getting started the right way??

[adam0321]

ok so here is my question. I have all the gear I need and have been doing the work for about 10 years under other people. I am now looking to branch out and start my own company. I am not a cetrtified arborist and do not have the time (active duty marine corps) to get my certifications. I am looking to do this part time. My questions are:
for florida what licence do I need. what insurence to I need and what would you recomend? And bay county florida has a permit for each tree taken down? This is getting pretty frustrating and I would greatly appreciate some guidence. I do not want to be a fly by night guy with a truck full of saws and no paperwork

thanks Adam

 

[ctrees4$]

Im not in Florida but this is what I would do. Go to your city codes dept. and ask what you need. They will probably tell you to buy a city and county buisness license. Here that is based on what you make per year. Next you will need to be insured for at least 1 million to cover property damage,colision for when someone smashes your truck and trys to sue you becouse you own your on buisness in their eyes you must be rich,and most important you want to be covered just in case the ho cant seem to keep that 4 year old kid away from all that falling debree.If you are going to have employees you should check into workmans comp.Cash under the table works good until they get hurt.Once you put all those numbers together you will see that if you want to do this legally it can't be done partime. Im not trying to scare you from trying, but get ready for a smack in the face.

 

[adam0321]

sounds like there is some personal expierences in there. thanks for the heads up. I cant do it full time while I am in the Corps. but I dont want to not get the stuff and then drop a limb into someones bedroom. I didint think that advertising tree removal and roof repair would be to good. So I guess all the part time guys are doing it under the table for the most part and working without the legit peperwork?

 

[riesenbr549]

Im in the same boat. I would love to start my own tree trimming business. I help a good buddie of mine he has a fairly good buisness he made around 80k last year . of course thats before expenses and paying help. Insurance is not to bad if you dont have employees. I am thinking of buying his buisness in a few years when he retires and keeping it the same name .Mainly because thats about the only way you can dive into a small buisness and surive in my area (thanks to our great govenment!!) There are ways around having legal employees they have to have there own contractors insurance and you just 1099 them. He has tried many ways over the years and its just hard to have full time employees . when business is good we work at least 4 days a week 9-5 usually . And try to make at least $600-650 a day . He usually takes a few months off in the winter . Pretty sweet gig really . Only thing is im not a real good climber He is a pro! At 55 Years old i would say probably one of the best in the state. In 25 years of trimming he has never had an insurance claim! Hopefully it will all work out Cause in my opinion Tree trimming is one of the best jobs anyone could have, Hard work , Good pay ,your outdoors,flexiable hrs,and you get to run chainsaws all day! hope it works out for ya! If not move to indiana thanks to all our dieing maple trees and huge oaks there is plenty of tree work

 

[ctrees4$]

I assume the part timers are not legal becouse my insurance and fuel cost more in 1 year than some will make. Main thing you want to do is make shure you are covered for the un epected. Nothing may never happen but it only takes 1 mistake to loose everything. You don't get a second chance when dropping a tree and if it starts falling the wrong way you have about 2 seconds to fix the problem before its out of control.
Stay small... 2 people can do most tree jobs and any time you can buy equipment to make the job easier or faster go ahead and bite the bullet.Your equipment will always be more reliable and cheaper than your employees. And when you decide to stop cutting trees...employees have no resale value!

 

[adam0321]

well having employees is not a problem. i will mostly be doing small jobs that me and one other person can handle. I will either have my gf cleaning up brush or my friend in the corps helping me. we are both fully covered for health insurence by the Marines so no big deal there. It looks like getting a licence in florida all together is going to cost around 300 but my biggest concern is insurence. with one truck and no employees any ball park idea what 1000000 general liability will cost me?

 

[ozzy42]

well having employees is not a problem. i will mostly be doing small jobs that me and one other person can handle. I will either have my gf cleaning up brush or my friend in the corps helping me. we are both fully covered for health insurence by the Marines so no big deal there. It looks like getting a licence in florida all together is going to cost around 300 but my biggest concern is insurence. with one truck and no employees any ball park idea what 1000000 general liability will cost me?

I would say about 1500-2000 your first year.Give or take.
Probably get you coverd for 250-300 dn and mo payments for the balance.

If you run into deadends looking ,shoot me a PM .

My wife works in commercial lines at an ins. Co.
here in Bradenton.
She mostly deals with Com.properties and buildings,but she can help you ,or
at least steer you in the right direction.

 

[ctrees4$]

My insurance cost involes what I gross and how much equipment is expected to run plus their formulas for tree sergery. I have no idea what it will cost you but honestly dont see how you can profit much working part time with the overhead.
When I first started I worked a full time job for the stable income and cut trees on weekends and afternoons.That went well for about 3 years.During that time I was building my reputation and the calls came in steady. Once I got to the point of staying 2 and 3 months behind on tree jobs and people willing to wait for me I decided to go full time with only tree work.
Insurance will be the worst expense becouse it is something you hopefully will never use, but if you do need to... then it will be the best ivestment you could buy for your buisness.

 

[Tripled's]

It is possible to work part time and be fully covered but it's no peach. Insurance takes a massive chunk out of any potential profit from the start. Started our company a year and a half ago as a father/son partnership. Both of with full time jobs working the tree jobs in the afternoons and weekends. We put everything earned back into the business since better tools make for easier work. Hopefully if it stays at its regular pace (1 to 2 months behind, Minus january). Can look into going full time in the future. Love the work and the business just want to be a little more established before walking away from a guaranteed paycheck. If your going to try it part time then be prepared for long work hours and keep your overhead low.

 

[adam0321]

being in the military I am use to the long work hours. I just enjoy the work and love climbing. the other reason I have to watch what I do is because thanks to the Marines I am in a new place every 3 years. makes it a bit tough. It is deff something i would like to do as a retirement job

 

[crater]

I will either have my gf cleaning up brush or my friend in the corps helping me. we are both fully covered for health insurance by the Marines so no big deal there.

Adam:
Being ex-Army I assume that the Marine corp or the Fed gov owns your body also, therefore DON'T count on the military to look kindly at your side work. Remember the Gov is paying you 24/7 and a article 15 because you or friend got hurt isn't worth your military carrier especially if the accident put someone out of commission permanently.
I'm not trying to discourage you, but from experience (rappelling down the side of the barracks and get'n caught) the military doesn't take "you taking your life or even your health" into your own hands litely.

BTY the Army did send us(me and partner in crime) to Air Assualt school after the chewed our ass good. SO there may be a silver lining somewhere.

 

[rarefish383]

:agree2: A buddy of mine was in the Corp and got in a fight while at home. Wound up with a skull fracture from one temple to the other and was in Bethesda Naval for a couple days. They wanted to Court Marshall him for destruction of gov property.

On the Insurance and licences. People keep telling you how much and what kind. If Florida is anything like MD it's all a moot point. Insurance Companies will not give you insurance to do tree work unless you are licensed. You might lie and tell them you're doing lawn work and get coverage. But, as soon as you tear something up and they find out you were doing tree work they won't cover. You'll be doing work outside of your coverage.

I'm not trying to bring you down, but there is just no way to do this half assed. It is very expensive to be in business, once you take that step it is 24/7. I tried to keep my license and insurance after I retired just to do the occasional side job. I had to let the license and insurance go because it was so expensive I had to work 5 days a week to make any money.

There used to be a loop hole in MD. You didn't have to be licensed to do removals only. I guess the logic was if you are removing the tree you can't hurt it. But, that won't fly with the insurance. Lawn guys try to say they have a MHIC license, MD Home Improvement Contractor, Doesn't work. State Business license. That's the State giving you permission to work in your state for a little bit of the action, means nothing for tree care. There are all kinds of things you "Can Do" to get "Some Kind of Insurance". But, at the end of the day when your insurance co finds out your doing work they didn't know you were doing you'll be toast.

Sorry to be such a hard nose but you are either legal or you're not, Joe.

 

[rarefish383]

ok so here is my question. I have all the gear I need and have been doing the work for about 10 years under other people. I am now looking to branch out and start my own company. I am not a cetrtified arborist and do not have the time (active duty marine corps) to get my certifications. I am looking to do this part time. My questions are:
for florida what licence do I need. what insurence to I need and what would you recomend?

Adam, I'm really sorry to keep beating up on you. You said you are not certified and don't have time to get certified. Then you asked what license do I need. You need the license that you get when you pass the certification test. Then you ask what insurance to get. You need the insurance that comes when you show the insurance co the paper work stating you passed all of the certification tests.

By all means, if you enjoy the work, just keep doing it on the side. My point is if you get insurance in a bogus manner they won't cover any way so why pay for it? I preach "Licensed and Insured", but I know it's hard, and expensive to do, Best of luck,Joe.

 

[treeclimber101]

I think that with the current economy , you will have a tough time surviving , with that being said move at your pace stay small and buy used to start , 70% of businesses that start with debt fail within three yrs. At first there will be a surge of business because people like new and companies are no different also you will have a surge of friends of friends and family work but that will not last more than a few yrs, I started in 96 in a poor economy and couldn't figure out why people were complaining about how slow it was because I had plenty of work ,I bought too much equipment on finance and when this second hit happened I got caught with my pants down , at this point it is a weekly struggle to keep up to fuel prices ever increasing insurance rates and cost of living expenses , it ain't easy and only gets harder as you progress ...There is no pot of gold at the end of your rainbow , but good luck ..

 

[rarefish383]

Treeclimber101, remember, only the strong survive. Hang tuff and when this economy turns you'll be stronger than ever, Joe.

 

[treeclimber101]

Treeclimber101, remember, only the strong survive. Hang tuff and when this economy turns you'll be stronger than ever, Joe.

Oh I'm hanging but thats only cause I have more than half of those trucks paid off but on the other side of this mess I will be a appreciative man , and I doubt that I will ever downplay savings again ...

 

[adam0321]

ok so here is my question. I have all the gear I need and have been doing the work for about 10 years under other people. I am now looking to branch out and start my own company. I am not a cetrtified arborist and do not have the time (active duty marine corps) to get my certifications. I am looking to do this part time. My questions are:
for florida what licence do I need. what insurence to I need and what would you recomend?

Adam, I'm really sorry to keep beating up on you. You said you are not certified and don't have time to get certified. Then you asked what license do I need. You need the license that you get when you pass the certification test. Then you ask what insurance to get. You need the insurance that comes when you show the insurance co the paper work stating you passed all of the certification tests.

By all means, if you enjoy the work, just keep doing it on the side. My point is if you get insurance in a bogus manner they won't cover any way so why pay for it? I preach "Licensed and Insured", but I know it's hard, and expensive to do, Best of luck,Joe.

first off dont appologize I am looking for the stretigh line. I have been getting quire the run around on this topic. I talked to a couple of company's and they said I could have the insurence as long as I was doing removals only(which is all I want to do) and from everyone I have talked to with the state I do not need and arborist lic to remove trees. Iknow that of the few company's I used to work for no one was a certified arborist. I am just glad no one has given me the "you aint a certified arborist? you dont know nothing just sell everything before you kill yourself" I have met a few arborist who dont know how to climb. I have been thinkng it over alot and it looks like I will stick to doing side jobs for friends and such. as for the m ilitary covering me. I am in one of those units that doesent much care what I do. I brok my ankle on a bad landing on a recreational free fall jump and nothing was ever said. Another guy in my unit is a amateure mma guy(who sisint nowadays right) and broke his jaw in a fight. Again nothing. While I am in the military I dont see having the time to do this full time I just wanted to work in the afternoon and weekends. but looks like I will wait till I get out to go full blown. but for now I will try to find a company to work for. and stick to sode jobs for freinds and co-workers

 

[FanOFatherNash]

first off dont appologize I am looking for the stretigh line. I have been getting quire the run around on this topic. I talked to a couple of company's and they said I could have the insurence as long as I was doing removals only(which is all I want to do) and from everyone I have talked to with the state I do not need and arborist lic to remove trees. Iknow that of the few company's I used to work for no one was a certified arborist. I am just glad no one has given me the "you aint a certified arborist? you dont know nothing just sell everything before you kill yourself" I have met a few arborist who dont know how to climb. I have been thinkng it over alot and it looks like I will stick to doing side jobs for friends and such. as for the m ilitary covering me. I am in one of those units that doesent much care what I do. I brok my ankle on a bad landing on a recreational free fall jump and nothing was ever said. Another guy in my unit is a amateure mma guy(who sisint nowadays right) and broke his jaw in a fight. Again nothing. While I am in the military I dont see having the time to do this full time I just wanted to work in the afternoon and weekends. but looks like I will wait till I get out to go full blown. but for now I will try to find a company to work for. and stick to sode jobs for freinds and co-workers

if you know what your doing subcontract as a climber... always someone looking for a climber... when their bucket truck wont reach...

 

[jefflovstrom]

first off dont appologize I am looking for the stretigh line. I have been getting quire the run around on this topic. I talked to a couple of company's and they said I could have the insurence as long as I was doing removals only(which is all I want to do) and from everyone I have talked to with the state I do not need and arborist lic to remove trees. Iknow that of the few company's I used to work for no one was a certified arborist. I am just glad no one has given me the "you aint a certified arborist? you dont know nothing just sell everything before you kill yourself" I have met a few arborist who dont know how to climb. I have been thinkng it over alot and it looks like I will stick to doing side jobs for friends and such. as for the m ilitary covering me. I am in one of those units that doesent much care what I do. I brok my ankle on a bad landing on a recreational free fall jump and nothing was ever said. Another guy in my unit is a amateure mma guy(who sisint nowadays right) and broke his jaw in a fight. Again nothing. While I am in the military I dont see having the time to do this full time I just wanted to work in the afternoon and weekends. but looks like I will wait till I get out to go full blown. but for now I will try to find a company to work for. and stick to sode jobs for freinds and co-workers

Dang!, I was not gonna chime in on this, but after reading this whole thing, I do believe you had time to drink (think) on this. I can tell by you rudeness to not correct you spelling when you post.
Jeff

 

[treemandan]

Why do you want to start your own tree business?