Littletree

Just got back from woodfest that sure was an excellent show. Just want to say a big thanks to terry and leasa for all there hard work with orginazing the pole climbing y both did a wonderfull job . The weather was quite kind and we all were able to climb on all the heats without any problems . the climbing standerds were excellent and they get better as the showes role on as everyone beats there personal bests each time Its lovley to see the new comers getting better and progressing I now have a new best ever time at 15.3 beating my Apf time at 17.43 so really delighted . Looking very much forward to the three counties in 3 weeks time See y all there. Littletree:thumbup:

Hi there don't worry about speed the instructed and asseor will not be worried how quicky go all they will want is a nice safe climb and carefull cutting techneqiucs in a safe manor , speed will not be on there mind . Speed only comes with time in the saddle and there is no way round it . It's a natural progression and everone will develop and a different rate the more work y do the better it becomes as it is with any skill y learn .from scratch Over the next couple of years climbing full time y will speed up and develop and master all those skills if y try to rush before you are ready you will find that the quality and safety of your work will be of a poor standard . Take your time and enjoy the course and don't rush the assessment good luck and all the best littletree

Hi all I travle about up to 20 miles for my flat day rate then if the company is further then depending on how far I set a a min number of days for a booking . So I can land up all over the uk so. Say a job was in Surrey and I am from somerset it would be a min of a 4 day booking at my normal day rate . I have just finished a job in north of Scotland it was an 8 week booking . Now am on a long booking in Bristol . So I never mind how far I have to travle to do my work as long as the booking meets the min amount of days I am willing to do the booking for so for me it works out well rather then me having to ask for a bigger day rate. Littletree:thumbup:

Hi all I feel a good groundy is worth his weight in gold and for my pennies worth anywhere between 70 to 90 a day . Someone new to it then 60 to start with is fine but 60 for an old hand is to low . I do sub work for companys and work for 70 a day as a groundy self employed . But most of the time I am working for my self on my own private work so can double or tripple that per day but of course then the responsiblity and planning and if anything goes wrong it's all down to you and of course it's all your own tools and equipment. And everything else that goes with working for yourself . Slightly off thread but it may help some of you if y want to earn a better wage for yourselves at entry levle . I have found that by doing a rope access ticket couple this With my chainsaw tickets . I have gained a steady stream of work getting no less then 120 a day . For this I get all the tools ,fule and climbing kit provided .the work is allways on an as and when basis but the jobs most of the time weeks at a time . But y will have to be prepaired to stay away from home for weeks at a time and it's hard physical Geo work but for me it's great as I get to do a vairety of work and it's fun. All the best littletree:thumbup: Littletree

Really sorry to here your bad news, hope y get up and running again soon . Things are gettting worse these days . I was so worried about this a while back I took off all my sign writing off my van as felt it just tells The thevies what's inside your truck . It's a real hard one . Littletree

Hi there good luck with your search for work . It is hard to begin with but if you don't give up then it will happen for you .It did for me and it was the best thing I have ever done persistence and determination will pay off for you in the end , as you have your own saw start off by doing some small jobs for friends and anyone that needs some cutting up doing . it will help you gain exp and make a few bob along the way . it is hard in the summer but as soon as Oct arrives then the tree work picks up with company's and they then want staff . a tip for work in the summer If you have a good strimmer will get you lots of work doing the cutting back and clearance stuff for people . I notice from your post you are a rope access tec . I am also a rope access level one and I have just finished a big 7 week contract in Scotland ,the chainsaw tickets got me in onto the job ,most of the time I had to do the rock job but before the job started I had to do all the de veg on the top bottom and on the face . for this yo don't need cs38 or 39 only 30/31 it sounds strange but this is how it is in rope access when it comes to the chainsaw work and tickets . it might be worth ringing round your rope access company's and explain to them you have your chainsaw tickets but if you want just tree work then this would not be the option to go down as most of the job is not tree work. All the best Littletree:thumbup:

Hi I agree with you £50 a day for a good groundy is chicken feed and taking advantage .someone with no tickets just dragging 50 ok to start with but a good groundy with tickets and PPe and exp is worth his/her weight in gold a good groundy should allways be well rewarded for there work its an important job no less important the the climbers job allthough the roles are different one does not work without the other for the end product. around the 70 mark is more like it . Littletree:thumbup:

I can see why people try to do it themselves. money for most familys is really tight and tree surgery is expensive , so they give it ago it can look. a simple job for people without any clue untill they start cutting . I think as time goes on we will see more of it . Littletree

Hi Stephen I am working /staying over in Kyle . For some reason i though u were Inverness way littletree

Thanks Stephen and everyone else for your replies . I will try it now on the app suggested . Stephen I am up in your neck of the woods been here for a few weeks now I must pop over for a cuppa and to say hi I usually make the trip to Inverness every other weekend for supplies on my day off . This is the pic my job overlooks really nice spot in Kyle cannot say the same for the weather hail stones and driving winds today thanks littletree

Hi can anyone tell me how I can upload my iPhone photos onto the forum ? When I try to add the images it asked me for the ULR . I cannot find this I have also tried uploading the photos from my iPhone to tinypic to get the ULR that way but so far have failed.any suggestions would be great thanks littletree

Hi guys it's been a while since my last post. my weeks been great for the last 4 weeks I have been working on a geo rope access job in the north of Scotland we are staberlizing some rock faces . The weather has been everything from snow , hail stones to driving wind and rain and the odd day of sunshine . Today is lovley . Every day I am working on a rock face looking out over the beauitful mountains of Kyle and sky bridge. My job consists of de vegging and tree cutting to scaling meshing and putting in large ankers it's great fun I reckon the job will last another 3 or so weeks I will try and upload a pic for y all . Littletree :thumbup:

Hi I am still within my first 2 years and really enjoy sub work . I find the best way to help with being nervous is to allways just be very honest with the person you are going to sub for and y can agree a day rate that reflects what y can and cannot do for them and your levle of exp . I allways have a compleat discussion with them and leave them in no doubt as to what I Can and cannot do so When I get to site and start work I never have to worry that I will be expected to do something I cannot do so it makes life easy in the subbing world . Y will allways have a few nerves as with any first day on site with a new set of lads but that passes quickly and then y will have a great time . Some lads have problems and big worries when subbing if they have not been complealty honest and overstreatch there ability as they are given stuff to do that's to much for them . With any new place y go to unless y are really well seasoned to start with it's allways best to play down a bit what u can do or think u can do that way u can get to know every one and won't feel out of your depth with the work y are asked to do Hope this helps littletree:thumbup:

Hi that's really great news I wish y all the best with your new job. I do a combination of private and subcontract work and this works really well for me I get the best of both and it keeps me busy . And the beat bit is that the main company I do my sub work for is just so nice to work for he is an older tree surgeon and allways treats me really well it's allways a joy and a pleasure to go to work for him. O happy days All the best with your new job enjoy and enjoy littletree

Hi there getting your 31 will be a big help don't bother with the chipper ticket for the moment it won't help you . Its a hard one and we have all been there when we first start out . What I did when I first started I got my first 2'tickets then I did some volenteering for a local estate and another place felling loads of pine trees this got me started so after a while I was was then able to start ringing round for a job as that gave me some exp doing the job that I was going for . Y will have to be very persistant and be really determined if y can get yourself a chainsaw this will help y by doing odd jobs for friends and family and get y using your saw giving y the handling experience of the saw this is important as in the workplace they are out to make money so being able to use and handle a chainsaw well goes a long way as there can be lots to cut up in a short amount of time . Y will get your foot in the door but it will take bags of determination on your part . When y land your first job . Work really hard and they will have y back for more .as time goes on it will get eaiser and u will get into work more easily and then more will come your way . Hope this helps all the best littletree

Hi there yess I do have rope acess certs I have my Irata level one and my chainsaw certs NPTC Cs30/31/38/39 chipper and brushcutter tickets give me a ring tom evening so we can have a chat . many thanks fi 07796 665872

Hi for me as still in the begings of my business I find the best way of advertising is through talking to everyone that u meet and telling them what u do . most people have trees or gardens so the work is just wating for y to take it. From them . I also do really well made up flyers post card size with a nice photo and a clear discription of the services u can offer . I deliver these round the houses I do it all on foot so can select the houses that I think need tree care. going on foot gives me the chance to have a good look at the work they may need doing . When u do get the work doing a wonderfull job and giving them a little more on top ensures that they will tell there friends and you will get repeat work also give them a stack of flyers so they can give them out to there friends . I also use shops caffs restrants takeaways any place I go a streem of cards go with me . Be sure to refill where y have put them as they get taken and sometimes the comp will take them and throw them away so allyways check them . Allways be compleatly honist with the customer or company y are going to work for as to what u can and cannot do for them never say y can do something when y cannot . If you are a tiny company or sole trader then do some sub contract work to help y keep afloat in the first year or so this also keeps y in the loop and your name is known in the industry . Be passionate about what u do it showes no end when y go to give your quotes if the customer can see y really love what y do and have a genuine interest on making there tree / garden lovley and really care about what y do for them it will get you the job . Remember your service has to be better then anyone else offering the same service yours has to stand out . These simple steps will help y in a big way

Hi all I use one it one handed or 2 handed and cut and hold . I do what ever is safest for the job in hand . I did some work for one place and they tried to rule out cut and hold and produced a sling each to each climber and were asked to sign a paper they everyone all looked each other and started to laugh . Climbing is a very individual thing and it should be down to the climber to do it as they feel comftable Littletree :

Hi there iknow this much if y have a CCJ county court judgement it's nearly impossible to get to get PL insurance anywhere ,so would think it's very likley that a criminal record would have a slimilar effect on getting PL insurance .insurance companys are very choosey these days anyone that they consider a problem t to them is a higher risk so they exclude anyone that falls into a higher risk cats even though it may be unrelated Littletree

Hi there really sorry to hear your littleone is so unwell really hope he mends quickley. well spotted . Don't feel bad about being on hear . Arbtalk is one big family and it's not just a place for tree talk but a place for everyone to talk to everyone and help and support each other each other in good and bad times too. As we are all in it together for better or worse . Take care am thinking of you littletree

I there it depends on what y mean by taking on a contract . If y ate just going to be working foe someone then you you will need to do your pts track safety and have your saw tickets . If it's an actual contract to carry out the works as a company then I don't know the situation with that but am sure someone will be along soon with an answer for you . All the best littletree .

Love it cracking pics so looking forward to pole climbing for 2011:thumbup: Littletree

Hi there jones and honey brothers are your best place for new kit it's good to try on the harness and have a swing around both companys are really nice and will make time to let y try them and put up a bit of rope for y . Both are great on price allways the same as price match to each other . I never need look at anywhere else as I know I get to deal with nice people and will allways be given the best price on me giving them a ring. Both companys service is excellant and my things allways arive quickly . all the best littletree:thumbup:

I am still new into the world of all my own customers so this is just my exp . so far I have been lucky and all of them but one have been really lovely . tea cakes lunch smiles and tips . I usually do a price if its one tree . if its a garden cut back clearance type job then I will price for the job but if it looks like more then a days work then I do a day rate and give them an estimate of how many days it might take . I always bend over backwards to give them bit more then they have asked so when I leave they are very very happy and feel they have great value for money and they are really happy to spread the word to there friends. With the climate the way it is I am just happy to get the work . I don't mind doing more but the thing I wont do is work for customers /people that treat me badly .When I visit them to give a quote ,if for any reason I don't like them or feel uncomfortable and my instinct's are telling me get out of there then I don't do the job . I tend to know very quickly when I meet people usually how its going to be if I were to go and do a job for them . . when I look at a job and what they want I look at the little extra stuff I will do for them but I keep this to my self its usually minor stuff that will make there garden /trees look beautiful not just finished . I did a job the other day for a really nice lady it was a back garden cut back all round . I did the job and made the back garden lovely then as I had some daylight left so I went and did the front garden as well it was a Small front garden that needed some shrubs cut out and some ivy removal from the walls this was not part of her quote but just extra that I had spotted on my first visit . she was so happy and delighted she gave me a 20 quid tip on top of my cheque and gave me a lovely home made lunch I did not expect anything , it was just a pleasure to work for her and see the delight on her face when it was all done . when I have done this type of work for 20 years I may feel different about customers but so far so good . Littletree:thumbup:

O that's real sweet ,what a nice chap . now that's real love . Good on y fella have a lovley xmass to the both of you:001_smile: my best present was waking up on this beauifiual day the sun is shining so brightly on the snow and the freshness outside .feeling really happy today looking forward to another wonderfull new year ahead full of new opportunities waiting for me to grab with both hands . I brought myself a lovley pink jumper it's lovley happy xmass to everyone on here. littletree