Jamie Jones

It won't be the Taxman that picks you up for not having employers liability insurance. When you come a cropper will be if anything goes wrong and H&S gets involved. Who ever is invoicing for the job needs to have the employers liability insurance to cover the other party working for them.

I run a mixture of Stihl, Echo and Dolmar... i am pleased with all of them. But I also hate all the electronic wizardry as well. i was looking at getting a Stihl MS462 but at that money I have managed to get a Dolmar 6100 (60cc) and a Dolmar 7910 (80cc) chainsaws. I have been really impressed with the 7910 and blown away with the power as it is an absolute beast. The 6100 only turned up yesterday and I have been impressed with its cutting power but I have not had a full chance to test it out long term. the only down side to having Dolmar is that my local Stihl dealer holds loads of parts in stock and I can run in and get it repaired immediately, they are excellent that way. With the Dolmar I would have to order parts in and I would have some down time. I would also look to do the repairs my self. But the repair manual is on line as a pdf. I am not daunted at having to do this so it does not concern me. But the beauty is that I have the 2x Dolmar for the price of one Stihl so if one saw was ever to go down on me I am covered any way. But so far I have been very impressed with the Dolmars and others I have come across who also use them also speak highly of them. At some point I will also get the Dolmar 31cc tophandle saw as well. I also run an Echo TS2511 top handle saw. It is very compact and small but it has also impressed me. I have been happy with the Stihl equipment but that does come at a premium price. Talk to Andrew (posts as Shavey) on this forum on the Dolmar thread as a sponsored forum section. He is very good and gets stuff quickly. I have had saws and parts from him and he is very efficient and helpful. hope that helps and I recommend Dolmars on performance and price.

Thanks Andrew (Shavey) The Dolmar 6100 (on a 3/8" set up) has arrived.... Already fired it up and it sounds a bit of a beast..... Great Service

As stated... just do a ticket on another more interesting field so that it refreshes your other tickets. The refresher element is just to ensure you are safe with a chainsaw.

One thing that you are forgetting in all this is that the rules changed a good while ago. Lets say I am self employed and I have a mixed bunch of customers then all is good. Things run smoothly. The problem comes when say all your work drifts in to, or a clear decision is taken to work for a single customer full time. The taxman can now deem it that as you are in fact working for a single customer on a full time basis you in fact staff. The taxman can now go after your main customer for tax avoidance as he is not paying employers NI taxes. I am not sure at what percentage of your work for one customer is level at which this element affects your business in the tax mans view. But a few years ago my accountant stated that I was getting close to the point where I would have to approach the customer for a full time position (Which would mean that they would drop me and use other). If I crossed the threshold your accountant is duty bound to inform the tax man of your situation. The only way that I can see you can get around this is by being a limited company. But If I am correct this can still cause problems. In the Building / Construction Industry contractors on major construction site are often taxed at source.

You still have Employers NI, and Pension Contributions plus other misc exes

It is not a cheap chainsaw and many in the forestry industry will have to dig deep to have one.

GreenMech CS100 18bhp V-Twin engine (2018 Model) I was looking for a good quality small chipper that would complement my Garden / Grounds Maintenance Business for dealing with hedge removals, Tree Pruning and Small Tree Removal. The main reason was so that I was not dragging trailer loads of waste from site and having to dispose of it. After spending a good amount of time reading loads of reviews and watching youtube clips of various bits of kit I settled on purchasing the GreenMech CS100 with the Briggs and Stratton 570cc 18bhp V-Twin engine. The CS100 was double the cost of most of the cheaper Chinese imports that mostly ran 13-15bhp single cylinder engines. There is also a 15bhp option from GreenMech in the CS100 range as well. But for the small difference in price it was a no brain'er to go for the bigger 18bhp, Electric Start, V-Twin version for the extra power and torque. I have had the CS100 for about 8x months now and it has been a great bit of kit. It gets into narrow access areas easily. It processes waste matter up to 4" impressively quick and anything bigger than that I can move as firewood. It has reduced my transportation and disposal of waste matter dramatically. Four guys even managed to lift it over a retaining wall in to a site. I had tormented myself as to if I should spend that sort of money at this stage of my business and I have been glad that I have. There have been jobs that I have taken on that I might otherwise might not have tackled if I had not had the CS100. Another important element for me was that the GreenMech had a good track record. It is also built in the UK and access to parts is extremely easy (Not that I have needed any yet). I have been very impressed with the GreenMech CS100 as a small chipper and would highly recommend it to anyone in the market for a chipper of that size. Jamie Jamie's Garden Services Powys, Mid Wales.. View full review

I only keep minimal details that means that I can comply with UK Tax Accounting laws and information that backs up my working records.

At some point in the future it will... But at the moment I would not use battery power for any of my petrol equipment as I don't think it is anywhere near up to it. Another reason I would be loathed to go that way is because I can quantify and claim my petrol costs in my accounts for usage for this equipment.. But I can't for charging up my Makita Battery kit. My accountant won't won't let me claim speculative amounts or un receipted amounts. So they is a serious incentive not to go battery powered even if the kit was up to it.

Probably stolen good like a lot of stuff in cash converters ....

I think that it is a mistake as their customer service won't entertain a 3-year warranty and State that it is only 1-year

Thank You for the replies here and via messages to my original post.... And in all fairness having researched the market and trying out various recommendations for others. I have renewed my policy with Trust Insurance who seemed to be the only company that could cover all the activities that I undertake. So at the end of the day.. Thank You to Trust Insurance for the renewal of cover even if the cost has gone up a bit....

I have been up and running in my Start-Up business for three years now.... I am hoping that this year is the year that it all comes together and I start to earn a living and manage to get over the hill or mountain you climb to be viable... So far I have just been investing everything I have been earning back into the businesses development and ensuring that I am able to tackle a wide scope of work. I thought it would be interesting to here from other businesses what the key things, moments, phases or changes that you made that turned this corner .

It is rapidly approaching Insurance Renewal time of Year for me. I am with Trust Insurance and I already know that they are going to hike the premium up from discussions I had a while ago. I mainly do Grounds Maintenance/Garden Maintenance and because I brought a small mini chipper (Greenmech CS100) to help deal with braking down waste for transportation when cutting hedges. When I added this to the policy I knew that I would have a small increase in premium on the Equipment list side. What I was not expecting was....All of a sudden they wanted to change me from a grounds maintenance policy to a full on Arborists/Tree Surgeons Policy. With a big increase in price, plus the policy wording has changed from 'being competent' to being 'Qualified' This has forced me to have to do £ 3,500 worth of courses to meet the policy changes I face at renewal. I had purchased a bigger chipper, then I would expect this. They were going to change me over on policies at the time of getting the chipper, but changed this to the point of renewal. So I didn't walk away from them at that point. The nature of work that I do has not changed apart from how I have to process waste cuttings to fit in with the Local Waste Disposal Site. Q1: Has anyone else experienced this? (I feel it is just the insurer being opportunistic to unjustly raise up the premiums) Q2: Who are you insured with and are they any good?

Dolmar make Makita chainsaws (Makita Brought them out) so if you can get a Makita then you are getting a Dolmar but in blue.... The 7300 is a good chainsaw but it is the weight as the 7900/7910 as to is all on the same chassis. So you might as well get the extra power as there is normally very little difference in price.. I have the Dolmar 7910 and it is an awesome chainsaw that chews through tree trunks with ease. I will be adding a Dolmar 6100 to the kit fairly soon as well..

Got all my medical stuff from these people.. looked on their website then spoke to them on the phone to get advice on the pro’s & con’s of the different stuff they had.. http://www.spservices.co.uk/

Hi Andrew Finally got around to fitting the full wrap handle you supplied me to my Dolmar 7910 chainsaw... The chainsaw feels a bit better in the hand for throwing about when snedding and I am sure that it will be even better with a bigger bar on it... Say a 24" or 28" compared to the 18" that it came with..?? So thanks to Andrew at AJS Forest & Garden Limited for the Spikes and Full Wrap Handle especially when Makita / Dolmar UK couldn't supply the parts..? Just got to find some money to buy a 6100 now ?

Thanks Gary it has been tough going so far and the amount of investment has been frightening. Hopefully next year (this coming year) I might get to turn the corner where it is all starts to be viable...

Hi Gary At the moment there is just me... I have spent the last three years building the business up to what it is from nothing... For this coming year I really could do with an extra pair of hands as I was struggling last year under the volume of work. But the volume of red tape that involves is concerning...

Just loving the new Dolmar 80cc 7910 chainsaw.... Having just done my CS32 qualifications the chainsaw was awesome... It chewed through the tree trunks like it was going out of fashion... It was a bit heavy when throwing it about for snedding and a 60cc Dolmar 6100 might be better for doing that... But I guess that I will have to just get used to it and toughen up..? Can't wait to get on the next courses... Windblown & Uprooted.... And Emergancy Tree Works

This is a quick intro on Jamie's Garden Services Jamie’s Garden Services operates in the Powys, Mid Wales area and is local to the towns of Llandrindod Wells, Builth Wells, Newbridge on Wye & Rhayader. (Although work is undertaken further away from these local towns to a Radius of 30x miles). I undertake a mixture of basic garden maintenance tasks or installation projects, Regular Maintenance Contract Work for Private Customers, Commercial Businesses and Local Authorities. Services offered range from: Commercial Lawn Cutting of large grassed areas Domestic Lawn Cutting Tall Grass Clearances Hedge Cutting & Height Reduction Wood Chipping (Upto 3-4”) Weed and Feed Treatments Legally Licenced to Spray for Weed and Moss Control Turfing Patio Cleaning and Pressure Washing Patio Repointing Fence Installations Fence Protector Spraying Decking Installations Shed Installations Concrete bases for sheds Repairs & Re-Felting Sheds Garden Clean Up and Clearances Tree Felling (Within CS30-CS31-CS32) (Will soon be adding Windblown & Uprooted and Emergancy Tree Works) Tree Pruning (Within a certain height) Stump Grinding Laying Stone Dressings Odd Jobs & General Property Maintenance Painting Licensed to Remove, Transport and Dispose of Waste Fully Insured PA1 & PA2 Qualified to Spay Herbicides etc (Soon to be adding spraying by Water Course and Injection Applications) If you are a Business owner with a requirement for regular grass and periodic hedge cutting along with other general maintenance tasks to maintain your businesses image, I can offer a reliable service tailored to meet your needs. I am currently looking to take on fresh contracts for the following commercial customers: Hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, Commercial Business Premises, Industrial Estates, Holiday Lets, Caravan & Mobile Home Parks, Landlords, Estate Agents, Property Management Companies. Please Contact Jamie’s Garden Services for a free, no obligation estimate on 07976 400043 https://www.facebook.com/jamiesgardenservices/

Hi Really impressed with the 7910 and it chews through wood awesomely.. I find it a little heavy for the snedding because I am not used to Forestry work and I am sure that I will get used to it. While doing the CS32 course it was commented on that a 80cc saw was way more than I needed.. Most people were using 60cc saws and they did seem easier to manoeuvre when snedding.. But I guess you always need a back up... I had thought about getting a second 7910 so I just had different bar lengths on each... But I think having a 60cc & a 80cc would be better than having two 80cc saws.. If you are looking for forestry work I am sure that you will find some in Wales as there are grants for training.... I was going to get the Stihl MS462 but the Dolmar was way cheaper and with 20cc extra... It seemed daft not to get one.... as you almost get both a 7910 & a 6100 for the same price..

So would I be correct that I have to get a K095 Mounted Bar that will take a 3/8th Pitch and 0.058 gauge chain and swap the drive sprocket to one that will drive that type of chain? So it will run the same chain as a 7910 but using a different mounted bar?