Cranes when you do not need them?

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"I am not efficient enough to have been faster on this particular job with a crane. I lowered pieces the size I would have picked."

Even if your taking a small crane pick say 1000lbs? You aren't roping pieces out the size of crane picks... not even half the size of a normal crane pick... Its just dumb don't spew bs like this.

You are now making less sense then when you started the thread.

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Did I touched a nerve with my post? I became suspicious after I looked at your web site. How about that crane/oak removal video on your site? Do you watch other crane guys videos? I assume you have, so I must enquire. Why rig a branch with rope, make the cut, then transfer the pieces (do you think those were 1000lbs, half a normal crane pic?) from the rope to the crane for delivery to ground crew? Never seen that technique. Seems like an added step. I'm sure there is a good reason. Looked prime for some crown zip lining at that height, might have saved a few bucks with the crane showing up for just the trunk. Just sayin. Btw Love that front page pic you have. Peace out!
 
Yeah, that was an interesting crane removal video. Never saw one done like that. I thought the reason was that the crane didn't have enough reach to get to the end of the first lead but that didn't seem to be an issue as the video went on.All the brush coming down on its head is a major pain. We prefer bringing it down butt first so we can feed it right into the chipper. Maybe I'm missing something?
 
Cheesy tree guy websites kill me. MOST of the tree company websites that I have seen are so CORNY! That one is no exception, great video too, a perfect illustration of cranes when you do not need them.
 
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The past few years I have come across jobs where the customer said the "other tree guy" said this tree required a crane. They were so convinced by this other guy, they could hardly believe we could do it with out a crane. We would do these jobs for almost half his bid and make out better then most of our days. I have hired the same crane in the past, the other guy is telling the customer the crane costs near twice as much as it actually does to rent. Crane is around $1400/day real cost. So he is telling elderly women on fixed incomes a tree is $5k and half is the crane cost. We just did one of these jobs in like 6hrs on site with a 60' bucket backed right up to this 90' eastern cotton wood. Climbed what could not be gotten from bucket and Lowered 90% of the tree.

Now if I had a crane I'd use it for as much as possible wether I needed it or not... Like mowing the tops of hedges with a riding mower, love that photo. But does anyone else work around folks renting a crane to justify charging more? The only time I have rented the crane was for trees that were too dead/dangerous to climb and/or rig.

The one guy doing this is from over an hour away and tends to throw really high bids, I understand making it worth your time to travel, but gouging the poor elderly? I've been told by ex-employees he is getting desperate and over extending his work zone because everyone around him is "catching on". I have learned a lot from ex-employees of other local tree services looking for work.

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Have you considered giving the HO different pricing/time options based on equipment used? X-man put up an example of this sometime back that made sense. In my opinion this will make you look more competent and professional as well.
 
There was no access to remove the tree conventionally. The house was built into a steep wooded hillside. Lots of nasty buckthorn. The house was down a long long private drive. We had trouble getting the 28ton crane in. There was not access for a bigger crane which we needed for extra reach. The tree was up hill, which added about 20' of height. All of the limbs except the top were growing away for our setup location. To balance the limb picks would have required more more reach which we didn't have. If you notice when working the center of the tree there is no problem taking conventional crane picks. We caught the limbs first and then attached to the crane, bringing the weight of the limb within reach of the crane.

brushbandit it was a reach/weight issue. The leads to the right were also growing away from the crane, just had to tell from the video. As soon as we were at a comfortable distance we rigged them normally.

Levi your retarded. Your comments are similar in dumbness to "I lowered pieces the size I would have picked." How would you know a crane was not necessary when you never visited the property?? For all you know there could be a moat and punji pits around the tree. Also my website shouldn't appeal to tree guys because I'm not selling to tree guys. I'm selling to the public which happens to like cheesiness.
 
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Even if your taking a small crane pick say 1000lbs? You aren't roping pieces out the size of crane picks... not even half the size of a normal crane pick... Its just dumb don't spew bs like this.

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I have to disagree. I rope pieces that size regularly and tend to remove tree limbs the same size with a rope as I do with a crane. Obviously I take bigger tops and logs with a crane if it is close enough, but I rig big when I can as well.
 
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Even if your taking a small crane pick say 1000lbs? You aren't roping pieces out the size of crane picks... not even half the size of a normal crane pick... Its just dumb don't spew bs like this.

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I have to disagree. I rope pieces that size regularly and tend to remove tree limbs the same size with a rope as I do with a crane. Obviously I take bigger tops and logs with a crane if it is close enough, but I rig big when I can as well.

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I need to come work with you for like a month or two and get my learn on.
 
Done! See you Monday. Don't be late
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LMAO! Sorry I'm late, traffic is really bad, be there like next tuesday....

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Ya, you were not trying to get across the GW bridge during political pay back season were you?
 
Getting back to the original post, to remove a tree with a crane should be competitive with any other removal process. A large tree that requires a large crane would require a lot of roping, slugging of brush, and cutting of wood into manageable sizes. A tree far away from a good landing zone also requiring a large crane would require even more labour to haul it all to the chipper.

If your competition is charging more because they "require" a crane then they are either ripping people off for the sake of it, or they are not using the crane properly and are grossly inefficient.
 
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If your competition is charging more because they "require" a crane then they are either ripping people off for the sake of it, or they are not using the crane properly and are grossly inefficient.

[/ QUOTE ]I'd say they are ripping people off, kind if was evident when the lady told us the crane rate he quoted her was twice what it actually is.
 
Most jobs I bid are the same price if I use the crane or not. I do not add money for the job just for the crane. Basically if I bid a job at say 4hr@ 450 per hr with plans of not using the crane. Then I decide to use the crane. Same job will take only two hours which means we are now making 900 per hour and moving onto the next job.

If you have your own crane, you would be stupid not to push it to your customers. Sure the job can be done by someone without a crane, just like I could do. When you can tell the customer you can remove a tree without hurting a flower and not have to do anything but clean up saw dust when your done they kinda like that.

Now on the other hand. When you have trees that really do need a crane to come down, I do add in extra for the crane.
 
Interesting thread. This is all about how a job is sold. What tools you use is inconsequential really. The guy who came in at $5K because a crane is required was selling the $5K not the crane. If you came in at $2.5K then that is what is being sold.

How you were going to do it is irrelevant except to say that you are more efficient. How? That's your "Feature". The "why" is your advantage, e.g., skill, experience, training, professionalism, rigging mastery, crane proficiency, etc... What is most important to the prospective client, i.e., the homeowner is the "benefit" to them. For the trailer lady, it would be affordability; to the affluent gardener, no flower damage, and so on. In sales term it's called a FAB, Feature, Advantage, Benefit, statement.

What ever the tool is you choose to use is dictated by your analysis of the project and what is available to you. If you own a crane then it will definitely be a crane job. Same with a bucket truck, or even a rigging kit. Note, I said, project, not tree. What is the scope of the project? That can range from, say, get it on the ground, who cares about what gets damaged to, I don't want to see dust from this anywhere.

How you go about it is entirely your prerogative. It's up to you to show that your approach is the one with the best value to the client.
 
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