Ty Korrigan
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Everything posted by Ty Korrigan
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Hello, question time. What are the ethics/etiquete concerning the use of abreviated qualifications after your name? As in 'John Smith' RFScert... (sorry for any real john smiths out there) I understand that degrees with honours may be used but lesser qualifications...? Regards Ty
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I once worked on a dairy farm in N.Z South island West coast. One of my jobs was running the trap lines around the farm and into the bush for invasive species control. Old style leg holds which are banned in the U.K The possums we had to catch live so we could knock them on the head before plucking them whilst still warm. The choice fur would sell for up to $150 per kilo and for that we needed about 20 possums. The body we chucked into the bush. Feral cats were a big problem for native birds and these often turned up in our traps as well as weasels and stoats. These we gave a belt to the head after pinning them down with a forked stick. Hedgehogs are another pest and have become diurnal walking about during the day. These we hit with sticks or just stamped on. Kittens regularly turned up in litters even though we where 50km from town! I will probally go to hell for all those I dispatched with a belt to the head. Here in France, I trapped 6 kittens this year but left it to madame renee to dispatch them. Probally turned them into pate de chaton...
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Who uses a blower vac? I worked alongside a gardener in central brittany who obsesively used one even though it was far slower than a rake! Wet leaves, one at a time shloop shloop.
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Ouch! 375€ that IS low. Especially considering that you will be paying 50%+of your profit to the state. Have you found out how much the other paysagistes are charging out? One way is to use a friends/clients house with trees of course and invite companies to quote for work there using their prices as your measure. I will travel an hour for work but only if its a whole days worth. As a guide, French tradesmen charge out at 35-45 per hour rarely less than 300€ per day. Which department are you in France? Cheers Stuart
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I don't know why I am sharing this with you bunch of hairies but... We quoted a fair price for a short back and sides on an overgrown garden in the village. Having spent a wet morning dragging brush Madame invited us for coffee served through her kitchen window. She was born there in the kitchen in 1928 It had an earth floor no electricity and 8 people including a lodger lived in a room barely 6mx4m plus the loft where the dried beans and straw where kept. Water was from a well some 50m way. Madame recalls when the british ran away and the germans in their turn likwise. The americans who gave her a lift one day to town in a truck and her future husband who was evacuated at dunkirk and returned with the free french to fight another day. But most on my mind was the local garden company who charged this old war bird 3 times more than us for a whole day when we took 5 hours. Madame tipped us 50€ and kissed us both. Vivre De Gaule!
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I will say in defence of pricing that we as a collaboration owe no-one nuffin. We elect profit above costs/ salary/ share to all plus a bonus for the one who has worked most. This always involves a fistfit and wrestling match which attracts more in bets that profit gained
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Euroville France Here I am taxed/pay social charges at a mere 60% . I hate to disclose personal details these days but as a guide I look at a minimum of 1200€ per week to cover costs and pay the partners as we are a collaboration taking shares of profit regardless of investment. Our current target day rate is 480€ plus 30€ per hour for Mr Chips the chipper. We do exceed that regularly at the moment by doubling our clients.. We are cheap and are raising little by little our rate until we reach a 75% quote acceptance ( currently 95% too high ) There are others who charge 800-1200 for the same work so we are comfortable with our business plan. Cheers Ty
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And yet... Paris is not representitive of France just as London is not when compared with say Shropshire...
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Hi, found this old thread whilst googling around. We are based in Bretagne near Rennes. Life is good generally. Considering I am fairly new to the climbing side I am well pleased with my performance and if I see a potential job that is likely to make me lose my bottle and break down and cry , well I just pass it on to a bigger outfit. No harm in that eh? After all, a small builder doesnt put up skyscrapers now... The French pay well but the Brits tend to be less rich these days and are migrating back home in droves. I've got in with the local mayor and estate agents who pass on potential work and put our name about. For all our equipment, we buy from the u.k as the french prices are stupid and they just won't negociate. There is a shortage of climbers but although I may never climb fast enough at 40 for another company I certainly climb well enough to make a decent living and its getting better by the day. You can visit us at http://www.lejardinieranglais.com The french side will be online by December 2010. Cheers Stuart
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Hello there, We are trying to decide on how much we should spend on advertising. A figure of around 5% of turnover is our aim but we are running at 10% at the moment. Obviously when we attract more clients this figure will drop especially as word of mouth takes effect. Do any of you chaps know how much you spend as a percentage of turnover? Regards Ty
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Hi and thanks guys, You would not believe the cost here in france of hire. €250per day or £200. I am considering blowing out on Danequip 27hp so to be more competitive. Not stumpground since college so should be physical trial. I have one cherry, a birch and lots of fresh pine. Got any anecdotes or advices...? Thanks again Ty
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Hello, I need some advice on grinding times as I have 4 potential clients lined up. I will be renting an 18hp anonymous machine. Any examples of wood, time and tips would be welcome. Thanks in advance Ty
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Ah... No Vino, I was offered by the client who also kindly fed us but refused the tipple. Ordered a new handlebar, sprocket cover and fan cover from Honey Bros. as the parts here in France are just too expensive. Should be about £130 to repair the 441 so with all the other expenses it was another loss making day all round...:sad: I do wish I had started with a real pro outfit rather than go out on my own straight from college... Ho hum... Today, I'm going to quote for a dying Poplar which is among the tallest trees in the town. The client is the 'Notaire' or local solicitor so I had better get this one right!
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Ah... When I joined this forum some of the elders of this parish told me I had alot to learn... I'm still shaking from Mondays error. I had dismantled a large Norway spruce with 5 leaders and had it down to a bare stem about 7m high.. With my new 441, I thought I'd 'practise' the letter box cut as I don't get too many large trees to fell rather than chog it right down. I was just finishing off the final back cut when I cut through the hinge on one side. The stem fell towards the clients house, pinching the 441 as it went crushing it beneath and the stem lightly grazed the render before bouncing away from the wall. Aside from the saw repairs, if possible at all, it is the thought of the enormous repair bill, loss of face and reputation that could have been.
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Cheers Stephen,
I worry too much about costs perhaps...
A question about the blades though.
Do you use any grease on the blade bolts?
I was told not to but have had a real trial removing the blades as the bolts where well dry.
I broke a the tool AND ruined a couple of the bolts which Greenmech sell for £4 each!
This Is important as when I get back to France I have to re-assemble it for the weekends job.
Cheers
Ty
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Hello all, I don't get much internet access these days so I apologise if I don't reply to this enquiry promptly. I'm running a Greenmech CS100 chipper and want to run the costs past you fellows. I'm assuming the engine/machine is good for 1000 hours so the price divided by the hours = say £5 The fuel(3litres p/h) +oil/filter etc I allow another £5 per hour Blades, blade bolts, belts etc another £5 So I reckon on £15 running costs per hour including a small margin. Am I on the right track here chaps? Please let me know what you think. Regards Ty P.S I'm actually working in euros but its much the same these days as Sterling...
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Hello, I'm over in France and there are few dealers who can help me here. I'm trying to change the blades on my CS100 and have found that on each a bolt has seized. That is the actual blade to cassette bolts. I have rounded each one off a little in trying to undo it. IS my best bet to visit an agricultural engineer or bring the lump back to you during my hols in August. (I bet your shut though...) The fellow who changed them last time omitted to grease the bolts it seems. Please contact me before the 4th August so I may make arrangements. Regards Stuart Lee Le Jardinier Anglais
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First, sorry for posting it here if it's in the wrong place. Also, sorry, but I cut grass too to make ends meet! So, I have a Honda's own brand hydrostatic self propelled walk behind mower which is not it's usual faultless self. It is now 'hunting' when on full revs. I mean it automatically revs RA RA RA (like a tory laughing at a hunt ball) Seriously, I ran it out of fuel, filled it up then it started this RA RA RA. About the same time I also bashed it into something in a hedge and may have hit the carb area. What possible causes are there for this and how can I repair it or at least be forwarned when I take it into my local 'Motoculture' as I live in France and so automatically expect a large bill. Regards and thanks in advance Ty
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Hello all, I'm running a wee chipper, Greenmech CS100 I'm budgeting for 5euros p/h fuel/oil/filter. A life of 1000hours with a re-sale of 500euros... perhaps... So thats approx 5euros p/h Blades are expensive and one of us put something through that damaged one side of the blades after only 10hours or so. So I must allow for the 'cockup factor' in costing. In short, I reckon that allowing 15euros+ p/h costs is fair for even this smallest of chippers. What say the venerable ones here? Ty
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Hello all, I love hedge work. I use a silky for thick stems, always carry Felcos in a holster and use a Stihl HS45 because its light and I can use it all day (I'm small and skinny) I work from a Henchman Senior mostly, it's a bit of an investment although its worse quality than an N.H.S crutch... sadly. However, it's a good tool even if it does get heavier to move as the day advances. Good thread! Ty
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Hello Chap,
I'm in Rennes, writing this on a friends dreadfull azerty keyboard so very slow going.
It was very good to meet you by the way.
You seem like a reasonable fellow whom I could learn from.
I want to get more experience in rigging and I thought that if I do get a job that requires a level of experience over mine then I might give you a call and price you in as lead climber.
I really hope you do alright over in central Brit ville but I rather think that making a living out of trees and hedges alone could be lean pickings.
Last night, we (Seb and I) priced up for the removal of a chimney, roof repair and total renovation of a small city garden in an old quarter of Rennes.
Bit of a mix but suits our skill base all round as Seb trades as 'Bricol Tout' and acts as my groundy.
I've got to put some pressure on my web master to put up some decent pages as thats a way forward too.
Stay in touch!
Regards
Stuart Lee
Le Jardinier Anglais
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Chap,
May I pick your brains...
Here in perfidious France...
I often come across over mature cupressus hedges with their fronds waving in and out of lines, often they seem in contact.
I've just turned down a 2500euro job because of the proximity to the lines.
Shame, yet there will always be others.
How dangerous can this be if I am dragging the tree out of the lines?
Can it conduct down the foliage for instance...?
Cheers
Ty
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Well, this last week I only broke ONE roof slate with a branch, cut through ONE telephone line whilst hedge cutting:001_huh: and put my spade though ONE 100mm plastic pipe whilst digging out a shrub. I`m getting better ALL the time though! I'm sure even skilled persons have those kind of weeks...
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Hello there, I'm practising target pruning on a friends oaks as a favour to both him and me. It's something I need more experience of as all I seem to do is dismantle or fell. The oaks are fairly close together, 18-20m high and form part of a mature hedge. I've a problem with applying target pruning to very long skinny crowns and am finding that I've no choice but to reduce very heavily OR leave long skinny branches waving like I've forgotten them. Smaller, more compact trees OR trees that have grown with a fuller crown are so much easier. Any advice you chaps can give me? Steve, is bad target pruning called 'Taggert' pruning in Scotland? (Because it's MUrrRDER!)
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No, my error. See, in my head, if you go into a restuarant and order plat de jour for 10euros then change your mind about it and order the chef special, how can you be surprised when you recieve a bill for double? I now realise that the onus lies with me to tell the client about ANY added costs rather than rely on their common sense. Ty
