Getting a little bored now

[English-arb]

hi guys, been a while since i have posted on here.

 

So i was just hoping perhaps may be i could steel some free advice regarding what could be the next step of my career. As the title says i'm "getting a little bored now" and frustrated with my current job (which is arboriculture by the way), listening to politics and false promises of the company and have been thinking about the future.

 

I'm not bored of the work - far from it! just wondering if i should think about going self employed (apologies if this mimics other peoples thread). I dont want to start a tree services company with all the kit etc.. more likely the contract climbing side of things however, selfishly i do not want to climb all week and therefore my idea was to break up the week offering a service which would include climbing, loler assessing, smaller private jobs and firewood.

 

An idea of my background - been in the industry for 8 years and climbing for 7. Worked for a couple of arb approved firms. RFS certified arborist with the usual tickets including cs41, plus chapter 8.

 

Thoughts would be appreciated, thanks gents

[Steve Bullman]

Go for it. Freelance climbing is great. Zero stress, no politics whatsoever, better money, and more general control over your life. Working 3 days a week you should be able to cover what you would in 5 days working for a company, assuming your skills are up to scratch...looking at your join date i'm guessing you have a few years under your belt so that shouldn't be a problem

 

Then you have 2 days spare to fill with whatever little business venture you want.

 

From what you say it sounds like you are ready to make the move(i've been there), hanging around will only make you miserable.

[5 shires]

hi guys, been a while since i have posted on here.

 

So i was just hoping perhaps may be i could steel some free advice regarding what could be the next step of my career. As the title says i'm "getting a little bored now" and frustrated with my current job (which is arboriculture by the way), listening to politics and false promises of the company and have been thinking about the future.

 

I'm not bored of the work - far from it! just wondering if i should think about going self employed (apologies if this mimics other peoples thread). I dont want to start a tree services company with all the kit etc.. more likely the contract climbing side of things however, selfishly i do not want to climb all week and therefore my idea was to break up the week offering a service which would include climbing, loler assessing, smaller private jobs and firewood.

 

An idea of my background - been in the industry for 8 years and climbing for 7. Worked for a couple of arb approved firms. RFS certified arborist with the usual tickets including cs41, plus chapter 8.

 

Thoughts would be appreciated, thanks gents

 

No disrespect to you in anyway and am sure you are a good climber and know you'd stuff but the industry is flooded with guys with Mr tickets then I will ever or wish to have. I've been working for myself since I was 19 started of doing landscape design and construction then 15years ago moved into tree work, very small jobs at first and never turned anything down even if I knew I might not be able to handle it.

 

It takes a very long time to bulld up a good client base and when you do the work seems to find you. It's no secret how to make it work it's just hard work,do a first class job.dont get greedy just be competitive with your priceing but try and be different to the next guy and offer somthing different it's work'd for me.

[CJM]

Go for it. Freelance climbing is great. Zero stress, no politics whatsoever, better money, and more general control over your life. Working 3 days a week you should be able to cover what you would in 5 days working for a company, assuming your skills are up to scratch...looking at your join date i'm guessing you have a few years under your belt so that shouldn't be a problem

 

Then you have 2 days spare to fill with whatever little business venture you want.

 

From what you say it sounds like you are ready to make the move(i've been there), hanging around will only make you miserable.

 

I wouldn't say zero stress I was more stressed when I was a freelance climber than being employed. Don't want to put a downer on the op but being employed is far better than being a freelance climber, I make about 30% less being employed but I have holidays sick pay and security PPE provided also someone pays my tax and NI, I'm quite luck as I've got a company vehicle so I have no fuel costs.

Like Steve has said you have upsides but unless I was really sick Of my job I may consider freelance climbing again, just for the record I always had 5 days work in and was usually booked up for a month or 2 at a time

[CJM]

Go for it. Freelance climbing is great. Zero stress, no politics whatsoever, better money, and more general control over your life. Working 3 days a week you should be able to cover what you would in 5 days working for a company, assuming your skills are up to scratch...looking at your join date i'm guessing you have a few years under your belt so that shouldn't be a problem

 

Then you have 2 days spare to fill with whatever little business venture you want.

 

From what you say it sounds like you are ready to make the move(i've been there), hanging around will only make you miserable.

 

I wouldn't say zero stress I was more stressed when I was a freelance climber than being employed. Don't want to put a downer on the op but being employed is far better than being a freelance climber, I make about 30% less being employed but I have holidays sick pay and security PPE provided also someone pays my tax and NI, I'm quite luck as I've got a company vehicle so I have no fuel costs.

Like Steve has said you have upsides but unless I was really sick Of my job I may consider freelance climbing again, just for the record I always had 5 days work in and was usually booked up for a month or 2 at a time

 

Just a quick edit if I was do go self employed again I wouldn't be climbing for people I'd set up properly myself

[Steve Bullman]

I wouldn't say zero stress I was more stressed when I was a freelance climber than being employed.

 

Everyones different I suppose. What was causing you stress as a freelancer?

[frets1]

come to the same cross roads!!

been in trees since 1995 climbing since 1997, and running my very small business, doing only arb work, since 2002. still climb with a rope and two loops!!

I am fed up with either too much work and worrying if they will wait, how to get it all done etc, to the phone not ringing for a few weeks and work getting thin, the rent, insurance, advertising etc to pay.

something less intense and steady is what I am after.

loler looks good as I couldn't find a local inspector and phoned other tree company's (who were very helpful) and they had inspectors coming from miles around.

I looked at instructing/ assessing but from what I have read on here you need the local centre to say there is enough demand and the wait was quite long.

I looked at firewood but unless you get your own timber, i.e. still doing tree work, when you buy it in you need to turn over a vast amount to make a living.

all that said I have not written off any ideas and a combination of them all might work. I to still love tree work!! just a few more grey hairs and aches and pains.

just my thoughts on the subject.

I free-lanced for a while as a subbie, good fun to work with different people with different ideas and methods.

good luck with the ventures, keep us posted.

[English-arb]

cheers for the support steve. I do have a number of years now.

 

I've just got to play it smart as i have a little girl to support and mortgage to pay do not want to do anything rash.

[CJM]

Everyones different I suppose. What was causing you stress as a freelancer?

 

It was about being booked up if I had 8 weeks solid work I was having to turn other companies down that made me afraid that I would single myself out to 1 or 2 companies and if work went slack for them I'd have no work. I know the logical thing to do would of been only take on a few days and leave a few open but when it comes to money we need it to pay bills and treat the kids so I had to book my self up.

I'm far better off financially now than I was a freelance climber,

 

Just for the record I was charging proper climber rates

[English-arb]

what were those climber rates cjm