Does anybody do constant tree work?

[Djvicke1]

I'm pretty new to the arb industry and coming from a grounds maintenance background I'm sick of grass/hedge cutting etc and love climbing and tree work.

 

I was just wondering how many of you constantly do tree work (climbing/section felling etc) or whether most tree surgeons fill in with other work such as landscaping, hedging etc?

 

I ask because ideally I'd like to just do tree work and was wondering how realistic this would be?

 

Do contract climbers only do tree work or do you find yourself doing the odd fencing job etc?

[Steve Bullman]

I'm a freelance climber..I wouldn't touch fencing work. Get the odd hedge to do here and there but mostly it is all tree work.

[Kenty]

I used to only undertake trees & hedges but had so many customers ask if I could manage their gardens it seemed wrong to turn it down so I know manage two 14 acre estates & one 4 acre doing the grounds maintenance & several small gardens along side the tree work.

[Goaty]

Yes lots of people exclusively in just tree work, might get the odd cat rescue job or hanging bird boxes in trees etc. Many companies and one man bands out their. When you spend on gear and training, insurance etc. It has to be used.

[TIMON]

Our tree business developed out of our landscaping business. So yes we only do treework. Having said that not every job is a climb/dismantle.

We do the odd hedge/shrubbery job to pack the diary.

[Scott Walker]

Trees and unfortunately alot of garden hedge cutting which we find pays very well plus its repeat customer year on year all hedges are prised work just find it boring compared to the trees.

[Hodge]

Trees and unfortunately alot of garden hedge cutting which we find pays very well plus its repeat customer year on year all hedges are prised work just find it boring compared to the trees.

 

 

Same, the hedge trimming and maintainence are a big part of my work, today is hedge reductions tomorrow we can be taking down a big tree. Some jobs it's take the trees or hedge out, grind the stumps and then put a fence up. If you are in to making money then did what you gotta do. I price hedge work the same as tree work and my fencing is priced the same too. If I'm doing a fence I'm bringing toys to the party and its all gotta be paid for.

[arboriculturist]

Same, the hedge trimming and maintainence are a big part of my work, today is hedge reductions tomorrow we can be taking down a big tree. Some jobs it's take the trees or hedge out, grind the stumps and then put a fence up. If you are in to making money then did what you gotta do. I price hedge work the same as tree work and my fencing is priced the same too. If I'm doing a fence I'm bringing toys to the party and its all gotta be paid for.

 

Spot on - and if you live in the South West and decide only to do Arb. you will not survive.

[slack ma girdle]

Spot on - and if you live in the South West and decide only to do Arb. you will not survive.

 

Same as west Wales, you have to have many fingers in the pie to make ends meet.

Beside i get bored doing the same thing over.

 

Check ALL the simple things

[Djvicke1]

Thanks for your responses, seems that it depends on location in a way, and whether you need to make ends meet (running businesses with a few employees).

 

In the future I'd like to be a contract climber and would be keen to move around as I have no ties at the moment, but I suppose its good to be able to fall back on the grounds maintenance when I need to.

 

I live in Wales at the moment and find that many people know have-a-go farmers who fetch a couple branches off standing in a digger bucket or off a ladder etc maybe there's less of that in and around cities?