Anybody out there set up a business on their own?

[YoGi_93]

Fair enough I really see your point to be honest. In a forest stuck up a tree alone I imagine it wouldn't be the best of fun. Just so you know I wasn't thinking of it. Id like to set up my own work one day but if I do its way into the future. Thanks

[Jontreasure]

I'm self employed and work about 3/4 of the time as a sub-contract climber. Which requires me to carry public liability insurance. When working on my own jobs I price with the aim of using another subcontractor although I still hold employer liability insurance. Like others have said unless it's a very small job a second worker will often more than half the time it takes and I definitely feel safer. However I do wonder how much more useful some "qualified climbers" would be over joe bloggs brash dragger who's got a good head on their shoulders.

[Nick B]

When I started out I worked on my own for 3 months mostly small jobs hedges and conifers

The day it hit home is when I felled 3 conifers all on the ground in 50 mins and then 6 hours to clear up the mess. Totally soul destroying added EL Insurance and have somebody work with me every day now even on the easy jobs never looked back

[Ty Korrigan]

Hello,

Here in French-ville-dans-le-merde lots of 'elageurs' work climbing on their own.

They carry their fuel aloft with them too.

These guys often harvest the branches of trees along the hedgerows leaving them for the farmer to clear up.

I've done a few jobs on my own but use a short rope so its clear of branches lying on it.

Much better working with my business partner/groundy/trainee climber.

Far more efficient, motivational, safer and professional.

I could employ a self employed groundy for say 120-150 per day but prefer to split the take with Seb who having a financial interest in the business works far above call of duty.

My advice to you...

Get a good loyal mate onboard and give him decent shares.

Ty

[oldwoodcutter]

Agree there Nick,even on a job i can do myself,i now prefer to take someone with me for safetys sake.Its always taken more than twice as long to work alone,you get done in less than half the time with another pair of hands.

[Taupotreeman]

I hate to say it but I still work on my own a lot of the time. Mainly for smaller jobs and what we call drop and leave, where there's no clean up. Unfortunately I just don't have enough work to bring in a full time groundy but I do have a part time guy that I use for big jobs, rigging or stuff that's just too dodgy to do alone. And I can certainly sympathise with getting your rope caught up at the bottom of the tree and having to pole slide down using your nads as brakes. And yeah, having a groundy certainly makes life so much easier on the clean up, as does a decent chipper. I felled a humungous Plane once and then spent two days on the clean up breathing in all those horrible little hairs and the dust. That was the turning point for me with the bigger jobs.

[RobRainford]

i tend to do little jobs alone, where it doesnt warrant a second guy, always climb with a guy on the ground though, most jobs now i try and get a second guy in, saves loads of time.

[warren]

However I do wonder how much more useful some "qualified climbers" would be over joe bloggs brash dragger who's got a good head on their shoulders.

 

Nice to hear that. i don't have an aerial rescue ticket but havng been a climbing instructor for a good few years i know my way around the ropes.

 

Apparently no use without the ticket....

Edited March 8, 2011 by warren

[Rich Rule]

I'm self employed and work about 3/4 of the time as a sub-contract climber. Which requires me to carry public liability insurance. ...

 

Can you please elaborate on that? If your working freelance then you should be covered by your employers EL.

[warren]

Nice to hear that. i don't have an aerial rescue ticket but havng been a climbing instructor for a good few years i know my way around the ropes.

 

Apparently no use without the ticket....

 

.. as i can't edit this .. this new post will say ... however i will get the tickets because it shows you've been accessed to the same standard as others which can be trusted.

 

(hopefully dug myself out of any unintentional holes)