Please Help a rookie With Pricing

[jiggz]

first off i wanna Say hello, my names Danny yadda yada yadda.. great site!! im learning so much the past few days just browsing. Ok so hears the deal.. I have a landscaping company. Mostly cutting, small installs stuff of that nature. About 2 months ago one of my best customers asked me to cut down 4 trees in her backyard.. 2 really don’t have to be cut down she just wants them out of the way because there blocking sun from getting to this smaller tree that she planted.. I’m trying to talk her out of this because I would hate to cut down old ass trees for no reason, when you can just a easily move the smaller tree to a different spot.. 1 tree is hanging well into her neighbors yard over the fence and she basically wants that down cause it could be a liability beings the neighbor has this massive pool right there.. the last one has got struck my lightning and is dead as a door nail, that is a huge liability! Crazy termite damage it feels hollow when you knock on it .. Anyhoo this is totally over my head.. But im an over he top kinda guy so I said sure its no problem.. HAHA go big or go home right?.. No, in all seriousness I understand that I really don’t have the skill to pull this off and I do have a huge respect for the seriousness of the job So im reading everything I can/ watching different techniques on you tube and whatnot.. Unfortunately I really don’t know anyone locally to talk to except for my cousin that used to do tree work when he was younger.. Basically climbing and pole sawing that will be helping me.. But im wondering if any of you would be kind enough to help me with pricing for this job.. maby as a whole and as each tree separately in the case that it is going to be to much for her at once.. Also what saw you would recommend?? I don’t even have one haha.. I really don’t feel comfortable climbing trees to be honest with you.. I would much rather practice climbing and my tying techniques on trees on my property for some time before I did it actually out on the job.. so I was going to rent a high lift for the day.. I can rent a 90 foot all terrain highlift for like 400 and just make a lot of small cuts till its low enough or me to drop.. that’s probably the safest way for us to do it.. so I know im looking at 500 for the lift and probably close to 700-1000 for a saw ((the biggest tree is about 4 foot thick and everything ive researched so far brings me to that range)) am I wrong? I wanna make some money off of this job but its more about gaining the experience issue for me. So yea please help me out

this video isnt the greatest but it might help giving you an idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U11_CD3CEvo

 

[BCMA]

Is there anyone in your life who loves you. If so, do not attempt this job. This looks way over a newbe's head.

I can appreciate a persons willing to jump into the deep-end without knowing how to swim, but you do not want to do this with tree work. Really...we're not kidding! The learning curve is large and the price of a mistake could be your health or life.

 

[reachtreeservi]

I have a landscaping company...

Anyhoo this is totally over my head.. But im an over he top kinda guy so I said sure its no problem...

No, in all seriousness I understand that I really don’t have the skill to pull this off ...

I do have a huge respect for the seriousness of the job So im reading everything I can/ watching different techniques on you tube and whatnot...

But im wondering if any of you would be kind enough to help me with pricing for this job...

I really don’t feel comfortable climbing trees to be honest with you.. So yea please help me out ..

QUOTE]

If you attempt to do this job :

1) 99.05 % chance you will never finish it.

2) 50 % chance you will get killed

3) 100 % chance you will do extensive property damage

And that's being generous.

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT CUTTING THOSE TREES.



C'MON MAN, Just listen to yourself.

 

[reachtreeservi]

You don't even own a saw.

Or know what kind to buy.




Really.....

 

[BC WetCoast]

Find a tree company you can refer it to. Then ask to work on the removal crew for experience.

 

[BCMA]

Find a tree company you can refer it to. Then ask to work on the removal crew for experience.

Good advice.

 

[Stihl Alive]

Find a tree company you can refer it to. Then ask to work on the removal crew for experience.

that's what I did a week or two ago. job not even close to this dangerous. I made a few bucks, but learned some life saving techniques that I would NOT have been able to just figure out on the job.

Take the pro's advice man, they flamed me too when I jumped in head first, but I took most of their advice and have been taking it very slowly and learning more than working for the past few weeks. I do a lot of easy take downs, climbed a couple of tall pines and pecans, but a job like this? I would easily admit to the customer that I did not have the experience and refer them to someone else.

 

[randyg]

I have a landscaping company. Mostly cutting, small installs stuff of that nature

Mostly cutting??? Grass?

HAHA go big or go home right?..

Pride goes before the fall Danny.

my cousin that used to do tree work when he was younger.. Basically climbing and pole sawing that will be helping me..

Who will be leading whom?

I really don’t feel comfortable climbing trees to be honest with you..

And you won't be all that comfortable in a lift, in a tree either.

So yea please help me out

Many professional (they profess) tree companies around here would walk away from those two by the fence, especially the one being held up by the 4 x 4, ha ha. If you want to do right by this "one of your best" customer, simply tell her that you are not a tree guy and after consulting with several the consensus was that you should not even attempt this one. Better for her to hire a professional tree service with insurance and proper equipment etc. Furthermore, I might add that she could break the work into two sections. The two by the fence being the higher priority, and the other two could follow at a later time.

Danny, I'd like to thank you for being so honest with us. Please don't be discouraged from getting into tree work if you really want to HOWEVER, this is not an 'entry level' job. No amount of reading and watching of you-tube videos will adequately prepare you for this one.

 

[tree rex]

being tempted by jobs like this is what puts the insurance up for qualified arborists , have u even got public liability, or employe cover . U need to hand this over to company in ur area , and participate that way , how where u planning on clearing it all anyway ?

 

[avalancher]

I would have to agree with the above posts.I am a "jump into it with both feet" kind of guy myself, but there is no way I would tackle that job with the experience and tools that I have.A bucket truck and a saw is not going to get that tree to the ground by themselves.What do you plan on using to get the wood to the ground?Just let it drop?Rigging costs money, and experience needs to go along with the rigging.One drop with a medium sized branch would or could wipe out that fence or anything else below it.
I dont have a half of what a lot of guys have for rigging and takedowns, but I know I would run not walk to the nearest phone book and let me fingers do the walking.
Like was also mentioned, you can learn a lot by just working with the crew if they will allow it.Aim for your first tree being somewhere in the woods where a little miscalculation wont cost you big bucks in property damage, not to mention costing you your life.

 

[lxt]

I love the guys who dive in head first!! honestly, they never listen, they take the job & learn the very hard way!! then when they bid the next one they have a fraction of knowledge from their prior stupidity & usually walk away!!

I like to watch them at the attempt, funny as hell.....4-5 days latter still not done & when they do finish....they made $0.00 for the week!

these types (DIY`ers) think they can learn from youtube & reading, they`re comical & show the public why they should hire a professional!!

I say do it......film it......& show us!!


LXT............

 

[Rftreeman]

those trees are not impossible to remove but you need to let a pro handle this or get a pro to at least just get them down and maybe you can do the clean up, if I was your client I would respect you more if you told me you aren't qualified to handle this then if you tried and failed.

 

[geofore]

Am I wrong?

Thinking you can do this yourself? Even a good tree service would think twice on these trees because of their size, location and condition to the trees. It's not an easy one. Open the yellow pages and get three tree companies to come bid on them. That's what the homeowner should do. You being the lawn guy should, can do the call for the coustomer but those are not trees you should try yourself. I would not want to send a guy in there to tackle those trees if he didn't have years of tree work, knowledge.
You are right that you are way out of your league here. Take a deep breath and make the calls to get a tree service in on the job. The life you save may be your own.
Wrong would be to think you can do this yourself and rent the equipment to do it. Get a tree guy in there to do it right the first time. You don't get a second chance to skrew up with trees this size, location or condition.

 

[RedlineIt]

I wanna make some money off of this job but its more about gaining the experience issue for me.

Call some professional Tree Service companies in your area for estimates.

Tell them you'd like a 10% "finder's fee" or "referral fee" in exchange for doing the final clean-up after all the branches and wood are gone.

Present the estimates to your client, have her sign off on the Tree Service company of her choice.

Watch the professionals earn their money.

When they're gone, get in there with your rake and earn your 10%.


--------------------------

But I have a question: If this lady is one of your best customers, and you are a professional landscaper, how long have you been cutting the grass around that dead POS and have not told her that something needs to be done?


RedlineIt

 

[pdqdl]

I have to agree with most of the posts above. Whatever you do, don't climb the dead trees. You'll be sorry. I do this for a living, and I wouldn't do those trees without a lift. Some might, but I don't climb dead trees unless I KNOW I won't fall when it breaks.

There is an issue that you should address: why do you want to do this job?

I have several thoughts:

1. It looks like an adventure, and you pride yourself on doing whatever comes your way. (I'm that way, myself)
2. You think there is good money to be made.
3. Your customer trusts you, and you don't want to disappoint them.

Let me suggest an alternative method: Talk to your customer and convince them that it would be unwise for you to tackle this job. They will respect that.

Let them know that you will take the bids, meet the tree companies, and evaluate the best company to do the work for your customer. This will give you some idea about how the professionals do their bids, and you should get some introductions that will help your landscaping business. There are a lot of services that tree companies don't offer or don't want to do. Trading referrals is a better way to make money than doing jobs you don't have the right equipment for; possibly killing yourself in the process.

Pick a company that you like, perhaps working in a part where you do some of the work for a cut in the bid. (final cleanup, sod repair, log hauling, etc)

Then pass along the information to your customer, perhaps with a fee for your services. They will be delighted that you handled it for them (after all, they TRUST you), you will get to learn more about the tree work, and you should be able to figure some way to make money on the deal as well.

By doing it this way, you will have earned your customers trust, and benefited as well. Taking on a dangerous job like that is a betrayal of their trust, because you know you shouldn't do the job.

 

[southsoundtree]

Find a tree company you can refer it to. Then ask to work on the removal crew for experience.

+1

Try to negotiate a little finders' fee and watch how its done, and/ or work on the crew.

Working will mean you're dragging brush and not really watching.

 

[JTinaTree]

I agree, watch the Pro"s on this one, It would take you a couple of years of experience to even begin to figure out a safe way of doing those trees. Plus it will cost you more to buy the equipment ie... saws, climbing gear, than you will make on attemping this job, not to mention hospital bills because a injury is likely if you dont have chainsaw experiance.. Even if you have used saws on the ground everything changes when you are in a tree with one..

I wish you well with your ambition to learn how to do Tree work , just dont learn on the homeowners time..

 

[Farmer Ferd]

Where are you at in jersey if its not too far I could take a look. I am in moorestown, 08057.

 

[Kingsley]

Doesn't look like Dannys coming back? I like the idea someone mentioned about hiring a pro and helping on the crew. It would be nice to find someone that generous to work with.