$175 ANY tree??

[Treecutr]

I know I couoldn't afford to do this, even at the 4 tree minimum. If this is the case, I'm screwed by this guy every time. I can't see it.


http://westernmass.craigslist.org/fgs/1573502052.html

 

[treemandan]

what an ass

 

[Rftreeman]

I'd call him up and act like I needed a tree removed just to see who the hell he is then got out and price four trees for $1500.00 and get him to do it for $700.00 and make $800.00 without getting dirty.........lol

what's next, "we'll remove your trees for what ever price you tell us, what's good for you is enough for us" ..........

 

[rarefish383]

I used to have a $200 min just to show up, and that's been more than a couple years ago. There used to be a couple new companies that had no idea how to bid a job, so they advertised 10% less than your best bid. For the past 10 years or so my cousin charged $50 per estimate, just to weed out the window shoppers. If he got the job the $50 came off the top of the bid. He had a very strong, 4 generation, customer base, so he could do that. Like said above, I'd go out and bid a bunch of jobs and then have him do them. Let him keep his men busy and you can go to Florida for a few months, Joe.

 

[rarefish383]

One more thing. Why's this guy cracking on pick ups and Home Depot? With his prices he's the K-Mart of the industry, Joe.

 

[Treecutr]

OH THANK GOD. Here I thought I was some overcharging ass for a second there. I will start with a $250 minimum if I have to climb. I have done some for $150, but that was to drop it, and they cleaned it up, I cut to length. I've done a few trimmings for $50, I was a whole 8' off the ground. If I'd brought the pole saw I never would have gotten off the ground. Sad part is this guy will probably make a killing at that rate, as far as volume goes. All I have is a Truck, trailer, and all the necessary saws, chipper, and climbing gear. what else do I really NEED. Lift is nice, and some day will get, but not yet.

 

[Treecutr]

I'd call him up and act like I needed a tree removed just to see who the hell he is then got out and price four trees for $1500.00 and get him to do it for $700.00 and make $800.00 without getting dirty.........lol

what's next, "we'll remove your trees for what ever price you tell us, what's good for you is enough for us" ..........

I honestly thought about this, and if the guy looks like, and acts like a duche, I'd think about it even more.

 

[rarefish383]

At our peak each crew had an F600, Asplundh 16" chipper, either a Vermeer model 630 or that big arse Vermeer Model 15. I don't know how many saws and ropes, a 200 gallon Bean spray rig. Plus a big old Hough Pay Loader. There is no way we could operate back then this cheap. Our daily comute was probably about 30 miles. We are in a high rent area, the suburbs of Wash DC. This guy is listing more equipment than we had. I don't know how he can do it, Joe.

 

[Walt41]

This guy must be using one of those "Obama" calculators to figure his operating costs.

 

[highpointtree]

It's either just a way to get his foot in the door or a cover for other illegal activities. Also have seen a few guys try to push competition out with tactics like that. sometimes it works and other times it backfires.. whatever the reason, don't seem to bright to me.. my moto is half the work for twice the money, not twice the work for half the money. and the equipment and guys are very happy for that..

 

[NeoTree]

I wonder how many people really go on craigslist to look for tree company. I have thought about posting, any one else? That guy must have some deep pockets, i'd like to see him take down a couple of 200 year old oaks hangin over somones house for a buck 75 a peice.

 

[mndlawn]

I wonder how many people really go on craigslist to look for tree company. I have thought about posting, any one else? That guy must have some deep pockets, i'd like to see him take down a couple of 200 year old oaks hangin over somones house for a buck 75 a peice.

Not worth it, almost everyone looking on craigslist wants something for nothing.

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

price

Does bid stay at $175 a tree? Or go up by adding some here and there? Most stores advertise leaders (loss leaders) just to get you THERE! This may get the company to the job. Now if they can close the deal??

 

[Pa Tree guy]

These type of guys are all over my area. It sucks because they are destroying this business. Everybody is a treeman today especially with the economy the way it is. Here's another
http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/hss/1573616052.html

 

[Ed Roland]

These type of guys are all over my area. It sucks because they are destroying this business. Everybody is a treeman today especially with the economy the way it is. Here's another
http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/hss/1573616052.html

Looks like the above post is in reference to this outfit http://www.markthetreesurgeon.com/

check out the 'in the news' section where he describes the best time to lionstail.

 

[Terry L]

Now for the rest of the story.... Obviously, he won't do all trees for $175 each for a 4 tree minimum. They might know what they are doing tree wise, but to start off a relationship with a potential customer on a very suspicious first impression by posting this ad is stupid from a marketing angle.

 

[rarefish383]

In response to "Markthetreesomething" add. I get into this argument with landscapers all the time. I ask are you licensed. The reply is always yes my MD Home Improvement License is "da da da". A MHIL doesn't have squat to do with tree work, and I bet in PA a contractors license doesn't have squat to do with tree guys. If one of the licensed PA guys could verify that, thanks. MD went to the ISA certification around 1999, I think I was in that first class. He states $23 for the averge stump removal. I can't even fathom the idea of taking my little Vermeer 630 out for less than beer money. Actually, 23 bucks is what I paid for 2 six packs from Stoudts in Adamstown, PA Saturday. He stated a couple times on his web site free educated estimates. I put in several years at the U of MD as a botany major, but I never finished my degree, does that make my esimate 3/4 educated. This is turning into a first class rant. My Dad and his brother both built multi million dollar tree care businesses. Dad dropped out of school in the 7th grade and my uncle dropped out in the 11th to fight with Patton in Europe. I can't believe that this is what the business is coming to. For $23 dollars I'd tell the customer to pour a bag of match light charcoal on the stump and burn it out. I rented one of those little Dosco grinders once because I had to carry it through a row house in Georgetown, DC. I could have dug the stump out faster, and I wouldn't do that for $23 either. I don't think we ever over charged a customer for any service we provided. Yes, we are in a very high rent area, but dang, $23. I can't think of any thing that I would do for $23 bucks that invloved tree care. My cousin and I are 4th generation in this business, we've paid our dues. I was tying big arse Macs on my Dad's climbing lines with bowlines when I was 6. I can't believe that some one would work for almost free and call any thing he said educated. Soon, my daughter will graduate in a 5 year masters program in occupation therapy, and she will officially be educated, and if she works for $23 I'll smack her silly. I'd like to go on but I had to take 3 anti acids just to get this far, boy I'm glad I got out while the gettin was good, Joe.

 

[Rftreeman]

Not worth it, almost everyone looking on craigslist wants something for nothing.

that's not really true for all areas, my craigslist gigs have turned out to be very profitable gigs with the exception of the ones that didn't like the price but that comes with the business in any type of advertisement...

 

[JC Tree]

Hello there. I am new to this forum and so far I really like all the discussions. This one in particular has been like a breath of fresh air!
Lately there have been so many "joeys" (new guys) out there. Not that there is anything wrong with being new...but...doing tree work for dirt cheap is an absolute insult to our industry. Our work can be considered high risk, our equipment is expensive and so is the proper insurance. All good tree guys take pride in our skills that have taken years to develop, but lets face it...we are in the business to make money, not to do what we love for free.

Quick story...last year we priced a large white pine removal at $750.00. This was a very good deal for our client but given the state of the economy, we could afford to do the job and still turn a small profit for our 3 man crew and the business. We had the job at first, but then we lost it to a lower bid. He bid it at just over $300! WTF!!!!!!!
I know how to price a tree and I know the work involved. It was big and tight to the house. The best of the best climber would have taken at least 2 hours to get it on the ground with no property damage (and thats if the ground crew could actually keep up with him). Figure about 8 yards of chips and a good load of wood to disposal.
I know who did the job and his climbing skills are "average" (everyone thinks they are the best right?) Picture a climber with no hard hat, a 4 man ground crew, 3 trucks plus a bobcat to pick up the wood. He was there for a half day.
Can anyone tell me how long this a#& hole will survive in this business? How does he pay his employees? With food stamps??? WTF again!!!!

 

[Treecutr]

I'm feeling that. This past summer I was asked to bid on removing 5 Pines. The shortest was 70' easy. NONE could be felled. They all had to be climbed, topped, and chunked down, decent drop zone, protected wetlands behind it.. One of the trees was leaning at at least 40 degrees over the neighbors pool, and $4,000 landscaped hill. COULD NOT be done any way other than climbing, NO VEHICLE access. have to drag everything to chipper. I bid the job at $3,800 if I remember right, and I had a buyer for the wood. I feel I went low. Some guy showed up a couple days later with a big chipper, and said he'd do it all for $1,000. I didn't belive the HO, thought she was just trying to get me down. I was considering it, but she called and told me she went with him. Until I saw that the work had been done, I didn't believe her. He chipped it all, and was out it a few days. She said he was by himself too??? I don't know.I wish I still had the pics from when I submited my bids. I honestly believe I could have easily charged $700 more and still been a fair price. She later told me the other bids she recieved ranged from $4,300- $6,000. In a way I'm glad I didn't get it, because I would have been cursing myself for working so hard for such a little return, plus at least 1 ground guy.