Advice re taking a 15ft hedge down to 10ft

[Steve JK]

Hi all

I potentially have a job that involves taking a 15ft hedge down to 10ft. I'll have to buy more equipment before I take it on so I need a sense-check before I commit to it.

 

An 8ft Henchman tripod ladder (that I don't have) extends to 10ft placing the platform at 7ft. I'm 6'4" so the final height of the hedge is now at my waist height but I'll have 5ft of material above waist height to deal with. I'm using a stihl 131 with the 145 trimmer - will the hedge at 10ft be too much for the trimmer?

 

I'm not making very much on this after I buy the ladders and roof bars but I'd rather take the job than turn it down.

 

Is there anything I haven't thought of before I commit.

 

Thanks

[Steve Bullman]

No, a hedge trimmer wont be enough. In fact you could potentially be looking at heavy timber in the middle, if for example it was previously a 30ft leylandii hedge and had been cut down to 15ft previously. More info required.

[Steve JK]

Just now, Steve Bullman said:

No, a hedge trimmer wont be enough. In fact you could potentially be looking at heavy timber in the middle, if for example it was previously a 30ft leylandii hedge and had been cut down to 15ft previously. More info required.

Thanks for the quick reply Steve. I haven't seen the hedge yet. It might all be relatively new growth, or like you say it might have been 30ft. I'll get some photos and post some more info.

Cheers

 

[Steve Bullman]

Make sure you stick your head inside the hedge and have a proper look. A picture from the outside rarely tells the whole story. Also don't get caught out on the width of the hedge.

[Retired Climber]

If someone has reduced it before make sure they haven't left half the arisings hung up lower down in the hedge. I've done reductions where half the rubbish taken away was old stuff I had to drag out from a previous reduction. 

As Steve says, stick your head in and have a good look. 

[Steve JK]

Thanks guys. I'll drive down to take a proper look.

 

[Dan Maynard]

I usually end up climbing in to those hedges with silky, baby Makita topper or MS150T, you might not need the ladder at all.

[dan blocker]

2 hours ago, Steve JK said:

Hi all

I potentially have a job that involves taking a 15ft hedge down to 10ft. I'll have to buy more equipment before I take it on so I need a sense-check before I commit to it.

 

An 8ft Henchman tripod ladder (that I don't have) extends to 10ft placing the platform at 7ft. I'm 6'4" so the final height of the hedge is now at my waist height but I'll have 5ft of material above waist height to deal with. I'm using a stihl 131 with the 145 trimmer - will the hedge at 10ft be too much for the trimmer?

 

I'm not making very much on this after I buy the ladders and roof bars but I'd rather take the job than turn it down.

 

Is there anything I haven't thought of before I commit.

 

Thanks

You say your not making much on the job after buying ladder and roof bars to carry it but haven’t yet seen the job🤔. Have you guessed a price or customer given you the price on the phone? If I was you I’d go and have a look at the job first, list what kit you need, purchase cost etc, before you decide a price. You don’t have to put all your cost of kit investment against the one job?Once you have the equipment your set up for other jobs.

[Chipperclown]

Also I would not invest anything major incase if successful because if suddenly the customer changes their mind you will be out of pocket ! If you can afford it and you are going to do it anyway then yes. Or perhaps a non refundable customer deposit?

 

Build up slowly kit wise and when bigger jobs come along you will be ready.

 

Sometimes it's good to say no.

[Mark Bolam]

3 hours ago, Retired Climber said:

If someone has reduced it before make sure they haven't left half the arisings hung up lower down in the hedge. I've done reductions where half the rubbish taken away was old stuff I had to drag out from a previous reduction. 

As Steve says, stick your head in and have a good look. 

 

Truth.

 

When I used to do conny ‘hedge’ reductions (with a 200), I’d always wear work clothes to price them, so I could have a clamber up and see what I was up against.

I refuse to do them now.

 

Hedges that are just beyond hedgecutter capability are a bloody nightmare.

As Steve says, height isn’t the issue, width is.

 

Price high and hope someone else gets it is the way forward.