Groundsman Rates

[Mick Dempsey]

There’s alway so many variables in these threads.

 

Say you were a lad getting into the game grounding for a decent firm, little bit of climbing  sometimes, looking to gain experience and move forward, then the lower figures would be about right. If you’re a bit older, reliable and efficient and you have it as your career then you’ll command more. Whether you get it is another matter of course.

Edited September 4, 2018 by Mick Dempsey

[Coletti]

I don’t know anyone else that pays more than that around here, the market is a disgusting around here for prices. Some get away with charging more than the average day rate but don’t seem to have regular work and tend to hire there machinery in

Where abouts are you? For comparison...I pay £80 cash to a lad I use occasionally for dragging brash, clearing up and a bit of hedge trimming

[Sheepy]

1 hour ago, Alex O said:

What part of the country are you in? Down here in Plymouth and good climber would be £120-£130 a day and Groundsman £80 and not necessarily with out saw. Not sure about the rest of the country but it’s every Tom,Dick and Harry setting up a tree business and pretty much buying the work and undervaluing the industry by quite a lot.

East Midlands 

[Alex O]

What's the rate for two blokes, Transit size tipper and a load or two away?
 
I realise every job is different, but a ball park figure.

Probably around £300-£400 a day ish

[eggsarascal]

10 minutes ago, Alex O said:

Probably around £300-£400 a day ish

Sounds cheap. Is that with a chipper?

[Alex O]

East Midlands 

I’m originally from Northampton but have lived in Plymouth for 15-16yrs now. Could never move back to the midlands now, hence our move to Aus in the new year.

[Alex O]

Sounds cheap. Is that with a chipper?

Yep, I very recently priced a job for 3 day , for 2 guys at £400 per day, happy with that job was accepted had a phone call two days later saying they had forgotten that they were getting another quote [emoji849], and all though they like me the other guy was a bit cheaper, without saying a word she told me straight out that his £750 was better than my £1200. Told her there was no way I could ever match that [emoji43].

[htb]

He's probably on a race to the bottom, let him carry on

[Alex O]

Ha something like that, bank of mum and Dad [emoji57] so much kit he tries to hire it out [emoji23]

[benedmonds]

1 hour ago, eggsarascal said:

Wow.

 

 

Eggs, you are often on here telling us how poor rates the rates of pay are employees and subbies get and they all need £xxx... Correct me if I am wrong but I don't believe you work full time in the tree industry..  It is low paid...

 

I run 3 teams, I do most of the quoting and therefore probably do as many quotes as anyone..  I don't try to be the cheapest and we have kit and guys to make us pretty efficient..  I lose many of my jobs as: "we had a cheaper quote."   

 

The point is I have a pretty good idea what the domestic market will pay and in the East Midlands. 

Many firms work for £450-£550 for 3 guys truck and chipper.

 

You cannot afford to pay the sort of rates you are talking about when you have to get lots of work.. A gardener doing an odd job who needs a top climber for the day might be able to afford top rates and maybe in different areas rates are higher, but in the East Midlands I can't..  If you can then let us all know how...

 

£150 day rate equates to £33,000 a year.. £200 day rate is £44,000.   The average UK salary is  just over £27,000

look at the jobs on the list.. A vet only earns £38,000 and they were straight A students who spent 5 years at uni..

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/worklife/careers/a33179/average-job-salaries-uk/

 

Like it or not arboriculture is an easy industry to get into, some do it as hobby at weekends.. others get into it as a lifestyle choice.. a fair few set up after doing something else with capital behind them, many are just poor business people...

 

Maybe I am doing it wrong, I make a living but I would not advise anyone to get into it for the cash.