- Location
- Sioux Falls
How much money and benefits does one need to post to get a qualified individual to come run a crew? Ryan 605-498-9510
Career awaits!!!
- Thread starter Ryemy99
- Start date
Serf Life
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Maine Island
$35/hr, benefits, 2 wks paid vacation, good equipment?
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
I don’t know, apparently far more than anyone is offering. It’s very difficult to find someone good these days.
For a crew leader and an anything you put in front of them climber. That would be a deal. There are companies posting here offering that and get zero replies.
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Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
Around here, that would be well above top dollar, $25-30/hour is what a good or better climber/crew leader is getting. And we offer that or more and get nothing, not even a phone call.
That makes my point. Times are crazy. $35 isnt top dollar anymore because " not even a phone call." Why would a good climber who could sub for $400+ a day, all day, everyday climb and run a crew for $30/hour. Hell, you got climbers coming on here talking $600-$800 a day. I am not advocating or necesarily agreeing with it, just making an observation. Truth is my top guy/ crew leader would laugh at $35/hour.
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southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
I wonder if more talented people are going out on their own, pushed to change by the pandemic.
I have been watching the trend for the last 10 years. I think 1 driving asspect is all the people starting tree businesses without climbing experience. They rely on the skilled climber to stay in business. Climbers are figuring it out that these companies cant make money without them. So they are demanding more money. Also people are more willing to move around to different locations where the money is better.
Serf Life
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Maine Island
Interesting times, good that folks want a living wage that is with the current cost of life but hard to find help even with better offers than ever. Can’t believe the shit pay I considered “normal” before going solo. Had a couple $8.5/hr jobs in ‘07-‘09, then $13/hr treework, $15/hr stonework. End of the year have nothing to show and the wages were standard. Glad the times have changed as far as that goes.
I agree. For comparison. In that 2008 time frame I was close to my last climbing job as an employee. I made $36/hour with benefits just climbing not running a crew. Felt it was fair. It was in Norcal, big trees regularly though.
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
That is a huge difference, and I believe it is largely regional - around here, cost of living is reasonably low (I bought a 1400 sq ft house on one acre for $95k about 6 years ago) and so wages are comparatively low as well. The market here just won’t support an averageish climber at $36/hour even without benefits, not when a good crew bills no more than $100/man hour and has to hustle to do it.
evo
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- My Island, WA
I’m offering 35 + for the right person, plus bennies.. the deal breaker seems to be the lack of a full 40 hour week plus OT…. But just one nibble, in the past few years of searching
Stumpsprouts
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Asheville
I’m glad as well for wages going up, but can’t help but feel a little salty about it. Graduated during the housing crash, had crap wages for years, made the best of it. But we’re saying if I wanted to hire an employee right now year they’d be making twice what I made in 2019? Dang.
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
I can understand your frustrations there. I don’t disagree with wages going up, but the meteoric rise all at one time is more likely to cause greater problems than it will solve, not the least of which being resentment from those who have been working for years directed towards the “new guy” who is making what they worked so hard to earn. Or worse, just as much as they’re earning now!
- Location
- North Carolina
A lot... I see nearly everyone complane about not being able to find good qualified help but are offering in my mind low wages. A local guy I met is offering 15-20/for experienced ground guys and 25-30 for experienced climbers and says he can only find people on drugs... Every location is a little different but not a whole lot.
I am 37 and only been climbing for one year. I came to this industory from being in carpentry/building being several smaller compinies job forman or site manager. I can make 350 - 500 a day contract climbing or I can take my own jobs on and make even more a day doing a small trim job with my skills and a pickup and trailer. Right now i do both as I build my buisness up. I have only hired a part time ground guy
So to answer what i would need to get paid to climb/run a crew for another company? At least 100k and the quality of the owner and work culture would have to be top notch. This would be similar to what I made as a site manager in construction. Its just to easy if one has a little skill and buisness sence to do there own thing.
Just my two cents...
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There will be a reckoning with this, and in some places it is already brewing.
In our small metro (130,000 ish people) there are 40 some licensed “tree companies” at this point in time- inexperienced individuals benefiting from the little to no barrier to access the market. Established companies can’t find ground workers. We have had an add out for a climber for two years, now offering up to $40/hr with benefits, bonus, and sign-on. I have had only inexperienced people lying about their skills apply. I had one guy, who could
Meanwhile the internet is collecting droves of negative reviews of the quality of work of these small startups. There has also been a fatality or near fatality a year for the past few years in our area.
Yesterday, I got an email from the city (yes on a Saturday…) saying they are now going to perform an interview as a part of the application process for licensing. Hopefully this marks a turn for our area in safety, quality of work, and availability of workers.
Good luck everyone!
Stumpsprouts
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Asheville
All the power to you, and nothing personal, but I’m astonished that a single year of climbing will get you hired for contract climber wages. This just challenges my sense of equity.
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Light 14 or 16" narrow kerf bar for 200t or 201t- Started by southsoundtree
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