kentjames

When it comes to landscaping and indeed the building trade it is hard work these days. I think its mainly down to the B+Q's and Wickes' and people opening accounts with their local builders merchant even though they are only members of the public. The result, everyone knows the price they can get it for. Profit is a hard one to build in. Most work is done to gain a wage from the labour and that's about it. I do put extra in on the materials where possible. One thing I have done is price a job before on a unit price for something (eg Marked retail price of materials) and then when I have come to order it then the quantity discount makes up a profit. This works well on things like fencing and paving. Also knowing your local supplier really well makes a huge difference as I get great prices from one guy as he has dealt with me since I 'were a 'lad standing next to my father ordering materials! Another good way to 'hide' profit is to avoiding breaking the quote down and to lump all the materials in one column and don't quantify individual items - that way they find it harder to check the price themselves as they don't know the quantity required when the merchants ask them for it. Its all a game really, at the end of the day if someone questions my prices for materials supplied I usually turn and say I'm in business to make money. Having said that I think the most I've made on materials is 30% I do less and less landscaping, admittedly I haven't pushed it in the last 12 months but most clients seem to want to maintain what they have and not spend the extra money on bettering their gardens.

If they are lombardy's then perhaps aim for pollarding? I somewhat suspect the most the TO will allow would be thinning. There is no right to light in gardens, only property (to my understanding anyway!) so it could be difficult to argue otherwise.

Now that made me chuckle

Thanks for posting, some seriously cool and interesting stuff on the website

Is the mog and chipper on the open market for sale? (out of interest)

Hmm, food for thought there, thanks for posting

Top vid and great work!

That looks a superb set up. What was the costs involved for the lift and ally body? Any idea of the load / weight capacity?

Another thought also, going of the back of bens post about breaking down, I assume wood chips getting in the lift mechanism might be an issue?

Hi Graham, There's lots of threads on here about transits and more specifically the members arbtrucks thread in the arbtruck forum. http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/arb-trucks/7896-arbtalkers-arbtrucks.html I am however interested to hear peoples thoughts on the tail lift as I was looking at one the other day and had the same thoughts. Since I do garden maintenance and landscaping along side the arb work it would be very useful and labour saving for some jobs. Also if I bought a pedestrian stump grinder then loading it would be easier too. However its also extra weight.

sounds pukka especially the reach

How does the tower style crane compare to traditional cranes cost wise? Looks a great bit of kit

Excellent video, very inspiring and awesome views

Or just raise the crowns of the trees lining the route in first - removes the access issue all together and improves the property access.

How big is their family car? Would a MEWP squeeze under it? Some of the JLG and Genies are 2m closed height and yet will go up 12m? (and out 6m which might be useful if its leaning over water) Or climb it

Nice, i'll send you a pm Garth

Yup, thats the ones Frankie, are you local to me then?

Thanks for that. Also anyone with PTO chippers and grain trailers etc in the area would be useful too. Thanks

Hi folks Just putting out feelers to see if anyone knows of a big chipper / biomass chipper that can load lorries for a big road side conifer bashing job? Location - Goudhurst area, Kent. There are 75 Leylandii trees in total and need 2/3rds off (i know id rather remove them but they ain't having it). They will be lowered to the ground using a crane but if we can keep them big and bung them straight through then the job will be more efficient and viable. I dont have a tip local enough and the volume will be huge. Thanks in advance

Looking at the first image, my choice would probably be to remove some of the lesser trees and therefore improve the light levels without impacting upon the other trees.

Good work there, how are you finding the camera so far?

Out of interest, was this in the south or south east? Sounds like the same one that approached me, reported them to the police

Fell it with a view to keeping it whole and assess the timber, all else fails its lots of firewood

Job job chaps, and that looks like a very handy little loader

Seen today in Cranbrook area of Kent: Be on the look out for some Irish sounding blokes in a dirty white transit van selling very fake 'Stihl' Chinese copy chainsaws and Makita drills and dodgy other stuff. They have been reported to Kent police, but didn't get the plate due to angle. Keep ya eyes peeled and report all contact