The BJG

Never been to anything like it before, only made it up for the Saturday, but I was really impressed. Plenty to see and do, Got some good info from both ISA and AA. Couple of little purchases nothing too extravagent. Was great to see a CS100 in the metal and am looking forward to a demo soon. Really worthwhile for me. The 50 mph limit along what seemed like most of the M4 was a definite drag though. Hope to get another one in later in the year.

Thanks guys. I've done it both ways in the past with jobs, not just tree's but general garden work I've quoted on too. I think they balance in the end. I'll have to get a few big uns done I guess, to work out my timings on them and see if I'm right. Oh well, off to Capel for the day now. Thanks again

Fair point, maybe one and a half would be more realistic, with the rest logged up, like I say it's a big one compared to my normal jobs so harder to judge I guess. It's a trafic,

It was a big tree! They had a Euc in the other corner that was the same sort of size. From the top I reckon you'd have had a good view into the cricket ground over the stands behind the house. I do mostly domestic work, and normally smaller stuff than this one to be honest. Using the baby Timberwolf chipper we work hard and steady. I wouldn't drop my price as I have plenty who pay it and are happy, and have had a few bung us a bit extra at the end too. So I know I'm not that far out with my prices, it was more the timing issue I wondered about. Would I / Should I have been able to do it in half a day.

I've already priced it a couple of days ago and didn't get it. I worked it out at two of us for a day plus chipper with tipping fees etc. I priced in at £350 for felling and removal with stump grinding as an optional extra if they wanted it at £100. They got three quotes one from another fella at about £200 but in their words, "He didn't seem like he knew much about trees." But the other quote, the one they are going with, was for £150. The only way I can see that being possible is doing the work in half a day, which I don't think I could have done. So am I working too slow, or have I just met someone working for peanuts? I only ask as I have had 2 of these in quick succession. Virtually the same story on both.

Only just learning on the fungus really, how long would these have been growing then? I thought most fungi only lasted a very short time?

Yes could kick myself now for not getting a couple of pics. It is climbable, Fairly easy drop zone, not a huge amount of rigging I wouldn't have said, although it would need to come down in sections due to location, (not the biggest garden I've ever seen). 2 to 3 loads of chip I would have said.

Just wondering if I can get a couple of peoples thoughts. Did a quote the other day for a customer, and I reckoned it was a full days work for two with chipper. Everything to be removed off site. Difficult access through the front but a wall at the back (where the tree is) led onto a private access road, Possible to set up chipper etc on that road and work away, but everything would have to go over the wall, as no gate. The tree was around 40ft and the initial request was a quote to "trim back" When I got there it was around 40 to 50ft quite large, so a lot of chip to dispose of. The tree was pretty much dead in all honesty, and I had real trouble identifying it too. It seemed to me to be like a very large hawthorn. but very very few leaves shooting and a lot of deadwood hanging in the tree. The bark was almost ash like. But no leaves out yet so it threw me a bit. I didn't get any pictures unfortunately. I advised the same, as it turns out, that everyone else who had seen it, to fell due to proximity to house and replace with something more suitable. Anyway my question is this, how long would anyone else have allowed for this job? I am obviously newer to tree work than most of you guys on here so I am wondering how my workrate compares I guess. Thanks

Nice one, that lawn looks nice too, good job. Just extended a lawn for a customer, they were over the moon, and keep sending me more work. Cheapest advertising in the world I reckon.

Hoping to do Saturday. About 2 and a half hours from me, but all motorway virtually. Quite excited about my "first arb show" Ha ha

Great a few more

Found this Big bugger too Hope the picture works, 1 st time posting

Sitting enjoying the Masters the last two nights got me thinking. Anyone doing much work or specialising in work on golf courses? Ben

Great news! It is hard and everyone does it sometimes rather than sit at home for the day. But the truth is, I think, sometimes you would be better off sitting at home and chasing after a couple of customers who will pay you what you are worth. Ben

Yes we still do a bit of grass cutting, lots of fencing and decking work about at the moment too. I started getting requests from customers about tree work and looked into it as another service we could offer. It's growing from that really, and I have to say it's what I'm most enjoying right now. Although currently the smallest part of my business, it's good work. We had a customer who we've cut grass for for quite a while now, who I know really well. They didn't know we did fencing until I sent the newsletter out, they've just booked a £1000 fencing job in for their shop back yard. You have to tell people what you do, I always assume my customers know what I do already.

Ah hadn't seen that. Like I say apologies for any offence caused. Going back onto the thread. A quick newsletter out to customers is a great way to boost the order book, for very little outlay. They have already bought from you at least once, so providing you have done a good job they will be keen to have you back. They may have just lost your number!!! Does everyone know you do stumpgrinding? Hedges? Any other services you offer? Do they know what qualifications you have? How they pick a professional to do the job etc? Tell them, then tell them why you are what they need! Don't compete on price if you can help it. It doesn't do anyone any good. Harrods aren't dropping their prices because lidl's opened up down the road!

Sorry, where does he say he cuts corners? I must have missed that bit. I'm not a regular poster or reader on here, is it in another post? Not going off half cocked and not having a go directly at you at all. It is something I have read a few times on here from different people. Ben

Ok I work in garden maintenance, landscaping and tree work. I've been doing the maintenance and landscaping longer than the tree work, but that doesn't mean I don't do trees properly. I have my cs certs I am studying for my rfs cert at the mo. I am insured, I do all my checks properly before carrying out work and my customers are always happy when I finish. I am not cheap, I don't drop prices to get jobs, if they want me they have to pay. I did a spring newsletter out to last years customers a month ago and booked in nearly five weeks of solid work off the back of it. So marketing your business properly will get you more work in, especially going back to people you have worked for before. ( Assuming you did a good job of course.) There seem to be a few people on here who have a massive problem with gardeners expanding into tree work. There is a general assumption that someone who is "basically a gardener with a ladder," to coin a phrase used here before, is going to be rubbish at tree work. Why? If gardeners have it so easy why not get your mowers out and take some of their customers? Look after your own business rather than worrying what others are doing and you'll find life far less stressful. Just my two penneth, but hey what would I know I'm just a gardener with a ladder. Ben

I send most of my stuff via interparcel now. If you go to interparcel.com Put in size and weight etc they will find the cheapest courier and give you whatever options you want too. Pick which one you want they can sometimes pick up from you the same day.

Cool video, but get some lifesaver checks in for goodness sake. Reminds me of when I lived in London, that was my route to work everyday, 1hr roughly in the car or 15 minutes on the scoot. Brilliant

Ha Ha. No worries. Been looking at it with The horticultral correspondance college. Anyone heard of got any knowledge of them? Website looke like it might suit what I need I think, but I assume I would have to go to a normal college to do any exam at the end? Not sure still reading it. All good stuff though

Brilliant. Thank you all for contributions so far. Expanding it out a little bit, a guy I do some general garden work with now and again when I get bigger jobs in, did a course last year. He had a complete career change and came from teaching into gardening. He did a general hort course at a local college over a period of twelve months, one day a week. He says it worked well for him as he was able to work 4 days a week on his gardening business and do a day at college. However they don't do a similar style arb course. It's full time or nothing. Do such arb courses exist? Preferably South West, but even a remote learning course I guess. The more I learn, the more I realise there is to learn.

Oh I agree, not interested in an eye for an eye or anything that deep. Although as far as I'm concerned if you break the law you deserve whatever you get. I didn't write the script what happened, happened but I certainly wouldn't shed a tear over someone in these circumstances.

On a slight tangent, but may give you a little heart to know there is occasionally a rightous outcome to these things. Back before Christmas they opened a well known outdoors shop in Cardiff the sort of place you may go if you go outdoors a lot. Allegedly Anyway they got broken into one night, through the back apparently, and had a large quantity of very expensive outdoor clothing nicked. (About £40k) The police were there within 4 minutes of the alarm sounding but couldn't gain access through the font and the rear backed onto a railway line. It would appear the ne'erdowells had already gone anyway. They had made good there escape on a pair of quadbikes and lived on a local estate further up the rail line. They apparently used the railway line as a place to play on their quads regularly as the police gave them too much hassle if they rode them round illegally on the road. They therefore knew the lines pretty well. What they hadn't accounted for was the train that was going in for maintenance that met them in the tunnel head on while making their way home with their ill gotten gains. The one was killed outright the other one was badly injured I believe, and it turned out that the quad was stolen too. What gobsmacked me was the locals there had a period of mourning for the loss of this fella who apparently, "just wanted some fun."

Just wondered if anyone here had any books or part time courses they'd particularly recommend as good on tree care. I'm working through my nptc certs but obviously as has been pointed out on here before, they really only teach you how to not hurt yourself while doing the job. I want to learn a bit about tree diseases and fungi that affect them, when and how they should be pruned etc. I do find lurking around here and reading peoples threads is a great help, Any books or courses you can recommend I'd be very grateful. Thanks Ben