trying to run a business and keep sane
- Thread starter PCTREE
- Start date
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treebogan
Treehouser
Where are you from in the UK Paul?
Did you ever hear about UK lads heading to Germany to climb back in the day?
Did you ever hear about UK lads heading to Germany to climb back in the day?
SeanKroll
Treehouser
I just turned my friend onto another friend's cab-over truck camper needed for occasional guest accommodations, which i had considered buying in the past. $3K.
Basically a "refundable deposit".
Super easy compared to a home addition/ renovation.
Not really for a "Netflix and Chill" place.
Cook breakfast and dinner, pack a lunch. Have a basic shower/ toilet (or use other facilities). Comfy bed (sleeps 4 max in the camper, 2 adults2 kids), 110V.
For a single, likely younger person, great.
I'm not fancy. I cumulatively worked and lived out of a Chevy Astro Extended Minivan for over two years, doing backcountry work. In my later 20s.
I'd have no problem making that work great for a couple weeks.
When we had a f-ton of snow a couple years ago, and I had a contact climber in from out of town, it would have been great.
Basically a "refundable deposit".
Super easy compared to a home addition/ renovation.
Not really for a "Netflix and Chill" place.
Cook breakfast and dinner, pack a lunch. Have a basic shower/ toilet (or use other facilities). Comfy bed (sleeps 4 max in the camper, 2 adults2 kids), 110V.
For a single, likely younger person, great.
I'm not fancy. I cumulatively worked and lived out of a Chevy Astro Extended Minivan for over two years, doing backcountry work. In my later 20s.
I'd have no problem making that work great for a couple weeks.
When we had a f-ton of snow a couple years ago, and I had a contact climber in from out of town, it would have been great.
flushcut
TreeHouser
I have looked at this thread many times and contemplated what I would say. And I still don’t know what to say so I am saying something but really saying nothing at the same time.
All I can say is running a business and doing the work is a pain in the ass sometimes, and will certainly drive us all insane. That is why I named the mini Sancho Panza, Don Quixote’s side kick. So that makes me Don and a little crazy.
All I can say is running a business and doing the work is a pain in the ass sometimes, and will certainly drive us all insane. That is why I named the mini Sancho Panza, Don Quixote’s side kick. So that makes me Don and a little crazy.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Hard for me to chime in currently.
Anybody got some Napalm?
Anybody got some Napalm?
treebogan
Treehouser
Im from Sussex and yes I heard about guys going to Germany because their health and safety department decided it was too dangerous for German workers to do ??Crazy rational, too dangerous for our lads lets get the Brits to do it !!
I got in on the last two years of that before Germany joined the EU. The pay and conditions were so good that many climbers went there every season.Accom was included unless you wanted to find something yourself.
Its just not realistic to expect someone to turn up, rent a place after paying a deposit only to move out again at the end of the season. I reccomend you buy a trailer ( caravan) or rent an apartment .
Here is a picture of a fishing boat on the south coast my mate sent me.
Attachments
I'd love to hear an update to the OP here.
Meanwhile thought I'd post a tidbit from the world of treework bidding: my next door neighbor who moved in about a year ago and is a nice guy, had a big leader break off a sugar maple and it is hung up in the air between the parent tree and adjacent white pine hedge of his next door neighbor. So he needs that cleaned up as well as adjacent higher broken limbs and then also lift canopies of it and 3 more adjacent maples, and shape a weeping cherry in front. I gave him an estimate of 1500$ which I felt was right down the middle, not high, not low. Normally I might go a little low for a neighbor but the job looks like a bit of a pita and I was real busy when I bid it and it needed to be done right away as it's laying partially on his neighbor's trees.
I followed up with him this weekend, he thanked me for my estimate and said he was going to go with a young man who delivered fw to him this winter who bid five hundo...
Alrighty then, the damage occurred about 2.5 weeks ago, I gave him my estimate about 10 days ago. But the job sits there undone, to date.
You don't suppose Mr 5 Hundo isn't going to show up, do ya??
Meanwhile thought I'd post a tidbit from the world of treework bidding: my next door neighbor who moved in about a year ago and is a nice guy, had a big leader break off a sugar maple and it is hung up in the air between the parent tree and adjacent white pine hedge of his next door neighbor. So he needs that cleaned up as well as adjacent higher broken limbs and then also lift canopies of it and 3 more adjacent maples, and shape a weeping cherry in front. I gave him an estimate of 1500$ which I felt was right down the middle, not high, not low. Normally I might go a little low for a neighbor but the job looks like a bit of a pita and I was real busy when I bid it and it needed to be done right away as it's laying partially on his neighbor's trees.
I followed up with him this weekend, he thanked me for my estimate and said he was going to go with a young man who delivered fw to him this winter who bid five hundo...
Alrighty then, the damage occurred about 2.5 weeks ago, I gave him my estimate about 10 days ago. But the job sits there undone, to date.
You don't suppose Mr 5 Hundo isn't going to show up, do ya??
Treeaddict
Treehouser
There’s always a bottom feeder, isn’t there? As long as it’s not you, you’re doing something right. Better to cater to the customers who want a responsive and reputable provider who does impeccable work. There are plenty of folks out there willing to pay good money for that. At least in my area for their house plumbing. But, I believe that’s so with all services and most areas so long as it’s not an impoverished area.
flushcut
TreeHouser
Mr. 5hundo may show but the resulting damage will be epic. Lots of stripped pines, ruts, and he will be there almost all week. I usually laugh at the customer when they say they have found a dirt cheap price like that. I don’t mean to laugh at them it just happens.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
"Check their insurance!"
Bodean
Cali dreamer
I think 1500 is a great price.
Treeaddict
Treehouser
The old adage “you get what you pay for”
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
I get under bid by the beer thirty crowd all the time. Don't care. LMAO all the way to the bank. I, like you Cory, come in about middle in estimates and bids. The people that feel you are worth the wait and money are often worth having as a client.
flushcut
TreeHouser
Mr. 5hundo don’t need no stinking insurance.
Page
TreeHouser
The plight of the business owner. My staff is getting shorter and wanting to work less. I’m trying to turn the business in a direction that can be done by one guy if need be. Like running the sawmill and stump grinder.
greengreer
TreeHouser
I'm finding myself in the same boat. Went
from three guys down to one, which in some
ways has been good. I've got more free time since we can do less work and remain profitable. We are in our slow season though and I feel that we're going to be turning alot of work down this summer.
I've thought about the sawmill or some other way of adding more value to our byproducts.
Just got to roll with the punches I guess.
PCTREE
Treehouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #44
Its been a tough winter here. Got a green climber and was trying to train him. Only problem was he already knew everything ! He wouldnt listen to anything. Finally it dawned on me that he was smoking weed at work 
Decided to get rid of him but not soon enough, he rear ended a cop driving my grapple truck !
Got another climber who is competent but I paid him $2000 last friday and this morning he was broke and wanted an advance on his wages......
On the bright side we have a contract signed from somebody who wants to buy the business
Decided to get rid of him but not soon enough, he rear ended a cop driving my grapple truck !Got another climber who is competent but I paid him $2000 last friday and this morning he was broke and wanted an advance on his wages......
On the bright side we have a contract signed from somebody who wants to buy the business
flushcut
TreeHouser
Hopefully the end is near.
Same up the road from me. Dangling branch in a macrocarpa, been there about 2.5 months now, nice and brown.
I offered to fit it in when I had the cherry picker $250, quick in and out chop and drop.
Thank you but the gardener is going to do it, that was three weeks ago, it's still there.
I offered to fit it in when I had the cherry picker $250, quick in and out chop and drop.
Thank you but the gardener is going to do it, that was three weeks ago, it's still there.
Treeaddict
Treehouser
Some people just drag their feet, don’t they?
A couple in our neighborhood had 3 dead ash trees in the backyard. My friend and groundie who mows their lawn told them many, many times we’d drop them and buck em for 500 ea. I spoke to them as well. Told them they are dangerous and have to come out before someone or something was damaged. They didn’t have the money. They did have money for full sleeve tattoos though.
One night we had 60 mph winds. Groundie friend calls me at 8:00 pm to get a large limb off their roof and deck. Took out some shingles and the deck railing.
We were there the next week to do the removals. They found the money!
A couple in our neighborhood had 3 dead ash trees in the backyard. My friend and groundie who mows their lawn told them many, many times we’d drop them and buck em for 500 ea. I spoke to them as well. Told them they are dangerous and have to come out before someone or something was damaged. They didn’t have the money. They did have money for full sleeve tattoos though.
One night we had 60 mph winds. Groundie friend calls me at 8:00 pm to get a large limb off their roof and deck. Took out some shingles and the deck railing.
We were there the next week to do the removals. They found the money!
