It is not Trees. But at least it is off of the ground.

[DirtHawg]

Got a call from a guy that I had worked with years ago with a job offer on High Tensision power line towers.

After talking with the Supervisor that ran the towers maintenance crew. I ask if I could start with a grounds man job in order to observe what was going on and how things operated for a while before I started climbing. I told him that I would rather start on the ground. That way I am not on a tower hindering the Linesman by not knowing how or when to do something. I am sure that a lot of climbers can relate to what I mean. Being up a tree with a rookie that hands you a cresant wrench when you need a biner does not work to well and aggregates everyone involved. Besides it can be dangerous.

After three weeks of ground work changing out guy lines. I started climbing with a Master Electrican to help him. I have been with him for two weeks now and we have clicked fairly well.
We have finished the guy replacements and are now getting ready to go back and start changing out the Steele and insulators. The Master had filled out and have gotten back the paper work to get me registered with the state as an Electrical Apprentice without my knowing. Said that he did not want to disapoint me if I were turned down.

So that is it. I am now working as an Electrical Apprentice on 150' (average) electrical towers. My starting pay when we go back to work will be $22.50 per hour with top pay being around $34.00. we get a $35.00 pre deim for each day we work, Lodging paid, 100% Insurance paid, Company truck to drive from the shop to the work location which is out of state at the monment (VA).

When we hit 40 hours we go home until Monday morning. At the moment we are working four 10 hour days. Due mainly to the weather being what it is. We have had to work a couple of 5 day weeks due to ice forming on the towers.

So far I like the job and the guys I work with a lot.

[Lumberjack]

Sounds like a good payin BLAST!!


Have fun, and take some pics will ya. Thats some good country over there.


Carl

[tophopper]

Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel

Most companies around here top out at about $15 per hour for climbers.

Brian, are you seroius? Topping out at 15 bucks?
Geez, a descent groundworker is worth at least 12-13 bucks and an exceptional one could make 15.

You must be not be refering to a top skilled climber. Before i went out my own i was making over 20 per hour with full bene's. (but i was also doing more than just climbing)

just curious- if you currently taking 250-300 per day you must be billing out at roughly 30-35 per hour, am I close? You do not have answer if you prefer not, Im just trying to get a grasp on the differences in pay from one corner of the country to the other.
I do less than $3000 per year in subcontracting for others, but when I do do it my standard rate is 45 per hour. 2 years ago I only charged 35, but quickly found it wasnt worth it and had to raise my rates. Fortunalty, the companies who do use me, know my capabilities and didnt have an issue with the increase.

Sorry if I hijacked the topic here, Dirt Hawg-- goodluck with the new position and stay safe, I cant say it sounds like fun to me, but to each his own

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel


And I bill out at $35-$50 per hour, depending on the job and who I'm working for. I just work shorter days.

Sometimes, even more!

[ArborView]

Sounds like a fun job. I spent one summer working for a forest fire crew and spent some days in a fire tower. Not nearly as high as power line towers (about 80 feet), but they were on top of the highest peaks in the area and offered a wicked view.
Pay sounds great too. Not to go off subject again, but that's kind of why I left tree work. Took a job with a residential pest control firm. Starting salary was $800 a week and I'll get $900 a week this year. Plus they gave me a $5,000 bonus at Christmas. We get uniforms, company truck, etc. Never thought I'd be doing it, but it's actually a decent job.

[TREETX]

You are dillusional if you think doing tree work is a get rich quick scheme.

The best you can do is make an honest living doing something you love while at the same time, making the world a better place for future generations.

Apart for the electricity, the towers sound fun.

Stay safe!!

[Lumberjack]

I guess it depends on what you call rich. You aint gonna pocket a million a year, but you can make a comfortable living.

If I am still doin this in 15 years (who knows?) then I would have company trucks, crane, chipper, a knuckle boom on a truck, and some form of a small loader.

I would (at this time of thinkin) have a smaller crew, but have the equipment so that the crew could be effeicent. That wouldn't be the best for all jobs were the access was minimal, but on a majority that would work.

Plus equipment you can sell and get some of your money back (and replace or UPGRADE), with labor you get a tax write off, but you can't get your money back from selling it used.


That is what I envision now. Me and another climber, and 2-3 full time groundies would be prime (I think), until I got the office job pushin paper.


Carl

[DirtHawg]

RockyJSquirrel
Around here it depends on what type of work you are into as far as Groundsman starting pay goes.

Working for Contractors or Subcontractors.

Tree Service = $7.00 to $9.00

CATV = $6.50 to $8.00
Also paid by production precentage. Normally a three man crew (2 linesmen and a Groundsman) will split the pay like 40% for the lead linesman, 35% for the flunky linesman and the groundsman gets 25%. The spilt is usally left up to the crews to decide on who gets what. Back when I were into CATV work in the early 80's and everyone was paying good money. I had a great linesman with me and a killer Groundsman who could also climb. So I split the pay up 33% for each of us.

Telephone = $7.00 to $10.00

Power = $8.00 to $15.00
Depends on who you go with. The guy I work for starts a Groundsman out at $13.00 to $15.00 and they can top out at around $21.00.
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I will have to wait until it warms up a little to get some photos from the top of a tower. For now it is just to cold. You should be able to know what it is like to grab ahold of a piece of steele that has been laying on the ground all night at +/- 20*F even with gloves, it is no fun. Think about climbing a steele tower 150' then work with your tools, chain hoist, and pieces of 1/4" or 3/8" channel. All while the wind is trying to stuff ice cubes up your drawers.

We are waiting on an order of steele to come in and we will be back at it. I did not know that ech piece of channel is cut and drilled to go in a certain place for each seperate tower.

I want to get on that buggy those guys ride from one tower to the next when changing out spacers. That would be better than any theme park ride and comes with pay.