HI ALL and new to the bussiness

[WillTimberlake]

Okay

[kentjames]

thanks for the advice guys much appreciated

this might be a stupid question but please bare with me

if i went with a few companies to gain exp would it be on a self employed basis as i am currently training with tkf then the job centre have kindly funded my other training which takes me up to December for level 2+3 in tree felling and rope and harness i am also hoping to secure funding so i can do my aerial pruning i am going down the route of going self employed garden maintenance/ landscaper so would you suggest i fine a local tree surgeon to do one to two days work a week thank you for bearing with me

phil

 

Become self employed, do some brash dragging for a local tree surgeon, if you get the chipper certificate and some public liability insurance then you may progress to chipping up with them too - all depends on what they need? At the end of the day you need experience of how to go about tree works, both the in the tree part, on the ground and the day to day running of the business which you may be lucky enough to gain along the way.

 

Don't what ever you do grow a big head and expect a lot straight out of college, either in terms of work, responsibilities or financially, you need to earn a place with a crew and pull your weight - this isnt a dig its just the real world.

[philip2011]

i don't think it is a dig buddy im open to all suggestion opinions and personal experiences that's why i put the question up i have all ready sent e mails to three local tree surgeons in my local area with my potential qualifications so will see what comes back i have also had a local company in contact with me that wants me to manage their garden which consist of two thirds of an acre of wood land which could be highly valuable exp for me so will see how it goes keep the info coming cheers for the support guys phil

[theflyingscotsman]

Hi Phillip,

 

You mentioned you where going to start a Landscaping/Tree business..

My advice to you would be to concentrate on building a solid client base on the Garden/Landscaping side first before heavy investment into arb kit. Get all the tickets while it's funded!

 

A garden maintenance/Landscaping business takes little to get off the ground. Just a lot of tidy/neat work (graft) will soon have your name being passed about and your business will grow.

 

Like Kentjames I started small then moved into arb work once I had a huge client base. For the first two years I sub contracted the climbing work out so that I still made the money out of the job for finding it basically. Or at least made as much as the climber as I was providing him with lots of work.

 

If you can't afford big kit and you don't have the work for it day in day out don't buy it. Hire/beg/borrow.. To get you through the piece of work.

 

If your totally 'green' to tree work (no pun intended) yes I'd agree, go get some experience else where. But if you have some arb experience and /or a contact, maybe a friend, even other local businesses...(ask to hire a climber for the day, I pay my climber minimum of £200per day as I trust him to look after me and my job)

 

You get the work through your business: cost them in and watch and learn, that way you pick up experience but make the money you need to grow the business and buy the big kit.

 

Cost wise, I now usually do all the ground work or provide man power, and get a climber in to do the jobs that are above me. (I will get there in time)

 

If you want to do this as a living and set up your own business I'd start as soon as possible. It takes little experience to cut grass and weed neatly.

 

Tree stuff is a lot different. (Bluntly more dangerous for you and the properties you'll be working in) Don't be afraid to pay experienced people to do what you can't . Anything straight forward do it yourself.

 

Tree/arb work is tricky to get into unless you have the client base from gardening . Most areas will have trusted and professional Tree Surgeons that have the market already. It's not something that's easy to jump into.

 

I agree mostly with the others, this is merely a more business orientated sway on your situation.

 

At 31 when I started I couldn't have afforded to work as a groundie so i just had to get on with it.

 

Grass it like hair....rarely stops growing..

 

Good luck and stick in

[will.morris]

Welcome to the forum mate!

 

Realistically bro I'd say you need to get some experience with a company doing the donkey work to start off with. Tree work constantly puts you in situations where you've really got to know what you're doing to avoid getting hurt or damaging something, this is not the position that you'll want to be in whilst still learning the ropes yourself. Some of it is common sense but a lot of it is specific knowledge gained only through experience.

 

In an ideal job you will be constantly challenged but have the option to say "hey boss I'm not confident on this part, can you either talk me through it or show me how it's done and on this occasion I'll watch". One accident in this scenario self employed could ruin everything. Though I appreciate how hard it is to get into this trade (in England anyway).

 

Goodluck in whatever path you take!

Edited September 29, 2013 by will.morris