Mark Bolam
-
Posts
29,479 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
325
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Classifieds
Tip Site Directory
Blogs
Articles
News
Arborist Reviews
Arbtalk Knot Guide
Gallery
Store
Calendar
Freelancers directory
Everything posted by Mark Bolam
-
I have taken 20 years learning how to turn a 2 hour job into a 4 hour job!
-
Hope he’s doing well, you always said he was really sound and a proper grafter.
-
So true Don. You’re not paying for half a day, you’re paying for the 20 years it took to learn how to do it in half a day.
- 47 replies
-
- 11
-
-
-
Was that Adam Rich?
-
It’s an extremely valid point mate, and I think a few of us should print some hard copies of Lane/HSE 2004 before the website is ‘currently unavailable’. HSE, go and make yourselves useful by sorting the door-knockers out instead of pursuing this madness, you spineless twats.
- 590 replies
-
- 17
-
-
-
I used to back in the day. One Parish Council said their policy was to go for the middle quote of 3, and I was the lowest! (I guarantee I wouldn’t be now!). It’s tough working to a spec like the OP had. Most of my work now is repeat customers or referral, so if I get a call from a random involving the phrase ‘cutting back’ it sets the alarm bells off. At least half the time they don’t own the trees for a start. Domestics are usually ‘Sorry, we went with a cheaper quote’. Fair enough, everyone likes money. One that sticks in my mind I quoted £2k on (conny removals) and lost out to a £300 quote. I had 2 days in mind for me, the lads and decent kit, but these boys took 4 days with 2 of them. Exactly the same spec, low stumps, tidy site. You can’t worry about it too much. Prices and standards high and charge on!
-
That’s the thing Wayne. The lads I use would never have a problem pulling a late one if required because we all know arb isn’t an exact science. They wouldn’t ask for extra because we get plenty of early finishes, although I might get the beers in! My business model is a lot different from some though, me and the lads I use have worked together for years and often work for each other. I do think it takes the piss to reward hard graft, skill, innovative thinking and new techniques and kit (supplied by the lads) with hours of extras when the team have already made the company the money that it set out to make that day. Probably why I’ll never be a millionaire, I’m just not a big enough c***! Spudd, forestry is a different game, your day is never done!
-
C’est la vie mate. At least it wasn’t on a fart.
-
I can see both sides to it. I used to work for a bloke who would reward us for smashing a job out quickly (so he had made what he wanted to make on a one day job plus our wages) with hours of logging until 5pm. That used to grind after a bit. If we worked till 8pm to finish a job because of his shit pricing we didn’t get any extra. It’s swings and roundabouts, and I like to think I treat people a bit more fairly than that.
-
You aren’t Old Tom’s nephew are you?
-
It’s already a known fact that Old Tom’s nephew will get the work.
-
Handy ammo to justify using one line on your RA though....
- 590 replies
-
- 10
-
-
Make sure you send an invoice to @Steve Bullman.
-
Only joshing Stu. My favourite phrase is ‘F the lawn’.
-
Bugger! Too late to the party, though I would have gone sub-5. The divots from the lawn must have pushed up the total....
-
That would sure get the bowels moving! Maybe a bit too quickly....
-
Have you been drinking?
-
Bloody hell, nowhere to run there. And he only had one rope, the lunatic.
-
That will be an exciting watch.
-
Yeah! You tell ‘em Vegan Mike!
-
I’d do it for £6k.
- 54 replies
-
- 4
-
-
- free oak tree
- for milling
- (and 2 more)
-
Very silly.
- 54 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- free oak tree
- for milling
- (and 2 more)
-
-
Those Leicas are meant to be amazing Edward. Please give us a report.
-
I’ve got a soft spot for break barrel springers, although I fully accept they were overtaken by fixed barrel CO2 models years ago. The gas bottle route never appealed to me though. I’ve still got a very tired .22 1983 Webley Vulcan mk2 that I shot very well with, but I put between 500 and 1000 Eley Wasps through it nearly every week so some outrageous flukes were pretty likely! Always fancied a Feinwerkbau Sport, pretty sure they still produce them in a new guise.
