Power line clearing

[Rich57]

An opportunity to enter into this area was offered my small tree service business yesterday. However, ill be required to place a bid packet this coming June. The contract bid will require me to bid by the mile. This is an area I've no experience in pricing and brings me to you.
To help you help me ill give the following info; equipment requirements/manpower.
2 bucket trucks (60&75 ft)
2 chip trucks w/chippers
1 giraffe w/90ft reach
1 forestry mulcher rig
1 chase fueling truck
12 men
The work location Ohio, Ind, Northern Kentucky, Illinois areas.
The cost of equipment isn't a concern, I will aquire what equipment I don't currently own. Its the bid by mile that concerns me. Don't want to under bid and this opportunity cost me in the end.

 

[Del_]

The under bidder wins the contract.

 

[fishdrivel]

An opportunity to enter into this area was offered my small tree service business yesterday. However, ill be required to place a bid packet this coming June. The contract bid will require me to bid by the mile. This is an area I've no experience in pricing and brings me to you.
To help you help me ill give the following info; equipment requirements/manpower.
2 bucket trucks (60&75 ft)
2 chip trucks w/chippers
1 giraffe w/90ft reach
1 forestry mulcher rig
1 chase fueling truck
12 men
The work location Ohio, Ind, Northern Kentucky, Illinois areas.
The cost of equipment isn't a concern, I will aquire what equipment I don't currently own. Its the bid by mile that concerns me. Don't want to under bid and this opportunity cost me in the end.

Can you find out what previous contracts went for? Sometimes that info is readily available.

Most bidders add a little every year. You can often look at last years bid and equal it. You will be under the others usually. If that's what you want!
Companies can be surprisingly cooperative, if you are bold enough to just ask?

 

[GenXer]

They just have guys on foot here with spacing saws. Minimal cost.

 

[Jed1124]

So they are asking for a bid by the mile, and not for the work to be/needs to be done within that mile? That sounds like a recipe for disaster.
I've run into guys from the big line companies that work around here tagging trees for pruning or removal. I always assumed they worked off an hourly rate.
I can't see it being done any other way. A mile of dead Ash all over the lines vs. a mile of Oaks to prune to a clearance spec are two very different animals!

 

[ATH]

How well has maintenance been done in the past? That will have a HUGE influence on how much is required now.

Rural, urban area, wooded, or not?

If you need help in Paulding County, Ohio...let me know. (I'm further east...but even I can clear trees from a power line here:

 

[ATH]

A few years ago at the annual meeting for out electric co-op, I made a note that they reported they were paying $742 per mile. If this is for a co-op, that number should be really easy to find. If it is for a publicly traded company, it should still be out there somewhere in a stock holder report of the like.

Have you done a lot of line clearance?
If so, how long does it take?
If not...probably don't bid. Or bid REALLY high so you can pay enough to hire experts away from other companies if you win it.

 

[Rich57]

A few years ago at the annual meeting for out electric co-op, I made a note that they reported they were paying $742 per mile. If this is for a co-op, that number should be really easy to find. If it is for a publicly traded company, it should still be out there somewhere in a stock holder report of the like.

Have you done a lot of line clearance?
If so, how long does it take?
If not...probably don't bid. Or bid REALLY high so you can pay enough to hire experts away from other companies if you win it.

 

[Rich57]

I've worked alot around high power lines in our campus areas. Some in rural areas but never strictly line clearing. However it doesn't scare me or the guys I currently employ. But the bid by the mile is a head scratcher.

 

[Rich57]

Can you find out what previous contracts went for? Sometimes that info is readily available.

Most bidders add a little every year. You can often look at last years bid and equal it. You will be under the others usually. If that's what you want!
Companies can be surprisingly cooperative, if you are bold enough to just ask?

I've been able to to locate several past bids, some were hourly other just by the mile. And those were several yrs old. Money ranged from $750hr-$1250hr, $2300mile-$4700...

 

[ATH]

I've worked alot around high power lines in our campus areas. Some in rural areas but never strictly line clearing. However it doesn't scare me or the guys I currently employ. But the bid by the mile is a head scratcher.

My suggestion wasn't so much about ability to work around power...but more about being able to manage the entire process.

If you are well versed in the process, you should have some idea how long it takes per mile. If you are underbidding people who KNOW what it takes, that might mean you've missed something. Or it might mean they are just bidding too high...

 

[serdie]

My suggestion wasn't so much about ability to work around power...but more about being able to manage the entire process.

If you are well versed in the process, you should have some idea how long it takes per mile. If you are underbidding people who KNOW what it takes, that might mean you've missed something. Or it might mean they are just bidding too high...

Go LOOK at the job walk it first at least some of to get an idea what you’re in for.

 

[softdown]

Small tree service business? With 12 men, 60 and 75' bucket trucks and a 90' giraffe? Sounds hard to keep organized if all men are working with all that equipment.