New boy starting from scratch!

[New Boy]

Hi All,

 

This is my first of hopefully many posts on the forum, also unsure if this post will work as i am having some tech difficulty!!!!!

 

I would like to ask the members for some advice please if I may. Having recently had my midlife crisis I have decided to completely change my career and have decided to re-train to become a tree surgeon and work for myself. Working for myself is something that I feel strongly about after 25 years of not doing so. This is something I have thought about for many years but never taken the plunge! I am planning to attend a four week course in early 2014 to gain the basic qualifications and then start very slowly conducting minor works to begin with etc. My main question at this early stage is what level of investment I should be considering in terms of purchasing equipment and am I mad!!! I would also like to post the name of the training provider I intend to use in order to gain some feedback on them but am unsure if this would be allowed on this forum?

 

Thank you

 

New Boy

[treesnakey]

I would advise getting some experience first before starting a business . I would work for other companies if possible to see how it works. You may not have ever used a chainsaw or climbed a tree. Most people start businesses after about 5 or so years of climbing experience.

 

 

Tree surgery is a difficult industry to make profit from and think wisely before investing large amounts of money in chippers, trucks and kit.

 

All the best in your future career.

[pie eater pete]

How old and how physically fit are you chap?

[New Boy]

Thanks all, I am 42 an experienced rock climber for many years and physically fit at present!!! I can only imagine at this stage that this is a hard trade and you guys that are in the business must have to be in good shape, my plan is to start slow and build slowly!!

[Old Mill Tree Care]

After getting an Arb education it takes about 3-5 yes of full time climbing to become a decent tree surgeon.

Most people never achieve it IMO.

 

 

Sent with my iPhone from me, to you!

[Lee Winger]

Sorry if this sounds blunt mate, but imo you've left it too late. I mean do you actually know anything about tree biology? The modern arborist isn't just some climber with a saw. By the time you're what I call a competent arborist, you'll be getting on for 50

[treecreeper arb]

We all have our stories of how we started.I was a year or so grounding before I started climbing.To provide a tree cutting service is one thing,running a company providing quality tree care is another.The four week course will give you the very basics.I personally would the suggest a minimum of two years working with a good firm,then as much different experience as you can get as freelance perhaps.Then,if you feel confident about starting up,invest and go for it.A four week course will teach you very little about tree care.just my opinion,and good luck.

[codlasher]

I see this from a completely different angle.

As a 'retired' forester I have been asked to organise several tree related jobs by local folk. These have involved some felling and some surgery to date.

Now I have never climbed a tree except as a boy and certainly don't intend to start, particularly wielding a chain-saw! I am much happier on the ground.

What I do know a lot about are the mechanics of the job, organising, health and safety and proper use of equipment and this enables me to price jobs accurately with a reasonable profit for all involved. I have a portfolio of qualifications related to this aspect such as a 12D and ground based saw tickets, expedition first aid and etc. (Even a timber harvesting/forwarding selection!)

I have started to employ local tree surgeons to help me with these tasks and so far things are working out well. I still have my trusty loader tractor and have added my 360 to the equipment pool which is a very useful machine in the right circumstances.

I do the organising, some of the labouring and, as ever, the machine work. I rely on the skills of the chain-saw operator/climber and hired in 'groundies' to move the job along. I really prefer not to use a saw at all but am happy to feed the chipper.

I'm in a situation that I don't have to do a seven day week in three days so any job moves forward in a happy relaxed manner with tea and lunch breaks!

 

Perhaps you could look at being someone who organises in this way without attempting to do a difficult and skilful job in an already flooded market? It takes a long time to acquire good safe climbing skills and I feel that is something better left to the younger, keener chaps (and ladies too!)

codlasher

[MattyF]

After getting an Arb education it takes about 3-5 yes of full time climbing to become a decent tree surgeon.

Most people never achieve it IMO.

 

 

Sent with my iPhone from me, to you!

 

My thoughts too.

[Mike Hill]

I think you can do it.As long as you have large financial resources to carry you along whilst your establishing your business,might be three or more years before you have a steady year round income from your company.Or perhaps you can work part time in another vocation?

 

I have had no formal training in Arboriculture but I did have 11 years experiance and alot of money behind me before starting up.