Ty Korrigan

Stumpy, I had looked at buying a road tow but I couldn't stretch to one and didn't want to buy a stolen or sold as seen lemon (a mortal fear that haunts me...) Yes, I do admit I have had issues with the CS100 but it has helped my business get to the point where we are hoping to take delivery of a new 6"road tow very soon (as soon as the vat number is issued...) Yes, O.K I concede the point to you IF I could have found a decent used 5"-6" road tow for around the same money I would have bought one. BUT...I have not lost because I bought a CS100 but won all the way. No-one really likes feeding a gravity feed chipper but even fewer like jumping up and down on trailers of brash and trying to drag it out again at the tipsite... Ty

Ah... Here in Euroland I recently paid 240euros for a climber to cover me whilst I had a bad back. I thought that fair for the job in hand but not as a regular employee. After all, subbies only have to turn up and do the work, not price it or manage a team. I was surprised though by the low quality of kit used and wished I'd offered less! What I really want is a young and hungry groundy who wants to climb as well. I'd budget 12.50euros per hour (9euros after deductions) so 100euros per day Then I'd throw the odd cash bonus his way if he or she 'actually' grafted. 120-150 for an apprentice climber with own kit. My own wage expectations are somewhat higher though... Ty

Stumpgrinder... What are you on about? Have you actually used a wee chipper my friend? Have you even ever used a food blender? My Kenwood is great for smoothies and soups but useless at chipping:001_tt2: However, our CS100 earns us excellent money and allows my team to take on serious work that pays well. We know its limits and yes it is hard work feeding a gravity fed machine but it got us into the business as most jobs we took on suited it well enough. Now we are taking on far larger works so the need for a larger 6" road tow but whenever we have access issues with waste to be left in the garden then we will roll out the Wee Chipper:thumbup: Ty

Ah, This happened to me once. My first job after college was with a large tree firm near St Malo. They knew I was fresh out of college but wanted me to be the team leader due to my advanced years har har har. The climbing they threw my way was just too much too soon plus the lack of decent kit made my life hell for 2 months. Now I made it all quite clear who and what I was so I sympathise with you if your being pushed beyond your abilities too soon. However... It would surprise me if you got the job fresh our of college without a test climb to prove your abilities when so many experienced climbers are out of work. Ty

Ah, naming and shaming is not etiquette on the forum... Ty

Ah... Summer, my sap rises and I feel bursting buds and give them my services... Nothing to do with trees, just a dream I had recently... Ty BANNED MEMBER Reason:Bad thoughts...very bad.

A development today in an old story of a lost job. Last year we quoted for the dismantling of a dozen or so 30m lombardy pops in a large garden in the middle of town. Lots of opportunity for people to rubberneck, great exposure for us in our own town. We knew we were up against other companies so we lowered our rates, after all, no travel time on this one. We came in at 2800euros with all arisings evacuated. A week later we got the news via a friend that our quote was one of 4 and over 3 times that of the winning quote. Dismayed, we re-visited the site just to re-calculate and try to find out just where we made our gross error. We tried, but short of working for beans (bearing in mind the 50%+tax rate here) we just couldn't see any decent economy of any size to be made. Today, a chance meeting with a member of the clients family at lunch who told us that the winning quote was just 900euros! That was for a team of 4 for 2 days with a huge Bandit crane fed chipper from another large local company who seems desperate to quash the competition by working for stupidly low rates. Our quote was in fact within 200euros of the others who lost. We are up again against this same company (100+ employees) on another job which we have priced correctly as we are not going to be driven into a price war by big bullies or even small busy fools... We know that the competition are not omni-present nor omni-potent and so cannot pinch every job going. Our healthy work diary proves such, low turnover and high profit. Ty

I believe that here in France the M.S.A a government body that looks after the social security for land based workers (farmers to gardeners) Gives grants for electric saws BUT...with conditions attached such as a healthy dossier to complete on H+S plus you must attend various courses on the subject. Could itself be a high price to pay for a shiny toy... Ty

Ah hah... "warranty claims that we get stiffed for" says PeteB. I don't like the attitude behind this statement. Are you assuming all purchasers of machinery are then out to rip off the manufacturer? I thought a warranty was there for a good reason so that if a part failed before its time then the manufacturer would hold up its hands and admit fault. A happy customer is a returning customer. (or would you like me to go elsewhere for my chippers:sneaky2:) Ty

Exactly, the problem is finding a buyer! Big companies like Mercedes and Jaguar actually employ agents to search worldwide for prime trees for veneer. You average garden walnut is not quite the thing in this case. Ty

Huh... I have had hard up ex-pats wanting me to fell their walnuts and pay THEM for the wood... Oh good grief Ty

Hello, My webmaster is an old friend who works at Balmoral on the systems there. It costs me very little money as I visit Scotland and work for a week in exchange for the sites creation and maintainance. I think that maybe its a bit wordy and the French side is behind on updating. We are due to update this summer. Ty http://www.lejardinieranglais.com

Simply this, Most ex-pats in France are retired or living off income derived from property sale in U.K There are businesses run by ex-pats who serve the ex-pat community and often do not break into the French market through lack of language skills. Those retirees who moved to France before the 'crash' of the sterling against the Euro found their income from the U.K dropping by a third when the pound reached parity with the euro. It has since risen to 1.25 but is still short of the 1.48 that many bought on. That extra few quid is the spending money that makes the long Breton winter tolerable and now it has gone, possibly for good. The French clients are not affected by international currency transfers and when salaried earn good money especially around the cities and are more than often retired on far bigger pensions than ex-pat retirees. Browsing this evening, I see on a website+forum advertising for ex-pats yet another business offering 'tree lopping' what ever that is... Luckily for us they are a long way away based in the far West of Brittany and must rely on an ever decreasing client base as more and more Brits give up on the French Dream and head home to a dank flat in Berkhampstead... Ty

Recently, I have come to the conclusion that the other ex-pats Arbs must really be fighting over fewer and fewer scraps. I follow up my quotes and find the ones I lose to ex-pat Arbs are undercut by 25-33% That...is pure profit being thrown away in my eyes. The others must be making a living but not enough clear profit to make a viable future business. Busy fools... The more French clients we win the better our margins. I laugh at those who climb trees for the price I cut grass har har har:lol: I'd rather work less for more than more for less. Underpricing jobs for fear of losing a job is just a descending spiral. I won't enter a price war, I'll just wait until their chippers break Ty

Hello, I run a Kangoo 1.5dci which doubles as my personal transport for now. No doubt that for quotes and small jobs even with chipper in tow it is a useful tool. Henchman and ladders on top and we have never filled it up yet (except when planting with Bamboo!) We MAY replace it in 2013/14 with a the long version which has rear folding seats as I will have a family by then. Although, our new Nissan Navarra returns 7.4 litres for 100km unladen which is really very good for 2.5litre engine compared to the 5litres for 100km for the Kangoo. Ty

Hello, We are ordering a Quadchip very soon. (as soon as the French tax authorities give us our v.a.t number...) We are buying the Quadchip on the back of the recommendations here on Arbtalk and the experience of customer service we have already received from G.M with regard to our CS100. It is useless for us to have a demo as here in France the longest demo we have been offered is 15min (although we got 30min from Timberwolf, the rep wore no P.P.E and wheeled and dealed like a 2 headed weasel and lied about certain known facts/issues...perfidious French...) I find the support from G.M top notch and am prepared to buy the Quad sans demo on trust of reputation. Ty

Hello, I love those bikes! When I was a teen I worked for several bike stores including Geoffrey Butler in South Croydon. I saved up my paper round money and bought a Raleigh mountain bike back in 1984/5, what a heavy iron horse that was but it had 15 gears and decent wide cantilevers. I have attached a photo of me during the 2007 Paris-Brest-Paris 1200km event which I completed in 77hours on a George Longstaff tricycle. Last year 2011 I rode a different machine, a carbon Specialized 'Roubaix' and got in under 62hours. However...I am getting married soon so I shall have to buy a tandem. That way we can continue to enjoy exploring France together. Ty

Long distance cycling events normally occupy many weekends but this year I am taken up with work and traveling to Maroc every couple of weeks to visit future wife and arrange our marriage. The image is taken in the Portuguese fortress, El Jadidah. A scene from Orson Wells 'Othello' was filmed Ty

Hello, We are going to get one made for a friends machine. Our question is...just what are the dimensions? Between the tines. Depth of tines. Anything else? We want to use it for clearing stony soil too before rotovation. Any advice welcome. Kind regards Ty

Wow, thats a drama that made me shiver reading it. I cannot imagine how it must been for you. Reading about this has made me even more annoyed with the French. Why? Because British subjects are not allowed to give blood:confused1: WHY? Because of the risk of contracting CJD (mad cow disease) I'm not kidding! I was a regular donor for years in the U.K (anything for a pretty nurse, a bourbon cream and a cup of tea) Then I moved here and one wet day rucked up at the local blood bank only to be humiliated in front of dozens of smug Onion Johnnies. A Gallic shrug and a "Mai no Monsewer, vous ete...Anglais!" Guess they just can't handle the high quality and potent rouge of a race honed by a millennium of spilling claret fighting the French... hhhhh

Hello Friend, In response to this: where do you live, i been looking at a place in tremp recently. dont know much about the scene over there and dont want to do so much work but thought it would be good too see what the go is. I would advise you that the French system is only geared for full time successful entreprises. If you only work part-time then you may not earn enough to pay into health or pension. Years of scratching an unsuccessful semi-living here will only impoverish you in the future. You should also consider continue paying voluntary U.K pension contributions whilst overseas. Frankly, business here is hard and it really sucks. Think again about coming here unless you speak French and or are married to a French national. There is a French dream but that is all it is unless you are rich and retired. Ty

Ha! Just lost a hedge job to some-ones Uncle... I bet it NEVER gets done...hhhhh! OR the old boy gives up and expires after 30min due to his pace-maker. We lose out to firewood hunters from time to time but frankly if others see the incompetence and mess they leave then its all good advertising for the industry. Another prospective client thought that we where expensive, whilst his neighbour uses us twice a year. Guess who has the hedge thats not been cut for 2 years! Some people are hard up or just tight with money and will spend huge amounts of time searching for something for nothing whilst the grass grows, a bit like idiots who drive miles to save a penny a litre on fuel... Ty

Tom, You are the venerable one we aspire to be like. You've made it work and in a foreign country top boot. Some-one to aspire too (apart from the dreadfull smell your tipper cab ona wet day...hhhh:001_tt2:) Ty

Hello, The engine uses officially 2.8litres per hour. We fitted a tinytach to count the hours. We also have a policy of stacking then chipping and turning off in between rather than leaving it running all the time so its more the actual chipping hours are whats recorded. We have recorded a handsome 5 hour day before whilst chipping lawson! Ty

Hello, Personally, I would dress professional, clean t shirt with company brand and arrive NOT in a Jag/new pickup etc but a modest small car/van Look the part and sell your quality. Not every client wants the cheapest, they also may want the work done by a pro. Don't forget that other pro's still make errors! Your not alone there. Maybe they asked for a cash payment? Maybe the company that got the job is on its uppers, desperate and scratching around for some turnover. I recently won a job by telling the client by all means to go for the lower quote from my competitor but I also sent the client images of work done AND previous quotes to back up my pricing. I won with only a small reduction as a commercial gesture. I also lose on quotes from people with no business sense or long term view. Who forget to price in the real cost of equipment and forget that magic word "profit"... Well, they may be content to pay themselves the minimum wage but I have better aspirations in life. There will always be busy fools out there my friend. I personally aim to work less for more than more for less. I'm up against guys who put a 2 man team out there for 40% lower than us. Question is...for how long? That old chipper will break down one day and that truck will let them down and anyway, they may like holidaying in Bognor whilst I sun myself in my second home in Morocco... Ty