Affordabletree
ArboristSite Operative
Well I have spent more time lurking on this website than anything. I am extremely eager to get my business up and running full time. I have worked for every tree company in my area and then I went to work for Davey. I was in the residential side of Davey and I learned a whole crap load of tree information in the way of pruning and plant health care. I was brought in as a groundsman but started doing some basic climbing for them. As I was climbing for them I notice that as soon as I hit the 25'to30' mark i started moving a little slower but not to slow. I don't know what it is but I can not climb on spikes for some reason I just am afraid of falling on them. I currently climb for my company on small pruning and small removals and hire a climber for big stuff due to my slowness at great heights. I was wondering if those things listed above are normal when you first start climbing. Btw I am 6'3" and 285lbs I climb SRT with a Unicender.
Second part to my curiosity is that one of my many old bosses has come to me asking for a job because I have taken over all of his clients due to him losing all his equipment from poor financial decisions. The question I have on this topic is, do you guys think it would be a good idea to hire in an ex-employer or just tell him to take a hike? I have had him help me on a couple jobs just because I wasn't to sure on what to do and him being in the business for 12years and me being 19years old he has helped but he seems to want to come in and take over all of my job sites and expects 30% of the quoted price as his payment for his knowledge. I have never payed him this much but he keeps wanting it. I guess I am just looking for a pull string right now to turn on a light to point me in the right direction. I have been slowly picking up customers and I am up to about $1500 TO $2600 per week part time.
Finally am I paying people to much. For groundsman they all start at $15 per hour and it seems to make them want to work. For a Climber if there is a lot of pruning I will bring him in at $25 per hour and if it is a large removal then I pay $600 per day because I think he is a dam good climber.
If what I said makes sense to anyone and you can help please make suggestions that have helped you and have been able to grow your business.
Adam
Second part to my curiosity is that one of my many old bosses has come to me asking for a job because I have taken over all of his clients due to him losing all his equipment from poor financial decisions. The question I have on this topic is, do you guys think it would be a good idea to hire in an ex-employer or just tell him to take a hike? I have had him help me on a couple jobs just because I wasn't to sure on what to do and him being in the business for 12years and me being 19years old he has helped but he seems to want to come in and take over all of my job sites and expects 30% of the quoted price as his payment for his knowledge. I have never payed him this much but he keeps wanting it. I guess I am just looking for a pull string right now to turn on a light to point me in the right direction. I have been slowly picking up customers and I am up to about $1500 TO $2600 per week part time.
Finally am I paying people to much. For groundsman they all start at $15 per hour and it seems to make them want to work. For a Climber if there is a lot of pruning I will bring him in at $25 per hour and if it is a large removal then I pay $600 per day because I think he is a dam good climber.
If what I said makes sense to anyone and you can help please make suggestions that have helped you and have been able to grow your business.
Adam