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guntruck

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I know most of you hate hearing this, as i do about things that im familiar with but im kinda stuck here on an odd job i did. We maintain commercial properties for a large propertie owner.(apt complexes) all lawn maintenace. A complex of same owner called thne other day (they got our # from the complex we maintain) and said the storm has broken some large branches and they are hanging from a tree lingering over a sidewalk. They were threatened witha lawsuit if it were to fall and hurt someone underneath it!! Anyhow we dont specialize in tree work and they were desparate so we went to take a look. It wasnt that bad the limbs were about 30-40' up and i useed to climb for a local utility here in baltimore so climbing is no problem. Anyway we did the job and it took us from start to finish 4 hours. This was a ASAP job and it was on the weekend, i put off some regular scheduled wotk and did it to help them. She gave me a PO # before we even did the job, but im stuck on what to charge, we had a total of 8 man hours and im not sure what the going rate is for tree work any help is appreciated Thanks!!!!!
 
1st of all im sure you can do the job much cheaper than most of us. Im sure your not paying 41% of your wages for workers comp. Ins.I dont even want to get started on this reply. But would like to know why the property people did not call a qualified tree man , if they were so worried about a law suit. Any way I do not want to get started. I believe there was another thread on the same subject somewhere on hear.
 
OK there Mr. Sonny pal, i had a feeling this is the reply that was coming instead of some help. I am sorry if my work habits offend you. I totally understand the situation afore mentioned, i was trying to help out the people that put bread on my table. I dont know why they didnt call what you call a "qualified" tree man, i guess its the guy that pays the higher workmans comp and the higher insurance, i guess that makes you qualified, but the fact is they called me and i just tried to help them. I did the job it was completed at an acceptable rate and was quality work, BTW i am covered for what my insurance company labels "lite tree work" im not going into specifics. I know tree work somewhat from a good friend who has a business, im definetely no pro like i guess you may be, but like i said i was helping out a client who has given me much work and has helped me in my times of need. So i figured i'd return a favor, again im sorry if you cant comprhend the gist of this matter but i figured i'd try and explain myself anyway. If asked i'd do it again, and sorry to any "qualified tree man" whom might not agree with my practices.

Thank You anyway
 
When we have to drop what we're doing and go do emergency work that can't wait I usually hit them pretty hard, depending on what it is , usually double. Since it's an existing customer I would give them a break, probably double your mhr rate for the work you normally do for them. That would still be a deal for them.
 
You hit it right on the head, Todd. I was going to say in the neighborhood of $80 per m/hr. Tree rates are $50-70 per, lawn maintenance is about $35-50 (last time I checked). Double rate for weekend/emergency, minus 'good will' factor for an important customer, factor in what they would have had to pay a big tree outfit, equals about $80 per.
Good job on doing 'whatever it takes' to keep a major customer happy! Getting it done was more important to them than what it cost (within reason).:cool:
 
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Yes, you do have to go the extra mile sometimes to please a good client. Since you had experience climbing and common knowledge of proper cuts. I think what you did what the right thing to do. I think treeclimbers accessment of cost is accurate. Hey and dont get upset that you didnt get the answer you wanted at first. I read the same kind of repies on lawnsite. You will always get what you were looking for in some response. Anyways, I think what you were looking for was in treeclimbers response. Guntruck, we are all glad you are back safely on the ground.:D But if I had to do it for a top client. I would be saying how far up and how fast also. Did we answer you questions?
 
When I did storm work, jump through the hoop, I charged from the time we started prep in the shop till we knocked off. that is if we had to get big saws and ropes out of the shop and then put them away. so it would be closer to 10-13 mhrs with drive and shop time. If we were called in from home the clock started when I hung up the phone. With a minimum show price. 4hrs i think?

"Here's a hoop, jump through it!" (3x75)x8=
 
I imagine the estimate climbers will give you will vary with the part of the country they are in. I am in Ohio, I try to keep my rates at around $100.00 a hour. So I would bill them about $800.00 since it was a rush job. I doubt that they could have got a regular tree outfit out there for any less. Good luck!
Dave
 
Gentleman, thanks much for your help!!!! That is exactly the kind of info i was hoping to get. I can now comfortabaly send them an invoice. LOL Thanks again guys much appreciated.


:blob2: :blob2: :blob2:
 
Guntruck,
I'm sure you've already sent out your invoice, so here is the future advice for the same challenge. If it is on the weekend after normal business hours then it should be classified as emergency work for YOUR BUSINESS. However, there are qualified tree climbers who are hungry for work, and will work weekends for not more than some tree company's charge for normal hour working your business. So, it is up to you to figure out if you should double your businesses normal charges, not a tree company's normal charges.

Keep up the hard work, and be careful if you're climbing again.
 

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