nailer
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Everything posted by nailer
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Nice one Lee. Neat. If anyone in Manchester gets one of them please get in touch. Cheers.
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SWB, you are right. I`m not suggesting its the best way, just an option. Dave, I take your point. That is the downside. It only works if you put yourself down as `third climber / groundie`s assistant`. The upside is no stress; loads of work getting done real quick; and all your `phone calls done before you get home.
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Its my job to spot any cogs about to break. Having a team of four self-employed tree surgeons in one place means most things can be switched around and sorted effortlessly. Pricing jobs is best kept well away from actual work. `Guys not finishing off jobs properly` doesn`t enter into it. I`m always there.
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Shreks Wee Brother, it would be the boss`s job to make sure it works out like that. Freelancers should have their money in their account by the time they get home. Steve, I once read, `Think about how you would set up your ideal business if you were starting again from scratch. Then just do that.` Dave, I know you do. But is that rig of yours working to its absolute maximum potential. I can see how it wouldn`t appeal to some folk and for good reason, but I`m trying it out right now and it works.
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Dave, are you happy you`re getting the absolute maximum out of your current set-up with only two of you? What about this: No extra kit and No employees. One full day, mid-week, on your own doing quotes. Plus Sat a.m. when needed. Four days actual work - `caining it, with you, two freelance climbers and one freelance groundie.
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I`d be made up if Vermeer could fix a log loader / grab to a 1000xl, like they did on the 2000xl http://www.vermeeruk.co.uk/downloads/Brush%20Chipper%20BC2000XL.pdf Mainly so it wouldn`t cost 70K. And my truck could move forwards when towing it.
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Can refresher training be done by someone other than NPTC and Lantra etc? I like to refresh my skills all the time. I watch other climbers. I ask questions. Go to the shows. Read books and watch the vids. Maybe even try out some new tricks to improve production. I`m assuming my `soak it up like a sponge` work place attitude would fulfill my refresher training commitments.
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Try as many ways as you can think of. Keep very close tabs on what works and what doesn`t. Every quote you do should be traceable back to where they got your number. If something isn`t working drop it quick. If it does, keep throwing time and money at it to improve and expand it. If someone pays you a few hundred pounds to do any work they should be thanked. Leave a customers property much tidier than you find it. So they notice it for days after. If you`re writing copy for ads, concentrate on what`s in it for them. Not about you, your qualifications, your health and safety, your equipment etc. They most likely don`t care about that as much as you would think. Whatever you do do not be the cheapest. Best of luck.
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Sound advice. A good contract climber will teach you plenty over time and allow you to do good work efficiently. To set your prices, look at your costs and what you want to earn. Ignore what others are doing. People looking solely for the cheapest price are best avoided from the start.
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TCD, would you not prefer him to tell you everything he wants doing, so that you can work out a price for the whole job? He gets it all done at a set price, without the need to chase you. You have an opportunity to make more profit. You`re taking on risk and responsibility but that`s what generally attracts reward.
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Sorry Buzz, what I meant was, if I was running that job I would be more concerned with how much chip would need shifting than how high the tree was.
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Hi Chris, yes that was my point. But I`m not dissin` anyone`s efforts in the workplace. Personally, the 36 ton of chip would concern me more than the 130ft trees.
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I`d say that`s the main point. I`ve made many blunders whilst quoting over the years which I have paid for. Eliminating low bids from the order book doesn`t half make life run smoother. imo
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That`s about right. It shares the same file as the waste carrying license. CIS is for construction workers that can`t be trusted to pay their taxes. Everyone else, it seems, can be.
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Got all our work done. Wrapped up in Merino wool and Goretex.
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My truck was in for its PMI today at the Iveco garage. While I was there this caught my eye: http://www.massif.iveco.com/
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I`m interested. Thank you. For actual lock-ups these look ok: http://www.cleveland-sitesafe.ltd.uk/
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I too had a fortnights` worth of mini-adrenaline rushes as I drove into the yard wondering if my whole career was still in place. It was. What joy.
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Tom, I agree. Arb work seems way easier. A £90 tree job would take an hour, tops.
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Thanks Sam. I`ll call you tomorrow.
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Dave, sorry to read about your `mog. I really hope you can get it fixed quick. Bad days are there to make the good ones look better.
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Ed, you`re right, starting from scratch again does not appeal. But I remember precisely the moment I knew the tree game was for me. A council tree climber was up a street tree in Old Trafford and I was thinking bloody hell that looks fun. Then I thought I could never do that, its just too dangerous. Ten seconds later: well if he`s doing it as a job it must be possible. It involves hard graft, trial and error and good fortune but if the desire is there it can be done. By anyone. At any time.
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Prune off a vertical branch. When you finish with a horizontal cut to remove the stub, keep both hands on the saw and drop the revs at the end of the cut so the stub stays stood up on the bar. Flick it over your shoulder into the nearest bin.
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Because its hard physical work, outside and dangerous. Its great fun. You rarely work at the same place two days running. Customers are sound. If they`re not, you won`t see them anyway for at least 3 years. You can choose who you work for and with. Sometimes it gets a bit noisy, but other than that it`s ace.
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I started using a saw hook earlier this year and I love it. Its a regular carabiner with the whole gate surgically removed and permanently attached to the harness just behind / past the right D ring. For security, the saw is attached to the regular tool ring on my harness with a standard bungee strop, but put on the opposite way round to normal. Ideally, cut that bungee ring off too. The carabiner attached to the saw drops into the hook one handed and without ever letting go of the saw handle. You don`t even have to look at it to `gun-sling` the saw back into action. It works on bigger saws too. No more dangling saws below your feet. If a lowering rope brushed past the climber, it could well catch the hook so I`m not recommending it. ( But it is sooo much easier to use.)
