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Ty Korrigan

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Everything posted by Ty Korrigan

  1. Ty Korrigan
    Hello, Our day rate (which is low so difficult to lower) plus 2 labourers plus a little extra chipper use. I calculate £24'600 £30k is acceptable less than £20k is just devalueing the industry. At the end of the day, I say go low. I must piss away a good half day a week on worthless quotes and another on the ones I win. Take quote chasing into account... Ty
  2. Ty Korrigan
    Ah...I ache. Today, 1st tree job for a few weeks. Felling but not the job I wrote about before. Right in the centre of a village with all and sundry hoping we would drop a branch on something expensive. A neighbour came across when we were raking up and asked for our card. Suitably impressed with what he saw it seems. Turns out he is on the Conseil General (County Council) and will be in contact. Never know were it may go from here... Did I tell you I ache... Ty
  3. Ty Korrigan
    Kangoo dci80 2003 Returns 60+mpg on long runs best was 72mpg with a tail wind unladen. Normally get 550miles per tank. I would replace it with a new style kangoo maxi but I must first invest in a pickup for the business. Everyone loves driving it and as Top gear said... Its the frenchiest car out there! Ty
  4. Ty Korrigan
    I freely admit that recently that on the tree work front things have been lean since the end of March. Not that I've been slack for other work mind. We work as approved tradesmen for the French B+Q and have been flat out busy with erecting sheds, installing awnings and fitting gates. Now peoples thoughts are turning to trees again and we have just won a decent job. A plantation of 100 Picea abies 30cm dbh, fell and remove arisings and stumps. I've asked £48 per tree inc. stumps ground out. The arisings, hope to give away the chips, burn the nasty dead dry brash at night and sell the wood for fuel to the local Expat population. I was going to pick the brains of the forestry lot with regards to pricing but down there they all talk about 500acres and big gun machinery... Anyway, I'm happy with my pricing now and if I'm out it will be me not the team who will take the hit. I got a team of 3 trained saw users and a couple of neighbours boys to drag brash (out of danger zone ) We are going to camp on site for most of the week hopefully under with dry cool Breton nights around a fire of pine brash. The local estate agents are coming up trumps with all sorts of little garden and tree jobs whilst the local Mayor is still sitting on a week long stump grinding job we quoted for. So its all good and I've still my summer holidays to look forward too! Ty
  5. Ty Korrigan
    £60k in fuel!? Do you leave it running of a night to keep the frost from Leicestershire? Aw seriously, thats a good vehicle. A question...Whats the advantage of an auto box? I see it is relaxing for my old mum with her gammy legs but how does it affect towing? Cheers Ty
  6. Ty Korrigan
    Sorry Mark, My Damdsung can'y post smilies but just imagine me giving you a big...
  7. Ty Korrigan
    Bolam...short for...git...
  8. Ty Korrigan
    Now then... I've all the brochures and am currently on a mission to 'test drive' all makes but what I would like to ask is... Just which one is...the one! The pickup must also double as a family car so double cab and a degree of comfort. Landrover can do all but are they really that unreliable? plus they consume alot of fuel per 100km The rest of the field... Well above all I want reliability full stop. Then comes: Comfort Economy Towing Price Off road capability Terrible things brochures! Leading my eye towards leather seats and chrome trim... I can live without that but want aircon and 5 proper seats. Can you help me make up my mind please! Ty
  9. Ty Korrigan
    Back again, A question about pulling away in low. During my test drive, I selected the low range and tried pulling away in first just on tickover, the engine stalled each time. Is this a feature or a fault? I have read many comments on other 4x4 forums (the zambia one makes a good read! ) but it it is still too early to tell the Amarok's faults.
  10. Ty Korrigan
    Hello, Weird that, we were recently threatend with a civil action from a client who weeks ago asked us to remove the arisings from a laurel felling job. She wanted the wood back and only the very same wood would do! We offered her alternative wood but NO. So we dug around and found Madam is a malicious litigant whose pleasure it is to employ tradesmen then fight them to avoid paying the bill. She has however already paid us though so this must be an after thought on her behalf. Ty
  11. Ty Korrigan
    I once cycle camped the entire length of the Stuart Highway. Today I was first back beating the next group by 1h30m in the Cholet 600km endurance cycle event. I'm proud today.
  12. Ty Korrigan
    Hello, currently 30c here in Haut Bretagne AND its a national holiday!
  13. Ty Korrigan
    I know the value of a man. I am one...after a fashion. My associates are just as hard working and valueable as I. I pay myself after business expenses the same as my 2 associates. I work with excellent men. I may generate business but my associates 'realise' it, or in plain English make it happen. Can't be doing with boss v worker issues.. So I don't employ. I 'associate' 3 individuals with their own tax liabilities. I calculate what each job is worth after expenses and each associate recieves a 'credit' This credit is paid by clients paying each in turn...get it? So each of use may be worth €150-250 per day depending on the job. Ty
  14. Ty Korrigan
    I can't be bothered to read all the posts sorry. I pay my part-timer €150-€200 gross He is 61 with a life times experience and swings my 441 as though it was a feather. I pay him for the experience he brings to our outfit. He ain't no numpty, worth his weight is oak. Ty
  15. Ty Korrigan
    Back again. Sorted. G.M put their exellent customer service into action and reinforced a reputation as a market leader. Say, Pete, do I have to read this out? Seriously, no messing, parts in post, mystery solved, rare occurance. Back to being the brilliant machine I invested in. I find G.M a genuinely decent company to deal with. A very happy customer. Next purchase, a 13-23 arborist with 15" alloys and a built in cafetiere... well I am in France after all! Ty
  16. Ty Korrigan
    One of the guys in my cycle club just told me about a live ordenance found in side of a large conifer near Plelauf val Andre on the North Coast. The arb was being dismantled on the former site of a WW2 munitions store. The team who delt with it thought it likely that it had been hung or hidden in the tree on purpose. Every time I visit our local sawmill Monsewer Launay has another find to show me as he always passes a metal detector over the trunks before milling. I buy declassified trunks for firewood which are often those rejected by mills due to the presence of shrapnel and the like. The worst being wood from the Bretagne-Normandy breakout zones. Ty
  17. Ty Korrigan
    Yes, its always a **** when something needs replacing. Personally, I never use anyone elses fuel mix in my saws and always mix the fuel myself for using exactly measured amounts, no guessing or adding a drop of oil for luck. To help myself pay for the expected and unexpected, I have several accounts for my business. Into one goes the clients cheque, then I transfer my salary into my cheque account, leaving the tax and social charges then transfer an amount for business costs into yet another. This way I never spend the money needed to run the business and always have enough to pay the social charges. I imagine trade must be lean in Central Brittany at the moment... Ty
  18. Ty Korrigan
    What am I to believe..? Many reviews slag of the Ford. Based on 2 Ford ownerships I will run with the comments. Toyota come out well overall. Nissan Navarra reviews are acidic to the extreme! I'm in France so Isuzu or Ho Xhi Min 4x4 are not an option. So this week I test drove the Amarok from V.W Its a V.W. Small engine but 2litres developing 163hp. I only tow a 750kg chipper or an occasional trailer weight to 2.8t Very good m.p.g figures. Too soon to tell if it will be a mechanical disaster though I think not. Any experiences out there? Ty
  19. Ty Korrigan
    Yes indeed... A poor translation of the 'cockchafer' into modern english is... Cock rubbing hard or a hard cock rubbing... To chafe is to rub agressively... And all this on a family forum! Ty
  20. Ty Korrigan

    Hello via the back door...

    Back to my original question though, would you have any opinions on my calculated running costs?

    It is a bone of contention with my French associate who believes that I want too much for the machine.

    It is an arse as I am a micro bic and really should change to a regime where I can offset my business costs against unsocial charges.

    Still, I do get subsidised housing and good health care I suppose.

    But its more than just a job to us.

    We already have too much work potential between us.

    We want to be seen working for the commune as it will raise our profile within the community.

    I have done several whole days of grinding for expats. I charged €350 cash against €480 cheque.

    There I had no competition from bigger outfits.

    At the mo we have barely 1 job a week booked.

    Its all hedges, oversized with a saw and chipper or just trimming on the lottisments.

    Its all awnings, gates and fencing frenchy style.

    Sheds and concrete pads.

  21. Ty Korrigan
    Hello Mike, I only know I am winning small but profitable jobs and losing the big ones. I calculate that I need to charge my machine out at no less than €26 per hour plus my variable wage. I am going to charge us both out at €120 each as we really want to get in with our commune. Stupidly low pricing but at least we may get a foot in the door. I have a mate, another expat trading as arboculture who charges out himself and machine at €350 with his ouvrier at €150. I believe it worthwhile to work as a team on this as one can clearing the stumps with a pick and take turns grinding. I have counted up the possible hours required for the 200 stumps in all. 173 are a Thuyia hedge which I estimate as 12hrs or 4min per stump. All the others are street stumps or in local parks. Some are really very large but quite soft...I hope. Ty
  22. Ty Korrigan
    Hello, Our local council have asked us to quote to grind out all the local stumps. That, I estimate is 4 days, 2 men, one to drive the machine and one to prepare site and sweep up etc. I'm looking at how to cost the machine in. It is a 27hp Bandit sidewinder. I estimate 4litres per hour. The teeth may last a day, may last 2...I know this cost. However, How much should I allow for the machine per hour? Do I divide its purchase cost by the number of likely life hours? Say £7000/1000hours =£7 per hour... Thanks in advance Ty
  23. Ty Korrigan

    You still alive then?

    I'm wearing out fast and not just with tree work!

    Cycling commitments, installing sheds,awnings and gates for Castorama plus all the **** Squire throws my way.

    I found a really interesting chap to be a third man. Rob Ingall, a tree expert from Monfort. 61years old but grafts like a nigger and gives us an older steady influence.

    Cycling 400 km each weekend which is hard so glad the tree work is slack.

    You O.K then ?

    Stay intouch

    Stuart

  24. Ty Korrigan
    Yes it does represent 'some' of my experiences but I am really getting used to it. I've not had it jump back though. I am now in the habit of stopping to level the ground before advancing. I do find the pivot action really easy as I am a right lightweight at 62kg. Ty
  25. Ty Korrigan
    Update. First, I'm back chip,chip,chipping thanks to excellent customer service from Green Mech. New cassette sent out within days to France. Second, the fault may be either a cold weld or stress fracture OR as a local agricultural engineer believes, overgreased bearings causing hydrualic stress/wear. Blimey,could this be true? There is a light trace of grease on the exteriour of the cassette bearings but they run silky smooth. Main thing is. Problem fixed. I'm happy and still in love with my CS100 Thanks G.M and Pete for his efforts to contact me. Ty

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