Rent a Bucket Truck or Hire the Job Out?

[Missel]

I have several large cottonwood trees in my backyard that I'd like to remove completely and a few I'd like to take some height off. They are just shi**y trees that drop large branches once in awhile and I get nervous when the kids are playing out back. They are approximately 100' tall and 3+' in diameter. I got a quote for $15k which seems quite high to me. I've cut down a large maple before from an 85' bucket truck and am considering that option but would rather hire this one out but I just cannot afford $15k! Looking from some feedback on the feasibility of doing this myself or recommendations on a company/individual in the area (Rochester, NY) who would do the work at a more reasonable price. Thanks!

 

[jefflovstrom]

Dude, that is $65 per man hour with a five man crew for five day's, you are stupid if you think you can do better than that,
besides, what knowledge do you have in this industry to question compensation?
I would bid it twice that because because of your attitude, sorry, no offense intended,
Jeff

 

[crotchclimber]

$15K sounds about right for all those trees; you might be able to find a company do do it for a couple thousand less but you didn't say what the most you were willing to pay is. You had better be very experienced at tree work and have an experienced helper if you are going to take this on yourself.

 

[Missel]

Dude, that is $65 per man hour with a five man crew for five day's, you are stupid if you think you can do better than that,
besides, what knowledge do you have in this industry to question compensation?
I would bid it twice that because because of your attitude, sorry, no offense intended,
Jeff

It was quoted as a single day job with a 5 man crew so that would total $375 per man hour! Where did you get a 5 day job from? Also not sure what attitude you are referring to...I joined the forum to get honest opinions from professionals not to argue with someone across the country about basic math

 

[jefflovstrom]

It was quoted as a single day job with a 5 man crew so that would total $375 per man hour! Where did you get a 5 day job from? Also not sure what attitude you are referring to...I joined the forum to get honest opinions from professionals not to argue with someone across the country about basic math

Do you believe that is a one day job?
Jeff

 

[david1332]

Definitely not a one day job , thats a lot of wood to move and a lot of heavy pieces to rig down .

A lot of things factor into pricing for these big jobs. Equipment access, disposal prices, obstacles, price of living, etc.

Not to mention that removing 100' tall 3' wide trees is no fun and not easy .

How many trees are there total?

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

It was quoted as a single day job with a 5 man crew so that would total $375 per man hour! Where did you get a 5 day job from? Also not sure what attitude you are referring to...I joined the forum to get honest opinions from professionals not to argue with someone across the country about basic math

Who is saying it's a 5 day job?

 

[rarefish383]

Get a price for the pro to put them on the ground and you do the clean up. There's a bunch of man hours in the clean up. Get a dumpster dropped off. Around here you can get a big dumpster for about $350 loaded with yard waste, Joe.

 

[Missel]

Get a price for the pro to put them on the ground and you do the clean up. There's a bunch of man hours in the clean up. Get a dumpster dropped off. Around here you can get a big dumpster for about $350 loaded with yard waste, Joe.

That's a good idea rarefish. My town will take the wood away once I get it to the curb so that's not a problem. How much do you think the price would drop? 50% or so? Thanks

 

[661Joe]

A lot of work there. Also something to think about is how much time you will have to put in it to get 3' wood to the curb... and cottonwood is very heavy it's just so wet.. that's a task for sure. Good luck

 

[david1332]

Depends on

That's a good idea rarefish. My town will take the wood away once I get it to the curb so that's not a problem. How much do you think the price would drop? 50% or so? Thanks

it really depends on the company. If the company has a lot of machinery to move the wood then not that much . If they're a smaller outfit with less equipment then it will drop more.
But I highly doubt in either case it would be near 50%since they'll still have to handle all the wood since you can't just pile it up in the drop zone.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Who is saying it's a 5 day job?

I did, why?
Jeff

 

[KenJax Tree]

What's going on Jeffrey? Still a bully i see

 

[Mustang71]

Not sure how many trees u have but I live about halfway between buffalo and Rochester. About 7 years ago when my grandma was still alive she paid around 2 grand to have a willow removed that was 3 feet in diameter. They removed all the debris except for the wood chips from the stump grinding.

My parents neighbor had some "tree service" take some of theirs down and there was a lot of close calls and we were over there helping... it was cheap...

How much work do you want to do? If it were me I'd find someone who could cut them down for me and I'd do the rest assuming it was a lot cheaper that way. I also heat with wood so that helps my motivation.

 

[rarefish383]

There is an old saying, " You can have it done fast, you can have it done cheap, and you can have it done safe, but not all 3. Quality, safe work cost more than sloppy fast work. I can't see what's in the near side of the pic? Your house? If it's 100 yards to any structure you maybe able to open a hole and then drop everything. But I can't see that far from where I live. By looking at the picture I don't know which trees come down, a bunch look like leaners that will take skill and rigging. If the estimate said it was a 1 day job, that sounds a bit pricey, so call 2 more guys and see how far apart they are. One of the biggest mistakes I ever made was not walking all the way down in a yard, and giving a price, standing on the back porch. Then show up to do the job and the tree was twice as big as it looked. I couldn't begin to guess if it's a good or bad deal from MD. My best advice is get a second opinion, and tell them, "just get it on the ground and I'll clean it up". But, when you do that, you will more than likely have a giant crisscrossed pile of brush and wood. They won't be able to stack the brush here and the wood there. That's just as much, or more, work for them as doing the job as they go with a plan, Joe.

 

[mckeetree]

Cheap or broke people just need to leave their trees alone.

 

[no tree to big]

5 grand and I'll bring a couple guys and make the biggest mess you can imagine back there. I'll put em all on the ground log length no cleanup.

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[JTM]

I had a climber come out and cut all the limbs from the trunk off two huge catalpa trees. I handled the wood. Took the guy about two hours if that. Took me two days to move that tangled mess using a chainsaw and a tractor. Would have gladly paid the extra for his crew to deal with it.

 

[Big Natey]

All I'm saying is that is a **** load of brush to hand load into a dumpster. Putting it on the ground is the fun part, getting it out of your yard is where the work begins.

 

[no tree to big]

Stop telling him that I want to go have some funnn. He could go rent a 6" chipper and over a weekend chip all the small stuff. Or better yet rent a slightly biggrr chipper be on site with a couple Buddies while we cut they can run it all through a chipper as we go. It looks like all those trees were topped years ago, all the regrowth looks like easy peasy chippable material. Blow the tops out throw the climber a bottle of water let them chip for a few mins then start loggin!
It'll look like a mine field when we're done but nothing a couple wheelbarrows of dirt won't fix. Dirt is cheap.
Come on Missel I've never been to NY b4 I'm down for a road trip!

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