Underbidding $&^%%$!!!

[tree md]

Yeah, I fudged that. It was $700 net, after I paid help... Which indeed turned out to be $670 after gas... I don't even want to think about how much I made after my overhead...

Anyway, We did the job in 7 hours. Should have took 5 but I had a new guy that was sucking wind. He had to set down half the day because he was about to pass out from the work and the heat.

Still made close to $100 an hour which isn't too bad. Not my target fee but, like rope said, fair. I ended up not having to block anything. I made a barrier with pine brush to keep the chunks rolling down the steep hill and off the brick ledge onto the house. I would have like to have netted another $200 on that job at least.

Two monster Oaks to do tomorrow... They are already on the ground from the storms. Got a much better price for them!

 

[teamtree]

At the end of the day if someone underbids you it is because they will work for less money. Don't lower yourself to those standards. I just laugh at those who work for peanuts or beer money. We had a guy underbid me and another compay by $800 on a $1500 job. This guy drove 25 miles to the job site every day for 5 days to remove one large Pin Oak. Using conservative estimates I guess he consumed $300 of gas coming and going to the site. So, for $500 he worked 5 days to remove a tree. That is $100 per day before other expenses. So it is probably safe to say he made less than $9 per hour and I am not sure if he paid any help on the job. I never saw anyone else on the job site.

Fast forward 2 months....same customer needs a tree cut out of another and out of her driveway....she calls me and I dropped $3k on her....she fainted....I said get whatshisname to do it.....she tells me she tried but he is out of business.....lol......another guy did the job for $2500.

Remember this it is better not to work than to work for a loss....don't drop your prices....at the end of the day....the only expense that is really different are the expenses that set you apart from the competition.

 

[TreeClimber57]

I hate it when I confuse GROSS with NET. 700 a day before expenses freakn blows. Depending on how many guys you are paying, etc, etc

Well don't do that too often :hmm3grin2orange:

Some of us in here might call you a lowballing scum suckin bottom feeder.. or worse!

 

[TreeClimber57]

..I said get whatshisname to do it.....she tells me she tried but he is out of business..

Hmm.. not sure how much too low he was going on pricing (that one example was about 1/2 price I think ) but caught up with him. You can not work in this business for peanuts and remain sustainable. I don't care who you are, unless you are a drug dealer on the side, won a lottery, have a rich uncle or robbed a bank.. the costs will eventually catch up with you.

Remember this it is better not to work than to work for a loss....don't drop your prices....at the end of the day....the only expense that is really different are the expenses that set you apart from the competition.

Agreed..

 

[mckeetree]

So it is probably safe to say he made less than $9 per hour and I am not sure if he paid any help on the job. I never saw anyone else on the job site.

More like $9 for the whole damn job. I'm just sitting here laughing my ass off.

 

[TreeClimber57]

We had a guy underbid me and another compay by $800 on a $1500 job. This guy drove 25 miles to the job site every day for 5 days to remove one large Pin Oak.

Now not sure what your local rates are, so forgive me for making assumptions here. But based upon what you say the price should have been, this sounds like maybe 1/2 day job for a real tree company with equipment and staff.

Using conservative estimates I guess he consumed $300 of gas coming and going to the site. So, for $500 he worked 5 days to remove a tree. That is $100 per day before other expenses. So it is probably safe to say he made less than $9 per hour and I am not sure if he paid any help on the job. I never saw anyone else on the job site.

Now how or why or who would want to do dangerous, physical labor for $100 per day (before any expenses). If one did that for a whole year; assuming they could find work.. you might end up with what $20-25K in total (course I suspect he pays no gov't taxes or anything on that) -- still .. makes one wonder.

Now not sure if anybody could live on that money anywhere.. certainally could not around here.

Of course -- you did say he was no longer in business. Guess he got smart(er), got worn out, or figured he maybe could make more money in another line of work

 

[roostersgt]

How can some of you complain about being underbid by bubbas when you're on here bragging about making $100+ per hour to drop a friggin tree? Sorry fellas, but your job skills don't rate more than most professionals get and I don't care what kind of equipment or insurance you've got. Try selling that to a HO after charging $500 to drop a tree and chip it, all in under an hour. I know I was appreciative when I had it done, but to get on here and snivel about making more than most professionals do per hour is laughable. Most tree removals can be done by just about anyone with common sense, a pick up and a chainsaw. Rent the boom truck, stump grinder and chipper and you're in business. In many cases, like mine, it was just more convenient to have someone else do it. Some of you really need a reality check.

 

[carveit]

yeah sure, anyone with a pick-up and a chainsaw can do most tree removals eh? thats laughable. In most cases actually IMO, each tree is different and maybe some regular Joes can do it with their pick-up and chainsaw, but not efficiently, safely and economically. Most Tree removals should be handled by a professional arborist. For convenience sake I appreciate your point.

 

[tree md]

LOL, I love it.

I dropped a 90' pine today in two pieces that was in between two houses. Very tight spot. about a 10' wide drop zone between the houses, 30" DBH pine. 2" from a side deck that I had to get above the hand rail on to make my final cut to drop the pole. Tree was too rotten in the top to rig from so I had to go cowboy style on it. Always the risk of personal injury/death when you are dropping 45' of tree from 45' in the air... Not to mention the fact that if I dropped it on the houses on either side I'm out a G deductible on my insurance... Three HO's (homeowners) out in the street taking pics... Gave one of them a bid before I left. The lady next door walked up after she took pics and said your amazing, you make it look so simple...

Was done by noon and counting out a grand. That's $3200 net in 3 days...

Had a 2 beer lunch with my groundy at some upscale joint where I could sit out on the patio and watch my saws and gear... Setting out there with the suits with saw dust coming out of my ears, smiling to myself knowing that I am more than likely bringing home more in a half day than what most of them will make all week... And probably bringing home more than dam near all of them do in a week in 3 days...

Snivel on that ******.

 

[tree md]

And there's your reality check.

 

[roostersgt]

LOL, I love it.

I dropped a 90' pine today in two pieces that was in between two houses. Very tight spot. about a 10' wide drop zone between the houses, 30" DBH pine. 2" from a side deck that I had to get above the hand rail on to make my final cut to drop the pole. Tree was too rotten in the top to rig from so I had to go cowboy style on it. Always the risk of personal injury/death when you are dropping 45' of tree from 45' in the air... Not to mention the fact that if I dropped it on the houses on either side I'm out a G deductible on my insurance... Three HO's (homeowners) out in the street taking pics... Gave one of them a bid before I left. The lady next door walked up after she took pics and said your amazing, you make it look so simple...

Was done by noon and counting out a grand. That's $3200 net in 3 days...

Had a 2 beer lunch with my groundy at some upscale joint where I could sit out on the patio and watch my saws and gear... Setting out there with the suits with saw dust coming out of my ears, smiling to myself knowing that I am more than likely bringing home more in a half day than what most of them will make all week... And probably bringing home more than dam near all of them do in a week in 3 days...

Snivel on that ******.

And you're complaining about Bubba making a measely $100 or so?? That makes me a "******"? Grow up. BTW, I'm retired and pretty well-off by anyone's standards. I promise you wouldn't say that to my face. At least not finshing your sentence with all your teeth.

Read post again, said "most" and boldened it.

 

[ropensaddle]

And there's your reality check.

Brawhahaha I do pretty damn good when I put my suit on bro lol.

 

[tree md]

And you're complaining about Bubba making a measely $100 or so?? That makes me a "******"? Grow up. BTW, I'm retired and pretty well-off by anyone's standards. I promise you wouldn't say that to my face. At least not finshing your sentence with all your teeth.

Read post again, said "most" and boldened it.

I'll guarantee you would NEVER hand me my teeth but that is besides the point. I'm not going to take swings with a keyboard... The point is, WTF are you doing posting in the professional forum??? Get back with the HO's where you belong... And don't try to tell me my worth. I will tell you that and anyone else who wants to make use of my skills and equipment.

 

[ropensaddle]

How can some of you complain about being underbid by bubbas when you're on here bragging about making $100+ per hour to drop a friggin tree? Sorry fellas, but your job skills don't rate more than most professionals get and I don't care what kind of equipment or insurance you've got. Try selling that to a HO after charging $500 to drop a tree and chip it, all in under an hour. I know I was appreciative when I had it done, but to get on here and snivel about making more than most professionals do per hour is laughable. Most tree removals can be done by just about anyone with common sense, a pick up and a chainsaw. Rent the boom truck, stump grinder and chipper and you're in business. In many cases, like mine, it was just more convenient to have someone else do it. Some of you really need a reality check.

Lol now I know why tree md said what he said and your fulla #### here smart ass use your common sense bro and getcha some ok

You pay because we can do it and common sense is paying for me to do it because you cant.

 

[roostersgt]

yeah sure, anyone with a pick-up and a chainsaw can do most tree removals eh? thats laughable. In most cases actually IMO, each tree is different and maybe some regular Joes can do it with their pick-up and chainsaw, but not efficiently, safely and economically. Most Tree removals should be handled by a professional arborist. For convenience sake I appreciate your point.

Most removals do not require an Arborist, they require a competent guy who knows how to use a chainsaw to fell a tree. Most removals in my neighborhood do not threaten anyones home. They are dead 35'-40' trees either in a large front yard or backyard with no obstructions like buildings or power lines. For a "hazardous" removal I'd go with someone specializing in tree removals with maximum insurance etc..., not necessarily an "Arborist". Seems overkill to me and I'm sure most HO's. My understanding of what an Arborist does is they are very knowledgeable in pruning and keeping trees alive, not simply removing them. Seems to me you don't need to know squat about what makes them thrive, best soil etc.... to remove them. You just need cutting smarts, a good saw, some experience and a way to get the tree off the HO's property. I miss something?

 

[roostersgt]

Lol now I know why tree md said what he said and your fulla #### here smart ass use your common sense bro and getcha some ok

You pay because we can do it and common sense is paying for me to do it because you cant.

Yeah, I can see where that would be a common removal for you. Get real! You really think anyone believes that's what you deal with daily? I'm the smart &^$& ???

BTW, i DID PAY A COMPANY $500 TO REMOVE A SMALL TREE FROM BETWEEN MINE AND MY NEIGHBOR'S HOME. I COULD HAVE DONE IT MYSELF HAD I RENTED A BOOM TRUCK. YOU THINK CHUNJKING A TREE AND LOWERING THE PIECES BY ROPE IS "TOUGH"???

 

[ropensaddle]

Lol now I know why tree md said what he said and your fulla #### here smart ass use your common sense bro and getcha some ok

You pay because we can do it and common sense is paying for me to do it because you cant.

 

[ropensaddle]

Btw if ya just have to take a swing don't say I did not warn you but you would likely be tasting my boot leather.

 

[tree md]

What are you, a want to be treeman/troll? Why are you here in a professional tree forum trying to tell us what we should make and that you can do it? And yes we deal with stuff like that on a daily basis. I am currently doing storm damage in Alabama where the trees are in fact much worse than that... As in hung up over houses and on houses, under tension... The bad ones... The kind where you here of old guys like you, who think they can, breaking bones trying to do it every day... This is the pro forum, not the Johhny homemaker want to be forum...

Why am I still talking to you? Maybe I do need a reality check...

 

[roostersgt]

I'll guarantee you would NEVER hand me my teeth but that is besides the point. I'm not going to take swings with a keyboard... The point is, WTF are you doing posting in the professional forum??? Get back with the HO's where you belong... And don't try to tell me my worth. I will tell you that and anyone else who wants to make use of my skills and equipment.

You already did, tough guy. Name calling on a board is pretty stupid and childish. You already went there. You're worth what you can charge, just stop complaining about what others charge and get on with your business. $3200 for 3 days work and you're smug and laughing at others while you dine at an "upscale" restaurant? Yet you complain on this site??? It's viewed by adults as sniveling and whining. I normally hang around the Chainsaw Forum, but got bored and drifted into this forum. FYI, true professionals don't snivel, complain or whine on websites. You might be on the wrong website altogether.