I have to pay simple ground labor 30-35 to get any interest. Thats not a rigging/rope man’s earnings. That’s the most basic task for tree work. Turn your brain, if you have one, off, drag brush, and don’t fall in the chipper. $35 per hour! For entry level work. Let that sink in folks… Sometimes I don’t make that if I miss on the quote I’m sure Scotty Overkill has been there a time or two…
Sounds like a reasonable price to me. You want the tree guy to roll in with all his equipment and crew? Get your check book out.
If you haven't worked in the industry you have no idea of the overhead. As I said liability insurance, payroll taxes, break downs and just finding people that will show up and actually work are all a nightmare. It can be done but it was far too big of a headache for me to deal with after over 20 years.
Or get them to show up sober. I quit once and came back to it again years later. I love climbing trees and it got to where all I was doing was putting out little fires everywhere everyday. Now I mostly work by myself for a carefully cultivated clientele… I get to climb trees and work for people I care about and who care for me as well. None of this low bidder wins bulls@&t. That keeps the overhead low but even then it’s difficult to make a decent living.
Thats how i work on the side. I often just tell people to give me what they think it worth to them. That works out well for me. (I'd rather give my services to someone in need than give someone a price and have them try to beat me down.)
I do the same. I had an elderly gentleman call me for some work last year. Real nice guy I’ve done work for a few times. His wife would always make me take a break and have a cup of coffee and feed me about a dozen home made cookies… Anyway I show up to do the work he asked me to do and ask how the wife is. Well she just passed two weeks prior guess who didn’t receive a bill after I did all the work.
In time I think we all find our niche In time I think we all find our niche. The important thing is that you can blend what you like to do and get paid for it. Being away from it for the last few years has been an adjustment but a welcomed one. I don't have to run myself into the ground anymore but still do from time to time just to see if I still can...lol. Good luck and Godspeed to everyone in the tree care industry. I wish all my brothers the best.
I know some Asplundh guys and they told me about drug use on the way to job sites. It’s a miracle more are not killed or injured everyday. Also have known other drug addicted tree guys. There is a high probability one or many on the crew are high. It’s a quick cash, high stress, labor intensive, risk taking industry that unfortunately attracts or creates substance abuse.
It’s there for sure, but I don’t think it’s any worse than the other labor trades like construction. Your always going to have fellers who have fallen through the cracks into that day labor group. Sadly much of that crowd is there because of drugs. The trick is to not have to use labor from that pool. It’s harder when the work is physically difficult like tree work. It’s usually pretty easy to spot the burn outs, but every once and a while one will sneak through. That’s a big part of why I work alone anymore. Plus workmans comp. is the highest in the country for Tree care. Consistently top three most dangerous job.
I have a lot of empathy for guys trying to make a go of it in labor-intensive small businesses. That's what my dad did growing up, and there were lots of years his employees brought home more than he did. Like lots of you guys upthread, he eventually ended up working alone. Sometimes I try to get business ventures to pencil out, and as far as I can tell there are whole segments of the economy that only work at their given price because of shortcuts. They're using illegal labor, or legacy businesses sunk a bunch of costs decades ago, or the owner is on his wife's health insurance and doesn't offer employees any benefits, or there's no retirement plan beyond "the business." None of them really work as a stand-alone startup. Doubley so if you want to offer any employees benefits or the owner has a retirement plan. That's a long way of saying "kudos" to you guys who make it work. Part of me would love to have my own business, but I'm not going to do it until I can find something where I can have some pricing power to make a sustainable business plan without shortcuts.
What kinda drugs are we talking about here? Coke? Painkillers? Somehow getting drunk and shooting heroin doesn't seem like a good cutting combo. Perfect way to get an afternoon dirt nap.
wow! I know its labor intensive work, but thats good money. I should find a tree guy and do that on the side, and see if I can get what wood is hauled off...kinda like double paid. I'm sure I can fit that into my spare time.... Probably for longer than than just the afternoon ..
I don’t want to burst your bubble, but I’ve got a couple “part-timers” I call on occasion. TBH it’s more of a headache than it’s often worth. Still when you need an extra hand you NEED an extra hand. You never know unless you ask.
I'd be very surprised if any tree guys around here pay that. And I pretty much have no spare time. But that really is good money for someone to make who really doesn't have much skin in the game (no degree needed or their own equipment to pay for) or who isn't having to make many decisions etc. Do what you tell them, move limbs and brush, and don't do anything stupid...
Similar story: older fella, burns wood because they have to. Korean war vet. Did a buncha tree work and yard cleanup.....no way he could have done that. Branches and tree blowdowns, dead trees hung up in bittersweet vines... There was never any money in it, just the fun of working with a couple friends for a few always while he and his dear wife watched on. I kinda thought he might offer something, but wasn't going to ask. A few days later, looking at the cleanup, he did pay me, probably the biggest paycheck, when he said "sirchopsalot you've given me a new lease on life". I will always treasure those words. I dont think he ever gave.me money, if he did I wouldn't remember it after that. Sca
. I've always had the theory that our society directs things that way. Back in high school I remember getting the message that guys who had things going for them didn't need to take shop. Shop classes were for people who didn't have the smarts. They were inferior. There was no message that these types of skills were a gift themselves and valuable; that each person had their own valuable skillset. The guys who took lots of shop were mostly the same guys who had problems at home and who had drug issues. It was tied to the attitude that came from the administration, parents, and society at large.
Weed, dusters, amphetamine, pills, and yes I’ve smelled liquor on a ground guy before. I’ve witnessed projectile vomiting at the chipper. I know tree guys who have never used drugs too.
And it's those shop kids are making a great living without college debt from schooling that doesn’t get used. More vocational schools are needed, IMO. Most everybody needs a plumber or electrician, now and then.
