Why help people (smh!)

[bigblue12v]

I've been wanting to learn to climb, finally found a guy in my area that climbs. He seems a bit down on his luck and needed parts for his saws and some climbing gear. I told him I had some jobs lined up for him, basically he can price it and I'll help and learn and I'll take the wood. Seems fair to me. I run a part time small engine shop so I ordered him a part for one of his saws and told him we'd settle up later. Got that saw going. He's trying like hell to find some gear. Just saw him advertising on Facebook that he would remove small to medium trees for $60-80. Wtf? I don't run a tree service or anything but I'm pretty sure he could do it for double that price and still be probably half of what a legit company would charge. I dropped a junky pine the other day for a friend a couple miles up the road for $100 just dropped it and left it, he dealt with it from there. He couldn't be happier. I definitely would not be removing trees (tops and all hauled out) for $60. I'll drop them and take all the good wood and leave the small stuff, but that's worth something to me. I don't know why I help a guy just for him to go out and try to really screw everyone. I barely more than just met the guy and I'm not much into the part but I just don't know that I am getting great vibes about him.... I feel like he's shooting himself in the foot and I feel like he should know better. Do I feel better venting about this? Not sure I do....

 

[jrider]

Probably needed booze or drug money.

 

[bigblue12v]

Probably needed booze or drug money.

Quite possibly, just irritates when trying to give someone a hand up and they're trying to cut the limb they're standing on so to speak...

 

[lone wolf]

Quite possibly, just irritates when trying to give someone a hand up and they're trying to cut the limb they're standing on so to speak...

Forget about him!

 

[bigblue12v]

Forget about him!

Probably the best advice lol

 

[lone wolf]

Probably the best advice lol

I think from the sounds of it yes.

 

[Dalmatian90]

Quite possibly, just irritates when trying to give someone a hand up and they're trying to cut the limb they're standing on so to speak...

Liked that saying, but then I realized it should be:

trying to give someone a hand up and they're trying to cut the limb YOU'RE standing on

 

[Motorsen]

Pff naa. Seems like a peculiar case to me. Is the guy like besides himself or acting odd?? He migth have some issues to him. Could be the drug case or could be something else. Maybe something bad did happen to the guy. Maybe the wife troted off with some jerk or what ever. There is nothing wrong with helping a guy like him as a casual thing. Just do not get too involved with him yet. Try to keep an eye on him when he is on his own (a little spying) through the corner of your eye and see if you can figure something out. Maybe he is just plain stupid. Maybe he is stressed from several occurances in his life. Try to lurk to see what kind of fellow he is. After a while you will be able to see if he is worth a bigger effort.
Good on you to help another fella if needed.

Motorsen

 

[Oldman47]

My own experience with a down and out contractor was very different. I needed some roof trusses installed on my new home and talked to my local Lowes contractor desk guy. He gave me the name and contact information on a local guy that had experienced serious drug troubles after his father died and nobody would work with him anymore. It seems he had gone down the wrong path WRT to drugs and nobody would give him a break. Based on what my contact told me I was willing to give him a try. We met in a neutral location and the guy, accompanied by another person, maybe his rehab sponsor, reached agreement on what I wanted done, what I was willing to pay and similar terms. I am thrilled to say that he has a new success story to relate to the next person. He did everything that we agreed to in a reasonable fashion and I paid him just as we had agreed. My only hope is that he continued to do the same with the next person willing to give him that chance.

 

[greg storms]

"You can't help those that don't help themselves". Any1 advertising tree removals that cheap ain't being upfront. My thoughts are they aren't to be trusted. In my area, the low ballers run off the competition. Then, their prices are jacked up.

 

[bigblue12v]

Sorry guys I just got in from outside, hopefully I can give better reply tomorrow. Don't think he's on serious drugs but his wife called while he was here and sounds like he thinks she's nagging a lot. I'd hardly call him a contractor but he says he used to work for tree company when he lived in another state. Idk he's a strange guy not very polite in some ways. He seems to be warming up to me a little but was not really grateful at first just seems to complain a lot about his apparent sad plot in life. Idk.... Not trying to get very involved. In fact at this point I don't want to get any further involved until I can figure out more what's going on, just like Motorsen said.
Thanks guys

 

[066blaster]

We just had a legit tree service guy drop a tree for us for $100 took him about 1.5 hours. We cleaned up. Your guy is probably just trying to get back on his feet. I'm a business guy, I don't care what my competition is charging.. I charge what I want. I also try to get the job on every call I get.

We got bids on a tree once ,for a tree by one of our rental properties. The first guy was at $1500. This guy did it for $150. Fully equipped, fully insured.

 

[unclemoustache]

We got bids on a tree once ,for a tree by one of our rental properties. The first guy was at $1500. This guy did it for $150. Fully equipped, fully insured.

Fully equipped and insured for $150/tree? He can't survive that way. Insurance for tree workers is darn near 30% of income, and the equipment isn't cheap. I don't see how they can survive at those rates.

 

[Cheesecutter]

He may be looking at you as competition and trying to feel out your motives. Time will tell.

 

[Dogsout]

I don't know if it makes any difference, but when I get bids on some work I want done, if one bid comes in way over the other bids my first thought is that this guy has work coming out of his ears. If I am willing to pay his crew double time rates or more he will get the job done. If this is indeed the case I wish they would just tell me that straight up and it would be better for all concerned.

 

[bigblue12v]

He may be looking at you as competition and trying to feel out your motives. Time will tell.

I can't think that that is the case, he knows me as a small engine mechanic who wants to learn to climb not for profit but as something to learn that could benefit me personally not as a business thing. He agreed to show me the ropes, although I'm skeptical if I want to learn anything from him lol. I'll keep an eye on this guy, I would like to find out more about him and see what he's really like. I think he has a crusty personality and underneath I'm not sure maybe a really good guy just bitter about life. Or maybe he's in a bind because of his personality no one wants to deal with him. Who knows. Only time will tell. He came off at first as slightly almost like he felt entitled. He keeps asking people if they would loan him climbing stuff until he can do a couple jobs to pay for it. Which is OK except when one person asked more specifically what he was looking for he was really rude to them and he wasn't acting very grateful toward me when he got his parts but later sent me a message and said it worked good and thanks. Idk lol. Maybe just a strange guy needs some help. Maybe a jerk who needs left alone. We'll see. I don't mind investing a few bucks in helping someone if it helps me see who they really are. Once in a while someone comes through that's really worth it. Other times it was worth a few bucks to find out from the start not to associate with them lol

 

[ppkgmsy]

"You can't help those that don't help themselves". Any1 advertising tree removals that cheap ain't being upfront. My thoughts are they aren't to be trusted. In my area, the low ballers run off the competition. Then, their prices are jacked up.

I counted your comment and there are five sentences. I heartily agree with all five. Great post.

 

[lone wolf]

Fully equipped and insured for $150/tree? He can't survive that way. Insurance for tree workers is darn near 30% of income, and the equipment isn't cheap. I don't see how they can survive at those rates.

They can and do they don't pay taxes or insurance or anything and prob live of some poor girl!

 

[unclemoustache]

They can and do they don't pay taxes or insurance or anything and prob live of some poor girl!

Ah - I didn't think about that option!

 

[lone wolf]

Ah - I didn't think about that option!

I have seen this before in the tree biz.