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benedmonds

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Everything posted by benedmonds

  1. benedmonds

    The Dogs!

    Perfect family dog, very middle class and have become very popular in the last 5 years(for good reason), miniature lab poodle cross. Good size can run for an hour or more, and walk all day, but doesn't go crazy if misses a walk, doesn't take up much space, not threatening, clever, great with kids, hopefully being a cross it's less likely to suffer genetic issues from inbreeding, doesn't moult or smell much, if you get a curly haired one they are even hypoallergenic ...
  2. We have just fitted 2 to two of our trucks, thinking of fitting to chippers as well. They sell them on ebay for a lot less. They are great, pay as you go sim, phone it up and it texts you back with a link on google. Main reason was to find the vehicle if it is nicked but it does have the benefit that I can find out where the guys are..Used it this morning when waiting for them to turn up on site You can also wire them in so you can turn of the fuel.. back2you.com online store - Self Contained GPS Vehicle Tracker
  3. I would rather a company offer me their best price first up, rather then have to haggle for it. That is how I like to work. Companies that offer discounts just add it on first.
  4. Still looking for climbers.. Now in an Arb Approved Company...
  5. We recently passed, you could do it on your own but will need to put some serious office time in! Deffo go to one of Pauls Pre assessment days if your not sure what is involved. They do want some stuff that you probably have never even thought about.... We had an arb specific consultant in, I wanted someone to help push us onto the next level as like most arbs I have no business training.. Initially I wasn't that bothered with AAAC but his approach was to prepare us for AAAC status (and beyond ISO9001 etc..).. We also did pauls pre assessment day and so were pretty well prepared.. Get hold of the 22 page (for less then 5 employees) AAA standard and if you can fulfill the long list of requirements it's a breeze. I guess you can get it from the web site.
  6. Your pre 97 licence entitles you to drive a 7.5 tonner but that does not exempt you from an Operators licence and as you are using it as a delivery vehicle I do not think you can claim any exemptions for tacho and CPC use. There has been debate on here about exemptions. http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/arb-trucks/71215-do-we-need-35-hours-driver-cpc-september.html http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/arb-trucks/72090-operators-licence.html
  7. When we moved from partnership to ltd this became an issue as we have an old landcuriser (expensive when new and high emissions). Vans are treated differently, so we pulled out the seats and seatbelts, blacked out the windows and reclassified it with the DVLA. Insurance was cheaper too!
  8. Only when empty, ride is much better:001_smile: when loaded..
  9. You would also need o licence, tacho and do your cpd for driving.
  10. If your think you might expand it's worth applying for extra vehicles so you don't have to reapply in the future.
  11. We were with NFU for years, one year we renewed and they added the 6m clause without telling us.. Don't normally bother reading the small print when we renew so nearly missed it. We still use them for our 4 vehicles..
  12. The thinning was an issue for me as I don't generally specify thinning on anything other then previously hacked trees and they want to see works to a maiden tree.
  13. Reg Harris assessed us. He was good, thorough but fair I felt. We were in pretty good shape as we have had Paul Elcoat give us a thorough going over.. We also attended the pre-assessment with AA Techie Paul. It is quite daunting being tested all day and having your work and knowledge thoroughly examined... Been meaning to do it for ages, but when another local firm did it had to pull my finger out... Who assessed you tom?
  14. We did our own, wasn't difficult as I recal.
  15. We had our assessment today and passed!
  16. I know but these threads make employees think they are underpaid and I like to redress the balance.. (Maybe it's just my employees...)
  17. I don't wish to derail another thread on how much a freelance climber gets.... £90 -£150 seem normal. But I think if you look at your figures you might not be WAY better off being freelance. There are obviously other advantages just thought it interesting to compare. On the books: £70 a day (253 week days in year including 28 days paid holiday) so £17,710 per year. Freelancer 100 a day (225 days working 28 days holiday) assuming full employment£22,500 - (PPE, saw and chain, climbing kit, training, National Insurance contributions, accountants/time in the office, increased travel distances etc etc..). That got to cost at least £2,500 a year.. Perhaps a subbie would let us know their annual costs? So you are £2290 a year or just over £9 a day better off. With no sick pay and other benefits of having regular employment. Such as easy days and early finishes:001_smile:
  18. I'd hold out till you can afford a decent bandit HB20 or similar. Our first grinder was an old vermeer, nothing but trouble, second was an not so old greenmech, nothing but trouble.. Splashed out on a new Bandit, still had some issues.. Might just be me but stump grinders seem to have a hard life..
  19. Cheers Kev. They did give us a few extra teeth when we asked, but I don't think they normally do.. I would have liked plenty incase we hit something.
  20. Can't it feed the chipper?
  21. An issue we had hiring grinders was that they didn't want to give us spare teeth. We had the machine a few days and teeth can and do get damaged. I understand having to pay for them, but doesn't it make sense to give us a load of spares that we pay for if we use? OUr grinder goes out with a bucket load of spares when it goes out.. I also dislike paying for sharpening, seems like a bit of a con and should be included in the price of hire IMO.
  22. Three local places to look: Park hill training Dart Broomfield
  23. I had 5 guys, two trucks, big chipper sent away from a job a few weeks back as we didn't all have our cscs cards..! This was after I had emailed Method Statements, SSRA, generic RA, insurance etc, etc... The most annoying thing is if they had told me I would have sent guys with cscs cards! I have not done the course. But been told it is pretty simple if you have read the book. Costs around £100. On site inductions can be a real PAIN.. We have wasted hours waiting around being "inducted" on sites. Irritating if it is only a small job.. Also remember that the builder will probably knock off 20% for the CIS scheme and take at least 6 months to pay you! If they don't go bust..
  24. We have a number of times. Always been good grinders. They don't always have the BIG machines in. Admittedly it can work out easier (if not cheaper) to get someone into do the stumps. Works out reasonable if you need it for a week but short hire is more expensive. If you can get the big carlton (78hp) with the dozer blade go for that...
  25. Was that your tie in point? You would have probably found it easier if you had put it higher.

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