least favourite removals?

[imagineero]

Did a removal over a driveway last week, haven't done one in a while and ended up underquoting. There simply was nowhere to drop the chunk while chunking it down so each piece needed to be lowered Trees over drives are my least favorite removal by far, I'd rather do one overhanging a house any day. At least the house seems worth the effort ;-)

Got any situations you just hate to see when you pull up in the drive to quote?

Shaun

 

[sgreanbeans]

When I get called to bid a removal, and it is a scrub tree that can be cut with a pair of scissors!

 

[ducaticorse]

Any sumac tree

 

[imagineero]

When I get called to bid a removal, and it is a scrub tree that can be cut with a pair of scissors!

hehe...
I don't mind those so much, but I've got a kick ass pair of loppers that eat 2" limbs quicker than you can blink and handle 3" with a bit of muscle. They make pretty good money for me doing line clearance work each year. A good set of loppers and a pole saw can sometimes get more done and quicker than spikes and a 200t

Shaun

 

[brookpederson]

I guess the tree dosn't matter too much, just as long as i don't under bid it. I hate under bidding, I feel like i try to rush and hurry the job. When I should just slow down and be safe> and not worry about the money>
:chainsawguy:

I wish instead of giving a quote or a bid, I could say (we charge so much an hour and we'll be done when were done)

 

[pdqdl]

Absolutely!

1. Dead trees with no bark, no room to flop, and no access for a lift.
2. Thorny honey locust that require climbing.
3. Huge monster cottonwoods in small back yards. (not because they are hard, but some idiot will always underbid you, or you just know the customer won't pay what it is worth)
4. Ailanthis altissima (Tree of Heaven)...Just 'cause I don't like them.

 

[TreeAce]

Any nice size take down that is easy access for a bucket truck and crane. Becuz I don't own ethier and I know that I will likely be under bid. I need to see the ones where my climbing and roping skills are unleashed. THATS when I start maken money!

 

[PinnaclePete]

Worst is anything having to do with Blackjack Oak. Hard, heavy and unyielding brush. Climbing Willow oaks guarantee your coming out bloody.

 

[pdqdl]

Any nice size take down that is easy access for a bucket truck and crane. Becuz I don't own ethier and I know that I will likely be under bid. I need to see the ones where my climbing and roping skills are unleashed. THATS when I start maken money!

Shucks. Nobody around here seems to use cranes very much. The only crane removal I have ever seen was one I did for a customer that said he didn't want a single branch to touch the lawn.

I don't know why they are not more prevalent around here. Maybe there is more room because the yards are bigger, the trees are smaller, cranes cost too much, or maybe there are too many tree trimmers to compete doing the easy way? I don't have an answer for that.

You darn sure won't find any shortage of tiny companies willing to quarter up big logs and carry the pieces out of the back yard.

 

[mic687]

100' tall cottonwood with three sets of powerlines, a shed,a maple tree, and an apple tree under it everthing down on a rope. I took a real bath on that one but learned a bunch.:chainsawguy:

 

[mikewhite85]

Big Removals that are far away into LA traffic. eeesh. I had a 3000 dollar job in Redondo Beach, which can take more than 2 hours in traffic from where I am. I ended up having to go down there 4 or 5 times total.

It was an Aleppo pine with a postage stamp sized drop done. One day ended up being 16 hours because I left the lights on in my truck and it took forever to get it going again while I was paying a 3-man crew overtime. I didn't end up making much money but I sure learned a lot about bidding and planning jobs.

Now I don't even take jobs down there

 

[tomtrees58]

sycamores

 

[TreeAce]

100' tall cottonwood with three sets of powerlines, a shed,a maple tree, and an apple tree under it everthing down on a rope. I took a real bath on that one but learned a bunch.:chainsawguy:

Ya, I have found cottonwoods to b tricky to bid. They tend to not look as big as they are. I did one in the spring that I lost alittle $ on. It was over lines an trees and of course the house. As soon as I started up it I new I screwed up. Like 30 40 feet up and freakn leads are like 30 inch. 150 of 5/8 was to short to rope it how i wanted to due too wanting to double crotch. I have learned to add $ on a cottonwood just becuz its a cottonwood!!

 

[Grace Tree]

Torpedo maples. I've only done one in my lifetime and I never want to do another.
Phil

View attachment 163052

 

[tree md]

Anything that is close to primary lines and anything with really poor access. I hate having to wait for my groundies to negotiate an obstacle course to move the wood to the front.

 

[treeman82]

Shagbark hickories that have to be rigged.

 

[pdqdl]

Ya, I have found cottonwoods to b tricky to bid. They tend to not look as big as they are. I did one in the spring that I lost alittle $ on...

Ain't that the truth! I did the same thing once.

Big cottonwood in the back yard, I planned to do the whole thing with my 50' bucket truck. When I actually got there with the bucket, I discovered that 50' only put me a little way up the lowest branch, which was at least a 24"-er.

Holy cow! Now I have to climb this thing. Dang! I REALLY don't want to climb this...But I did fine, and the lady tipped me $300 at the end. She said I out-performed the three Asplundh climbers that had been there the day before doing the line clearance part of the job.

You see, this was the very first tree that I climbed after I cut off my right thumb and first finger in a shop accident. As you might guess, that is a particularly memorable tree for me.

 

[TreeAce]

Could they re-attach your digits? I hope so.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Big Removals that are far away into LA traffic. eeesh. I had a 3000 dollar job in Redondo Beach, which can take more than 2 hours in traffic from where I am. I ended up having to go down there 4 or 5 times total.

It was an Aleppo pine with a postage stamp sized drop done. One day ended up being 16 hours because I left the lights on in my truck and it took forever to get it going again while I was paying a 3-man crew overtime. I didn't end up making much money but I sure learned a lot about bidding and planning jobs.

Now I don't even take jobs down there

I hear ya! Same downtown San Diego. I bid the expected parking ticket's in. How do you even move into places like that? In Del Mar, we can not used a gas powered blower. Electric or a broom. It is a fine a little too steep to bid in.
Jeff

 

[jefflovstrom]

How about a big azz Palo verde. Welding gloves suggested.
Jeff