Rates

[Gary Prentice]

Rubbish. 

A good groundsman will work with a climber, anticipate the climbers needs and pretty much know what the climber will do next before the climber even knows.

 

 

A climber can't rig Trees proficiently and quickly without a good 'lad' at the other end of the rope. 

 

A good groundsman manages the site, allowing the climber to climb and concentrate on his part of the job.

 

I was was taught to climb by a groundsman who didn't climb, worked both up and down trees and employed my own ground staff. The only thing I ever learnt was that climbers tend to be prima donnas and think everyone beneath them are literally beneath them.  Also the hardest graft is generally on the floor.

 

If your groundsman crap, he's either the wrong man or you haven't treated or trained him properly to work together as a team.

 

I'm not trying to upset anyone, just my experience over the last three decades.

[Bootroyd]

12 hours ago, Gary Prentice said:

Rubbish. 

A good groundsman will work with a climber, anticipate the climbers needs and pretty much know what the climber will do next before the climber even knows.

 

 

A climber can't rig Trees proficiently and quickly without a good 'lad' at the other end of the rope. 

 

A good groundsman manages the site, allowing the climber to climb and concentrate on his part of the job.

 

I was was taught to climb by a groundsman who didn't climb, worked both up and down trees and employed my own ground staff. The only thing I ever learnt was that climbers tend to be prima donnas and think everyone beneath them are literally beneath them.  Also the hardest graft is generally on the floor.

 

If your groundsman crap, he's either the wrong man or you haven't treated or trained him properly to work together as a team.

 

I'm not trying to upset anyone, just my experience over the last three decades.

you are spot on mate, i dont really get involved in these sorts or debates but from experience i feel i can offer something in this case!

to pay a groundie £80 a day thru the books is ridiculous, in fact dam right insulting! id agree with you, the guy on the ground is the one who probably does work the hardest (tho thats a whole new topic anyway).....bottom line is tree work is bloody hard physical work whether in the tree or on the ground but if your paying your groundie crap money then mentally hes not gonna be on it! you pay someone a decent whack and theyll appreciate it, value it and as a result work harder, its a simple fact and applies to any kind of working role, pay peanuts ect..........theres too many guys out there scrimping to save a tenner here and there on groundies, all it does is make the groundie feel undervalued and ends up in false economy for the guy whos employed him, sure you can eventually mould people to work how you want them to but for crying out loud peeps recognise the job for what is it, its hard work and withjout a groundie whether hes half decent or not you aint gonna command your £400+ a day rate without him, for me theres too many greedy peeps out there, id much rathger pay a groundie £120 a day and a climber towards £200, ive found its a system that works because people feel valued and will go the extra mile for you and you dont spend all your time trying to find people the right people all the time and wondering whos gonna turn up today and what are they gonna be like, its about valuing people and building relationships, not rying to squeeze every last penny you can out of them.......anyway agree with me or not its just my thoughts. have a good day!

[skyhuck]

So you pay a groundie £120, a climber £200, supply all the equipment, insurance,etc,etc and charge £400  

 

Are you a charity?

[treevolution]

I have been in the industry for one year and have got CS 30/31, Woodchipper and CS 38 with aerial rescue
 
What sort of day rate should i be asking for ?

Hi Jon

Where are you based.

[roseyweb]

A good Groundie would be good at mechanics and fixing saws and machines. 

Do the rigging,

Have a ability to climb even if not amazing 

look out for climbers welfare 

Saw / felling skills 

Driving ability ideally towing and if your pro hgv

Operates tree plant, like diggers loaders 

first aid 

be able to sort clients out 

be first port of call to nosey folk 

 

Any less I'd say your a labourer with a saw ticket 

[Marula]

A good Groundie would be good at mechanics and fixing saws and machines. 
Do the rigging,
Have a ability to climb even if not amazing 
look out for climbers welfare 
Saw / felling skills 
Driving ability ideally towing and if your pro hgv
Operates tree plant, like diggers loaders 
first aid 
be able to sort clients out 
be first port of call to nosey folk 
 
Any less I'd say your a labourer with a saw ticket 

Bang on description of a good groundie in my book.

[roseyweb]

In my shop we don't have climbers don't have groundies were just all tree brothers in it together, we all climb but some of us are better then others.

[Thesnarlingbadger]

I'd have to agree that you can't just pay a groundie £80 and expect them to be top notch. I pay subbie groundies £100 and climbers £150. But if I make more in a day than I planned I'll sling them an extra £20. I think it keeps people on your side and they deserve it as they work bloody hard. £80 a day is fair for a newby who wants some experience.
Also I don't think it's been mentioned but I have no time for big headed idiots, you could be the best climber or grindie in the world but if your cocky and getting on my nerves and the others working for me then your not worth a penny. Same goes for people who moan all the time, I want morale tone high and lads you can have a laugh and a joke with without going too far.

[Jon kelly]

On 18/09/2017 at 18:09, treevolution said:

 

Hi Jon

Where are you based.

 

Based in Birmingham

[spuddog0507]

On 17/09/2017 at 23:49, Gary Prentice said:

Rubbish. 

A good groundsman will work with a climber, anticipate the climbers needs and pretty much know what the climber will do next before the climber even knows.

 

 

A climber can't rig Trees proficiently and quickly without a good 'lad' at the other end of the rope. 

 

A good groundsman manages the site, allowing the climber to climb and concentrate on his part of the job.

 

I was was taught to climb by a groundsman who didn't climb, worked both up and down trees and employed my own ground staff. The only thing I ever learnt was that climbers tend to be prima donnas and think everyone beneath them are literally beneath them.  Also the hardest graft is generally on the floor.

 

If your groundsman crap, he's either the wrong man or you haven't treated or trained him properly to work together as a team.

 

I'm not trying to upset anyone, just my experience over the last three decades.

I am with you on this one Gary , some climbers think they are the Bs n Es and same as yourself in my third decade now, I have worked with quite a few climbers over the years OK some have been OK ,some better than others and some others ,well what can I say, my granny would of been better, in any job qualifications are one thing but experience speaks so much louder, it takes many years to gain that experience, but every now and then we come across a climber that is different, a out 3 yrs ago I had a lad for several jobs I wished I had come across him a few years before but unfortunately he moved to france. About a yr ago came across a young lad with his head screwed on the right way, he is not a good climber, he is what every one would look for, he is safe ,efficient and very well mannered with customers he has a very mature head on young shoulders very rare in this day and age.

The young lads coming through today like the starter of this thread how are they to gain confidence in what they do if the team leader slates them and they get paid crap money ?, I don't knoiw what people expect but you have to remember we all have to start some where, just ask yourself what where you like 1 yr in ? ? ?,

 New groundie £70-80 a day if he is OK £90-100 and if he is up to your spec may be a bit more , and its like a lot of other things in life you get what you pay for , I have seen adds on here for brash monkeys ,em, and they wounder why they can't get any one to reply , personally I wouldn't dream of asking for staff in that manor , as I just see that as a non starter.

Edited September 19, 2017 by spuddog0507
Pressed wrong button and not finished