Moral Earnings

[Tom D]

With the recent discussions following the watchdog episode, I wonder, since individual earnings for the self employed are directly related to profits and profit margins... How much should a tree surgeon earn?

 

I don't mean how much do you actually earn or how much you would like to earn, I am trying to establish where you feel our place is among other professions.

 

To keep it simple we are talking about a self employed individual or director of a ltd co. of the type which most people on here are. IE one or two groundies van, chipper, etc.

 

And finally this is the annual salary before tax of the owner / director.

Edited October 25, 2009 by Tom D

[Stephen Blair]

it depends how good you are tom, and how hard you want to work. i think 30k would be the expected wage of the guy you are talking about

[Joe]

£27-35k if they work for it i reckon

[Tom D]

I agree, but I wonder how many get that much?

[Joe]

I agree, but I wonder how many get that much?

 

i doubt many do tbh

[Mozza]

30k plus for a owner at least i think, Depends how good you are and how much you want it as Stevie said. If your the owner and have plenty of work on/coming in and keep a constant work load, The skys the limit imo

[Tom D]

I find it surprising how many of us seem to think doing jobs for next to nothing is something to be proud of, are we seriously under-valuing ourselves?

[Mozza]

The fact is round my way these days people are under cutting people sooooooooooooooo much time after time, day after day, people are asking "what have you been quoted so far?" and prices are going lower and lower, Theres a chap round here whos got himself a bit of council work, He's running a 3 man team, van/chipper, all saws/fuel and im guessing insurance as its for the council and i KNOW for a fact hes charging £220 a day, That to me is far to cheap but its obvious hes gone in real cheap to get the work

[Stephen Blair]

we can charge what the market allows tom, just now a lot of guys are struggling with have a go type guys in their area, and most folk need to be burned by a cowboy or amateur before they learn. And if you have kids and a mortgage you cant just stop working.

[Highland Forestry]

Tom - i've found similar mate, but have started to come round to the idea that I am worth more than working my balls off for next to nothing or indeed no profit at all.

 

I think 30k a year is realistic for an owner.

If it's a larger company I'd be looking towards 50k