Call Out Contract Specifications

[Charlieh]

when i used to do ag work in cambridgeshire and there was a chance we would be needed over the weekend or evenings, we were expected to be on site within 2hrs and got paid a retainer to be on stand-by it was something like £10-£15 per day which was only paid if we were on standby and didnt get called in, if we were called in then we just went onto the overtime rate per hour, much the same as the guys that do the snow plowing, if there is a chance of bad weather they get a retainer,

 

but this contract expects people to be on stand-by 365days a year with two sober staff, fully insured staff and qualified with no retainer and only £200 authorised work, what happens if its 3am you get a situation where you need a crane or (humour me skyhuck) a MEWP and you cant get hold of the person that authorises the work? you just sit there waiting until 7am when they get up and turn their mobile on?

[Rt400]

This contact would more suited to companies that already have call out crews

[bob]

This contact would more suited to companies that already have call out crews

 

but if they already have call out crews and the wind comes would they not have problems dealing with what they were already contracted to do and could be unable to respond within the 2 hr period

 

 

sorry i am not been negative

followed this thread with interest

as i am LA part time and self employed and have to do a fair amount of call out

and out of 10 men we sometimes find it a real pain getting a couple to go out to sort stuff especially when we have multiples and need extra staff

[Andy Clark]

This contact would more suited to companies that already have call out crews

 

Kev.. James....

 

I hate to put a downer on things gents, but you two need to be VERY careful with something like this..... and all because of one word....

LIABILITY!!!!

 

With Acorn as the principal contractor, you would be liable for any and all work carried out by a secondary contractor.

 

 

 

Think back to the OCA panel/criteria.... (and you both know the trouble i had in making THAT work!) that's the kinda hoops you'd need to make contractors jump through to ensure limited liability comeback.

 

And then when you consider the type of work being undertaken... Call-out work... perhaps the most dodgiest of tree work that there is...... and you're looking at a big fat can of worms.

 

 

Best of british luck boys.

 

I hate to say it, but you're gonna need it.

[Stephen Blair]

i think this is why the councils keep the creamy stuff for their own guys and sub out all the crap stuff. they would have to pay their own staff a fortune to sit by the phone all night. so why not sub it out, have every tree cutter in the country waiting on tender hooks and not spend a penny.

[bob]

i think this is why the councils keep the creamy stuff for their own guys and sub out all the crap stuff. they would have to pay their own staff a fortune to sit by the phone all night. so why not sub it out, have every tree cutter in the country waiting on tender hooks and not spend a penny.

 

whats the creamy stuff

[Stephen Blair]

not the crap stuff bob

[combined tree services]

i have had a call out contract and it worked really well for me untill the company tried to tightrn up on cost , time and equipment used on the call outs , ie if we were called out to a tree across a road we had to be there withing the hour , only using a two man team , with only the basic kit , and to top it of they then decided that if you were out ofr less than an hour no matter what time of the day or night you would only be pain £100 oh and traveling was only paid one way . in simple terms it was not worth it in the end .

 

i am still verr interested in this call out contract but i feel that there is still not enough info being given .

[woodsmanBSc]

Gents,

 

Please contact [email protected] for further details.

 

Andy – Thanks for your comments! Can of worms!! I do think we should have gone for a more formal tender as to whittle out the red logs from the green.

 

Its true a firm with 1-3 lads would struggle to meet additional call out needs to those they are committed to in their area/beat. However I would ask all potential contractors to consider current staffing, resources and life styles for suitability. Some folks may want to go for a drink on a Fri/Sat night and rightly so!! I’m sure there are professional companies in the UK who can meet the requirements of this contract.

To those who wish to know the financial returns – again I say we can’t predict future un-predictable tree failure across the UK. As the immortal Del Boy once said “he who dares wins”, so have a go folks!

 

Charlieh – I can assure you my phone and the other Senior Managers phones are on 24 hours a day, 365 days a week.

[Stephen Blair]

its nothing to do with a having a drink with me, i only go out about 6 times a year. you havent a clue what you are going to, if i wanted to get there quick i would want to just jump in a van and go, but usually on stuff like this a jcb is the answer. shove it to the side and open the road. this is the kind of contract that forces the value of our work down. if no one goes in for it then it will force the authorities to get a local firm on the books and pay accordingly. and also safety is an issue, storm damage at night time with a 2-3 man team isnt a good idea. the highways have the right idea up here, they have a volvo articulated shovel with a set of forks on it and one guy, he turns up, dozes it to the side and heads off home, and most of the stuff from 2 years ago is still there, thats what you are competing with. the paperwork will look great, and fortunes will be spent on insurances and training and old jock the farmer will get bunged 50quid for 20 mins in his manitu, it will look good on paper but at night time when you turn up, some poor policeman has been standing there for hours in the rain, no risk assesment, no filling in of forms, just get it done and go home.good luck with the contract guys, or should i say, 'this time next year we will al be millionaires'