Finally some work!

[The Branch Doctor]

This time of year sucks! From Thanksgiving to Christmas is as dead as it gets around here. Thank God that I put a few big removals in the back pocket for just this situation. Anyway, I scheduled a nice crane removal for Friday that will be sweet to say the least. I haven't gotten to do a crane job for months so I'm excited.

This time of year is rough here... anybody else feeling the strain?

[MasterBlaster]

The entire year has been a rough one for treework for everyone, I think. I'll be glad when things get back to normal, whatever that is...

[The Branch Doctor]

I hear ya big shooter. Like I said thank God for "back pocket" jobs.

[top hopper]

I usually keep busy through about now. I still have some work but with our winter weather you really have to pick and choose your days, and it helps the work last longer than it would in the summer months.

Its been a good year, no slower than any other year.

[The Branch Doctor]

It's been a record year for me but between the holidays it's rough as hell!!!!!!!!!!

[PCTREE]

If you think this year was slow wait for next year......IMO the economy is going to get rough for a while..

[Jonseredbred]

Back to School time to the end of January sucks for us, if we dont have a backlog pre sold we are dead in the water.

Right now we have work, but no favorable weather.

[stehansen]

If you think this year was slow wait for next year......IMO the economy is going to get rough for a while..

You may be right. Real slow here.

[Skwerl]

I'm fortunate to be in my current situation. This will probably be my best year ever as far as income, although I haven't worked very hard and everyone I sub for has been slow. My best client is down about $40K-$50K gross from last year.

Once again I'll say that buying the bucket truck and focusing on subcontracting has vastly improved my financial situation. I have almost no overhead and can easily make 2-3 times what any freelance climber can make. No dump fees, no employees, no sales calls, no hauling. I skim the cream off the top. And all these guys who have no work will still call me when they get a decent size job, because I'll put it on the ground quick and make them look good.

[top hopper]

If you think this year was slow wait for next year......IMO the economy is going to get rough for a while..


Everyone said that after 9/11 too.

[top hopper]

Right now we have work, but no favorable weather.


Thats my problem....
I have a fair amount of work. Work that I dont want to do, cuz the weather sucks.

If I had it my way I would completly shut down all winter long and ice fish everyday. As it is now I have no choice but to at least put in 2-3 days a week pretty much all winter long. Im sure I'll see a stretch of a couple weeks off but for the most part keep it going as much as possible.

For me the killer months here are April and the first part of May, probably the slowest months every year.

[stehansen]

Do you just have a hourly rate for the truck and you Skwerl?

[MasterBlaster]

I bet a nickle he does. :drink:

[top hopper]

Im sure its more than fair.....

I know around here a bucket and operator runs about $125 per hour

[Skwerl]

Do you just have a hourly rate for the truck and you Skwerl?

Yes, $75-$90 per hour (depending on the job as well as the client).
$200 minimum
or $500 for a 7-8 hour day

On good days with multiple jobs I'll make 6-8 hundred. I average about $1500-$2000 per week and spend about $500 per month on diesel fuel.

[stehansen]

That actually sounds pretty good. No chipper, just the truck right?

[Skwerl]

Yup, I don't handle brush on the ground. :D

[stehansen]

Are your customers landscapers, tree guys?

[Skwerl]

Yup. The same types of guys who would hire a freelance climber. I have a couple guys that want me to handle the entire job, and I'll do that if I can call in one of my other tree guys to help with the groundwork and hauling. I try to pass on as much work as I can to the guys who use me.

[sotc]

works been good ths year. awesome november. getting slow now but havent missed work for a lack of it

[The Branch Doctor]

Nice gig Brien! I'm looking forward to a couple REALLY big removals I've got in January but nothing too special until then.

[stehansen]

I've been pretty slow here, went without a single call for almost a week till today, had three. I wonder what companies like Grover with 5 crews are doing?

[The Branch Doctor]

The only good thing about this time of year is I can go snowmobiling in the middle of the week instead of working.:D

[sotc]

pics man!

[rumination]

Right now work is waaaay slow for me. It looks like things may not pick up until January :( .

[The Branch Doctor]

pics man!

My damn camera was stolen!:X

[sotc]

bummer! maybe youll get one for christmas!

[The Branch Doctor]

Word!

[Skwerl]

If you want a durable camera, get an Olympus. But their lenses suck. If you want good pictures, get a Canon. I just picked up the Canon Powershot SD750 and the pictures are much better than the two Olympus cameras I had (and lost).

[Stumper]

Plus it is more exciting to shoot things with a Canon.

[Jamin Mayer]

This Fall/Winter has been real well for me.--Unusually well.

I am starting to schedule into Feburary already. It is a catch 22. I have the work, which is great to pay bills, but who wants to work in winter conditions?:big-freeze:

So, the problems I run into this time of year is having the work scheduled, but weather comes in and changes things (like yesterday and today). So, this means I have to re-schedule work to a later date. Well, that may seem like no problem, until I am back-logged 12 customers and more!:slam2:

[JonnyHart]

Talked with my old boss the other day. One of the bigger local tree services is calling back estimates from the spring and summer, and offering 25% off the originally quoted price. Winter rates. Kinda cut-throat way to do business, but I admire him for trying to keep his guys busy. So in turn my old boss is calling his old estimates and offering 10%.

[Jonseredbred]

Thats just smart business Jonny, gotta keep guys around. We call back or send follow up letter's to every estimate. We may not offer 25% off, but we sure call them back.

[Old Monkey]

I had a busy spring and a moderately slow summer, followed by a brisk fall. I have most of this month scheduled and a couple of jobs in the new year. Most of the summer I was only two days out and had to get crafty to fill my days.

If it gets cold enough to snow here, I am golden as it never snows enough to shut down work. Freezing cold rain stinks though.

[stehansen]

We have been calling and offering 10% off also.

[Old Monkey]

In late summer when someone makes faces at a bid I gave them I would write on the sheet 15% after November 1st. That has gotten me a lot of jobs I would have just lost otherwise.

[stehansen]

In late summer when someone makes faces at a bid I gave them I would write on the sheet 15% after November 1st. That has gotten me a lot of jobs I would have just lost otherwise.

That's a good idea.

[Old Monkey]

I have those sometimes.

[stehansen]

Although I can see that you don't like to admit it.:)

[Old Monkey]

I am perhaps the most modest person in the world but am not comfortable with saying so.

[Stumper]

Jamin, A method that works well for me is to give people an estimated interval for the work-"Right now I am about 5 weeks out." I then offer them the option of me calling ahead to set up the specific day or working it in as soon as I have opportunity (this option works assuming there are no dogs, locked gates etc.). By doing things in this fashion I don't get into a situation of having to call a dozen people to postpone or reschedule. If I wake up to rotten conditions I only have one or 2 people to call and adjust scheduling with.

[TC3]

A doctor never wishes for a flu epidemic... a treeworker never wishes for an ice storm... but, hey...it sure wouldn't hurt right now.
:/:

[Paul B]

still charging full price here. the market is good, the weather is so so and the motivation well, is high (baby due in less than 3 months). I have been charging a good rate per hour for work and have been getting most bids. yard prunings, some seasonal cleanups (thank goodness for hired help) and some small tree prunings.

[squisher]

Good going Paul! Charge more in the winter, it's damn cold outside here.:D