Manned Chipper Hire – South East

[chris mepham]

I used to have my own successful tree surgery company for 17 years which I ceased in 2015. I have a Unimog 2450 front mounted chipper with a 30cm aperture and a variable tracked 190 Timberwolf and I am thinking of starting an operated chipper hire company. Is this something you would use on a semi regular basis? I am fully ticketed and experienced including UA5 and based in Ashford, Kent. Suggested day manned rates are £585 for the Unimog and £170 for the Timberwolf, approximately. I would really appreciate feedback on whether you would use this service and whether you think the day rates are fair. Cheers, Chris.

[john p]

Mog does sound a bit pricey tbh, although it's probably what you should be charging!

I personally wouldn't pay that much, on the other hand tracked chipper with operator price seems a bit cheap, take £100 off your mog and put 50 on tracked chipper.(imo)

[Steve Bullman]

Agreed on both counts. The tracked chipper probably shouldn't be far off that price alone not including your labour.

I think your mog will sit in the yard pretty much full time at that money too.

[richy_B]

Very hard to price and quantify demand. Agreed with what has been said, £170 a day with operator (and I presume blades and fuel) is great value and I'd have you in 20 days a winter. I'd also have you in for 20 days a winter at £250 a day....

 

The mog is far more specialist. Depends on how much you need the income? If you can afford to stick to you price and do a couple of days a month then great. If it needs to be earning I'd put it at £450, workin a 50 mile radius and I'd imagine you'd get several days a week.

 

Obviously I don't know you situation but if you closed your business I'd sell the mog and just keep the tracked unit to work, as you have said, as a standalone.