Too many tree surgeons?!

[Mark Bolam]

Willow job from a couple of weeks back, nothing too demanding, few small tricky bits over a line and a fair amount of volume.

 

Of the 4 'tree surgeons' who looked at the job, 3 said they couldn't do it!

 

Most are just gardeners with ladders. A bit annoying because they are picking up the nice simple jobs and doing them for f-all!

 

Qualified and insured my a***!

[lyle]

Hmm round my area I very rarely see a tree firm.. I'f I do the chances are its a little company from not round here or its the South Bucks Tree Surgeons who do all the big council jobs etc.. My boss and the few other Tree Surgeons round here are loving it!

However, I have noticed quite a few firms (we've worked with a few) that say they're Tree Surgeons but really all they can do is prune the tiny trees and trim hedges and I guess these lot are definitely on the increase!

I suppose it's different for different areas as Uxbridge and Hillingdon round there is absolutely heaving with tree men, every 2nd van is towing a chipper!

[ledders666]

The reason tree surgeons are popping up left right and centre is simple. Climbers working for other people don't get paid enough. If the rates of pay where better for climbers then they would stay working for companies longer and not feel the need to set up on there own.

It is very cheap to set your self up you can get a truck, climbing kit and a couple of saws for less than five grand. That sort of money is very easy to raise for start up costs, so makes having your own tree surgery company far too accessible.

It is a no brainer work for some one else for peanuts and not much prospect of ever earning more than 120 quid a day or set your self up and earn more, Have better prospects and who knows you could be the next Bartletts or Gristwood and Toms!!

 

I agree with this 100%,

[Dean Lofthouse]

A Climber earning £120 a day in his hand is earning more than me as a company owner

 

We may appear to get more ie if we got £360 for the day 2/3 of that are wages and overheads

[Mark Bolam]

5 grand to set up wouldn't get you very far.

 

Anyone noticed how quite a few of these new companies disappear after a few months anyway?

[Robert_S]

 

its amazing that some people still think when you get handed £400 it all goes in your pocket, without taking into consideration how much it costs to run a company.

[Stephen Blair]

if anyone wants to give me 30k a year to turn up at 8am and finish at 5pm, mon-friday then i will start tomorrow.

[Graham]

if anyone wants to give me 30k a year to turn up at 8am and finish at 5pm, mon-friday then i will start tomorrow.

 

Count me in on that too.

[wills-mill]

Count me in on that too.

 

I'll do it for 27k and a bacon bap every morning....

[jonathan hall]

well, whats the solution?

these threads conclude that people go to cheap, dodgy workers, because of price.

perhaps everone should include in their next advertising a, ' why go for a proper surgery company' pull-out info sheet. highlghting good code of practice, what to look for in a company, what to look for on a quote (often tell tale signs of a bad one) and other good advice.

circulate it on arbtalk, send it out as a standardised help sheet, preformed pdf, share the same one and update it 6 monthly / yearly.

does your crap landscaper come on here 4 hints and tips? i doubt it.

have the arbtalk adress on the bottom,perhaps. clients can come on here and check out profiles. see past work, pics etc. the answer is right here...arbtalk!

can arbtalk provide customer reassurance? is this permissable by the people who run it?

i dont know, but this could be a good portal for that...

before another rant starts ( justified rant that is!) how about DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!