Freelance Climber tips please

[Pedroski]

Some good advice so far.

 

On thing I would not do is climb for gardening firms, stick to tree firms, don't let someone build a business on your abilities.

 

Even sticking to tree firms, he'd still be letting someone else build a business on his abilities. Whenever anyone works for a firm of any sort, then that firm is building a business on the abilities of that person. Climbing for a gardening/landscaping firm (one which obviously has proper insurance and people for tree work as well) could mean that he has work to keep him busy and earning all the time.

[arbogrunt]

'don't let someone build a business on your abilities.'...very true...as a freelancer myself, I find myself doing jobs and wishing I had'nt done jobs for this very reason. I've just about had enough of freelancing now, I'm going back to getting my own company up and running again. Partly because, people don't want to pay the going rate and partly because of a feeling of getting 'done over' for some people I work for. I've found myself working for people who know very, very little about what they are paying me to do and its getting difficult to stomach!

[skyhuck]

Even sticking to tree firms, he'd still be letting someone else build a business on his abilities. Whenever anyone works for a firm of any sort, then that firm is building a business on the abilities of that person. Climbing for a gardening/landscaping firm (one which obviously has proper insurance and people for tree work as well) could mean that he has work to keep him busy and earning all the time.

 

Nope, one of the first firms I climbed for was a timber merchant, they were a very well established firm and Jeff is probably the best hardwood faller I have ever worked with, I lean't more in the time I worked with him than with any one else.

 

If you work for an established tree firm there will be an exchange of knowledge and if they are already established there is business to build. If you climb for a gardening firm that fancies doing tree work you are giving knowledge and not really receiving any in return and enabling them to enter a field they would not be entering without your input.

 

IMO

[Pedroski]

 

If you work for an established tree firm there will be an exchange of knowledge and if they are already established there is business to build. If you climb for a gardening firm that fancies doing tree work you are giving knowledge and not really receiving any in return and enabling them to enter a field they would not be entering without your input.

 

IMO

 

Surely that all depends. There are landscaping firms that do tree work with their own climbers, all above board, and I should know as I work for one. If the guy I work for were to take on a freelancer for jobs then that freelancer is gaining paid work, at more than the going rate for money, AND experience. If my mate has a freelancer in for jobs then that freelancer gets £180/day and calls the shots on the tree work. Good money and good experience. Mind you, the freelancer needs to be good so someone with no experience won't cut it. Also, not all landscaping firms are equal.

 

IMO

[Pedroski]

'don't let someone build a business on your abilities.'...very true...as a freelancer myself, I find myself doing jobs and wishing I had'nt done jobs for this very reason. I've just about had enough of freelancing now, I'm going back to getting my own company up and running again. Partly because, people don't want to pay the going rate and partly because of a feeling of getting 'done over' for some people I work for. I've found myself working for people who know very, very little about what they are paying me to do and its getting difficult to stomach!

 

Many of us are perfectly happy to pay well above the going rate in recognition of what the freelancer brings to the job. You need to pick and choose who you work for. Negotiate things properly before the job, grow some balls and don't get done over.

[Gray git]

What cost/price would you look at building into you day rate for providing all you lowering kit, bigger saws and outher tools above you're normal climbing kit , eg for doing a big take down as apposed to just titillating epicormic out of a lime tree with a silky as some firms wont have any of this themselves.

Good tip I got told from someone who found out the hard way is only put fuel you have mixt in you're ssaws so no fall outs if one go's pop from neat fuel.

[SAM66S]

Thats a good point! I only use my own fuel in my saws just to be on the safe side

[mcs tree services]

What cost/price would you look at building into you day rate for providing all you lowering kit, bigger saws and outher tools above you're normal climbing kit , eg for doing a big take down as apposed to just titillating epicormic out of a lime tree with a silky as some firms wont have any of this themselves.

Good tip I got told from someone who found out the hard way is only put fuel you have mixt in you're ssaws so no fall outs if one go's pop from neat fuel.

I dont really have any lowering gear or rigging equipment, apart from basic rope and slings, up to now we have dismantled some huge trees, 90 foot poplars, 70 foot sycamores etc, using minimal gear and common sense. i have saws and basic climbing gear and cs 30 31 38 39. should i be venturing into the world of freelance climbing without rigging equipment and knowledge? or is there sufficient work for someone of my skillbase?

[alex_m]

is there sufficient work for someone of my skillbase?

 

what is your experience? and also by minimal gear do you mean trunk wraps and natural crotch rigging?

[mcs tree services]

what is your experience? and also by minimal gear do you mean trunk wraps and natural crotch rigging?

 

i have been climbing a few years, although mostly just one day a week, and have dismantled a variety of trees, from large to small, some in some very enclosed areas with buildings etc nearby. touch wood never broke anything yet ha. to be honest i dont know what you mean by those terms but may well use similar method but call it different. usually when dismantling my groundie takes lowering rope and we lower down from a different section of the tree. when this is not possible i stick to removing smaller pieces i can control and drop down safely. when the tree is just trunk i spike and section cut. i know its the most basic way of doing it, and there are probably quicker, easier ways, but we have to make do with what weve got available. besides ive always been more keen on keeping things simple when i'm 60+ feet in the air, feels safer.