Storm work

[John Paul Sanborn]

When I go to storms , I only deal with individuals , and I have an understanding up front , I want to get paid 1 SECOND after I finish!

I agree, which is why I said contracts should read "due on completion".

I'm just saying that there are a lot of tree companies out there that will treat a subcontractor fairly

 

[treevet]

Dude coulda made a pretty buck just goin around nailing those blue tarps to roofs (rooves? lol). Plenty of bottom feeders filling their pickups with measly little loads of this and that and thinking they were in hog heaven.

 

[tomtrees58]

we get a lot of nor easters here on L I tom trees

 

[treeclimber101]

I think the weeks after the storm are better than the storm itself , the storm chasers are beating there heads against the wall working in horrible dangerous conditions and often wait weeks or months to get paid , I only service my customers who have damage during the storm and simply wait for the phone to ring afterwards , many companies blow off there regular work for storm work so there are always people looking to replace a company that hasn't shown up . Consumers are not stupid they know that they get bent over the pickle barrel when they say come right now, so often I get calls weeks after for cleanup.. Get out and make your presence known but don't ever doorknock that is a big NO NO ..

 

[tomtrees58]

tom trees

 

[treevet]

I think the weeks after the storm are better than the storm itself , the storm chasers are beating there heads against the wall working in horrible dangerous conditions and often wait weeks or months to get paid , I only service my customers who have damage during the storm and simply wait for the phone to ring afterwards , many companies blow off there regular work for storm work so there are always people looking to replace a company that hasn't shown up . Consumers are not stupid they know that they get bent over the pickle barrel when they say come right now, so often I get calls weeks after for cleanup.. Get out and make your presence known but don't ever doorknock that is a big NO NO ..

What is the difference between a door knocker and somebody that takes all their stuff to another state to cash in on other's misfortune when the hundreds of tree services in that city could probably handle it in the long run?

Don't ever doorknock? Why is that a big NONO? Both are opportunists.

 

[Blakesmaster]

What is the difference between a door knocker and somebody that takes all their stuff to another state to cash in on other's misfortune when the hundreds of tree services in that city could probably handle it in the long run?

Don't ever doorknock? Why is that a big NONO? Both are opportunists.

I don't see either as being bad in a storm situation as long as you aren't price gouging.

 

[treeclimber101]

What is the difference between a door knocker and somebody that takes all their stuff to another state to cash in on other's misfortune when the hundreds of tree services in that city could probably handle it in the long run?

Don't ever doorknock? Why is that a big NONO? Both are opportunists.

I do neither , I don't chase your work and I don't want you to chase mine , your right the local contractors should reap the benifits of the storm , so if you ever see one of my trucks in your area then we've got a problem ....lol
And I was always told good companies will be saught out and the :censored: companies will have to constantly look for work...

 

[treeclimber101]

When you've established yourself well , your phone is the best piece of equipment you'll ever need ,it will ring and ring and on the other end will be work galore , no need to be a door to door salesman ..

 

[ropensaddle]

When you've established yourself well , your phone is the best piece of equipment you'll ever need ,it will ring and ring and on the other end will be work galore , no need to be a door to door salesman ..

One problem yes you can make it ring if you cheap enough. It almost seems here ,you have to lose money to stay busy.

 

[ozarktreeman]

Well I have to put my 2cents in. Disagree with a couple of post and will probably get hammered for It.
1:Regardless the # of tree services,If the storm is bad enough the locals will not be able to handle the volume of want to getit done now work!
Most out of towners are there for a short period of time and gone.
2: Door knocking is totally acceptable in these circumstances.
And depending on your work and how you treat people and price usually picks up from there and the knocking stops. I have worked a few towns where I could have set up shop after a few weeks.That doesn't speak highly of local boys.
3: If I,m making 200 a hour on jobs I need not ask for more.regardless of what most tree guys think. After all most of us don't even has high school dip.
4: Going out of town has always been good for me and my guys in times when we don't have work at home.Ice storms in particular.
so I say if you have the equipment the savy and the gift to sell go for it.

 

[pdqdl]

...

3: If I,m making 200 a hour on jobs I need not ask for more.regardless of what most tree guys think. After all most of us don't even has high school dip.
....

Would that be $200 per hour for yourself, or for an entire crew? Right now, I'm lucky if I can get $200 per hour for the entire crew, with all the equipment!

You can bet I wouldn't ask for more if I was getting $200 per man-hour.

 

[ozarktreeman]

pdlq ;yea somehow were efficient enough and able to bid that way for a 3 or four man crew,top guy at 17.00 groundies at 10.00 per hr.
of course there are those jobs that are fubared from start.

 

[oldirty]

top guy at 17.00 groundies at 10.00 per hr.

nope

 

[ozarktreeman]

nope

well oldirty this is the south,not the NE,all things are cheaper here.
and a little more laid back. I have only 1 red light to run in town.

 

[TreEmergencyB]

pdlq ;yea somehow were efficient enough and able to bid that way for a 3 or four man crew,top guy at 17.00 groundies at 10.00 per hr.
of course there are those jobs that are fubared from start.

i do primarly ground work i climb 2-3 times a week or less and i wont get out of bed for $10hr

and im only 23

 

[ozarktreeman]

well where in different areas you don't get out of bed here for that,you best be expecting a welfare check.

 

[treevet]

WHEN YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED YOURSELF..........

well , your phone is the best piece of equipment you'll ever need ,it will ring and ring and on the other end will be work galore , no need to be a door to door salesman ..

I haven't knocked a door in decades and never have chased a storm even into the next town if not called but I can certainly understand it.

Today I am working a big takedown and a pickup pulls past us with 3 guys in the cab and tree service logo on the side. They come down 50 miles from the north and are the same company with 3 different company names. Don't know why. They knock doors all over town since the hurricane. Only one big problem in my (I live here) town is that it is illegal.

After I come down I go to my house a few blocks away and they are knocking doors down my street and have a new neighbor out in his yard and all 3 are pointing up at his trees and looking very serious. As I park I am about to narc on them and my wife comes out and says she called them.

There has been many scams run on residents and inferior work done and lately many burglaries and the law was inevitable. If you want to work on stopping door knocking good way to do it is get on your local UFB and lobby for it (ordinance) and go to city council meetings. It works.

 

[TreEmergencyB]

wow really for an experieced hand

top climbers in the south only make 17 an hr
ah i know why....to close to mexico

 

[oldirty]

top guy at 17.00 groundies at 10.00 per hr.

well oldirty this is the south,not the NE,all things are cheaper here.
and a little more laid back. I have only 1 red light to run in town.

well maybe if you put them numbers together and added a few dollars i'd come on down and all sortsa fire up that sleepy little town bro. lol. maybe find me a purdy girl with a sweet southern drawl too.



stay safe.