People must be hungry

[Grace Tree]

I was supposed to bid on 30-40 tree removal today. Guy didn't answer his phone so I left a message. He just called me back and said he had two bids. One was $4500 and the other was $1000. I didn't see them other than bing maps but they looked like 50 footers on the edge of woods surrounding a development home. All within striking distance of the home; that's why he wanted them gone. I told him there's no sense me wasting my time. Few weeks ago a guy asked me bid on 7 oaks, all 100' or better, some over the house. Just take them apart and put them on the ground but no room to drop until they were down to 50 ft. I figured 2 1/2 hrs. each from the lift. Guy called and said he found an Amish guy to climb them for $700. Have a nice day.
Phil

 

[mckeetree]

I was supposed to bid on 30-40 tree removal today. Guy didn't answer his phone so I left a message. He just called me back and said he had two bids. One was $4500 and the other was $1000. I didn't see them other than bing maps but they looked like 50 footers on the edge of woods surrounding a development home. All within striking distance of the home; that's why he wanted them gone. I told him there's no sense me wasting my time. Few weeks ago a guy asked me bid on 7 oaks, all 100' or better, some over the house. Just take them apart and put them on the ground but no room to drop until they were down to 50 ft. I figured 2 1/2 hrs. each from the lift. Guy called and said he found an Amish guy to climb them for $700. Have a nice day.
Phil

That's just ridiculous.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

Sounds like the low ballers are everywhere and not just around here.

 

[deevo]

I was supposed to bid on 30-40 tree removal today. Guy didn't answer his phone so I left a message. He just called me back and said he had two bids. One was $4500 and the other was $1000. I didn't see them other than bing maps but they looked like 50 footers on the edge of woods surrounding a development home. All within striking distance of the home; that's why he wanted them gone. I told him there's no sense me wasting my time. Few weeks ago a guy asked me bid on 7 oaks, all 100' or better, some over the house. Just take them apart and put them on the ground but no room to drop until they were down to 50 ft. I figured 2 1/2 hrs. each from the lift. Guy called and said he found an Amish guy to climb them for $700. Have a nice day.
Phil

Obviously the guy doesn't ever want to make any money or grow his business.....likely no business plan because he cannnot spell it or knows what one is! Will not make it long in this industry or likes living poor! All these idiots who are dragging this industry down, oh well only takes one bad incident for these hacks to have and thats it. They seem to be everywhere, hacks with ladders and wild things! We just have a good laugh at them when we pass by!

 

[joezilla11]

He's Amish he doesn't need much money! I'm close by and see it all the time. When u live in Amish country there's a cheap Amish guy for any job it seems like.

 

[husqvarnaguy]

Most of the time you get what you pay for. Buy cheap you get cheap.

 

[epicklein22]

He's Amish he doesn't need much money! I'm close by and see it all the time. When u live in Amish country there's a cheap Amish guy for any job it seems like.

I bid on some 100'+ foot oaks last year. Huge limbs over power lines and all that. None could be dropped, technical removals. I was at about $400 to $500 a tree to just get them on the ground. Amish guy came in and did them for 200 a tree. I give him credit since he didn't hit anything or the power lines; he must of had the skill, but needs to learn how to bid.

It's just like the amish chainsaw shops. They run them out of their homes, so there is little to no bills to run the shop. They charge $20 to $25 an hour for repairs, just plain crazy. Quality is hit and miss.

 

[old_soul]

I was supposed to bid on 30-40 tree removal today. Guy didn't answer his phone so I left a message. He just called me back and said he had two bids. One was $4500 and the other was $1000. I didn't see them other than bing maps but they looked like 50 footers on the edge of woods surrounding a development home. All within striking distance of the home; that's why he wanted them gone. I told him there's no sense me wasting my time. Few weeks ago a guy asked me bid on 7 oaks, all 100' or better, some over the house. Just take them apart and put them on the ground but no room to drop until they were down to 50 ft. I figured 2 1/2 hrs. each from the lift. Guy called and said he found an Amish guy to climb them for $700. Have a nice day.
Phil

That sucks, seems like i've been wasting alot of time lately too. Going to look at jobs I know I'm not going to get.

We lost a clearing job recently, somebody bid 2000 per acre:msp_ohmy::msp_ohmy:

 

[mattfr12]

We bid a cherry tree on a house and stuck in another pine also for like 1400.00 and thought I really had the upper hand with the knuckle boom. since I know who has cranes in my area. Boy was I wrong he called to see if I wanted to Match a 400.00 bid guy even said other bidder had no equipment but could get it down. I said good luck

 

[mikewhite85]

Happens to all of us constantly... even to the unlicensed guys who are always underbidding each other! The lawn guys here are worse off. Many are illegal and do not even have driver's licenses- and they are constantly competing for the smallest and lousiest jobs. I can't imagine that you can be legit and make a profit as a lawn guy here in socal.

I try not to let it frustrate me though it does sometimes. Customers are always saying "well the other guy said he would do it for this..."

I try to think about it as the difference between eating at McDonalds and a steakhouse. Like restaurants, not all tree services are equal!

I am thankful for a good base of customers who are willing to pay the higher dollar for a legit company with quality service.

 

[ropensaddle]

It's tough prolly toughest I can remember hell I've seen 80s pricing. Oh well I guess I need a get r done price and a quality

 

[imagineero]

Went and quoted a removal last week for $1800, client told me my competitor bid 1500. I told him straight away "really? If he'll do it for 1500, I'm putting my price up to 2,000." The guy really got worked up then. He ended up asking me to do the job at 1800.

I wish my competitors would charge a LOT less. If I go in and bid a job at $5k, and someone else comes in and bids at $4500, I may not win that job. If someone comes in and bids at $1000, I'm definitely going to win it at $5k!

Shaun

 

[ducaticorse]

Went and quoted a removal last week for $1800, client told me my competitor bid 1500. I told him straight away "really? If he'll do it for 1500, I'm putting my price up to 2,000." The guy really got worked up then. He ended up asking me to do the job at 1800.

I wish my competitors would charge a LOT less. If I go in and bid a job at $5k, and someone else comes in and bids at $4500, I may not win that job. If someone comes in and bids at $1000, I'm definitely going to win it at $5k!

Shaun

I don't get that. ^

 

[ducaticorse]

I started my own biz about four years ago in an economy about as bad as it gets. I still managed to do alright. As people have mentioned above. Individuals with zero business sense may cut a few throats before their own demise as a direct result of their pricing, but that is it. There is no way to sustain a business pricing that way. And with little to no equipment, those jobs that take us a day, will take them three, keeping them out of the market for longer periods of time. It's simple math, and there is no denying it. They will never be able to save to buy the equipment, more than likely aren't carrying any insurance, licenses, etc. Eventually those things combined are going to take their toll.

 

[imagineero]

I don't get that. ^

Maybe the market is different here from where you're at. I do mostly residential, and it's not the sort of stuff that hacks can do. We very rarely get crane access, and the yards here are tight. You can't get machinery in, so everything is done by hand. The trees are usually on top of property, and people worry about getting the job done without damage.

When people quote a ridiculously low price, almost nobody bites here. I win those jobs easily. The hardest jobs to win are those that are very close. I had one last week I bid $1750. Guy rang me back and said he had 3 quotes. One was exactly the same as mine, the other was $100 cheaper. He said he liked my attitude, but could i match the other guy at $100 less? I asked if he got copies of the other guys insurance and licenses, and he did. I told him to go with the other guy for $100 less, but make sure not to pay any money up front, and make sure all the cleanup is done before paying.

Those sorts of very close quotes, where there's only maybe 5% difference, its generally the guy who does the last quote who wins.

Shaun

 

[lone wolf]

Sounds like the low ballers are everywhere and not just around here.

Like Craigs list!

 

[ducaticorse]

Maybe the market is different here from where you're at. I do mostly residential, and it's not the sort of stuff that hacks can do. We very rarely get crane access, and the yards here are tight. You can't get machinery in, so everything is done by hand. The trees are usually on top of property, and people worry about getting the job done without damage.

When people quote a ridiculously low price, almost nobody bites here. I win those jobs easily. The hardest jobs to win are those that are very close. I had one last week I bid $1750. Guy rang me back and said he had 3 quotes. One was exactly the same as mine, the other was $100 cheaper. He said he liked my attitude, but could i match the other guy at $100 less? I asked if he got copies of the other guys insurance and licenses, and he did. I told him to go with the other guy for $100 less, but make sure not to pay any money up front, and make sure all the cleanup is done before paying.

Those sorts of very close quotes, where there's only maybe 5% difference, its generally the guy who does the last quote who wins.

Shaun

I applaud you for sticking to your guns, but loosing a $1850 bid over 100 bucks seems like a stretch. I would have matched the price to get the job on that particular one. Why did you pass on such short money?

 

[lone wolf]

I applaud you for sticking to your guns, but loosing a $1850 bid over 100 bucks seems like a stretch. I would have matched the price to get the job on that particular one. Why did you pass on such short money?

And I don't know if I would give him any more free advice after you lost the bid either. Let him possibly get ripped off by the competition who cares .

 

[KenJax Tree]

We just left our first job (was supposed to be anyways) so we get there and the HO comes out and says 'sorry guys but my BIL is gonna do it next weekend as a favor, i was gonna call yesterday and cancel but didn't think you took calls on Sunday':bang:. Its a cotton wood about 90ft. And the limbs are over his house,garage,power lines,and neighbors garage and best of all the landing zone is about 20ft wide and everything has to be lowered down. This is exactly why i quit working for myself and work for someone else, its nice getting a check every Friday without all the BS.

 

[ropensaddle]

We just left our first job (was supposed to be anyways) so we get there and the HO comes out and says 'sorry guys but my BIL is gonna do it next weekend as a favor, i was gonna call yesterday and cancel but didn't think you took calls on Sunday':bang:. Its a cotton wood about 90ft. And the limbs are over his house,garage,power lines,and neighbors garage and best of all the landing zone is about 20ft wide and everything has to be lowered down. This is exactly why i quit working for myself and work for someone else, its nice getting a check every Friday without all the BS.

Good reason for a contract with a 300.00 cancellation clause, If I ever get ahead I'm going to get some custom contracts printed with the clause it may help with those last minute pull outs.