What's this worth with machinery...?

[peds]

Hello all, I quoted for a job yesterday as a single climber with absolutely no big machinery, and I recommend to the fella that he get in touch with at least one other tree firm (I recommended someone) to see what they'd be asking if they were to do the job with mewp, tree shear, and big chipper. 

My usual work is more peripheral and  smaller stuff, I get it all on the ground then hire a chipper for a day at the end for cleanup if needed. There's nothing tricky about this one, there's just more trees to do in a single push, so obviously it'd take me on my own a hell of a lot longer than a team with all the toys. I told the guy that there's really no cheap way of doing it, and I'm just wondering if he'd actually be saving money to get a bigger crew in. 

 

All sycamore, he wants them cut back HARD, pretty much to totem poles, say finish at 6 or 7m. Most have been done before 7 years ago, to slightly higher than he wants them this time. There's 14 bigger ones, 6 smaller ones, and 2 bigger virgins at one end plus a single virgin at the other, that may or may not be included in the job, as they aren't in the way as much. If you see what I mean.

 

Access for machines is good, as long as you are kind to the neighbours lawn.

 

Timber is to be left for firewood for the client, chip can be fired straight back under the tree.

 

Any opinions appreciated. 

 

 

 

[woody paul]

Sod that for a single climber. Can you not sub job on and help out and make a bit. 

[peds]

I'd not sub it on, I'd pass it on. I like working alone, I keep my own time and don't have to think of anyone else's schedule. I have kids to drop off and sometimes pick up from school, so there's occasional late starts, half days, all of that.

 

Anyway, 14 medium and 6 small trees on one job is the same as 2 medium and 1 small tree on 7 different jobs, except you don't have to deal with 7 different clients which, obviously, is sometimes the hardest part of it.

 

The client knows it'd take a good few days, I'd not be putting a caravan on his driveway but I'd be there a while.

 

What would you price it at? Either for your own setup or (go on, humour me!) as a single climber...?

[Mick Dempsey]

You mean on your own? No groundy?

[peds]

I mean on my own, no groundy. It's no big deal usually, just stack it clever as you go and drive the tracked chipper right up to each pile at the end. 

Big pile for 20+ trees obviously, but there's access both sides of the boundary fence (two neighbours are sharing the cost), and more than enough space to keep it all.

 

I'm friends with a guy I share work with occasionally, I might get him on board later, but his wife is currently in hospice so that's a big question mark. 

[Mark Bolam]

I do loads on my own my, but ‘proper’ climbing like that just doesn’t make any sense solo for a variety of reasons.

 

The price is irrelevant as to how many men and toys you bring to a job, it’s worth what it’s worth.

[peds]

I agree, it's worth what it's worth, I priced accordingly, and I discussed with the guy why he might be better off getting a team with modern equipment involved instead. Who knows, maybe they'll come back with a number significantly lower than mine and I can go back to tidying up Mrs Miggins's apple trees. 

 

There's been chatter on here in the past about where the line is on a job for when it's worth getting big kit in, when it doesn't make financial sense to do so, and why the owners of that kit wouldn't even bother turning up to quote for a job because they could be making more elsewhere in that time. I'm not going to bother looking for the the threads, maybe someone can remember them. 

Edited December 21, 2023 by peds

[woody paul]

That many trees is worth bringing in big kit as you say it can get in. Best way to hire any kit is by the week. 

As Mark said solo climb on them I would think again, unless you are going to top them with one or two cuts. 

[swinny]

 An you get a 13t digger in with a shear or grapple saw? 

 

No climbing or messing then hopefully. Then you could cut, chip and clear what's on the floor when the machines done 

 

[JLA1990]

Taking everything into account you've said just pass it on or merlo & heizo for a day and you pm (you can organise ground protection and supervise). Depends who’s local and obvs hard to tell scale from photos but looks like an easy/straight forward job for the above kit. Plenty of ways to skin a cat though and if you were to do it, I’d work a little smarter and at least get a tractor or 3t exc in to help stack/move timber.