How much do freelance climbers make?

[Tree lover 1989]

Ive been working in the tree care industry for awhile now and want to start making alittle more cash. I know how to use spikes and a rope and I'll climb anything under the sun and I'm pretty fast. I know that the economy isn't so good so tree workers aren't getting what they used to but I'd still like to know how much a freelance climber can get per day. And do I need like insurance to do this? If so what kind and how much will that run me per month? I have all my own equipment too. And when I say per day I mean like 8-10 hrs, not 14 hr days. By the way im in the northeast in NJ

 

[cfield]

One of my buddies is a contract climber. I hire him from time to time. He gets $300 for an 8hr day. Has all his own gear,saws, insurance. If im too busy i usually leave him one of my groundmen. He's good though, nothing he can't/won't do. He has a 2 million dollar policy.

 

[Tree lover 1989]

One of my buddies is a contract climber. I hire him from time to time. He gets $300 for an 8hr day. Has all his own gear,saws, insurance. If im too busy i usually leave him one of my groundmen. He's good though, nothing he can't/won't do. He has a 2 million dollar policy.

Now when I said I had my own equipment I meant climbing equipment, I don't have like a chipper and stuff. He uses your chipper right? And does he do the cleanup as well?

 

[cfield]

Yea he shows up his his pick up. He will help with clean up, but not all contract climbers do. You gotta specify that up front. My groundies usually gave it all cleaned up though by the time hes down. And yea with my chipper and what not.

 

[Tree lover 1989]

Yea he shows up his his pick up. He will help with clean up, but not all contract climbers do. You gotta specify that up front. My groundies usually gave it all cleaned up though by the time hes down. And yea with my chipper and what not.

Alright. Thanks for your help. And I know this is a stretch but do you know about how often he works? Like does he get 5 days a week or not really? Because $300 daily is good but not if youre only working 2 or 3 days per week. And you said a 2 million dollar policy. I don't know all that much about insurance but is that expensive? You've been such a big help. Thanks

 

[beastmaster]

I don't have a contractors lic. or my own ins. yet, but i work for several different Company's either on pay role or a day rate on an, "as needed basis", when their short handed or have a difficult removal or what not. The pay sucks here in Calif. but I do alright. I can make anywhere from 200 to 500 a day. Some weeks I clean up, then the next I might have nothing. But it's still cool. Makes me feel like I am my own boss.

 

[Raintree]

I pay them $40-60/hr, mostly $40/hr working a 10 hr day.

 

[treevet]

doesn't matter if you can climb anything under the sun, what matters is what you can do once up there. talent, fitness, experience, knowledge, balls....etc. all make up a total package. the package gets a price put on it by you and/or the buyer. bullschit only buys an hour or two.

 

[cfield]

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Alright. Thanks for your help. And I know this is a stretch but do you know about how often he works? Like does he get 5 days a week or not really? Because $300 daily is good but not if youre only working 2 or 3 days per week. And you said a 2 million dollar policy. I don't know all that much about insurance but is that expensive? You've been such a big help. Thanks

He averages 3 days a wk. Sometimes more sometimes less. I think it cost him around $1200 for a year for his insurance policy. I love using him, hes very professional and shares my passion for tree work. If im too busy or am taking a few days off ill hire him, send my groundies with him and have all the confidence that the job will get done as if i were there.

 

[cfield]

I 2nd what treevet said. Everybody can "climb" in this industry, or thats what they tell you. Dont be cocky, just get up there and let your skills do the talking. Doesnt take long for someone to know if your the real deal. Also make sure you're good. I know when i hire my buddy its because hes a better climber than me and the $300 i pay him is squat compared to what he can make me in a day. Make sure you got the skills to market yourself. As a business owner i dont have time for you to learn on my jobsite, if i wanted to do that i'd teach my groundies. Time is money!

 

[echo271]

I have a guy I use when I get backed up that I pay 100 per hour he uses all of my equiptment but I usually only need him 1 or 2 days for about 3or 4 hours a day

 

[HappyTreesLLC]

Tree lover,
You got all good advices.
Get insurance. Here in NH $2mil policy will be $1,200-1,600.
Get in contact with busy tree companies and tree-crane operators.
Watch some experienced guys.
Make a decision what is your specialty: pruning/trimming or removal
Offer some free-bee like "you pay me if you like my work.
I pay to my climber $50 per hour minimum $250 per day. He works with another small and big companies. I do not use him on ground because two reasons:
1. when climber come down from tree - person is exhausted and need rest. This condition is not good combination with chipper.
2. no ground person worth $50 per hour.
Good luck

 

[k5alive]

i make 250-350 a day depending on what i have to do and where it is. the companys i freelance for usually have 3 or more groundies but if i have to i'll do ground work or go to the next job.

 

[freeweight]

wow ,alot of people around here(including me when i climb for others) get a 1/3 of the job(s) after expenses ,

i couldnt imagine climbing for 8-10 hours for 250 ...couple hours yea maybe

 

[imagineero]

The rate varies enormously. It depends mostly on how good you are, then secondly what license/insuarance/gear you bring to the job, and finally how difficult the job is. If you're only a beginner climber with a little gear and no insurance then you'll probably only get hired by hacks who are worse than you. Not many people are going to hire a climber who is worse than they are.

In aus, a reasonably good licensed climber with saws and rigging makes about $60/hour, but it's mostly done on a day rate. I know a few hack climbers with no gear who do a days climb for $250, but their 'day' is really only equal to a couple hours from a good climber. Most good climbers do something more like $350 for a half day, $550 for a full day.

I don't do much contract climbing because it doesnt pay as well as doing my own jobs. I won't climb for people I don't know any more, and I don't do a day rate any more either. I charge by the job, just like I do for my own jobs. There's a few guys I do regular work for, they know my prices are fair, and I know I'm not going to have problems when I turn up. For me, that means they have their own gear, are licensed and insured, have enough ground staff, have a permit for the tree and are realistic when they tell me how many hours they need me for.

Shaun

 

[2treeornot2tree]

Maybe insurance is cheaper in the areas you live, but $1200 for a 2 million tree service policy sounds cheap. Its more like $4000 around here

 

[imagineero]

Maybe insurance is cheaper in the areas you live, but $1200 for a 2 million tree service policy sounds cheap. Its more like $4000 around here

It's cheaper in aus. I pay about that much for $5mil. Our workers comp is a lot cheaper too, it's fixed by the government at just under 8%. That's calculated from pre tax wages though, including superannuation which is 9% in itself. So a basic groundie getting $600/week after tax will probably cost you nearly $1000/week including workers comp and super and a few odds and ends like hard hats, muffs, safety glasses etc (which muct be provided by the employer in aus).

It sounds like we get off light on workers comp, but if you ever have an accident you often end up with a pretty big fine, which can exceed the medical costs arising from the accident. It's not really much of an insurance in my opinion, it just protects you from major stuff like if somebody got killed. It doesn't absolve you from liability though. The payouts to workers by workers comp have dribbled away to nearly nothing now. Years ago if you lost a finger you'd be looking at getting $50~$100k. Nowadays it's more like $5k. A guy I knew last year lost both arms at the elbows. 23 years old, just married, with a kid. He get $800k to last him the rest of his life. That doesn't even buy a house in most parts of aus.

Mostly what we get slapped with is taxes, taxes, taxes.

Shaun

 

[Rocko]

Here in ontario our workmans compensation is only 4 percent of a workers gross pay and my liability insurance is 1500 for a 2 mill. Policy

 

[jefflovstrom]

Ive been working in the tree care industry for awhile now and want to start making alittle more cash. I know how to use spikes and a rope and I'll climb anything under the sun and I'm pretty fast. I know that the economy isn't so good so tree workers aren't getting what they used to but I'd still like to know how much a freelance climber can get per day. And do I need like insurance to do this? If so what kind and how much will that run me per month? I have all my own equipment too. And when I say per day I mean like 8-10 hrs, not 14 hr days. By the way im in the northeast in NJ

Let me try to answer.
You are only worth what someone will pay you.
You say you know how to use spike's. (insert comment's here.)
Demographically, where are your client's?
OK, You call or meet or what-ever to sell what you do.
Chance's are they got someone .
We live in the 21st century,
I Freelanced for 8 or 9 years and man, the IRS is a #####!
Tough life, hope your'e up for it!
Jeff

 

[mckeetree]

Maybe insurance is cheaper in the areas you live, but $1200 for a 2 million tree service policy sounds cheap. Its more like $4000 around here

One million is $3,600.00 for me.