I'm considering a career change, becoming a tree surgeon/arborist - help

[Andy Collins]

@ Smurf, although the replies may come across as negative, its because things really are that tight right now. If you are serious, i would look into the utility sector, predominantly where your existing skills lie, ie trackside work and tree maintenance, as I think this maybe where you stand the best chance of getting a start. Unfortunately, the reasons you list for wishing a change of direction will still apply if you choose that route.

[stokesley]

got to agree its a hard industry at the moment i live in north yorkshire and someone local to me charged £1200 to take down 10 large poplar trees all at least 90ft to me that was cheap with wear an tear on vechiles and machines the job took 8 days for 2 men you will find if you need a helper the way its going by the time you figure in your costs he will be on the same money as the owner of the bussiness

[swinny]

got to agree its a hard industry at the moment i live in north yorkshire and someone local to me charged £1200 to take down 10 large poplar trees all at least 90ft to me that was cheap with wear an tear on vechiles and machines the job took 8 days for 2 men you will find if you need a helper the way its going by the time you figure in your costs he will be on the same money as the owner of the bussiness

 

where abouts are you bud

[stokesley]

stokesley north yorks, there is lads near me who are charging £100 for a days work and thats with chippers, fuel all in i just car'nt compete i have a house to run

[skyhuck]

stokesley north yorks, there is lads near me who are charging £100 for a days work and thats with chippers, fuel all in i just car'nt compete i have a house to run

 

That can't last surely, as soon as his chipper need some major repair work, or his motor breaks down he won't have any money to fix them.

[stokesley]

yea thats the problem i had was'nt earning enough to pay to maintain equipment so sold up, its young lads who start up that live at home with no familys to profide for and they keep ther prices low, and there seems to be a few farmers who have started doing tree surgery aswell and they work all hours for nothing

[##ray##]

hi im about the same age and decided to have a go . i started by volunteering and helping any one that needed it . decided i like it so kept my original job nothing to do with arb but it brought money in to pay for things. did my cs30/31 £800 without funding. trousers boots gloves and helmet about £400 . saved up some more money and did my cs38/39 £600 and i borrowed the climbing gear. ive been lucky and managed to find work.im loving it :001_smile:working outdoors and climbing etc would not go back to the 8 till 5 clocking in. things are dire at the moment but thats the case all over with work, one example would be the building trade , seems to have almost stopped and the people that cleared the land having no work have moved over to arb. the way i look at it is this - if you really want to do it, do what work you do and get your tickets when you can . get as much experience as you can by volunteering yourself and when the country gets back on its feet you will be ready for work:001_smile:

[Rupe]

hi im about the same age and decided to have a go . i started by volunteering and helping any one that needed it . decided i like it so kept my original job nothing to do with arb but it brought money in to pay for things. did my cs30/31 £800 without funding. trousers boots gloves and helmet about £400 . saved up some more money and did my cs38/39 £600 and i borrowed the climbing gear. ive been lucky and managed to find work.im loving it :001_smile:working outdoors and climbing etc would not go back to the 8 till 5 clocking in. things are dire at the moment but thats the case all over with work, one example would be the building trade , seems to have almost stopped and the people that cleared the land having no work have moved over to arb. the way i look at it is this - if you really want to do it, do what work you do and get your tickets when you can . get as much experience as you can by volunteering yourself and when the country gets back on its feet you will be ready for work:001_smile:

 

 

Do you think you have re-couped all that money spent on training/kit yet?

 

I mean, have you earned a living and enough extra to pay for everything. I know it was already paid for from your previous job, but you still need to be able to have paid for it from arb work, otherwise it was not a good investment (other than doing a job you prefer, which of course has an unmeasurable value).

[Kennedy]

Times are hard, pays not always great but there's a lot of industries alike at the moment. As for Horatios comment of being too old, rubbish.... maybe not fit enough ( thats what the railway does) but that can be fixed. Job about put out feelers.

[Kennedy]

yea thats the problem i had was'nt earning enough to pay to maintain equipment so sold up, its young lads who start up that live at home with no familys to profide for and they keep ther prices low, and there seems to be a few farmers who have started doing tree surgery aswell and they work all hours for nothing

 

No offence but farmers don't work anymore hours than the rest of us, they like to think they do. Probably getting diversification grants to get equipment therefore can price work cheaper without all the overheads that the rest of us have.