dstimber
TreeHouser
Good post. I'm not bonded lol. I don't see the need either myself. Unless it's for what you've already stated. Some major ordeal with a deadline or something.
Who Underbid Me? .... and by How Much? .... Do I have the Job?
- Thread starter rfwoody
- Start date
- Replies 175
- Views 17K
sawman
TreeHouser
Yea same here
dstimber
TreeHouser
Yea I don't take any payment until I'm done and they are happy .
dstimber
TreeHouser
That's very true! Guess just gotta get mad and bite your tongue. I haven't ran in to that yet so I've been lucky so far
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
My experience as well. We operate the same way.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
I'm legally required to be bonded. 12K bond for a general contractor, $6K bond for a Specialty Contractor.
I rarely bring inventory (cable and brace supplies, mostly) to a job. If I had to plant $5000 worth of trees (wholesale), I'm going to take money for the trees. I get paid upon completion. No deposits, typically. some people offer. Royce on TB, who is kicking ass and taking names, bought a crane, log truck, etc, etc, etc takes 40% deposit. He's not a scum bag and seems to be a smart and successful businessman.
Additionally,
If I take on a contract for $5 to take down a giant tree, signed by both parties, and binding, and don't do the job, I believe your "surety" bond will pay to hire a company to complete it. If it costs $10K, the bonding (insurance) company will pay the second contractor $10k, then chase me for the $10K. I pay about $100 a year to be bonded. Its not insurance for me, at all.
I rarely bring inventory (cable and brace supplies, mostly) to a job. If I had to plant $5000 worth of trees (wholesale), I'm going to take money for the trees. I get paid upon completion. No deposits, typically. some people offer. Royce on TB, who is kicking ass and taking names, bought a crane, log truck, etc, etc, etc takes 40% deposit. He's not a scum bag and seems to be a smart and successful businessman.
Additionally,
If I take on a contract for $5 to take down a giant tree, signed by both parties, and binding, and don't do the job, I believe your "surety" bond will pay to hire a company to complete it. If it costs $10K, the bonding (insurance) company will pay the second contractor $10k, then chase me for the $10K. I pay about $100 a year to be bonded. Its not insurance for me, at all.
dstimber
TreeHouser
I can see the points and positives to having it. I assume it would cover paying to get the job done if some bad luck came about and your unable to finish? Like a broken down piece of equipment, injury or illness.
dstimber
TreeHouser
I hadn't really looked at it until it was brought up at the mill today. Over an unfinished state project down at Reelfoot Lake.
NickfromWI
King of Splices
I love when I get asked because in CA you're required to be bonded, but a lot of guys AREN'T, so I get to be the goody two shoes that IS. But I do the same where I ask them what it means. It's funny to see people scratching to justify why they asked something they don't even understand.
love
nick
SeanKroll
Treehouser
Seems kinda like that one letter LMNOP. The decabet. Metric alphabet.
Licensedinsuredandbonded. Just some sound bite in your brain.
Licensedinsuredandbonded. Just some sound bite in your brain.
People want to be assured that you have the legal protections in place to do such a dangerous job as tree work. For most people tree work is a substantial chunk of money, and they fear that damage or injury could wipe them out. I completely understand and appreciate their questions, even when they don't know what they are even asking. I also have no problems turning down work that isn't in their best interest over the long term, like topping or removing too large of a limb. I explain to them why removing a 14" limb isn't gonna work out, and will flat out refuse to do it. If they want to remove the whole tree, or allow me to prune it responsibly, then full steam ahead (lots of trees wayyyyyyyyyy too close to structures here, especially silver maples). Education should be a part of the bid, wether it gets me work or not. I just looked again, but I'm 99% sure we don't need to be bonded where I'm at. I'll ask my insurance guy again next time I talk to him tho to make sure I'm not confused lol.
NickfromWI
King of Splices
Bonding is the dumbest thing in our industry. There should be a law exempting tree services from it. We almost never get paid until the job is done.
Luckily it's insanely cheap to be bonded, so no big whoop
Luckily it's insanely cheap to be bonded, so no big whoop
SeanKroll
Treehouser
All terms of payment are contracted between parties involved.
dstimber
TreeHouser
No news on the pine job I was hoping to get. Haven't heard from the homeowner. Wife may have told him no. May be a good thing tho. It's looking like rain is fixing to set in and I'm starting to get swamped at the mill again with this stacker. All my parts I've had ordered are starting to roll in. So it's fixing to be time to get after it on that
dstimber
TreeHouser
Well as I was looking at a neighbors tree I got flagged down by the owner of the 15 pines job. Said I had the job if I was still interested.
Felled the smallest of the bunch ( and I do mean small).
Started up the one next to it have it limbed up and ready to knock the top out of. Should of had that one down too.
Ended up talking to neighbors for a dang hour. So I only put in maybe 45 mins of work. My helper will be with me from here on out. He will keep the talkers run off so I can get after it.
Pretty stoked about this job. My first "big" job I guess you'd say.
Guy told me I got the job over 6 other outfits. High bid was 8K. Low was 2K. I was right in the middle at 3.
Ima go ahead and rig out most of the stuff. Learn a little and test my helper out.
Will keep everyone updated
Felled the smallest of the bunch ( and I do mean small).
Started up the one next to it have it limbed up and ready to knock the top out of. Should of had that one down too.
Ended up talking to neighbors for a dang hour. So I only put in maybe 45 mins of work. My helper will be with me from here on out. He will keep the talkers run off so I can get after it.
Pretty stoked about this job. My first "big" job I guess you'd say.
Guy told me I got the job over 6 other outfits. High bid was 8K. Low was 2K. I was right in the middle at 3.
Ima go ahead and rig out most of the stuff. Learn a little and test my helper out.
Will keep everyone updated
pantheraba
More biners!!!
Cool you got the job. I like the idea of rigging stuff out. I did a 2 tree job for my neighbor years back. He said he wasn't in a hurry so I took my time. Rigged stuff that didn't need it. Trees were along a rail fence. I could have taken down the rails, felled the trees into the road and been through pretty quickly. Instead I used them for practice and got paid, too.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
Can you hang big tops in neighboring trees, tip-tied? Not sure how close they are. If you top one, you can swing into the adjacent ones, rigging to first spar. Bigger tops than you'd negative rig.
dstimber
TreeHouser
All the trees average 12-15' between them. I've Thought about rigging them off another spar. Especially since my helper failed last time on a honey locust top I guess you'd say. He let the top run about a foot then slammed on the brakes. Luckily I was in a nifty lift. A lot of whipping on that one.
I've actually thought about taking the tops that can just be bombed down and leaving the ones that will have to be rigged. We are renting a aerial lift at the mill next week. May use it to go back and get the tops all in one wack that way he can practice a little.
I donno we will see what today brings.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
Looks like you can dump tops into the road. Don't worry to much about breaking branches.
Anything that can be felled or free-dropped, do it.
Sometimes figuring the right sequence of operations makes or breaks the job.
Maybe clearing out some trees, and accurately measuring will make room for larger tops or whole trees. What will happen with the material?
Anything that can be felled or free-dropped, do it.
Sometimes figuring the right sequence of operations makes or breaks the job.
Maybe clearing out some trees, and accurately measuring will make room for larger tops or whole trees. What will happen with the material?
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Absolutely. Plan your work then work your plan!
pantheraba
More biners!!!
I say work with your helper to rig those tops. Sounds like he needs the practice.
Would learning to negative rig on conifer tops in close quarters be the safest for a green climber and ground guy? Sounds like a good way to play tether ball or have a top in your lap... Practicing rigging branches would be useful tho. Speedline and butt catching, maybe even balance and swing some.
