Winter Months

[huskycandoit]

I was just wondering for people who live in the eastern part of the the U.S. Because we got a few more jobs quicker in the winter than in the summer. It just last Sunday we were taking down a nice sized Sugar Maple and we got 2 more jobs out of it. And by the we dont advertize. How much work do you get in the winter months?

 

[tnttreeman]

if it ever stops raining here, hopefully we'll have some . i live just north of pittsburgh and we work mainly in the north hills. this is the first year i've advertised during the winter. we are normally so busy with firewood that we don't have time for tree work. this warm weather and rain is putting a damper on the firewood business as of late, so it's back to the tree work. if the phone starts ringing........

 

[NickfromWI]

In WI, it's better to do treework in the winter. You can drive trucks on lawns, you don't have to haul heavy foliage around the yard, you can see the branches easier than if the tree was full of leaves, you can drop heavy wood on lawns without worrying about damage to the lawn and the daffodils, and for those lake houses you can drive bucket trucks right up to them when the lake freezes over!

Now if only the clients realized this.

love
nick

 

[monkeypuzzle]

Now that I know what winter really is( I've been living in Montana for the last two months) I feel for my cold climate tree bizz bros. Back home in North Fla. work stops around lunch time Christmas eve and starts back up a day or two after New Years day. For me anyway.

I have seen NO tree/landscape type work going on here since I got here in November.

 

[NickfromWI]

Where I'm from, one of the things I use to decide if a company is "good" is if they can keep all their employees working for the whole year. Maybe a long xmas break is okay, but some people close up shop for months at a time. I wouldn't be able to live like that. I know we make more in the summer, but still, not enough to pay all the bills all winter, too!

love
nick

 

[Can-Do-It]

Our winter here starts about Dec. and ends sometime around March. That is if you call it winter. For the last two weeks we been in the high 60's to low 70's. Three weeks ago we had a mild ice storm. Lasted one day.

Back to topic .... ours has slowed. But what is funny is that the calls I'm getting is for large jobs, 5000.00 and up.


The Lord does provide

 

[BranchWalker74]

Like the others said the phines stop ringing in December, for tree work. That is why I have snow plow contracts. Every one needs to eat.

 

[alanarbor]

The work is there, but you have to chase it in the winter. So far we're keeping 12 guys busy close to full time, but it's a struggle for every dime.

 

[OutOnaLimb]

Here in Colorado the days are either brutally cold and snowy, or they are beautiful. I have a gig plowing snow and sell some fire wood. I also make log furnature in my garage which keeps me busy. I would much rather be climbing, but ya gotta do whatcha gotta do. Winter usually means that I gotta drive an hour or so to Denver and work up there even though I live in Colorado Springs. Last year things didnt pick up here untill about March.

Kenn

 

[monkeypuzzle]

I have been driving a snow shovel for the last few weeks here in Great Falls without pay.

 

[SteveBullman]

must suck for you guys....its opposite over here, our busy time is generally in the winter

 

[jkrueger]

It was financialy crazy last winter, so my partner and I promised we would look at tree pruning in the winter as an extended piece of the the trees we worked on in the green season. It helped to give some momentum to the work consistency.

And I was given a great gift. I was asked by an organization in charge of a 250 acer site that was designed by the Olmstead Bros, of the NYC Central Park Olmstead design to be a solo arborist to assist in restoring the design. It had been badly maintained for over 30 years. It is a long, more than 10 year project. They want it to be known as an important Arboritum. I'm humble and acknowledged at the same time on this.

I'm honored to be chosen, and the winter will now be active as the smmer. And I'm still an indy climber, esthetic, arborist. I wasn't after the money or push of biz, I wanted to be able to fully realize my passion with trees. More and more people are wanting that over big tree company sells. We are speaking of pruning here along with tree health car. Guy has been an inspiration, where is he? Have not seen or heard from him in a couple of months.

Follow your passion and not the world,
Jack

 

[MasterBlaster]

Hey Jack, congrats, that sounds like a good gig.

 

[huskycandoit]

Ya, I like working in winter a little better than in summer because its cool but once you get moving your compfortable. And the ground is pretty frozen so you can drive your trucks closer to the site. And hats off to you jkrueger.

 

[DDM]

Winter ? Where? it's been 70Deg + here for the past 2 weeks.

 

[Jumper]

Winter ? Where it's been 70Deg + here for the past 2 weeks.

The clean up on winter jobs always went quicker as there was no way you can get all the chips and smaller branches out of the snow. Our Work Orders/Estimates always made it very clear that we would make every effort to clean up after the job, but come spring there would be some stuff left on the ground. First company I worked for kept pretty busy with condo pruning jobs, about three days a week. As for temps, I can dress for the cold but when the humidex climbs above 110F as it did in 2002 I wish it was winter. Company Four did a lot of plowing in the winter, which can be financially draining if you have an Ottawa winter with a lot of snow (when the contracts are paid not by the visit, but when it snows more than a given amount)

 

[jkrueger]

Hey Jack, congrats, that sounds like a good gig.

Thanks MB, yes it as a dream come true. And a little scarry. All big trees, and one of the first ones a honey locust with 4 inch spines as high as I can see. Sheet metal perhaps, hugh.

Jack

 

[TREETX]

It was a nice 80F here in TX. I could work in that. Snow is a bummer to work in. A blast to play in.

I couldn't imagine working 12 months a year.

 

[a_lopa]

wait till your out on your own again nathan,itll be a reality real fast

 

[TREETX]

I'm enjoying my break from running a company. I remember the headaches of running a company too well. I remember the rewards as well. My hired gun days are limited........