Licensing for tree services

[ROPECLIMBER]

I know this is a old thread but again if they pass the law and don't inforce it in only hurts the Honest guys.
If guns were illigal who whould have guns "the crooks."
In San Antonio you "have" to have a license to do tree maintenece they count removals and stumpgrinding as maintenece.
It is $165 for 3 years requires a 3/4 day class and pass a can't fail test.
CA's just pay the fee if they want but class is 2 ceu's and they had talk of requiring you to have CA so spent more $ and went and got CA and still see the same hack crews mutilating trees with out a clue, and no penalty, exxon just sold all thier gas stations here and the new owners had all the trees scalped,thier landscapers did them, no Tree license, no Knowledge of trees,commercial properties are required to have the trees, but dont want them so they mutilated them, every exxon in town, lack of enforcement is the big problem here, if they would impound your truck like the immigration does, and hit you with a stiff fine then you would get in or out of buisness and quit hurting the guys who are trying to stay Honest, should I blow up the phone at the City Arborists Office,
every time I see a truck ladder and power prunner,??? they just lie and say this es the cassa mi' tia, yo corte para gratis, and the Ciry arborist never calls back any way even over Hazard trees.
Paul

 

[Pelorus]

A bit off-topic, but "A fish rots from the head" describes arboriculture in my neck of the woods. The Mayor of nearby town (Huntsville, ON) has a fixation for white pines. He had several of them planted on Main St. a few years ago. I castigated him at a public meeting about this & he replied something like "They are doing really well" To help protect these poor things from the ravages of winter salt and winds, big burlap structures get put over them. Funny that them trees's needles are getting more and more sparse. Not looking too healthy. Incidently, the Town does have a tree cutting bylaw on the books, which I have ignored ever since it came out. One of the Public Works foremen does side job hackery & removals for personal profit & extra income.

The mayor is a former dentist turned land developer/tree Xpert. Funny how some municipal politicians want to Save the Planet, yet as developers / real estate speculators they have no problem clearcutting large areas to bring in big box stores, housing subdivisions, golf courses, etc. It is the little guy they want to hammer, the big players are exempt.

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

codes and fees

City\town want revenue is bottom line. The honest company will pay up. The others no. I pay several towns fees. And some I don't. Some ar e just jerk that want fee money. Not a properly trimmed tree standing in front of the courthouse or hospital. Regulation can and will be misused. For who's benefit? Those that want more regulations will have more hands in their pocket years to come. More codes and fees. The hacks will always be here.

 

[climberjones]

It's the camels nose under the tent.
I've seen it in the air conditioning, electrical, and plumbing fields down here in the Dallas Tx area. The beginning requirements aren't too major and are fairly resonable . . . but give em a few years and slowly but surely the fees begin to pile on along with the onerous requirements. Now you have to attend continuing education classes, have safety lectures on each job, provide the proper documentation, etc. etc., and at each juncture the state has a fee or fine. I was just down in San Antonio doing some work. The electricians on the job were telling me they could get fined if they had exposed ladders on a truck that wasn't marked with the proper signage for a work truck. WHAT!?!
So tell me, how much red tape and "safety precautions" do you want to go through just to cut down a dead tree? Sooner or later it gets to the point where a homeowner just can't afford to responsibly take care of a tree, so they just let it rot til it falls.
Had your air conditioning unit worked on recently? If so you know what I'm talking about.
Steve

X2 plus all that is going to raise the price of said removal for the ho ! Give them an inch they will take you a etc etc etc!

 

[arborjockey]

As for the trees, they don't give a crap, and nor should they. I've met plenty of climbers with every certificate there is to get, and every bit of gear there is to buy that couldnt climb to save their lives, or make a decent cut either. Tree sense is part learned, but there's a lot to be said for aptitude. I've met plenty of highly skilled excellent tree workers that didnt have all the right paperwork.

Shaun

More to the quote but I don't agree with it. This on the other hand is good stuff.


ISA is a joke and the fact that you guys want the government to step in is a joke. If a city has trees worth protecting, then protect them. If the city has extra cash have them vote in an arborist to oversee projects. Using his credentials (35 years practicing tree work, masters degree in urban forestry) to get hired. Rather then I joined a club, paid $250 to take a test and now Im certified. In most cases for Hawaii the city TREE GUYS are the #1 hacks. Now we pay them for regulation. People take the lowest bid then they get what they pay for. Hacks. SELL THE JOB AND YOURSELF dont talk lowest bid. What i've seen happen in greenville Oh. Is they have a big certified isa company, that's been around forever do all their work. They ruined every tree in the city. What now?

 

[treeguy347]

I do not like government intervention or overburdensome regulation in my business. However, the fact is we are a skilled trade. Any other skilled trade, like electrician, plumber, builder, HVAC, etc. requires licensure. Why should we be any different? Maine has what appears to be a good program. Their fees are less than $100 per year and here's what you need a license for:

Who needs an arborist license?

Anyone who performs arboriculture work for compensation in Maine must obtain an arborist license or work under the direct supervision of a licensed arborist.

What is arboriculture work?

Arboriculture work as defined for licensing purposes includes:
•leaving the ground for pruning or trimming, installing cabling or bracing,
•diagnosing and evaluating conditions of trees,
•felling or taking down trees in developed areas

For licensing purposes arboriculture work does NOT include:
• planting and fertilizing,
•stump grinding,
•chipping,
• house and wood lot clearing.

Copy and pasted from Division of Plant Industry: Arborist Licensing

It is perfectly reasonable to pay a small licensing fee (less than $100 per year, per company) and prove to the state you carry insurance. The law must have some teeth to go after the hacks. We are in the business of tree care, not policing the fly-by-nighters. Let the state do that, not the counties, municipalities, us or the customers.

 

[ropensaddle]

I do not like government intervention or overburdensome regulation in my business. However, the fact is we are a skilled trade. Any other skilled trade, like electrician, plumber, builder, HVAC, etc. requires licensure. Why should we be any different? Maine has what appears to be a good program. Their fees are less than $100 per year and here's what you need a license for:

Who needs an arborist license?

Anyone who performs arboriculture work for compensation in Maine must obtain an arborist license or work under the direct supervision of a licensed arborist.

What is arboriculture work?

Arboriculture work as defined for licensing purposes includes:
•leaving the ground for pruning or trimming, installing cabling or bracing,
•diagnosing and evaluating conditions of trees,
•felling or taking down trees in developed areas

For licensing purposes arboriculture work does NOT include:
• planting and fertilizing,
•stump grinding,
•chipping,
• house and wood lot clearing.

Copy and pasted from Division of Plant Industry: Arborist Licensing

It is perfectly reasonable to pay a small licensing fee (less than $100 per year, per company) and prove to the state you carry insurance. The law must have some teeth to go after the hacks. We are in the business of tree care, not policing the fly-by-nighters. Let the state do that, not the counties, municipalities, us or the customers.

Thats just it, they don't the only way they would get a citation is if they screwed something up. Hell we can't even get rid of illegals let alone non-licensed tree companies. Thing is, now it wont matter anyway because no one has money to pay what its worth and the ones that do ain't spending much. I gave a bid today for a good customer and had to negotiate 350 off, when i already priced it under the 4 year ago mark. I can say this, if there is any way I can compete and run them out of my hood I am. I would rather make less than none and survive than to fold up my life's career.

 

[treeguy347]

Thats just it, they don't the only way they would get a citation is if they screwed something up. Hell we can't even get rid of illegals let alone non-licensed tree companies. Thing is, now it wont matter anyway because no one has money to pay what its worth and the ones that do ain't spending much. I gave a bid today for a good customer and had to negotiate 350 off, when i already priced it under the 4 year ago mark. I can say this, if there is any way I can compete and run them out of my hood I am. I would rather make less than none and survive than to fold up my life's career.

The sad thing is the prices are getting driven down to the point its almost more profitable to stay home. I'd rather not work than pay to work. I don't mind competing on a level playing field, but its hard to go up against the beer money hacks in an area as um, frugal shall we say, as ours.

 

[fir]

I just started in the industry 6 months ago and I do no that if we are doing city work you have to be certified and insured. But there is no licensing.

 

[ropensaddle]

The sad thing is the prices are getting driven down to the point its almost more profitable to stay home. I'd rather not work than pay to work. I don't mind competing on a level playing field, but its hard to go up against the beer money hacks in an area as um, frugal shall we say, as ours.

Lol and they pay twice as much up there than here bro I promise u that

 

[arborjockey]

I do not like government intervention or overburdensome regulation in my business. However, the fact is we are a skilled trade. Any other skilled trade, like electrician, plumber, builder, HVAC, etc. requires licensure. Why should we be any different? Maine has what appears to be a good program. Their fees are less than $100 per year and here's what you need a license for:

Who needs an arborist license?

Anyone who performs arboriculture work for compensation in Maine must obtain an arborist license or work under the direct supervision of a licensed arborist.

What is arboriculture work?

Arboriculture work as defined for licensing purposes includes:
•leaving the ground for pruning or trimming, installing cabling or bracing,
•diagnosing and evaluating conditions of trees,
•felling or taking down trees in developed areas

For licensing purposes arboriculture work does NOT include:
• planting and fertilizing,
•stump grinding,
•chipping,
• house and wood lot clearing.

Copy and pasted from Division of Plant Industry: Arborist Licensing

It is perfectly reasonable to pay a small licensing fee (less than $100 per year, per company) and prove to the state you carry insurance. The law must have some teeth to go after the hacks. We are in the business of tree care, not policing the fly-by-nighters. Let the state do that, not the counties, municipalities, us or the customers.

Where do you get the licence to be an arborist? whats the fine? is that per tree? Some mature oaks can be priceless and young cottonwoods???.....who defines topped trees? now you hire a guy to drive around and say who topped what. who do you fine? the guy who didint even buy the license that drove in from 2 countys over to do his brothers trees.

Ah you pay state taxes.....you pay federal taxes...you pay W.C ......you pay Insurace...BUT VER IZ UR UDDER PAPERS .....UR PAPERS ER NOT IN ORDER....VER IZ UR UDDER PAPERS.....NO BUSINESS FOR YOU