and hated making my sole income from trees, and that was before all this recession crap. lot of stress, good money days/weeks.

Sigh, mebe I'll give it a go when we are settled again. Moving soon, looks like we'll be calling Rockwall, TX home.

 

[FJR]

Rockwall looks like a nice place. Hope I'm not being rude, but how come you move around so much?

 

[No_Bivy]

witness protection prbably

 

[Banned by Squirrels]

No, it's cool, I dunno I guess I'm still looking for home, and this definitely is not it...

 

[CurSedVoyce]

HAHA wood ticks.. I like that Erik .... LOL

Our receipts are down this year for this month. I could say it is a lack of work but that is not necessarily true... Took time off to get the truck fixed and the weather did not help...

I will say that there are suddenly A LOT more guys brushing and doing fire clearance which is our mainstay. Seeing a lot of new ads up on bulletin boards all over the region. Few tree ads too.
Traditionally, tree work is slower this time of year unless they are storm damage. We have only got a couple calls on storm stuff this year.
Did have a new prospective client call yesterday for a brushing job, see how it pans out..
I hate to say this.. But I think this is going to get worse.
Over 1/2 million more jobs went bye bye in the first half of Jan. And the numbers just keep rolling in on layoffs this half.

I forgot to mention... There are sure a lot of trucks parked along the road sides full of fire wood with for sale signs this year!

 

[FJR]

No, it's cool, I dunno I guess I'm still looking for home, and this definitely is not it...

I have never been to SC, but I am sure it has its own unique culture that not everyone is accustomed too, just like every other place. Hope TX works out for you, everyone deserves to find that place that works for themself.