Ian Flatters

My first arb digger. Just need to put some bigger wrapping around the pipes as that was all I could get hold of on a Saturday.

We were just grateful that a beekeeper came out and collected it the same day to be honest. The hive didn’t look too big so thought as the bees seem to be having a rough time we thought it was best to let them keep it. I mean I did just evict them from their home.

A job from this week, decayed beech to remove.

A beech tree which had a huge failure in the recent storms. A heavy reduction to hopefully retain the tree, but if it declines and fails it’s a lower risk and will become a valuable habitat being a mature boundary tree. One of the first solo jobs for my guys too, so quite a proud moment nevertheless.

Hello, Old norwich hospital but a lot look similar from that era of design.

This turned up today for my wife, from Paul. A very kind thing to do. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/

A few recent jobs we’ve done and washing the kit. Enjoy.

Cheers, much easier feeding this that the greenmech with the skid steer. Yeah to let air out so it doesn’t blow back towards you. Well that’s the idea. The discharge chute on this one seem to be quite focused. But then again it’s not got to get far before it’s in the back of the truck.

Pretty much our daily setup since we bought the bc1000 and canter. I honestly cannot believe I went so long without an closed roof. Saves so much time at the end.

Hit by lightning in 2008 I was told by the client. The tree was looking quite healthy (as best it could) up to a few years ago then it slowly started to decline and die. At a guess I’d say either it was using up its remaining reserves and has now died or just decided to die.

Just wondering what everyone is using for their roperunner and bdb? Currently using cougar blue on both but I’m about to fail that when I inspect the kits this week. I was thinking of getting 2 different ropes so I’m 100% open to suggestions and reviews of what you all found works best. Cheers,

Sadly I had to disc it all to extract. I did knock a section of fence out with a smaller piece. So took that section out for access. To be fair I did also think the fence was going to have it when I was knocking the top section off. Thankfully Lady Luck was on my side that day. Especially as if right fluffed up pricing it and basically made even, just.

The last job of he year for us. A dead Wellingtonia which had been topped and died off. Client wanted it down to weigh up having a carving made from the lower stem/stump. Had to spend a good few hours restoring the gravel path and cleaning up the huge courtyard area of mud and debris.

Not so much today but the past few weeks.

A few recent ones.

To be honest I think when you feel ready more than anything. It would be great if you could find someone near you who climbs on it or a rec climb would be another suggestion so you’ve time to learn off someone else. I don’t know how long you’ve been in he industry but I’m assuming your already learning that it take planning when getting around a tree.

I think people not increasing their day rates are a bit to do with wanting to get work and not be passed for a cheaper climber. You know, a bit of fear if I go up £30 I may loose all these days I was doing for that company. I hear it quite often when we have regular subbies in, talking about work they’ve picked up because rockstar climber wants an extra £10 a day so matey boys got someone else in. Personally everyone should increase their prices in an ideal world. I can only really comment as an employer now as it’s been a while since I’ve subbed myself out. Employee wise wages go up every year (as everything else has and does) and on top of that ours will be getting a good increase due to pension legislation that’s come into the fold as well. As a minimum it’s 1% this year then it’s going to go up to 2% then 3%. So as a result our company costs have gone up too, not to mention everything else (which include fuel, services/maintenance costs, etc). We loose a percentage of work because of this, however... we’re not running around like busy fools trying to earn a profit to make up for those cheap jobs. I feel that the main reason people haven’t increased wages is fear of loosing work, but isn’t it worse to be working for less profit that you were 5,6,7 years ago.

That was really cool to watch. Just found it mesmerising watching the tops hit the deck.

A bit of clearance for a garden renovation

It's our new truck, I bought it of simon parsons a collected it last night. Got home at 1am [emoji30]already making our quick buy heap of a transit look even worse. [emoji23] Loving your new bandit toys by the way! [emoji108] So sign writing is next

Cracking reduction Steve. A bit of something different. This day

Myself and jenny attended this course so I thought I would give my feedback for those who are "on the fence" about looking into it. Firstly the workshop was excellently delivered by paul, there was a lot of great discussion from everyone in the room about their concerns, expectations, comments they had heard off someone, who knows someone who worked of an AAAC. It was really good to be able to voice these to, well, paul who deals with the course so has first hand experience. I especially liked the information on the scheme being a stage 2 safe contractor scheme where as CHAS and others are stage 1. It really helped us highlight areas we need to develop and implement pieces to allow us to become a better contractor with better operating procedures in place. As for the affiliate contractor I can see this as a perfect stepping stone from a contractor to an arb approved contractor. We are currently deciding because of our workload wether to go down this route first, taking a bit of pressure off hopefully for when we go for full AAAC. I can see that it's worth it for some companies but not all but still in my honest opinion I felt it was worth attending. Thank you for your time paul it was greatly appreciated. Ian

Bewilderwood near hoveton. First time I've ever been there. It was interesting to see how they'd originally built them into the trees and now, more around on stilts. I imagine it's mental when children are around. Thankfully it was closed today.

A kind of tree related day, but I thought it was worth a share because I thought it was a cool site.

A few from recent weeks. All assisted fells with the skid steer. First one was a birch that the client didn't like. Second was moving a bit of that wood today. Third was a beautiful London plane located in the old norwich hospital. Ben climbed it and had a real fun climb removing the deadwood. Fourth and fifth pictures are from a poplar fell we carried out after it dropped a large limb close to the workshop. Nothing super interesting about the jobs to be honest except it's quite nice spending more time on the ground watching the lads work away aloft.