I agree with you. I can't stand it when people use the "I can get it cheaper from the guy down the road" line.
I think a two or three man crew with a bucket truck, chipper, dump truck and some saws can do just as good a job as a crew with 3 dump trucks and all the best gear. The only difference is that I (as the homeowner) don't have to make the payments on all of that equipment when he comes to cut down my trees.
While you do offer top notch service there is still room for the little guy trying to make a living and I can't begrudge them that.
The fact remains that at the end of the day you have to eat and pay for all of that equipment and all of your employees. you know what you need to make in order to do that, as well as the little guy trying to feed his wife and kids. He just may not be paying for 3 or 4 dump trucks.
you come out with a crew of 5 and a certified arborist. You offer high end service and it is very well known in this area. Unfortunately, and please correct me if I'm wrong as I may very well be, but I don't see the need for a certified arborist to drop trees. I'm all for having that person there, but he may not be necessary on a job where you aren't trimming and are just dropping and grinding stumps. It's an added expense to the homeowner.
"For example, we sometimes have a bucket truck in the front yard, a spider lift in the back, 2-3 dump trucks to hold wood, a chip truck, chipper, stump grinder and an experienced crew of atleast 5 guys, one of which is a certified arborist. That type of force should be able to knock out 2k - 3k per day on one job or a few smaller jobs combined in an 8-10hr time frame."
You need to knock out 2k to 3k a day to pay for the people and equipment. If you have fewer employees and less equipment you don't need to make as much to pay for it. You can't charge someone 2 to 3k a day and send one guy out to cut down trees. It's just not justifiable.
This insurance issue is a very touchy subject around here and it makes me very curious. Why? Everybody and I mean everybody is talking crap about everybody else saying they don't have insurance. It is unbelievable. Even in normal conversation with tree guys they all make sure they say who doesn't have insurance. Not that I've talked to all or even a lot of them, but I've talked to quite a few and they all talk the same game. "they don't have insurance and I do" I wish you weren't so well known in the area. I'd drive around and talk to tree people with you and you could hear them yak about it.
Bottom line is this. You are a high end tree service with people and equipment to show. There's got to be a start up company somewhere or someone that is happy working with his son in the business and keeping it small. It's what makes the world go around.