Billy

I replaced a gx390 recently, if you can do without electric start I found one for £585 inc VAT on eBay. The Chinese engines were around half that, I wouldn't bother with them personally.

Make yourself the 'extra man' rather than a key part of the team. Then you can go off and do a few quotes through the day and give the lads a hand or fix something etc when needed. This is what I do currently with a view to getting a team together who do not need me at all, quoting exclusively through the day where possible and getting somewhere near a normal working day in the next few years.

That is awesome!!

If only it were that simple !

Hi Roger. Sorry, missed your pm have just replied.

Id rather have 85 as an employee than 100 self employed for similar roles. I would imagine you earn more when all is said and done at end of year.

Have sent you a PM with my phone number, give me a call

Not a lot you can't do with a wagon better than you can a class 7, even the little isuzu 7.5t with same footprint (more or less ) as that would have huge benefits for legal payload and last longer. Still a nice shiny truck though...

That is a vast amount to spend on a truck that's not really for for purpose. The lorry you could have built for that or even with change would have been amazing!

I can see eggs point of view I.e the rate is the rate- a top notch experienced climber who will almost always be a skilled experienced all round exemplary tree worker isn't going to come and out for £80 a day. However even on the ground they are worth their rate as they'll no doubt be excellent at felling and able to organise the site and keep things running how they should. But few guys actually have all these skills, most have no mechanical sense/ knowledge, poor sequencing and generally need to be prodded or advised on how to proceed....can't reverse a trailer etc etc where as in my experience the guys on a good rate can do all this and are conversant or have a good aptitude for most equipment you may come across in tree work. However, I think the rates the OP is talking about are right for your usual average groundy, who should definitely have aspirations of becoming the above as it's highly valued by employers, but not for someone at the top of their game working on the ground for a day...Furthermore it wouldn't be realistic to run a three man team and have a £450 wage bill so the whole rate is the rate thing isn't very realistic all things considered.

Yes grease in though bolt at back on my second picture

Imo if the customer wants to sell it then he can have it sat on his land and deal with all the processes of selling. It can't be too easy to get it back to your yard if it will cost £600 and then need moving again when sold. It seems strange that you selling it as an 'agent' and having it on your property should be exposed to the risk of speculation on price and incurring the cost of removing it from site, this should all be charged for then the seller is exposed to the risk of breaking even or possibly profiting depending on the sale of and price attained for their commodity.

Out of curiosity, how much does the fitting of a new clutch cost ? Fortunately mine feels nice and light, does drag a little though.

How's the war linkage, mainly the linkage near the back of the rocket cover at the base of the telescopic tube which extends out when you tip the cab. If this isn't adequately greased gear selection suffers hugely, did mine recently and its transformed the feel of the gears. You have to remove it to grease it as the bolt you need to remove to grease it is obstructed by the other part of the linkage, easy job though.

I'd give the small machines a miss and look at the 25hp ish pedestrian machines like the dan equip and dosko etc they are 24" with little wheels and are very effective machines, hard work still, but they cut considerably faster than the smaller pedestrian machines.

I've a fleet policy with Onesure they will do it from 3 vehicles and it cut my insurance costs in half specially on the lorry, now anyone over 25 across the board no questions asked.

Buy a used machine +750kg they go for peanuts and will generally our chip the 'best' new little machines

But if you're busy on price work, compromise isn't needed, I know I am glad of any brief breaks in work to get on long term maintenance of the kit etc. I value that way higher than working for a pittance of a day rate in the same time

£145+ sharps and VAT from Coppard for a 7-8" machine.

People running a digger and operator for that are on a hiding to nothing, probably due to being unable to price. Two points to put it perspective, 1. I had an extension built a little while back. general builders day rate was £200, just a van and tools and this rate is not particularly high. So how can someone seriously consider coming out with a mini digger for less? 2. I did a day on a 1.5t recently £375+VAT the digger was £80 including haulage and I topped it up with 10l or so of diesel before they took it back nothing left site. I don't feel this was a remarkable job.

That figure is based on a solid days chipping with a 9" Bandit I.e a 4 man crew flat out producing stuff to chip or a huge pile to work through and taking a load away. Regardless of chipper size would you really want to do such a horrid job all day for less, when you could get £300 ish for a simple mornings work, why charge less...anyone who needs the service is probably between a rock and a hard place anyway

Chip on price only, as you'll regret 8 hours solid chipping for £150, or even £250. Imo a whole day chipping no questions asked would need to be £500+VAT

I guess they need to sort it out and absorb any fines etc. Unless they forwarded it to you to verify all information was correct as they usually do.... As an aside why is your quarter March to May ? I presumed everyone's ran the same Jan-March May-June and so on

No way does it carry 10t my 18t lorry only has a payload of 9t and an 8 wheeler grab will take about 16.

....And your probably charged 4 hours labour for that hours work.