is it really worth it

[White Noise]

Same here.

I sub all my work out now and earn just as much with no hassle and no stress, at all.

Finding the right person to sub to could be a challenge though.

 

Thats made me so jealous Glad it works for you .

[simonm]

I have been through the same thing, I dont charge an extortinate amount for what I do but theres always someone who will do it for next to nothing! I have been doing alot of fencing too recently, I quite like doing it! The only hassle is having the cash upfront for materals but I always ask for materals money upfront now and most people seem happy to do this. I have done quite a few jobs recently and most have been from neighbours of people I have already done fences for! At the end of the day I`m not that bothered what I do aslong as I get a sence of satisfaction and some wedge to pay the bills!

 

exactly

[ArthurBottlesworth]

I was undercut buy guys offering insurance companies that "they would work for free"

 

Insurance companies actually accepted this crap, and wondered why their claim costs went through the roof ( it's called a backhander from the repairer you idiots)

 

Saved one company £10k on a claim ( for £50 ) and they said I was hard work and gave me no more work ....

 

Eventually got fed up and closed the business ........couldn't hack working for idiots .....

[oldwoodcutter]

Quoted to trim a connie hedge couple of weeks ago roadside in my own village,customer thought i was a little dear to his other quote,drove past it today and whoever done it looks like they used a knife and fork,talk about rough,but there we are.

Phoned another potential customer when i got in at 6 tonight off my anserphone,a large silver birch wanting removed,he left the message at 11 this morning,when i started talking he stopped me and said it'd been done this afternoon.

[felixthelogchopper]

Totally agree! I even laugh at crap jobs I haven't quoted for!!

 

I laugh at crap jobs and I don't even do tree work anymore.

[Acg128]

Takes stress to another level doesn't help when other halfs feel like there last on your list !

[Jammydogg]

I sometimes feel the same, i do mostly fencing and tree work, can b hard loosing jobs to the cheaper adidas trackie wearing gardeners, and seening their crap effort at the end,often thought about going employed but duno what the money would be. Done cs30, 31 is next week an doing 38 39 after. Got couple years experience in tree work but havent done it everyday.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk mobile app

[launchster]

I do 3-4 days a week gardening for regulars,as that was my original training. Then I book in probably 2-3 tree jobs a month and the same for fencing. For that very reason, I can't risk just relying on the tree work as there is so much competition. There are more gardens that need looking after than there are trees that need working on. I enjoy both sides of the business then,as the pressure of looking for big jobs is off,and the money is pretty good either way.

[hardtop110]

Plenty of lifestyle guys coming to it as second careers. They've often already paid the mortgage and sorted their pension in their previous job and are now looking to live the dream playing with saws and swinging from trees all day. They don't need to make the same cash, so are undercutting, but sometimes don't have the skills or experience to do a decent job. Sad state of affairs really.

[benedmonds]

I can't help being annoyed when sub standard work is undertaken that I have quoted for. These are a couple of around 160 trees a firm have cut. They are not local. The specification:

 

"Reduce crown to previous pruning point, crownlift to 5.5m"

 

To be honest it's not the work that really offends, I actually recommended to the TO 7 years ago that we should "high pollard" the trees. It's the fact that I had quoted to reduce the trees and we did "lovingly" reduce the trees a few years back. It's no wonder we don't compete on price?