Canyon Angler
Addicted to ArboristSite
Where we live, near the coast, hurricanes and tropical storms are fairly common, and we get a fair amount of trees knocked down/broken/etc., from the winds.
I was thinking of trying to get some work cutting up and hauling away those storm-flattened trees, but need advice from the business people here:
I suspect commercial enterprises will want to know that I have insurance and/or am bonded so that they're not liable if I get hurt or someone else gets hurt or property is damaged, right? If so, how hard is it to get that insurance/bond? (I would be working by myself, so would not need to worry so much about workmen's comp, OSHA, etc., I don't think).
In order for a commercial concern to write off, as a business expense, the money it pays me to haul away a tree, I would need to have a business in order to keep the tax stuff straight, right? And if I had a formal business, I suppose I would need to have all the OSHA-required chainsaw safety equipment like chaps, helmet, faceshield, etc., right? (I plan to buy that equipment anyway, seems like the best investment you could make when using a saw.)
I know these questions seem all over the place, but I'm not sure where to begin on all this. I just want to make a little $ on the side on weekends running the saw and getting firewood, but am not sure what I need to do to get there. Insurance? Bonded? ISA certification? Business license? Business shingle?
(For now, this would strictly be cutting up and hauling away fairly safe, simple, vanilla blowdowns. No climbing, no urban stuff, no pruning or arboriculture, no employees, and nothing that makes me nervous.)
So - where do I begin? Thanks for any advice.
Jeff
I was thinking of trying to get some work cutting up and hauling away those storm-flattened trees, but need advice from the business people here:
I suspect commercial enterprises will want to know that I have insurance and/or am bonded so that they're not liable if I get hurt or someone else gets hurt or property is damaged, right? If so, how hard is it to get that insurance/bond? (I would be working by myself, so would not need to worry so much about workmen's comp, OSHA, etc., I don't think).
In order for a commercial concern to write off, as a business expense, the money it pays me to haul away a tree, I would need to have a business in order to keep the tax stuff straight, right? And if I had a formal business, I suppose I would need to have all the OSHA-required chainsaw safety equipment like chaps, helmet, faceshield, etc., right? (I plan to buy that equipment anyway, seems like the best investment you could make when using a saw.)
I know these questions seem all over the place, but I'm not sure where to begin on all this. I just want to make a little $ on the side on weekends running the saw and getting firewood, but am not sure what I need to do to get there. Insurance? Bonded? ISA certification? Business license? Business shingle?
(For now, this would strictly be cutting up and hauling away fairly safe, simple, vanilla blowdowns. No climbing, no urban stuff, no pruning or arboriculture, no employees, and nothing that makes me nervous.)
So - where do I begin? Thanks for any advice.
Jeff