Ginja

Second hand van, three saws(one is always being fixed), blower, climbing kit, rescue kit, hedge cutters, pick, mattock, fork shovel, wheel barrow, axe. Somewhere to keep it all safe and store waste to be processed into compost, logs etc (waste is work on the quiet days). insurance. Some good friends. More energy than you think you would ever had. Honest, decent, approachable manner. Quals &certs. Be willing to learn, you'll never know it all! Our business was started with an escort eclipse, a hand me down climbing harness and one saw that had seen better days. We just worked hard, did a good job and cleaned up after ourselves. And I thank every customer that gave us the benefit of he doubt. Never ever turn down work, that bit of digging might lead to a tpo'd veteranisation that impresses the tree officer

My fiancé doesn't bring me flowers, he brings me fungi.

Cheers Dave, good points there.

This all really helpful stuff chaps, please continue. It's great to see some of you are embracing tech and those of you who aren't are setting me the challenge of giving you something reliable and easy to use that will entice you away from the old paper diary. You may well help me get a distinction if you carry on, a major part of the assignment is industry research and feedback. Keep talking to me, any gripes, ideas, things you like about certain apps, diaries, phones, tablets etc. I really appreciate you all taking the time. Thanks Charlie

Do the existing apps let you do enough? Are they too simplistic or too complicated? And wouldn't it be beneficial to have an app that is tailored to the work you do?

Good stuff, thanks. More comments like that would be greatly appreciated. That's something I'm intent on finding a solution to. But would you pay for a solution?

Thank you for answering Apart from suggesting you get a motorbike to get around quicker I can't help with the time on the road issue. But what is it about paperwork you try to avoid so badly, which area? Is it quotes, tpo apps, invoicing? What really takes up too much time and bugs you when you'd much rather be on arbtalk? Charlie

Hello, I'm doing a project for college, in it I'm researching possible ways of reducing the amount of time spent doing admin (typing up quotes, scheduling work, maintenance logs, loler etc) for small to medium enterprises in arboriculture. As an attempt at initial research, could you take the time to tell me what would make your admin easier and more efficient and what problems you feel you face with regard to admin? What really bugs you and takes up too much time? If you would be happy to take part in a more in depth survey to help me with my research and project, please pm me with an email address I can contact you on. I need all the help I can get! Many thanks Charlie Hocknell

I agree, wise words. But it's easier said than done! I've worried myself sick at times, lay awake at night worrying whether I can do the job properly, whether the people who have taught me really believe in my skills and abilities, whether customers are as happy as they seem, whether I have the respect of other arbs I know or do they just feel a bit sorry for me, whether I'll make it to the end of the year financially. Luckily the chap I'm marrying seems to think the sun shines out of my backside and has more than enough faith in me for both of us. Balance - needed in everything

I had to laugh when I noticed all the lads with me were ogling the shiny machinery on one stand and completely missed the lasses on the stand to tempt them in! Boys love toys! I felt a bit bad for the girl who was smiling sweetly at them, so I smiled and said hello. We had a limper with us, my other half managed to misjudge a gap and drove the stump grinder so he squished his leg between it and the wall. Massive bruise on his thigh, quite impressive he managed it!

I had to laugh when I noticed all the lads with me were ogling the shiny machinery on one stand and completely missed the lasses on the stand to tempt them in! Boys love toys! I felt a bit bad for the girl who was smiling sweetly at them, so I smiled and said hello. We had a limper with us, my other half managed to misjudge a gap and drove the stump grinder so he squished his leg between it and the wall. Massive bruise on his thigh, quite impressive he managed it!

I met rob from tree worker briefly, was good to put a face to a name Was going to go into arbtalk tent but it was overflowing with you lot and I was too shy Maybe next time

I met rob from tree worker briefly, was good to put a face to a name Was going to go into arbtalk tent but it was overflowing with you lot and I was too shy Maybe next time

http://www.treecarving.co.uk/

Simon O'Rourke think he's from Wrexham way.

First time I write something in ages and someone rolls their eyes. Figure my points are valid, unlike a lot of the ones on here. If you don't like it don't read it. But then again I wont bother in future, maybe the industry would be better off without deep thinkers, eh.

Same question different day. The aa, isa, chartered foresters, etc etc. wouldn't the industry be better with a unified regulatory body? Does the divide keep all the associations on their toes? Are arbs ever going to see an answer to this quandary? Probably, but I might be dead by then!

I employ someone now so I regularly go without pay myself. I started this business for a loving memory, I continued it purely for love of the job, and I go without pay to see my small struggling firm grow into a success because I love it. If I was greedy I'd still be in the target driven sales job I left for this. Not all employers are the same, some are heartless B@$t***s and some are angels, some are normal like me. But that is the same of any industry in any country. If a company makes good profits it will pay better wages - so work hard and be proactive within your employment and you should receive rewards. If you want to just take take take then the company will have nothing left to sustain you in leaner times. A company is the sum of its parts, employees are a part that greatly effect productivity and therefore profitability. As a company all parts should work equally to the same goals to achieve the level of reward they desire. This is a simple strategy employed by some of the most successful companies in the world. The flip side is that employers must look after those assets that are productive and profitable, your best chipper gets oil changes and new knives, so should your lads and lasses be rewarded for their achievements - or one day they may just stop working so hard for you...just like ill treated kit! The British are famous for being reserved, it is a very British defence mechanism that has been successful on many occasions, not so successful on others. For a small group of islands we do ok. Maybe this reserved approach is reflected in our pay rates, is it possibly that we don't throw money around because we simply can't afford to at the moment and we are reserving large pay increases for better times? Or is it that the £9/hr lads aren't showing the devotion to the company to make an employer feel safe in increasing their pay rate, have they not proved their worth as yet? No offence peeps but I had to highlight my achievements and convince my employers I was worth a pay increase in my previous profession, why should this job be any different. Numerous employers on this thread have stated they happily pay employees a good wage that repeatedly show their worth. I'm not saying you're not worth it, I'm just saying maybe you're not proving your worth to your employer. (cue the flicking of pony tails or stroking of receding hairlines of employed arbs coupled with utterances of "because I'm worth it" in a Geordie accent) The industry does desperately need some sort of regulation, but this is very 'chicken and the egg'. Many companies cannot afford the costs that come with increased regulation even though they may be professional outfits. So the increase in the publics perception of our works value would have to increase proportionately to the increased regulation costs. Done wrong, this kind of manoeuvre may lead to the loss of jobs and small companies. Be careful what you wish for. I seem to be rambling.

Hi all, My customers son lives in postcode SL6, he is in need of a good firewood supplier. They need a load about 4m2 of seasoned mixed logs about 10" size. We supply his parents and they are very happy with our loads, so they would need to be similar in quality. They have a baby on the way in October so need this sorting ASAP as one less thing to worry about. It needs to be someone reliable, so they can call them up every year to deliver. They offered to pay my deisel to take a load down, but I have too much work on to spare the time and would feel guilty taking so much money for a load!! PM me if you think you are the log supplier for the job and I'll pass your details on - any recommendations would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks Ginja

Show off.

Petzl Sequoia. I've used a Komet Butterfly for the last 5 years, but I got sick of having permanent bruising ontop of my hip bones. Having used the Sequoia I now realise how much the old butterfly was restricting my movement, and that an armchair is not a requirement to sit comfortably in a harness. The lads wont try my Sequoia, because they know they will be consumed by jealousy as I refuse to buy them new harnesses until their current butterflys run out of time. Mwah ha ha! (but then they dont seem to suffer with the hip bruising, so it isn't really torturous for them... I'm not disappointed by that, honestly!)

Cheers dude, very generous offer!

Body thrusting on a prussik or blake isn't difficult if your 9.5 stone, I'd happily carry on a few more years, and I understand your rain reasoning! But at 33 its time to start thinking of career longevity, so I reckon HC or Spiderjack may be the way to go. Thankyou for your down to earth, easily understandable answer.

Good stuff, just looked em up. AA Show - 15-16th June Woodfest - 28th, 29th, 30th May APF - 13-15th September Arb Fair North - There is absolutely nothing on their website :'(