New member after some advice-chipper and man viable business?

[Matthew Storrs]

3 minutes ago, Yeti2018 said:

I'd be more than happy to have a stump grinder as well so that I can offer more services...I'm happy to invest the money in the machines if they will pay for theirselves over the course of say 4 years 

All I will say is don’t waste £25k on a van. It will depreciate very quickly and it’s not really the van that’s earning you the money- you can buy a decent tipper/truck or whatever to carry you, tools and machine around. £6-8k will get you something nice and tidy and put the money saved towards the machine- or leave in the bank to cover any eventualities that may crop up.

 

For what it’s worth any fool can jump in and spend lots of money- you would be better off spending a big of time getting to know your market by working in it and developing contacts etc and see where it leads you knowing that you have the capital waiting when the time is right.

[Yeti2018]

5 minutes ago, Matthew Storrs said:

All I will say is don’t waste £25k on a van. It will depreciate very quickly and it’s not really the van that’s earning you the money- you can buy a decent tipper/truck or whatever to carry you, tools and machine around. £6-8k will get you something nice and tidy and put the money saved towards the machine- or leave in the bank to cover any eventualities that may crop up.

 

For what it’s worth any fool can jump in and spend lots of money- you would be better off spending a big of time getting to know your market by working in it and developing contacts etc and see where it leads you knowing that you have the capital waiting when the time is right.

Sound advice bud, cheers for that. ??

[Yeti2018]

9 minutes ago, Mark Bolam said:

I'd look at mini-loaders as well Yeti.

Possibly a bigger client base than chippers - landscapers and builders as well as arbs.

Is their a demand for mini loaders? What are they used for mate? Thanks for the replies ??

[Matthew Storrs]

14 minutes ago, Mark Bolam said:

I'd look at mini-loaders as well Yeti.

Possibly a bigger client base than chippers - landscapers and builders as well as arbs.

Definitely- and also not that many tree surgeons can justify a loader as it’s not a tool for every job, the scope for attachments will also lend yourself to all sorts of applications- post hole borer mower etc- you could pretty much run a buisness of the back of one of these machines with operated hire thrown in as and when- you will likely earn more money doing your own jobs than hiring yourself out for the day where the hirer will understandably want their monies worth.

Edited December 8, 2017 by Matthew Storrs

[Yeti2018]

6 minutes ago, Matthew Storrs said:

Definitely- and also not that many tree surgeons can justify a loader as it’s not a tool for every job, the scope for attachments will also lend yourself to all sorts of applications- post hole borer mower etc- you could pretty much run a buisness of the back of one of these machines with operated hire thrown in as and when- you will likely earn more money doing your own jobs than hiring yourself out for the day where the hirer will understandably want their monies worth.

Any idea of brand/model so I can look into this a bit more? Are you saying these machines have so many varied uses that they could appeal to lots of different people/jobs? Cheers 

[drinksloe]

There is plenty of decent advice on here, but as has been said chippers are easily hired almost anywhere and most reputable companies will have there own.

stump grinders, mini loaders, even small access/tracked cherry pickers (even in some cases LGP equipment wether soft traks/argo's or forwarding trailers) are more of a niche market, BUT until u know where ur heading and who already operates in that area, u could have the best idea/business plan but if there is already a local well known contractor offering the exact same thing u will always be up against it.

 

Really the bottom line is u need to get out there and work in the trade for a wee while, get to know the job (even learning how to maintain and fix chippers before u get ur own), know local contractors and learn wot tools/machines there is a shortage off and wether or not u could make money hiring them out. (esp if ur not hiring it with a man as they will gt abused)

[5 shires]

Christ yeti have you won the frigin lottery or something..a fool and his money are easily parted my friend your looking at 4 years to recoup a serious amount of money..it roughly takes 10 to get established in any kind of new venture..As per my first post just crack on and see we're it take s you and give it your best shot..best of luck,working hard and hands on still has its rewards in this technology based world.

[benedmonds]

I think you would be much better off investing your money in a short course (10 or 12 weeks) getting a job with a big firm (at a low pay) for a couple of years, (you will have to get used to that in this industry), then setting up on your own. This job is not rocket science, with a couple of years experience you can do 90% of the work if you have the right kit, the other 10% you can get a freelancer in... Don't tell your employer your plans.. and I would certainly NOT buy a new truck. and unless you are a better business man then most don't expect to get rich. Arboriculture is a lifestyle choice for most of us.  I am not saying you can't make a modest living but it is not easy... 

[Ian C]

Evening all, please go easy as I'm a first time poster! I am leaving my current job next year and relocating to the coast with no job. I'm in the fortunate position that I have some capital behind me to start a new business but I'm short on experience. I'm currently in property maintenace and I'm about to do the lantra chainsaw and felling small trees course. I have my own chainsaw that I've used to cut down trees on my own land and believe doing the course may benefit me in the future. I have my own chainsaw, brushcutter, hedge trimmer, blowers etc as I use them at home and work (bar the chainsaw, hence the course). My question to you all and please don't shout at me for being a ignorant sod or similar, but is their a living to be made from buying a newish 3.5t tipper, (transit etc) and a new chipper and making myself available as a man and chipper? I'm happy to invest money into equipment if their is a demand for the service and I can make back the equipment money say over 5 years and also earn a decent wage at the same time. Thinking along the lines of basically renting myself, van and chipper out on a daily basis to whoever requires a chipper/van. I should have my lantra cert by then for felling small trees and il do the chipper one as well. Am I doomed to fail? Not enough work out there? Not enough experience? Or am I on a different planet and it simply couldn't be that easy? Any feedback good or bad would be hugely appreciative, so thanks in advance. Cheers!

The short answer is No! The market is flooded with Want to be tree surgeons, gardeners landscapers and the like, pretty much every tree surgeons will have his own chipper etc so I wouldn’t invest money to hire your kit out.

[william127]

My main advice would be don't buy a brand new truck- your figures of buying one for 25k means that over the 4 years you have it you will loose more in depreciation than I have in the last 12 by running older vehicles. 

Let a big company take the hit for the depreciation, you are in the enviable position of being able to bide your time and shop around for a good buy. I would want to spend maybe 6-8k on the vehicle and maybe 2k on converting it to my needs, but I'm sure that others  would want to spend 10-15k buying, but that's still a saving!

i would also consider buying one that has been a flat bed rather than a tipper, then converting it as it's might well have been treated a bit better!