whadja do today?

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that snow is heading this way, supposed to get 2-4 inches tomorrow. man I hate it, does nothing but cost me money. I keep telling myself this is the last year I'm plowing, not sure what else I'd do to tho. Can't do tree work when its like this - I can't even get the tree trucks out of the driveway or into customers yards when we're snowed in.

Cracks me up when people ask if we give "winter discounts". Yeah OK, a 2 hour job will now take me 4 hours cause of the snow, and you want a discount?

For sure! We got 20 cm here over the weekend, and your right it's more of a PITA to get the snow off everything and go do a job. None the less, i don't drop my prices in the winter, it is what it is! Another local CO. lowballed me on a job last week, and the customer asked if i would match there price (which was $800 less then mine) I said not a chance, not worth getting everything out for! I got 2 other jobs for more $ after that one went to the lowballer! Supposed to be mild again here this week! Gonna knock some willows down on a lake/ice Weds
 
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We have been very fortunate, we have had somelarge projects that started up when things slowed down, we have been fortunate to continue to grow

Ya larger projects are what allowed me to buy some cool toys. I'm glad your in a different state marquis. Leaves me to be the only big clubber around. The job where on now took almost three months.
 
Well today is a wash. Got a confirmation from everyone on the delay. Glad too, I always worry a little bit when I have to delay. Next two-three days are referral work though and those tend to want you to do the work over anyone else.

Kind of makes me feel good that some of the people that I do and have done business with for years want me to do their work. One is someone who has done some of my advertising (as well as many other tree services) for years and another is one of the city managers over the green waste office.
 
That's a nice looking shop man!

As far as the hickory goes, I would just clean it up a bit and maybe reduce some of the ends to prevent storm damage. Tree doesn't look like it's bothering anyone by being there..

That's exactly what I was thinking. It does leave a little mess on the cement there but it is a nice tree and the largest on the lot. With a little tlc should not be as bad except for the nuts! Thanks on the shop. My ADHD prevents me from keeping it clean. Once in a while I get the time and in the right mood and get it cleaned up pretty nice.
 
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Sometimes older people would just rather have the tree removed than have to deal with the mess. I had one guy that was 92 have me remove three gorgeous Pin Oaks a few years back because he was tired of having to clean up the leaves. It was a competitive bid and someone was going to do the work so it might as well have been me. I thought I was going to be hanged by the neighborhood before I got out of there... I was looking for one of the Greenies in there to chain themselves to a tree... :hmm3grin2orange:

I agree, the tree looks fine to me. It does appear that someone may have made a large cut behind the branch collar on the stem but it's not clearly discernible in the pic. Anyway, I would try to talk her into leaving it.
 
Come on matt, don't forget about your biggest compition. You know the guy with the van and tractor.

Ya old AA is always slapping me around on bids. :) I drove by yesterday and Thier cutting the side off of the van so they can mount a k-boom on it. Like the A-team. But in all seriousness davey- and Bartlett are way over priced on the larger stuff makes it easy for me to get top dollar or what is top dollar for me.

The stuff we have been even working in all year they wouldn't even consider a company without a crane. We had to lease a 60 ton and still came out on top. we don't do a hole lot of single tree removals right by AA"s house we has to cut down every tree within fifty foot of the lines for over two miles.

Next year we are doing a lot for state road work I been logging it with a GPS. Hazard trees along the road, and making better visibility around turns.

Once you start doing this kind of stuff I found it easier to get work. To many guys operate without comp half of the jobs I bid I win by default guys can't meet the requirements. No comp, in adequate insurance, or equipment. Two of the state bids we work on requires a crane. That's why I did the boom.

I wouldn't be surprised if half the tree services ran without comp. it's expensive but opens up a whole new ball game.
 
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Ya old AA is always slapping me around on bids. :) I drove by yesterday and Thier cutting the side off of the van so they can mount a k-boom on it. Like the A-team. But in all seriousness davey- and Bartlett are way over priced on the larger stuff makes it easy for me to get top dollar or what is top dollar for me.

The stuff we have been even working in all year they wouldn't even consider a company without a crane. We had to lease a 60 ton and still came out on top. we don't do a hole lot of single tree removals right by AA"s house we has to cut down every tree within fifty foot of the lines for over two miles.

Next year we are doing a lot for state road work I been logging it with a GPS. Hazard trees along the road, and making better visibility around turns.

Once you start doing this kind of stuff I found it easier to get work. To many guys operate without comp half of the jobs I bid I win by default guys can't meet the requirements. No comp, in adequate insurance, or equipment. Two of the state bids we work on requires a crane. That's why I did the boom.

I wouldn't be surprised if half the tree services ran without comp. it's expensive but opens up a whole new ball game.

They usually post in the local papers about municiple work but how do you find out about state work? I worked for MDOT last winter and there is way more trees that are marked than they have manpower or time to remove. If they ever did open it up for bid I sure would like a crack at it. Nobody at the state garage knows where to find out.
 
Applied for a couple of jobs, did two loads of wash, am meeting a friend for lunch, have a medical for a job I do not really want at 1400 hrs and am meeting a prospective landlord to have a look at a condo I am interested in moving into 1 March.
 
They usually post in the local papers about municiple work but how do you find out about state work? I worked for MDOT last winter and there is way more trees that are marked than they have manpower or time to remove. If they ever did open it up for bid I sure would like a crack at it. Nobody at the state garage knows where to find out.

A lot of them surprisingly enough contacted us we did ten miles of road for a water authority this last summer. But I'm registered with FEMA so you get called out for disasters. And most of it is public info that is put in news papers.
 
Was on the second day of a cream puff job this morning when the chipper froze up. It wasnt even that cold, only 24 degrees. I dont get it. I let it set a minute and started it. It ran for a minute but sounded like it wasnt getting up to full RPMs and then just cut out. I did that a few times. I had added diesel additive, the anti gel stuff,on Friday and filled up at a local truck stop so I know the fuel is good. When I got back to the shop it was 37 degrees out and the SOB started right up and screamed. I idled it down, engaged the clutch, idled it up and let it run about 10 minutes. No problem. She was running great. Sounded just like it always does at full RPMs. I guess I will change the fuel filter and see what happens.

One good thing today, I bought a few trees and they threw in a house!:laugh: The seller accepted our offer and the bank dude said we are approved so I guess we are movin on up like the Jeffersons....
 
Was on the second day of a cream puff job this morning when the chipper froze up. It wasnt even that cold, only 24 degrees. I dont get it. I let it set a minute and started it. It ran for a minute but sounded like it wasnt getting up to full RPMs and then just cut out. I did that a few times. I had added diesel additive, the anti gel stuff,on Friday and filled up at a local truck stop so I know the fuel is good. When I got back to the shop it was 37 degrees out and the SOB started right up and screamed. I idled it down, engaged the clutch, idled it up and let it run about 10 minutes. No problem. She was running great. Sounded just like it always does at full RPMs. I guess I will change the fuel filter and see what happens.

One good thing today, I bought a few trees and they threw in a house!:laugh: The seller accepted our offer and the bank dude said we are approved so I guess we are movin on up like the Jeffersons....

congrats man!:cheers:
 
Was on the second day of a cream puff job this morning when the chipper froze up. It wasnt even that cold, only 24 degrees. I dont get it. I let it set a minute and started it. It ran for a minute but sounded like it wasnt getting up to full RPMs and then just cut out. I did that a few times. I had added diesel additive, the anti gel stuff,on Friday and filled up at a local truck stop so I know the fuel is good. When I got back to the shop it was 37 degrees out and the SOB started right up and screamed. I idled it down, engaged the clutch, idled it up and let it run about 10 minutes. No problem. She was running great. Sounded just like it always does at full RPMs. I guess I will change the fuel filter and see what happens.

One good thing today, I bought a few trees and they threw in a house!:laugh: The seller accepted our offer and the bank dude said we are approved so I guess we are movin on up like the Jeffersons....

Congrats!!!
 
Wait!-- what windshield" >? I have callouses and not from driving!
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Oh please elaborate on your interesting post!!
Jeff
 
Hung all my sheetrock over the last week and got the first coat of mud on today. With all the experience I'm getting, I might go buy a toolbelt and start a carpentry business.

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Kitchen is just about done, waiting on cabinets. The river looks pretty good from the back porch as long as it stays down there and out of my house.

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