Bid a big job (for me anyway)

[STLfirewood]

I am about 99% sure I am getting this job. Right now she is going over the contract. It's not anything hard to remove but there is a ton of labor involved. Behind the homeowners house is a steep hill that leads to a lake. The want the growth removed off the hill so it can be surveyed. The hillside is right at 200ft long and 125ft deep. The hill is to steep to get any equipment in there. There are fence panels that have to be taken down to remove the brush. I will have to be tired off on the hill while doing some of the cutting. The growth is so thick you can hardly walk through it. Most of the stuff is 2-4 inch trees and 10-15ft tall. They want everything cut about 2 inches off the ground. All the brush has to be taken up the hill and to one corner. This is a really crappy job as far as labor goes. I hope that 4 of us will get it done in 3-4 days. That is what I am figuring. I bid the job at $10,200. I'll take some pics when I start the job. Just by what you have been told do you think I am in the ballpark.

 

[mckeetree]

I think you are bidding about all the job is worth.

 

[rbtree]

I suggest a Simpson capstan winch, chain saw powered. It helps if there is a way to get the winch line elevated above the top of the slope.

 

[STLfirewood]

I have a ramsey winch that I am going to try and use. I don't think there is a place to elevate but that is a really good idea. I have thought about getting a chainsaw winch before. How much weight can one of those pull. Thanks Scott

 

[CoreyTMorine]

I have found a brush cutter to be much more effective then a chainsaw in thick material, especially on bad ground. As for the money; it sounds like you did right, good luck.

As for elevating the winch line, perhaps you could bring the bobcat over and tie a block onto the loader to get some lift. Your hitches will stay together much better if the line is up a little bit. Losing even a stick or two from the choker is disheartening when it means that you have to slog up the hill again to go and pick it up again and then find another pile to put it in.

It might be worth the time to set up a mini yarder; any good stout rope over 7000 pound BS will work for the skyline, then a block with cheeks that don't rock into the skyline when you pull on it, the winch cable for the main, and anything that the guys down in the hole can pull on for the haul back.