how'r we supposed to compete

[Arborist Sites]

Guys. I'm new to this forum and to tree work but consider this-

 

We installed a log burner to do our heating and hot water because LPG is too expensive. I had regular log deliveries from tree surgeons, and a chainsaw and splitter to process the wood. A couple of years ago the supplies all but dried up when fuel costs started to soar and the tree industry realised that there was good money to be made out of selling logs. What should I do? Pay the LPG bills, go cold and dont wash or collect my own logs? Cheapest option was to do CS30,31,32+34 get PPE and a trailer and collect my own wood. Taking down good quality wood for next to nothing seems fair enough so £20 per tree would have been a good deal to me at that time. Remember two good sized trees is a years heating which would have saved me £1000 in LPG. So the "value" of that job could have been as much as £1040 to me!!!!!!!

 

Regarding the £500 profit for the day "felling a couple of large ash trees", I hope your customer isnt reading this posting because he wont be paying £700 for "an easy days work" again. You may well be finding that next time he tracks down the guy who'll do it for £20 a tree and the logs!!

 

 

I dont mind people like this because 1 of 3 things will prob happen....

 

1) they will seriously injure themselves due to lack of insurance = will stop doing it

 

2) they will significantly damage property = will stop doing it

 

3) they havent got a clue about tree law and will fell tpo trees and get fined = will stop doing it.

 

[Mesterh]

I dont mind people like this because 1 of 3 things will prob happen....

 

1) they will seriously injure themselves due to lack of insurance = will stop doing it

 

2) they will significantly damage property = will stop doing it

 

3) they havent got a clue about tree law and will fell tpo trees and get fined = will stop doing it.

 

 

 

Hmmm not sure I would agree with the first 1 but I will say this, there WILL ALWAYS be plenty of others to take there place if they get tired of it and decide to jack it in or do it properly.

[Arborist Sites]

Hmmm not sure I would agree with the first 1 but I will say this, there WILL ALWAYS be plenty of others to take there place if they get tired of it and decide to jack it in or do it properly.

 

Sorry typo

 

meant to say

 

1) they will seriously injure themselves due to lack of skill/experience = will stop doing it

 

[Stephen Blair]

i think dillsue shows the type of attitude and common sense to become a good business man, and lets all get off our high horses about the level of skill to get a tree on the ground, my dad did firewood for years and thats where i learned hard work graft, getting insurance and jumping through hoops doesnt make you a good tree climber/cutter, and if i got upset everytime someone in my town cut up something for logs then it doesnt say much for me, and insurance is about 600quid a year and what hoops do you have to jump through???i do firewood now, and some of my old tree surgery customers are now on my client list for firewood, i will cut down there trees for nothing in return for the wood if it is financially viable for me, its a product, and how many businesses can go and help themselves to their product, i am not going to winge i am skint or havent got any work, when i can simply cut down a tree, split and sell it for money to pay my bills. If i can undercut my opposition by considering the firwood value of a takedown then i will, business is business. When i first started in my area i went round all the firewood junkies and gave then tons of free wood, they soon got fed up trudging through farmers fields and burning out clutches in their cars when i would just dump off stuff in their driveway. then all the folk that wanted cheap wood from these guys i gave them free wood aswell, therefor erradicating some of my competition and everyone was happy

[slippery]

Though there will always be assholes who think we are just ' wood cutters ' and want us to do it for beer money.

 

 

LOL i'm a carpenter/builder and people think that about me, one woman told me all the travelling and appointments she had to make to earn £100 as a self employed teaching mentor, when i charged £180 for a days work for my apprentice and i (a discount of £50), i asked how much employers/public/accident insurance was and if she uses many tools...tw*t:banghead:

[Lee Winger]

I don't talk business in the boozer!

[dillsue]

Assume you have full Pub Lib Insurance, waste carriers licence for brash (chipper to chip it?) and have jumped through the multitude of other hoops?!

 

 

A very healthy approach to risk mamagement and safety negates the need for insurance.

 

No licence required for brash carrying if its given to me(with the logs) as its my own waste that I am carrying.

 

I do have a chipper now.

 

Which other hoops? TPO's, felling licences, conservation areas are all covered in the CS31 course so I ensure full compliance.

 

Things have moved on a little since the scenario painted in my first post and I have now started doing a bit of tree work to get paid- in cash and not just in logs!!!! Got climbing tickets, partner and small chipper- just need a few customers now!!!!

[Chris Sheppard]

A very healthy approach to risk mamagement and safety negates the need for insurance.

 

That lit the Blue touch paper -I for one am retiring to a safe distance

Edited November 9, 2009 by Chris Sheppard

[Mr Ed]

A very healthy approach to risk mamagement and safety negates the need for insurance.

 

I am LOLing at this. I shall LOL even harder at your first claim. Does your 'healthy' approach include a written risk assesment and a health and safety policy?

No licence required for brash carrying if its given to me(with the logs) as its my own waste that I am carrying.

 

I think you might find the Environment agancy dissagree with you on this one.

Still, Its a minor point compared to not having insurance cover.

[dillsue]

It may well have done so lets see what the display is like!!!!

 

Personally I'm quite happy to cover a few grands worth of damage to a fence or garden and anywhere where there are higher risks involved then I'll mitigate them or wont do the job.