Recession?

[Highland Forestry]

Slacking off up here.. contract work is dieing a death and almost no private work at all..

Hope its the time of year...having said that it was the same this time last year.

Looking for more contracts now..

[Ian C]

I have been busy for the last two and half months, then went a bit quite a few weeks ago, still got work coming in but am getting undercut more and more, be ok though just trying to get everything i can.

[tommer9]

2 days work since capel!

[Mark Bolam]

I'm much quieter than normal. I KNOW that others say they are snowed under, when it is not the case.....can't understand that.

 

Ditto that Mac.

 

Got stuff coming in all the time, but it's always £200 domestic stuff. Keeps us going, but Alan Sugar isn't quaking in his boots.

 

Nothing to get the teeth into for ages.

 

Let's all keep our standards up (and prices!).

 

Have priced a lot recently where you just know that you are not going to be doing the work. I can't be arsed to explain that minimum of 2 blokes and £35k of equipment, insurance, tickets etc. isn't going to cost £50 a day. After reading all the stress threads I now try and walk away whistling with a grin on my face.

 

Remember though, trees and hedges have no respect for the credit crunch, and will continue growing. There is still work out there! Think Positive!

[atree]

another new truck,3 new staff,new landscaping side of things,6 day weeks, must be busy so ive been hearing anyway:001_cool:

[mdvaden]

I'm way over here - but ...

 

Busiest winter and early spring ever since 1988.

 

I see evidence of other companies or stores being in a slight pinch, yet other than the negative facts and reports in the news, it's hard to realize that times are tough for some.

 

Just thankful our schedule is full.

 

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Quite a mixed bag for 09 so far; Jan & Feb were dead whereas now I'm frantic. It's been mentioned already about undercutting - ditto; I'm finding that people are driving very hard bargains for instance I recently put in a quote for £2280 and that was getting it as low as I could to try and get the job. Client emails to say that another quote was considerably cheaper, I replied saying I'd value the opportunity to try to price match (I have found that a little £lowering has upped turnover) and what was I up against? The other quote was £1200 - 1500! I've matched it but of course the chaps thinking that was going to rip him off 900 squid so why should he give me the work?! If I do get it I'll be only just breaking even which is lunacy but I want a foot in the door with this company...

 

Sick of Joe Public thinking the removal of a large leylandii is £100.00 tho...

[jojam]

Sick of Joe Public thinking the removal of a large leylandii is £100.00 tho...

 

If they want a professional, good job then they have to pay for it, would they shop around if it was for a leaking toilet, think not.

To be undercut that much is a joke, if you don't get it just try and think that he will get whats he pays for and you may be called back to tidy up.

I wonder if the under cutter has all his tickets, loler's, insurance etc?

[Ian C]

If they want a professional, good job then they have to pay for it, would they shop around if it was for a leaking toilet, think not.

To be undercut that much is a joke, if you don't get it just try and think that he will get whats he pays for and you may be called back to tidy up.

I wonder if the under cutter has all his tickets, loler's, insurance etc?

 

most of the gen public aint bothered about tickets etc, most dont even know about them!

I did a job yesterday and the customer was talking about a friend of hers who got a quote for a large tree removal of a grand, i said must be a big job then, reply was Oh its massive but she got a firm to do it for 200 quid! nearly fell over. Then she said, "do you people do any training or do you just make it up as you go on"! i explained the system and tickets etc and she was amazed. "Oh you do do qualifications in tree cutting then" was one remark. the world is ruled by money until somat goes wrong then were cowboys.

 

Rant over...........

[Mick Stockbridge]

Undercutting is the name of the game at the moment. I priced a small Beech removal yesterday at £250, I asked the customer if she had any other qoutes that were cheaper. No, she said, the same at £250 so I dropped £20 and got the job booked in there n then. I would never have done that in the past but it seems like everyone around here is at it. I would have gone in at less if needs be, but I am lucky enough to have my wife working with me so no labour costs incurred. Half a days work for slightly less than normal. I would rather work cheap than not at all. I book in my regulars for three weeks away because I know they wont go elsewhere and squeeze in the new ones so they dont get chance to go elsewhere...........Things are definitely harder than years past.