Wage! How much should the going rate be?

[Woodworks]

6 hours ago, dumper said:

too many people in arb chasing too few jobs = cheap labour

Surly this is the reasoning for low wages. Plus it's got to be more fun than the boring repetition that some of the better paid trades require like plumbing and electrics!

[inthewoods]

4 minutes ago, Woodworks said:

Surly this is the reasoning for low wages. Plus it's got to be more fun than the boring repetition that some of the better paid trades require like plumbing and electrics!

Er, price of scrap is to low atm, every little jonny has a chainsaw and every Tommy n timmy have a tipper! 

 

Dunno about low wages but low margins compared to plumbers n sparkys. Good mate of mine's a s/e sparky,  £50k on the books in the week and £50k cash hobbles ont weekend, minimal equipment with maximum profit, not breaking his body etc and even the smallest arb operator has to be looking at £15k - £25k of kit, all he needs is a £5k Van and a grands worth of tools... The bar steward. 

[Woodworks]

4 minutes ago, inthewoods said:

Er, price of scrap is to low atm, every little jonny has a chainsaw and every Tommy n timmy have a tipper! 

 

Dunno about low wages but low margins compared to plumbers n sparkys. Good mate of mine's a s/e sparky,  £50k on the books in the week and £50k cash hobbles ont weekend, minimal equipment with maximum profit, not breaking his body etc and even the smallest arb operator has to be looking at £15k - £25k of kit, all he needs is a £5k Van and a grands worth of tools... The bar steward. 

Yes and it's as dull as shit. I could be a sparky but rather be poorly paid and happy thanks.

[inthewoods]

10 minutes ago, Woodworks said:

Yes and it's as dull as shit. I could be a sparky but rather be poorly paid and happy thanks.

I'm only at 10 years + but still loving it (when I get paid!) & every days a school day ? maybe try upping your rates! ? 

[inthewoods]

2 hours ago, dumper said:

Too many arborist have never been to college or school buy a pickup and a chainsaw 

So you wouldn't entertain the idea of hiring someone with bags of experience but no academic qualifications?! Over little jonny churned recently out of college with his diplomas and tickets upto CS69 (unless you're solely commercial) who hasn't been higher than 40ft... 

Edited November 18, 2018 by inthewoods

[gdh]

The problem with comparing to other industries is that everything seems better when you're not involved. For example I do pay one mechanic £45 an hour which seems expensive but we also have a local we pay £20.

 

It's the same where I know someone who installs solar panels for £150 a day but he works with labourers who are on £60.

 

Everyone thinks they're undervalued but if everyone increased we would be in the same relative situation, money is important but I would rather do something I enjoy than earn slightly more doing something I hated.

[dumper]

10 minutes ago, inthewoods said:

So you wouldn't entertain the idea of hiring someone with bags of experience but no academic qualifications?! Over little jonny churned recently out of college with his diplomas and tickets upto CS69 (unless you're solely commercial) who hasn't been higher than 40ft... 

No I value experience over a college education, however my point is you don’t need experience or qualifications to buy a pickup and chainsaw and call yourself a arborist insured or not. Most home owners will go for the cheapest quote 

[inthewoods]

10 minutes ago, dumper said:

No I value experience over a college education, however my point is you don’t need experience or qualifications to buy a pickup and chainsaw and call yourself a arborist insured or not. Most home owners will go for the cheapest quote 

 Apologies, i'm with my old friend jack Daniels and we misheard you! ? ? 

[Mesterh]

2 hours ago, Woodworks said:

Yes and it's as dull as shit. I could be a sparky but rather be poorly paid and happy thanks.

Quite possibly part of the problem.

 

Why anyone would like to be poorly paid is beyond me.

 

 

[Woodworks]

6 hours ago, Mesterh said:

 

 

Why anyone would like to be poorly paid is beyond me.

 

 

It's like bashing your head against a wall sometimes!

 

 I dont want to be poorly paid but given choice between better pay and a crap job or poor pay and a fun job I would take the later. We spend so much of our lives working to do something you hate.