$200.00 for 6 hours of work

[john in sc]

I cut 3 cherry trees that were about 1.5 foot in diameter with a lot of dead branches that broke into a million pieces when they hit the ground. Also cut three other trees that were about 8" in diameter.The cutting and cleanup and hauling took 6 hours and i made $200.00 . I think some of the other tree guys around here would have made more on it but i was satisfied...

 

[treeslayer]

as long as your feet stayed on the ground.

 

[sonny]

thats $30 plus per hr. not bad. I dont know what kind of overhead you have. Ins. taxes, worker comp, fuel, etc. etc.

 

[Stumper]

Brian has pointed out how cheap $200 per day is. If you are just getting started and are not accustomed to self-emploment, your pride and contentment is understandable John, but, over the long haul you aren't doing any better (probably not as well) as the guy working for $10 per hour with insurance and paid vacation. I consider 6 hours on the job for $200 to be a serious bidding error (one I make several times per season). $350 would be about "standard". $300 a little low but okay. $400 better than my average but pleasant. To the uniniated that sounds like big money. Look at the expenses and the unpaid days when the weather didn't cooperate or there wasn't any work and before you know it you can find yourself bankrupt at $350 per day.

 

[mikecross23]

I just learned recently that I have been under bidding my time for a long time now. About 2 mo's ago I started advertising and recently figured out that I had to start loosing bids in order to start making money. My name is getting passed around more and more each day and I'm submitting tons of bids. I set my time at $50 hr and estimate it high so I really get my minimum after all costs have been deducted. These last 3 weekends I have had nothing but small in and out jobs. Two or three in a day prunning or small removals and have pulled in between $250 -$610 per day (not including taxes being taken out). Low overhead, lots of small jobs w/ minimal help, I think I'm starting to figuring out how to make my biz grow!!!

-Mike-

 

[BigJohn]

I just worked this weekend got started around 10 maybe and got done around 530. I made $400 for the day. Not a bad days pay for going out and playing with your friends. Here is picture from that day. Me about maybe 115 or more in tulip tree.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Working for yourself that seems low. However when I work for my good climbing buddy I have made as much as $220 working ground for him. At this stage of the game and at my climbing level I will take just about whatever I can get. Better to work a little under than to have the bill collectors calling.



Great pic BigJohn. Was that a pruning job?

 

[treeguy347]

I just did a removal of a 21" beech, took 5 hours, just because I got stopped about 1.5 hours into the first day b/c of rain. It was about 3 feet from the garage, had to be rigged down. got $95 per hour for myself and $25 hour for my one helper.

 

[murphy4trees]

Big Jon,
That was quite a limb walk... still not sure how you do that!!!

I like this pic better and have put it on my website which is scheduled to go up in a week or two. It's tough to tell from a picture just how big a tree is... I remember looking at pictures of the Wye Oak and thinking "that doesn't look too big".
This old tulip is a good 130-140'.

 

[mikecross23]

Your freakin' up there man!!!! I haven't found a tree that tall 'round here to climb much less work in. Yesterday I went fishin' and found some monster pines on a tall hill at the edge of the lake. I can't wait to get up them, the view should be great!!!!

-Mike-

 

[kf_tree]

hey john in sc
thats fantastic, good for you........if your 17 and borrowed your dads pick up. stole a saw from your nieghbors shed and swigged some jim beam while ya worked. even better if it was on a friday so ya had cash in your pocket to take mary lou out and get drunk all week end. you might even have some money left over to have the doc take a look at that rash.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Here's a shot of big jon before he tied in, up there looking for a good tie in:

 

[Acer]

$200 is about £120 in sterling, which a good climber here would get if he brought all his gear as well. If you worked for a firm, gear supplied, just turn up and do it, you'd probably be on £350 per week, which is about $550. Cost of living's more here in just about every respect.

For a very modest standard of living, I need to aim for about £230-250 /day to field a 2 man crew ($350-390), but at this rate I seem to be pushing at the edge of what the market will stand. Too many people doing it, and taking the low price-high turnover-low quality route. What galls me is that some people will whine about my price for 2 of us risking our necks, but they'll pay 1 plumber £25 / hour to change a washer in a tap!

Just out of interest, what does everyone get to keep, as a % of their turnover? Most years, out of everything I earn, I seem to be left with about 25 % or so.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

This is me around 170 up the tree house redwood waiting for the rigging line to come back, for the most part I was on the worng side of the tree to get a good picture, but I think Mikey has one of me near the top cleaning gear after we got rained out.

Sorry about the size & exposure, I just got home and have not done much of anything yet.

http://home.wi.rr.com/sanbornstrees/DSC00205.JPG

It is a very big file around 1.3 meg.

 

[kf_tree]

jps,
now thats a pic to be proud of.......were you tree sitting on private land? did any one climb up to throw you out?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

HAH!

No this was a trim job for hazard reduction. There is a curio shop built into the base of the tree and we (crew of six) cleaned the crown and reduced branch ends.