Going freelance

[Steve Bullman]

Theres no way a freelance climber will earn as much as someone with their 'own train set',

 

depends mate......i bet if you started accounting for time spent pricing jobs etc etc, you'd probably be surprised how little there is in it!

[woodmad]

 

Exactly and all the other costs, like downtime, breakages, holidays where do i stop.

As a freelancer you finish at the end of the day and the money is in your pocket.

 

It is however a kind of natural step from frelance to own firm, i bet a few on here never 'intended' to be where they are, but you kind of get swept along..

 

Dont get me wrong as there are bennefits to having our own train set, but if you are the fat controller then there is a lot more to do than people imagine..

[arbogrunt]

'thanks grunt, sounds like you and me ave a little in common'

 

...are you deaf as a post too then?!

[Rich Rule]

...

 

Theres no way a freelance climber will earn as much as someone with their 'own train set', but the stress and time factors make it worthwhile for me. I'd never start up my own company in the UK again (but I'm glad I had a go all the same!)

 

Ditto, couldn't have put it better myself. I have no desire to start up my own company but I have been s/e, freelancing for coming up to 5 years. suits me and my needs without the added stress of organising your own jobs and such.

 

i provide full lolered climbing kit, ms200 plus spare, ppe and am smart reliable and trustworthy.

 

I work between 8 different companies some big and some smaller outfits. the variety and lack of company politics is one of the benefits IMO.

[otter]

hi.

do both have you own little jobs and subbie yourself out (if your using your own kit well day rate goes up.

i find ms200 and ms 441 are two great saws that do must jobs

any real jobs just get a firm to help.

[Rich Rule]

hi.

do both have you own little jobs and subbie yourself out (if your using your own kit well day rate goes up.

i find ms200 and ms 441 are two great saws that do must jobs

any real jobs just get a firm to help.

 

don't do my own work. if on the occasion i get recommended by friends etc. i pass the work onto a mate and he gets me to climb and gives me a bit above day rate as a thank you.

 

other than that, i cimb 5-6 days a week on a freelance basis for about 8 different companies. as i said it suits the way i enjoy working and tbh i prefer not to know what i am doing the next day. just turn up, work it out, chop and go home.

 

occasionally i will go with one of the guys if he has a particularly difficult tree to price and maybe my day rate will go up, maybe it won't

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

boy theres a lot of different views and methods and routes to think about!

 

seems to me theres so many of you lancers out there there would be little room for another!

 

Anyone got a weekend job they want a hand on! lol

[Rupe]

I did it for a few years, about 6 different companies, and had days away for tree climbing comps etc whenever I wanted. Money was ok, stress was low.

 

I did my own jobs too, no insurance just basic back garden stuff. Anything over roads or risky I passed on and then did the climbing anyway.

 

Gradually got more of my own work then insurance then council work then immediatly could not afford to do freelance at the same rate so I do it with truck and/or chipper or not at all.

 

I turn over way more money, not sure I have as much as it to spend on what I want though, and affording time/money to get away as often to comps or holidays is not that easy anymore but should improve.

 

I'm an average climber, who can get the job done, no more than that really, but I get work cos for some reason people want me to work for them instead of some other cheaper guys who have the wrong attitude.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I did it for a few years, about 6 different companies, and had days away for tree climbing comps etc whenever I wanted. Money was ok, stress was low.

 

I did my own jobs too, no insurance just basic back garden stuff. Anything over roads or risky I passed on and then did the climbing anyway.

 

Gradually got more of my own work then insurance then council work then immediatly could not afford to do freelance at the same rate so I do it with truck and/or chipper or not at all.

 

I turn over way more money, not sure I have as much as it to spend on what I want though, and affording time/money to get away as often to comps or holidays is not that easy anymore but should improve.

 

I'm an average climber, who can get the job done, no more than that really, but I get work cos for some reason people want me to work for them instead of some other cheaper guys who have the wrong attitude.

 

Blimey rupe you going soft on me!

 

Thanks for the advice

[Rupe]

It was a general reply to all the posts on here, on the subject of going freelance.

 

Not really advice, just my experience, but whatever the good and bad bits, all of it is way better than the 10 years of employment the preceeded it.

 

 

I'm not going to offer you any advice, as you are so good at everything already I expect you have companies calling you all the time to help them out because they can't cope without you?

 

There, is that a bit more like what you were expecting me to say?