how much for this load

[Mike Hill]

I have seen the effects of "I will fell any Tree for firewood" advertisments.

 

One guy in town place an ad stating the above in a couple of local papers,the phone went dead.Anyone who saw the ad or heard about it suddenly thought the resource was worth more than the service.

 

We dropped off about 25 Ton of Spruce logs to the guy to keep him quiet.

Now our waste is profitable to him,he tits about on a sickness benefit and we don't have to pay to dump crappy timber.

[skyhuck]

I never give the customer the impression I WANT the timber.

 

VERY, VERY dangerous, as others have said.

 

I always give them the option to keep the wood.

 

I had a guy once who was convinced his two laylandi were worth the cost of the fell and remove, so I said I would leave him the timber so he could sell it and recoup the money he paid me for the felling and chipping. He was clearly not so confident of the timbers value as he declined my offer.

 

If we start to give customer the impression that there tree is of some value, it is very subjective, we run the risk of the customer feeling they are being ripped off.

 

IMO, it would be better to team up with a fire wood guy and get him to make the customer an offer for the timber before you fell the tree.

 

You do your job, customer pays you.

 

Timber man comes pays customer and takes away timber.

[Andy Collins]

I always treat the tree as the clients, from prunes to fells. Its their tree standing, and their tree on the ground in pieces. If they wish to have their tree removed from site in its entirety, then they pay for that service, if they wish to keep the logs and chip, then it is their tree to do as they will, and they just pay to have it put on the ground. We supply a service to the clients, at whatever level.

I have to agree with Skyhucks opinion here, but I can see Stevies logic too, horses for courses I suppose.

That trailer load would be IMO around the 120-150 mark around here.

[David Riding]

I had a guy once who was convinced his two laylandi were worth the cost of the fell and remove, so I said I would leave him the timber so he could sell it and recoup the money he paid me for the felling and chipping.

 

 

I have had similar conversations several times with haggling customers saying that I must make money from the wood and it has a value. As you state simple reply is "you keep it then". Never fails............. so far

 

Whats worse is dodgy contractors who do tight access back garden massive pops and tell the customer it has a value and leave it.

[Dean Lofthouse]

I have had similar conversations several times with haggling customers saying that I must make money from the wood and it has a value. As you state simple reply is "you keep it then". Never fails............. so far

 

Whats worse is dodgy contractors who do tight access back garden massive pops and tell the customer it has a value and leave it.

 

I did that with a customer, told him I'd leave the logs for him to sell to get back some of his money, ringed them to splittable sizes for hime then even told him if he couldn't sell them I would come back and clear them for nothing, I even told him how much to advertise them for...

 

The logs are still there 12 months on, probably too stubborn to admit he was wrong.

[Andy Collins]

I have had similar conversations several times with haggling customers saying that I must make money from the wood and it has a value. As you state simple reply is "you keep it then". Never fails............. so far

 

Whats worse is dodgy contractors who do tight access back garden massive pops and tell the customer it has a value and leave it.

if you look at it from the pov that it will cost so much extra to remove from site, or they can make a saving of maybe a couple of hundred quid and keep it in situ, suddenly its worth more to them to keep it. So long as you are straight and honest with the client from the outset, I can see no problem. If at a later date they decide it needs moving out, then charge accordingly.

[David Riding]

if you look at it from the pov that it will cost so much extra to remove from site, or they can make a saving of maybe a couple of hundred quid and keep it in situ, suddenly its worth more to them to keep it. So long as you are straight and honest with the client from the outset, I can see no problem. If at a later date they decide it needs moving out, then charge accordingly.

 

I completely aggree Andy, if they want to keep timber to save money that is perfectly fine and as you know it can work out better for both client and contractor. Like you say aslong as the customer does'nt get pushed into it and contractors are honest

[Stephen Blair]

I have two apologies to make.

 

1. Gibby' date=' sorry for derailing your thread.

 

2. SWB, I am sorry if you don't like my comments.

 

I stand by the fact that doing tree surgery work in return for the logs that may make some money, someday, is a another nail in the coffin of an already struggling industry.

 

The logs should be the iceing on top of the cake served for dessert.

 

Not the bread that makes up the main course.[/quote']

 

i have taken no offense at your comments, it is a discussion, it has derailed slightly i know if any of the mods feel it should be moved or started in its own thread then they will do so accordingly. what is the difference between tree surgery and cutting up pieces of wood on the deck, simple a rope and harness that is it. the end result of the business transaction between the tradesman and the customer is payment, lets not get all superior because we own a climbing kit, it isnt rocket science...if i can win more work, keep a happy client base, and make money to feed my family then thats is what i will do, i dont lie to my customers i give them a menu of options and they can then pick which service they require, i offer them savings on keeping the timber/woodchip even putting sawdust in their compost bin, i am also recomending to all my customers with space to build a compost heep, if they keep hedge cuttings then it saves me time and money and saved them expense aswell. we are in business, simple..if my competitors dont like it then tough, if the only answer others have is we are a struggling trade as it is then change your ways and adapt. there is a difference between a couple of guys offering profesional tree surgery work that dont have clue recking trees to someone who knows what they are doing taking a diferent approach to his work..

[josharb87]

i think what steves trying to get at is if his competitor takes home and bins all their tree waste they may charge 500 for a day, steve can go in at 300, do the job slightly quicker thanks to his micro machines eliminating dragging/clearup time, and he knows he can make an aditional 400 out of the wood, winning more jobs as he's cheaper, happier clients as he's cheaper, and taking home more money as hes either got time to do another job, or split the wood

 

SWB wins more jobs, makes more money

[Stephen Blair]

give that man a cigar:thumbup: