pay range for your area??

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mpatch

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groundie?
climber?
jack of all? (climb, bucket, crane removals, equip. repair, supervise, etc..)
 
I'm in Washington state. I pay my ground workers $20.00/ hr. I have not had to hire a climber so I don't know much it is. I pay above board. I also have not met any one I felt I colud trust to "do it all".
 
Good question. I was wondering the same thing.

We are a commercial tree company in SoFlo.
Brush Dragger- $9.00- $11.00
CDL Driver/ Equip Op.- $12.00- $14.00
Bad ass groundsman with CDL that is steeped in experience- up to $16-18
(haven't met one yet)
Bucket Baby or Climber- $14-16
Certified Arborist/ Climber- $16-18
Crew leader- up to $18
Cert. Arborist Crew Leader- $18-22
Fair Enough?
 
Wow am I paying too much? My ground guys are both fire fighters EMT, have driver license, non smoker, own homes, own good transportation. In general are very responsible, know thier job and mine to be honest. Usualy no room to slip up, we all work together with NO daycare issues on the job!!:poke:
 
I'm not in the tree trimming business, but see many hacks in our area that offer to do work tree trimming/removal/chipping for a flat 75.00 per hour.
I don't see how they can make it with the price of equipment/insurance/fuel.
That usually just two guys, with a bucket truck/trailer and chipper in tow.
 
Good question. I was wondering the same thing.

We are a commercial tree company in SoFlo.
Brush Dragger- $9.00- $11.00
CDL Driver/ Equip Op.- $12.00- $14.00
Bad ass groundsman with CDL that is steeped in experience- up to $16-18
(haven't met one yet)
Bucket Baby or Climber- $14-16
Certified Arborist/ Climber- $16-18
Crew leader- up to $18
Cert. Arborist Crew Leader- $18-22
Fair Enough?


I am a little confused with this post??? you have a job title & position known as Brush Dragger???? a bad azz ground man can make as much as a crew leader/climber that is certified? Wow....there some priority issues in your company!!

usually a groundpersons duties involve dragging brush...why two different job titles & I imagine with the Latino population being high in Florida that is why the wages are what you have posted.

Fair Enough you ask.....................NO! look at you wages per classification, thats terrible!!!




LXT.............
 
I am a little confused with this post??? you have a job title & position known as Brush Dragger???? a bad azz ground man can make as much as a crew leader/climber that is certified? Wow....there some priority issues in your company!!

usually a groundpersons duties involve dragging brush...why two different job titles & I imagine with the Latino population being high in Florida that is why the wages are what you have posted.

Fair Enough you ask.....................NO! look at you wages per classification, thats terrible!!!




LXT.............

Yeah man, alot of companies will hire a kid ( or something like that) just to drag and rake for the summer. And lets not get into what a real good groundie is worth OK? But you are most likely right nontheless
 
Good question. I was wondering the same thing.

We are a commercial tree company in SoFlo.
Brush Dragger- $9.00- $11.00
CDL Driver/ Equip Op.- $12.00- $14.00
Bad ass groundsman with CDL that is steeped in experience- up to $16-18
(haven't met one yet)
Bucket Baby or Climber- $14-16
Certified Arborist/ Climber- $16-18
Crew leader- up to $18
Cert. Arborist Crew Leader- $18-22
Fair Enough?

Your cheap...south Florida, been there. It's an expensive place to live. If you find good guys and pay them well, they will do good things for your business. If they don't, and you pay them well....they are not good guys.
 
Wow am I paying too much? My ground guys are both fire fighters EMT, have driver license, non smoker, own homes, own good transportation. In general are very responsible, know thier job and mine to be honest. Usualy no room to slip up, we all work together with NO daycare issues on the job!!:poke:

You pay your guys what they should make. Good for you bud.

If someone smokes, owns a home or not, has no bearing on what kind of worker they are. I know what you mean though, a lot of customers would cry if the guy taking their tree out had a cigerette in his mouth :dizzy:
 
what do they say about opinions?

It seems as though this post originally started as someone asking a question. As opinionated as you all are, i can't help but notice none of you answered the question. It seems as though you have answered it with a question yourself. Interesting. I assumed the term brush dragger implied a non skilled laborer. I was wrong. A brush dragger to me is non skilled labor. One that does not necesarrily care about learning a trade as much as getting a paycheck. In no way would a brush dragger be as PASSIONATE about this as say..... you. There is not actually a position called brush dragger at this company. Consider it jargon.
With all do respect to our wonderful association, not all CAs are climbers. I have met CAs that cannot climb and have met some that i would not let touch my palms, certainly not my trees. In other words there are some CAs that cannot necesarrily prune. Some seem to be book smart and not very experienced in the day to day tasks associated with pruning, which is what we do most. I was way more interested in getting my Climber Specialist cert than my CA. I'm sure you all would love to know how i do on my BCMA exam this summer. Stay tuned.
lxt thank you for your criticism and your concern regarding the priorities of my company. The reason an exceptional groundie can make that probably doesn't need explaining. I need someone that knows where to drive, where not to, when to do this , when to do that. Basically an exceptional groundsman to me is someone who cares about trees as much as you guys. Haven't met one yet, but if you see one send him my way.
So, back to the question at hand: What are the pay ranges for your area?
 
in WI new guys started at 10 and went up from there. top of the pay scale is between 25 and 30 an hr. on average most guy are making between 15 and 20. now i'm in Colorado so i have no idea about this area.
 
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If you're running a business to be competitive, the wage scale from senones are on target. If you want to make more...go out on your own. That is close to what the power company, (Florida power and light) in Florida pays. Oh and they pay benifits too.
 
I usually start groundies with no experience at $12. Groundies with experience and a CDL would get around $16 or $17. Climbers with little experience start at $16 and go up from there. Someone who can rig down the most difficult trees, fix all the equipment, run the crew etc etc..... Probably $25 an hour + .... Mike
 
The question is stupid! None of your business how we pay. Depends where you live and what your market target is, what type of guys you hire, and your perception of a customer base. Sounds like you need an Operations Manager! He will tell you what to do. A good Ops guy will make you Money.
A good owner listens to his Ops guy- like me. My owner listens! Best owner I have known in 30 years and I say what you get paid.
Jeff:)
 
The question is stupid! None of your business how we pay. Depends where you live and what your market target is, what type of guys you hire, and your perception of a customer base. Sounds like you need an Operations Manager! He will tell you what to do. A good Ops guy will make you Money.
A good owner listens to his Ops guy- like me. My owner listens! Best owner I have known in 30 years and I say what you get paid.
Jeff:)

Coming across a prick is always a good thing. I bet your underlings love the I'm superior attitude. I asked the question to get rough pay ranges for different parts of the country. I wasn't asking what Bob or Joe make at x company. The question was much broader than that, a rough estimate of sorts.
what type of guys you hire?? What does that mean don't we all want to hire the best person we can for the given job??
I'm assuming you meant target market not market target??? again my target market is anybody that needs tree work done and has the means to pay me to do it.
Perception of customer base? another what does that mean? How I perceive my customer base doesn't mean much given perception is purely subjective.
Depends on location. ding ding that's why I asked the question in the first place.
I wanted to get an idea if bigger trees, different tree needs etc. means bigger pay. In case you haven't left Commiefornia in a while trees vary greatly in size, species, and needs in different parts of the country.
 
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