Anyone else tearing their Hair out??

[Steve Bullman]

Not just new people

[TREE-SURGEON-ESSEX]

I think steve split the log right across the grain there

 

cheap prices do force cheap jobs if you dont have the time but you lowered your first price then speed covers the loss and quality and speed are not always one and the same.

 

I loose jobs and when you see that quality of work you see why they was cheaper and more often than not i get the call the next year

 

But price will always vary not all tree surgeons are equal some are fast and good some are rogues and some just really dont know wtf they are doing and they dont mean to hack trees or undercut they just dont know any better.

 

Guys if we wanted an equal playing field well there never has been one in any business so get chopping an earning and dont worry about it.

[toprotter]

@ Stevens post

[josharb87]

i don't think £33 a hour is bad wage or is it me!!

 

if your reffering to worcsruss mates rates job,

 

closer to £11 ph

 

(£100 job, £25 expenses = £75, 3.5hours = £21.50ish, 2 guys = under £11ph per man, then tax. . .)

 

Everyones different, different speeds, kit, styles of gettig the job done

[stokesley]

if your reffering to worcsruss mates rates job,

 

closer to £11 ph

 

(£100 job, £25 expenses = £75, 3.5hours = £21.50ish, 2 guys = under £11ph per man, then tax. . .)

 

Everyones different, different speeds, kit, styles of gettig the job done

 

ha yea just read it back sound a bit daft now

[TerryTibbs]

Chris Gill's pricing is how to make a living!

 

Some jobs that i do on my own, hedge cutting etc, my standard hourly rate is £30.

Me, kit, insurance, fuel and disposal of waste.

 

I stopped pricing to get work because when it ended up over running i got p*ssed off!

This is my livelihood, it's MY name on the work i do so i don't do bad work for a cheaper price!

 

I sub in as part of a two man team that is £65 per hour, or about £520 a day, 2 men, truck and chipper. How on earth some people make profit on a job to buy new kit, repair broken stuff or even take a holiday is beyond me!

[adam4838]

Hi guys. Great thread, I've learnt loads reading through it.

 

My opinion (for what its worth as a relative newbie,) is that you do need to charge a realistic rate to make a living. When I set up on my own after working for others for a few years I did go in a bit too low, which I realise was a mistake with the benefit of hindsight.

 

It is important to set your stall out as you mean to go on, and build up a good reputation, not just a cheap one.

 

However, I based my initial prices on what I fealt I could achieve in a day. Small chipper, small tipper and basic gear meant we were nowhere near as efficiant as a slick tooled up and experienced 2 man team.

 

Now we are getting there, I sometimes cringe at what I used to charge. Finally though, I know I am getting it right as recent customers have shared with me other quotes from other reputable firms and we are very close.

 

It takes time to get your head round exactly what your ability within the day is worth. Like many other posts in this thread, its not as simple as just a day rate. Some are more competative at smaller jobs, and some at bigger jobs. Within a mile of me there is one of the largest companies in the North West. I compete on some domestic jobs, and it can vary quite a bit on the prices. He's more tooled up to do bigger jobs than I am, yet my overheads are massively lower, so I may come up cheaper on a smaller job, without intentionally undercutting.

 

I think the main thing is that we are all different and there will always be variations.

 

Just a question, the £500 - £600 for a 2 man team. Is this a company charging out 2 people with kit, or is it the boss and a groundie? This makes a difference as if it is a company charging out 2 men, then the boss has to cover the wages of 2 men and his own on top for running the business. Just curious to know.

 

Adam

[skyhuck]

 

Just a question, the £500 - £600 for a 2 man team. Is this a company charging out 2 people with kit, or is it the boss and a groundie? This makes a difference as if it is a company charging out 2 men, then the boss has to cover the wages of 2 men and his own on top for running the business. Just curious to know.

 

Adam

 

Don't see how it makes any difference, the work done by two has to have the same worth regardless of wether one is the Co owner or not.

 

IMO, if your sending out teams, you need at least two teams to bring in a wage for you as a boss/manager, when I ran two teams, I led one team 4 days per week and had another team working 5 days, I spent the 5th day sorting out the business side of things.

 

But TBH I find I can make more with a 5th day on the tools than that extra team made me in 5 days, plus its so much less hassle.

Edited May 20, 2012 by skyhuck

[Gray git]

The thing that bugs me in our area is not so much the travelling tree butchers as they might get a few jobs but no recommendations or repeat work anoying though they are its the lads working on the power lines taking on jobs for extra beer money turning up in nice new van shiny chipper new saws all the gear non of which has cost them a penny as they need it to do the day job and are just lucky to get to take it home over night/wend not to mention free fuel.

Some I have seen doing quite a good standard of work some should sticks to spiking up trees on line clearance and at times I am left thinking yes I could have (insert expletives here) that tree for that price to but would be ashamed to have.

I have worked for a very good big company with lots of gear whole if I priced a big dismantle against I would have no chance of winning as with there gear they can take every thing away and grind stump in a day where it would realistically take me 3, nothing to do with skills just having gear that speeds up jobs but they might not even bother pricing a little pruning job that I might make a good profit on as it would not even cover there overheads for that amount of time.

[adam4838]

Don't see how it makes any difference, the work done by two has to have the same worth regardless of wether one is the Co owner or not.

 

Yes, your right. It makes no difference to the "value" of the work whether its the boss or not. Was just curious to know thats all.