Norwayclimber
ArboristSite Operative
But it usually is more fun!
What are you guys doing per day??
- Thread starter alpineman
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But it usually is more fun!
Im in SE MO I work full time for a power comp as a lineman and own a tree serv on the side my goal is 100dollers per hour for me I have one guy that I work with I pay him well and the better I do the better he does. All climb work nice dump trailer nice 1 ton flat bed more saws than anybody needs skidsteer with grapple witch really gets jobs done faster and is a great investment faster means more money per hour I loaded and unloaded a lot of trees buy hand before I saved enough money to buy a dump tra same about the skid steer and grapple. I am saving for a bucket now and will not buy it till I have the cash. I dont have equipment payments so when its slow Its not that bad on me theres a local tree service that has 3 buckets they r new dump trucks skidsteers and graples and is having hard times because work is slow hes a nice guy and is bidding work dirt cheap right now because his payments r still coming in. I bid a job in st louis and a comp with a crane bid it cheaper than me and I thought I was on the low side but there r cranes sitting every where right now and a little money is better than no money when you got big payments some r hacks but some r men who would rather work for less then wait for the check to come to them I can respect that for those guys making 3000 a day thats great im glad for them I hope every arb on here can make that kind of money but the cust in my area would be affended if you pulled that kind of money in one day here and word travels fast in a small town. IMO looking at the future you dont make money on the homeruns you make it on the doubles and singles that keep calling you back every couple of years or when the wind blows and dont even get bids they just say do what needs done send me a bill because they know you are going to be fair.
ducaticorse
Addicted to ArboristSite
Guys and gals, it all comes down to how you manage your business. PERIOD. If you are doing the best you can and are coming out with less than what you can live on comfortably, then either the area you're working in is so poorly depressed that no matter how brilliant you are you can't make it, or you shouldn't be running your own shop.
I'll eat my gun if I have a crane, multiple chip trucks, loaders, and chippers, and at the end of the year net 38 grand. I made more than that last year with a one ton, a bandit 150, and a climber.
Market, how you sell yourself, the product you produce, the people on your crew producing the product, and managing your financials in a dogged manner is what it is all about.
I agree that some of us are working in depressed areas, and that sucks. My area isn't, and the money is there. Two buckets, 2 chip trucks, 1 Log loader, a 140" crane, two good crews, and proper advertising is all that is needed in my parts to make the money I described above. Believe it or don't, doesn't matter to me one bit.
You can be the best producer (climber, crane operator, bucket guy) on earth in your line of work and it doesn't matter squat when related to running a succesful business, and in the end, that's what it's going to come down to. Buy it or not, flame me or don't, doesn't matter to me. I'm in this biz to make money, and have a good quality life, I'm not doing it for my health, or because I like coming home wreaking like 2-stroke, with pockets full of sawdust. And I'm certainly not doing it because it's all I know.
I'll eat my gun if I have a crane, multiple chip trucks, loaders, and chippers, and at the end of the year net 38 grand. I made more than that last year with a one ton, a bandit 150, and a climber.
Market, how you sell yourself, the product you produce, the people on your crew producing the product, and managing your financials in a dogged manner is what it is all about.
I agree that some of us are working in depressed areas, and that sucks. My area isn't, and the money is there. Two buckets, 2 chip trucks, 1 Log loader, a 140" crane, two good crews, and proper advertising is all that is needed in my parts to make the money I described above. Believe it or don't, doesn't matter to me one bit.
You can be the best producer (climber, crane operator, bucket guy) on earth in your line of work and it doesn't matter squat when related to running a succesful business, and in the end, that's what it's going to come down to. Buy it or not, flame me or don't, doesn't matter to me. I'm in this biz to make money, and have a good quality life, I'm not doing it for my health, or because I like coming home wreaking like 2-stroke, with pockets full of sawdust. And I'm certainly not doing it because it's all I know.
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wheelloader123
ArboristSite Operative
I'm curious guys. Speaking of "net" incomes, how many of you have worker's comp, disability, health, and life insurance that you pay for with your businesses? How many of you are the only/primary "breadwinner" for your home? Married, single? Kids, no kids? Just curious as to how our "true" financial responsibilities compare when we talk about the money we make.
ducaticorse
Addicted to ArboristSite
I am not married, have no kids, carry liability and workman's comp. My equipment is insured with comprehensive. I'll be the first to admit that if I had a kid, or a wife to support, there would be no way I could pull off what I do in the time frame that I have. Would I be interested in starting a tree business from the ground up if I was? Probably not. Does having children and a wife effect how a business shouldbe run? It shouldn't as far as I am concerned, but thats coming from a guy who has neither..
TreeClimber57
Addicted to ArboristSite
I have wife, and 3 kids (pretty much grown up now).
$10M liability insurance, Workers Comp, Disability, (health is a bit different in Canada so hard to compare - it is funded through our payroll taxes - and if payroll is over $400K then it goes up on a scale - starts out at 0.04%). I am only breadwinner.
I wish that everybody in tree business had same overhead and same responsibilities though.. would make a more level field and get rid of some of the lowballing scum (maybe).
TreeClimber57
Addicted to ArboristSite
And I paid half of my daughters university cost (6 years) (she has Masters in Human Nutrition), and half my older sons college (2 years).
And I got no money left for me
sgreanbeans
Treeaculterologist
And I paid half of my daughters university cost (6 years) (she has Masters in Human Nutrition), and half my older sons college (2 years).
And I got no money left for me
I hear ya! Seems the more I make, the less I keep! 10 years ago, I could get by with a few hundred for stuff under the tree. Now, with the boys. Hot Wheels and Tonkas dont cut it! I-Phones and PS3 are the needs today! Little box, big price!
alpineman
ArboristSite Member
My wife stays home with our two kids, so my business is the only income coming in. Our business pays for work. comp., liability ins., health ins, life ins. and the rest. Per your previous post, I wouldn't even be in this business if I couldn't even net 50-60K plus each year. ITS NOT WORTH THE HEALTH RISK!
I don't think we should go around sharing our net incomes on this site, but it is a very valid point. I do see a lot of tree guys driving around in crappy looking trucks, but I also see many who are smart business men doing it well!! This economic downturn is weeding out the business owners who really don't know how to run a business. They just need to go get a job. Being a good climber doesn't mean you can run or should run a business. The people who are innovative and thinking ahead are the ones who are doing well.
ducaticorse
Addicted to ArboristSite
####in-a-right doggy! Well said... Finally for god's sake..... I've been saying this too. You can climb the #### outta the most wicked tree, doesn't mean you know DIK about running a profitable business.......
wheelloader123
ArboristSite Operative
Let's "mix it up" a bit
Well, speaking of "running a business"- how many of you operate your business debt free? If not, is most of your debt for equipment or property/buildings? Do you have a sizable "rainy day fund" or do you depend on a line of credit to see you through the difficult times?
Well, speaking of "running a business"- how many of you operate your business debt free? If not, is most of your debt for equipment or property/buildings? Do you have a sizable "rainy day fund" or do you depend on a line of credit to see you through the difficult times?
ducaticorse
Addicted to ArboristSite
I own outright all my equip. I have no rainy day fund, (makes things interesting every once and a while) I have no line of credit, as I have a relatively new business.. I'm buliding my company right now, everything goes back into it, EVERYTHING. If I projected #### would get hairy to a point where I needed a rainy day fund here, I'd go back to the daily grind. Just took on a 3-day $8K contract with a large condo complex. Not worried considering this is the "slow" season... Anybody want pictures, and a notarized contract?
wheelloader123
ArboristSite Operative
Ducaticorse,
Exactly how long have you been in this business? If I may ask.
Exactly how long have you been in this business? If I may ask.
ducaticorse
Addicted to ArboristSite
Started my own shop in August of 2010. Flame suit on... Been running multi-million dollar profitable businesses for 10 years. You wanna see my resume?
wheelloader123
ArboristSite Operative
No, I was just a little curious. So you're where pushing 40 or somewhere close I guess?
ducaticorse
Addicted to ArboristSite
-10
Joined the Army at 17 with a parental waiver. Transfered to reserves @ 20yo (3year hitch for combat arms 1st ID INFANTRY HOOOAAHHHHHH!!!!) Worked in restaraunts while I went to school, Edwards AFB for crash rescue, and then NH/FT Leanord Wood for DSS during my 4 year reserves, while going to Salem State (entrepreneurial business). Went to management quickly, and worked upper level management for 2.5 years before I pieced out, and started the "tree biz"......
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ducaticorse
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'm also a Leo, enjoy walks on the beach at dusk, (runs at dawn), and prefer sugar to sweet & low.
ducaticorse
Addicted to ArboristSite
What loader is that in your avatar? I want one.....
I operate debt free my equip is old but painted to match so it looks clean. I dont know what you consider sizable but I have a 401k and a roth also a college fund for each of my kids at edward jones so it wont cost me anything for them to go 4 years. I also try to keep around 10 thousand in a savings acount for rainy day stuff. To make this happen I work full time for a power comp as a lineman and have been runing a small tree biz since 99. I mainly build and repair power lines but we also do alot of our own triming. This keeps me working alot but I still manage to make all sporting events and take vactions.
