why do some tree companies pay by the hour?

[kf_tree]

Because we worked together, with me coming down and helping chip when the brush got too much, we got it done in 5 hour.

your a better man than i.......i can't believe someone would come out of a tree to chip then go back up. even on removals that take 6-7 hours i won't come down. i just hate the thought of going up again so i'd rather stay there and get it done. but then again i have 4 guys cleaning up after me.

 

[a_lopa]

people know when there being ripped,it dont last long.the only person on a set rate with me is the groundies.i dont beleive in hiring in a gun for bits and peices look after them and have them there permanent.

 

[Thor's Hammer]

Totaly agree Lopa, Getting in a superstar climber on big bucks is a quick way of pissing off the groundies...

 

[MasterBlaster]

It all has to do with supply and demand in your area. Around here, there ain't too many crackerjack climbers.

 

[Thor's Hammer]

Reckon I should make the move to Bayou Country?

 

[MasterBlaster]

No, no, then, I would hafta kill ya.

:angel:

 

[Stumper]

No one has mentioned: Percentage of gross with a minimum daily rate guaranteed. There is incentive for production and a promise that your behind won't be badly scorched.

 

[Jim1NZ]

your a better man than i.......i can't believe someone would come out of a tree to chip then go back up. even on removals that take 6-7 hours i won't come down. i just hate the thought of going up again so i'd rather stay there and get it done. but then again i have 4 guys cleaning up after me.

Yea mate i must say i would have rather stayed up there, and going up and down 3 times to help chip pin oak does test the patience. The boss didn't say thanks, kiss my ass or nothing either.

On the extra rewards side of things, i worked for a mate in Aussie who's pay was good and at the end of the day, he shouted as much piss as i could drink. On Friday of coarse, il be back to work for him!

 

[Ekka]

The problem I have with a percentage bonus etc is that it's not the crew who quoted the job.

If the person quoting the job is short of cash, desperate, inexperienced, swayed by the miniskirt with big bazookas in a tank top and quotes too cheap then why should the crew be caned if the job takes too long or miss out on a bonus?

On the other hand, if the person who quoted has extremely good marketing and sales skill, gets good money for the jobs, why should he hand that over as a bonus when he knows it was a walk in the park regardless of how hopeless the crew is?

Being fair and reasonable is what this is all about. Salaried positions more often than not will lead to exploitation of the worker, followed by day rate.

The key to this I've found is having a well jelled crew, they respect each other and the role they have and work together as a team. If the groundy wants to get climbers pay ... no worries, just do what he does as good as he does it.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

It sound like KF is getting paid what he thinks is a full days pay, for 5 or 6 hours. If this is happening regularly, then then he should divide his days pay by 5 or 6 hours to figure out what he's making an hour. I guarantee that's what the salesman is doing.
The salesman knows KF will have the job done in that time, if not, he's not to smart.
The problem I see is KF's not getting 8 hour days, he could be making 2 or 3 hours more pay each day. Unless you're salaried, who want's to go home at 1:00?

 

[kf_tree]

No one has mentioned: Percentage of gross with a minimum daily rate guaranteed. There is incentive for production and a promise that your behind won't be badly scorched.

we do that on occaision.......but with one boss not the other. if we get our day done and pick up a job while were out sometimes he will split that job with the crew.

i once had a score of a day i put 4000.00 on the ground by 10.00am then i picked up a 1500.00 around the block and put that on the ground. i called the boss and asked if he wanted us to do the job.
he said if it all gets on the truck tell the crew i'll double their pay for the day.


last year working for the other boss i put 6000.00 on the ground in one day because i looked at and sold a 2800.00 job in addition to our regular work. well the boss gave me an extra 100.00 so now i just hand out a card and say call the office. i will no longer price jobs when i'm out in the field.

 

[tophopper]

I dont like hourly as a sub. Too many 1/2 -2/3 days. As a climber, I charge daily( 8 hour minimum), plus additional o.t. fees for anything over 8 hours. I like shorter days but it just aint worth my time unless Im guaranteed a FULL days pay. Sometimes I still get the full pay and only work the 1/2 or 2/3 day. That is always sweet!

 

[darkstar]

i pay better than anyone in my city ,,,ive learned one thing however my crew expects super pay even when they slack .... no rt. .....dark

 

[Thor's Hammer]

No, no, then, I would hafta kill ya.

:angel:

Ahaa...
thats why there aint no other cracking climbers in bayou country...

 

[kf_tree]

It sound like KF is getting paid what he thinks is a full days pay, for 5 or 6 hours. If this is happening regularly, then then he should divide his days pay by 5 or 6 hours to figure out what he's making an hour. I guarantee that's what the salesman is doing.
The salesman knows KF will have the job done in that time, if not, he's not to smart.
The problem I see is KF's not getting 8 hour days, he could be making 2 or 3 hours more pay each day. Unless you're salaried, who want's to go home at 1:00?

the thing is this mike.......the 1:00 days are geat. but there are plenty of days where i'm out cutting til 6:00. to me tree work is all about taking the good with the bad. if my average day ended at 5:00 i'd still be perfectly happy with my day rate. i do what ever i can to get my day over quickly. i get to the yard 45min early to sharpen all the saw's , i pick up saw gas on my way in, etc . i don't stop for lunch.....if i'm hungry i'll eat while driving on my way to the next job.

for me i love doing the day rate thing.....i feel i'm my own boss in a way, the time it takes is my call.

as a business owner paying by the hour......how do you set jobs up? if you set up five jobs for the day and they get done by 2:00 do you send the guys home with 3/4 day pay or do you start to scramble to line up another job? or do you over book your days so the crew could never really finish.

i'm really surprised by the replys to this thread,,,,,,,,very interesting, watson

 

[Old Monkey]

I started out as a day groundie. Some good climbers would name request me and I would run the ropes and work ground for them. I keyed on the climber because he's the guy who's gonna get the job done. I got payed $250/day no matter how long or short. I had been working as a wildland firefighter before, so anything shorter than a 36 hour shift was easy for me. When I started to climb I got payed $300-350/day. which was awesome. As I got payed more I got called less for little jobs. I never said I will only work for this amount, my occasional boss set the price. I've talked to other day climbers and they experienced the same thing, they hardly ever get called for trims, just big ugly wrecks and when times are slow they don't get called at all. Now I am a company man and I get paid 16/hr. It might seem like a big decrease but now I work all year around and am sheltered from the slow times. This is a big plus when times are slow. I work hard as an hourly employee because I know that if I want to make more money in the future, the company has to make more money.

 

[a_lopa]

does anyone climb/work for no set rate?just what the boss thinks is fair?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

as a business owner paying by the hour......how do you set jobs up? if you set up five jobs for the day and they get done by 2:00 do you send the guys home with 3/4 day pay or do you start to scramble to line up another job? or do you over book your days so the crew could never really finish.

Well, it's the same as your situation, some days are long and some are short. If your salesman is worth a dang, he can bid within a half hour or so on a days work.
I don't see anything wrong with starting the next job, even if you can't finish it. Then you can spot the trucks and be ready to go tomorrow, thereby filling out the day.

What I hate is the jobs sold by the day or half day (hourly). I'll show up and see 3 hours work and told to make it take all day. Then the homeowner watches out the window all day. The boss says they've agreed to spend a days pay, and we're not leaving until we spend it.

 

[MasterBlaster]

does anyone climb/work for no set rate?just what the boss thinks is fair?

Hahaha! No fricking way, Jose!!!

 

[Stumper]

Mike, Dumb Boss. He ought to say "Get it done. Do it well" Then if it was bid for twice as long as it took he can go to the homeowner and say, "This all went really smoothly and quickly. Let's knock $50(or whatever) off of your bill." Instead of paying the crew for useless hours and looking lazy and/or incompetent to the whole neighborhood he'll make more money and be a hero to the customers who will tell their friends how great and reasonable the service from XYZ Tree was-"They even discounted the original bid 'cause they said the job went well for them!"