Cost of dropping trees

[Erik B]

What would be the difference in price for climbing and piecing a tree down or using a bucket truck to get the tree on the ground? Cleanup is not part of the job. I am just looking for a ballpark number that might best be expressed in percentage, i.e. using a bucket truck is 20% less than climbing for example.
Thanks

 

[BC WetCoast]

Depends on the tree and access for the bucket. A tree with good access for the bucket, I would estimate could be done twice to 3x faster than climbing. However, you could cut it so fast that you will swamp your clean up crew and create such a mess that the time advantage you got from the bucket is lost on the ground.

Assuming you have the access, for example, you can use the bucket and drop big branches in small pieces rather than having to rig them.

 

[KenJax Tree]

It depends on how the job is priced. Some bill based on how long its gonna take and per man and some bill based on equipment used....so using a bucket could be cheaper or more expensive. Make sense?

 

[Pelorus]

My net income didn't change significantly one way or the other from when I owned a bucket to almost a decade now of operating without one. Only difference is I'm the one wearing out quicker now.

 

[nk14zp]

While quicker the bucket has higher fixed and variable costs.

 

[anlrolfe]

Repair and operating costs could offset to some extent by good advertising
Those trucks are big rolling billboards.
They're going to be heard and seen when the work starts.
A mini-convoy rolling through the neighborhood with chipper in tow gives an air of professionalism.

 

[Erik B]

Thanks for all of the info. I guess there is a lot going into pricing a tree dropping job.

 

[ropensaddle]

Thanks for all of the info. I guess there is a lot going into pricing a tree dropping job.

You got that part right btw trees are different too lol This one back leaned over that house top was green red oak surprised it lasted until I cut it.

 

[gorman]

You got that part right btw trees are different too lol This one back leaned over that house top was green red oak surprised it lasted until I cut it.

That's a nice tree to have a bucket on. Not too keen on climbing that **** stick.

 

[tree lopper]

I only use a bucket when I have to (over a house or other structure and ziplining isn't practical) because of the expense I have to pay out. As you can imagine for someone is business, there has to be a markup to our expenses along the way. That usually makes it cheaper for my customers for me to do the climbing for them, while a bucket truck usually works out better for me.

My customers usually win, so I tend to climb the tree nearly all the time.

 

[ropensaddle]

That's a nice tree to have a bucket on. Not too keen on climbing that **** stick.

That tree was not safe to climb and it was not climbed picture is of an old job I did. Cam is broke now, so no new material lol but I still get the ones no one else wants now lol another view still really does not show how much it leaned but it leaned 25 degrees minimum toward that home!

 

[HusqyStihl]

cost of dropping a tree also depends on where or what its dropped on

 

[old_soul]

What would be the difference in price for climbing and piecing a tree down or using a bucket truck to get the tree on the ground? Cleanup is not part of the job. I am just looking for a ballpark number that might best be expressed in percentage, i.e. using a bucket truck is 20% less than climbing for example.
Thanks

The cost of the tree job should be the same either way . Its the time factor that is different. IF it takes 4 hours climbing @100 per hour or takes 2 hours with bucket @200 per hour, the invoice is the same!