Tree Business

[Turfman33]

Hi,

I want to know how you get into the business of taking down tree's. I own my own Lawn care service and have been asked a couple of times wheather I take down tree's. Of cause the answer is no, but I would like to know how to get into the side of this business. what do I need to know? What courses? ETC.. Any help would be great. Are there any web sights out there on the subject?

Thanks in advance.

Steve

 

[treeclimber165]

Welcome Steve,
Do you have any experience running a chainsaw? Are you proficient with it? If the answer is 'yes', your best bet is to hire a freelance climber to do your climbing for you. That way you can work the ground and watch the climber too.
Besides the climbing (which is an art all it's own), the biggest expense and most time consuming part of treework is getting rid of the debris. I'd suggest starting with just small stuff, try not to take on anything that could get you in trouble.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

A lot of times your proffessional equipment dealer will also sell pro saws. If you have such an established relationship, talk to them about a freelance climber.

Generally, they can run most of the show, do the climbing, tell ya what they need from ground, inform about safety, and best way to get the bulk to road once on the ground. Generally they have been around. Try a few. Unless the climbing really, really inspires and intrigues ya, leave that to them, have your guys available. Some might even have a favorite groundie, who can up the climber's efficiency 30%+, and show ya what harmonized tree work is supposed to look like the first few times. Find out if they have own gear, you might have a few rigging ropes at first, but a climber should want to use equip. and lifeline he knows.

Watch for safety, read some of those posts about tying in 2x when cutting, keeping climbing line tight, not spiking, yelling "clear" etc.

Good Luck

 

[Toddppm]

You said taking down trees? If just removals be prepared to spend alot of upfront money. Most companies seem to specialize in either take downs or trimming and ongoing care. The take down side takes alto more money , big chipper couple big trucks preferably a bucket. You can get by with less on the other side of the biz. Brian has some good advice about hiring a freelance guy, if you really want to learn yourself the best way is to work the ropes and watch a good climber and read evey book available especially The Tree Climbers Companion. If just wanting to add as an extra service to please your clients I'd just find a good sub and tack on some extra, it pays alot better that way and no equipment or employee/insurance nightmares.

 

[o0_TreeMan_0o]

Get a job with a tree service if you want to take trees down. The last thing we need is ANOTHER cut-throat tree service/lawncare with no experience smashing up yards and houses while us and or kids are doing without!

To start a tree service you need insurance, experience, dumptruck, buckettruck, chiptruck, chipper, pick-up, stumpgrinder, ropes, chainsaws, gear, tools and a three person crew. Your trucks will need to be insured and maitenanced. Your yellow page add could cost as much as $500.00 per book per month!

Any dumbass with a lawn mower trailer thinks he can buy a wal-mart chainsaw and start a tree service. Work for a tree service for several years and then MAYBE you might have experience enough to start up and starve! LOL

 

[DDM]

I know of a few Arborists In Orlando That would probably help you out!

 

[SpikedSupra]

hmmm...

Well I feel my post was unfairly removed while Brian's was merely edited so I will just write again....

Welcome to the board Steve! Its great to have you here. Its good to hear of another fellow chap taking advantage of his capitalist right to start or expand business and get a tree service going. Like I said before your best bet is to hire a freelance climber to get your business started on tree work and observe him carefully. Try to learn the things that he does and read books on climbing and tree work. Eventually when you feel like you are ready get yourself a set of ropes and climbing gear, have at it. Once you learn proper climbing techniques you can do the jobs on your own and get a larger return on your jobs. Hiring a groundman for 7-8 an hour would be highly suggested. Getting into treework is does not require a lot of startup capital so its a good investment. Its mostly about taking the time to learn to climb and prune or remove trees correctly than about seed capital. I will be a small portion of your competition in Orlando but I wish you the best of luck mate. I am here to support anyone that wants to take there shot at starting up a business even if they are competition. Man, living in a capitalist country is great!

 

[DDM]

Before you Begin any Type of Tree Removal You need to Obtain Liability insurance. Not landscapers Liability But Commercial tree Removal. If you Drop something thru a House Landscapers Policy probably Wont Cover it!

 

[Turfguytx]

It's nice to see some of you offer some suggestions. It didn't sound like he was trying to concentrate soley on tree work. If he can do some for his customers safely and insured, why not? By the way, alot of dumbasses with chainsaws think they know everything about lawns, but don't. I've seen tree guys tear up and damage things too. Thanks again to you supportive guys.

Bryan

 

[Acer]

Re: hmmm...

Originally posted by SpikedSupra
. Getting into treework is does not require a lot of startup capital so its a good investment.

That depends on what you think is "a lot":-

PPE £250
026 saw £375
020T saw £450
spikes £200
Rope/lanyards £100
Harness £150
Lowering line £100
Rigging blocks/pulleys £200
Portawrap lowering device £100
Various polesaws/handsaws £100

Total £2025 or $3205 at today's rates. To me, that's a large outlay.

This is a basic kit to deal with small to medium sized work. You'll need ground crew - if you employ 1 person who'll be using a chainsaw, then double the PPE cost. Expect to replace PPE every few years, ropes may have an even shorter life - that's if they don't get wrecked by accident beforehand. And we haven't even begun to talk about chippers and the like!

Sorry to sound discouraging, but that's honest truth as I see it. The gear costs money, but you need to be equipped properly, or you soon come unstuck. "Low & slow" seems to be the saying of the day, and don't be afraid to turn down the bigger stuff if it's out of your league. Good luck.

Man, living in a capitalist country is great!

I take it you've never been to Britain, then!

 

[MidwestTree]

Steve,

I just started in the business and I suggest that you read anything that you can get your hands on and take it slow at first. Be smart enough to walk away from anything that you can't handle. And if your business intimidates tree service companies in South Carolina then you should be proud of yourself. I would help you out if you were down the road. I provide a quality service and a fair price. The list of equipment you need does not have to be a mile long. A true businessman understand that you must seperate your wants from your needs. If you can keep up with the demand with a trailer and a truck then thats all you need. Some believe that you need the equipment for show but at the end of the day I have the tree down also and I have not worked for the bank (interest) but for myself. Hang in there.

Dana

 

[CJ-7]

Turfman,
Good luck in your business.

 

[SpikedSupra]

Capital

Well when I said that starting a tree service does not require a lot of capital I meant in comparison to all types of business startups. For the returns you can make doing tree work 3-4k is not very much startup capital needed. Most businesses require much more capital startup and you can expect to show a loss for your first 2 to 3 years. With tree work you can show a profit much more quickly(obviously based on how efficiently you run the biz) but it is easier than a lot of business ventures.

Acer,
Never been to Britain your right! Tell me what is it thats great over there? I have heard good things and my father has gone there on vacation a couple times and he says its nice.

 

[Jumper]

Re: hmmm...

Man, living in a capitalist country is great!

Gather you have not been to the Great White North either. This place is run by a senile old dictator who thinks he is the best thing since sliced bread!

 

[SpikedSupra]

Been there once!

Jumper,
I have actually been to Canada once! It was for a short skiing vacation a few years back. I went to Banff, Alberta. Those who arent familiar with the Canadian provinces its located just north of Montana. It was a beautiful place and it had the best restaurant I have ever eaten at...it was called Mellissa's Steakhouse....the best breakfastfood and dinner I have ever had.
Is it a chain in Canada that you know of? Anyway, somebody should tell Jean Chrétien that sliced bread is old hat. If he really wants to be the man he needs to be all that and a bag of chips!

 

[Newfie]

The US is in the same boat as UK and Canada. There are actually very few vestiges of real capitalism left in the US. Real capitalist countries don't typically spend themselves trillions into debt on social welfare programs(not judging,just stating). Capitalism died with the labor unions and the depression, LBJ stuck a marker on the grave. I believe what we have is creeping(creepy) socialism.