2023 Contract Climber Rates?

owScott said:
Working hard is part of the job, just like being on time, not breaking things etc. These arent attributes you get paid extra for.
So far there hasnt been one person here say they pay anything remotely close to your numbers.
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Working hard is part of the job, just like all the other things you mentioned. Try finding someone like that these days, at least up here. So yes I do get paid extra for that piece of mind knowing that I'll be there every day I'm contracted 20 min early ready to work hard, get work done safely and most of all very efficiently. You guys must have one heck of a pool of top tree guys to pull from down there. Send a few of those groundies up this way that you're working like a slave for peanuts. I could use em to lower bid prices on my own jobs. That way I don't actually have to work hard then. Just sit back, collect the same money for a lot less then I do now.

So far there's been about 4 actual contract climbers that have posted on here their rates. I'm guessing quite a few of the other 100 that have looked at this thread aren't far off from where I'm at. They just aren't saying it.
 
Chief said:
Working hard is part of the job, just like all the other things you mentioned. Try finding someone like that these days, at least up here. So yes I do get paid extra for that piece of mind knowing that I'll be there every day I'm contracted 20 min early ready to work hard, get work done safely and most of all very efficiently. You guys must have one heck of a pool of top tree guys to pull from down there. Send a few of those groundies up this way that you're working like a slave for peanuts. I could use em to lower bid prices on my own jobs. That way I don't actually have to work hard then. Just sit back, collect the same money for a lot less then I do now.

So far there's been about 4 actual contract climbers that have posted on here their rates. I'm guessing quite a few of the other 100 that have looked at this thread aren't far off from where I'm at. They just aren't saying it.
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I used to contract. I was very good at it. I charged $400/day. That included getting done with the tree and helping with clean up until every last piece of saw dust was blown off. I really enjoy the actual completion of a job and spending time with the crew I was working with. Sometimes they paid me more, up to $600. But I never asked for more. I pay myself less per hour now as a business owner, despite my work load being exponentially heavier, and live an unbelievably satisfying life in a much higher cost of living than the twin cities. I pay my crew a great living as well. My groundies make quite a bit more than I do when I was a crew leader for several companies. Times have changed since I worked for a company and I feel I have kept up with those economic changes. My guys feel the same and often express they appreciate how I treat them. I suppose peanuts to you is a life of luxury to me. To each their own.
 
I worked as a contract climber for half of my time, between 2011-2015, to supplement the days where I didn't have my own jobs. I charged a day rate from $300-500 CAD (that's like 27 bucks American). Anyway, it was for owner/operators who would sell jobs that they knew they couldn't do themselves. Jobs are usually firm quotes, so an owner wants to know how much they'll owe for a sub at the end of the day. I don't know any subs who work hourly around here. If you can charge those rates then have at it. A workman is worth his wages. Tree work is a free market and the work is worth whatever the client values it at. All I meant earlier is that you couldn't possibly think that you're not charging enough, could you? I don't know, I wasn't trying to stir the pot, just thinking out loud. I have great respect for climbers who can charge good money like that for a sustained period. It's damn hard on the body to take on everybody else's hardest, most technical, and most dangerous work. So if that's you then cheers.
 
It seems this sort of thread gets brought up about once a year, and it always seems to devolve into unfortunate stereotypes. The only thing I’ve read this far that screams ‘flex’ to me is how bent out of shape people seem to get at a guy for getting $300k a year. I say good on you dude. One reason that I was willing to bring up specific numbers on here is because for years I have consistently seen business owners (and members on this site) low ball what they can and are getting solid contractors for. In any employer/employee relationship who does that pay taboo benefit? Almost always the employer. We don’t know this guys specific situation and all the variables at play. As E40 once said, everybody’s got choices…
 
Chief said:
So far there's been about 4 actual contract climbers that have posted on here their rates. I'm guessing quite a few of the other 100 that have looked at this thread aren't far off from where I'm at. They just aren't saying it.
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I think it's awesome you can get that much.

I hire two different contract climbers in both 2 days per week in MA. They are very productive 10+ years climbing each. One is 575 the other is 550 day rate. I've been in business myself 7 seasons and never owned a bucket/lift.. I've climbed myself for 10 years and trained several.... They're really good. They wouldn't get any work with any company at 1400 a day in New England. If they were running their own companies and selling their own jobs they might get a few drop and leave jobs for that, but that would pretty much be it.

Moral of the story might be to move to MN.....
 
I will say @Chief , I suspect that we do have a big pool to choose from around here, as I know lots of folks that wanna come live in CA and have never met anyone who said they were moving to Minnesota. I don't personally know anyone who's ever lived there, but when I looked at houses in St. Paul, they didn't strike me as cheap, so make sure you get yours
 
Leafguy said:
When I do any contract climbing I tried to match any other red sealed trade in my area(electrician, plumber, welder etc.) Having all the proper insurances, licenses, certs and gear.
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Fair comparison. Most of those trades are about $100/hr in S. Maine. Had some tile work done for $60/hr (pickup truck and basic tools), diesel mechanic $100-125/hr, gardeners billed at $50/hr (pickup truck, no trailer). Just off the top of my head that I know of for current rates. Carpenters are all over the map, some are $100/hr in Boston area and maybe a few cabinet makers here.
 
owScott said:
No one is saying subs shouldnt make good money, curious when 100k ish a year stopped being good money.
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It is still good money but certainly not what it was. Avg house price last year in my county was $500k!! Cost of living has gone up hugely as has all of the aspects of home ownership and maintenance costs. If a bank actually gives a self-employed person a loan they’d balk at someone grossing 100k for a decent home loan. My wife and I were declined a building loan with two incomes and holding the deed to 8ac of family land we bought.
How long has $400-500/day been the going rate for contract climbers? 10yrs? 15yrs? When min wage was $5/hr?
 
Serf Life said:
It is still good money but certainly not what it was. Avg house price last year in my county was $500k!! Cost of living has gone up hugely as has all of the aspects of home ownership and maintenance costs. If a bank actually gives a self-employed person a loan they’d balk at someone grossing 100k for a decent home loan. My wife and I were declined a building loan with two incomes and holding the deed to 8ac of family land we bought.
How long has $400-500/day been the going rate for contract climbers? 10yrs? 15yrs? When min wage was $5/hr?
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Building loans are much harder to get than a loan for an already existing property. I'll also say we tried for a loan through a bank first when we were married they told us no, my wife is a nurse she was making 60 something an hour I think I was making 18$ not self employed they told us no. We went through an actual mortgage company they had us approved for like 500k in a couple days at way way better rates
 
Stumpsprouts said:
Damn here I thought 50k was good money. :pcmala:
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That is still good money for a single earner. I can take care of myself and wife and child with that and be happy, even in California. It all depends on your lifestyle and desires, as well as how much of your own bullshit you're willing and equipped to handle. I built my life around a desire to become increasingly independent and self sustaining, and while the upfront costs for many aspects are considerable to a guy that's been basically homeless for most of his life, they have payed dividends. We're building our own house and I make it work on less than that still. It's all about your choices, and what they cost.
 
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Vicente said:
Building loans are much harder to get than a loan for an already existing property. I'll also say we tried for a loan through a bank first when we were married they told us no, my wife is a nurse she was making 60 something an hour I think I was making 18$ not self employed they told us no. We went through an actual mortgage company they had us approved for like 500k in a couple days at way way better rates
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Thanks for the tip
 
Colin1234567 said:
It seems this sort of thread gets brought up about once a year, and it always seems to devolve into unfortunate stereotypes. The only thing I’ve read this far that screams ‘flex’ to me is how bent out of shape people seem to get at a guy for getting $300k a year. I say good on you dude. One reason that I was willing to bring up specific numbers on here is because for years I have consistently seen business owners (and members on this site) low ball what they can and are getting solid contractors for. In any employer/employee relationship who does that pay taboo benefit? Almost always the employer. We don’t know this guys specific situation and all the variables at play. As E40 once said, everybody’s got choices…
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I suppose that's the conundrum isn't it. "Good on you" for making as much as you can ONLY of course if you're not the business owner. Then it's just greedy isn't it. Maybe there is a middle ground that both should abide by.
 
I have worked for plenty of greedy business owners who kept 50x what they paid anyone who was actually doing the work he was collecting checks for. I agree that a more egalitarian model would be in the interest of the many, but the few who would lose on that deal hold a lot of power still, so we shall ha e to duke it out for at least another generation.
 
L3VI said:
B corporations are becoming more popular around here, it seems like a step in the right direction. Wage slavery is not a happy lifestyle.
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For service providers? That's amazing. I thought those were all in manufacturing, but now I can't think of why that would be the case
 
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