Cut throats

96coal449

96coal449

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I had a job sold for $2150. Someone else jumped on the wagon. Client must have called someone else. It was a verbal quote with proof of insurance and a signed contract due on the start date. Two 70' black spruce joined at the base, to be removed and a dead 40' spruce. Also raise the canopy on another black spruce over a sitting area with fire pit. The double spruce had a lightening strike in it some time ago, and some freaking moron decided to coat the injury with roofing cement ALL THE WAY UP. I hope they messed up their chipper with that deal.
90% of everything had to be roped down. I feel I gave a fair price. From now on everyone signs a contract right off the rip. Not letting this shit happen to me again. They wanted to know when I'd be there and I replied that I was two weeks out, weather permitting. They were fine with that.
I really hope the cut throats got the worst of luck on that job. Anyone have any similar stories to share? I'd like to feel a little better about it ....
 
When I first started out I nailed a job for about that same price. Guy called me back said I was 150 higher... I was new in business said sure I'll match it. Went out 2 weeks later and all the work wax done! I was super pissed when I knocked on that door at 7am on a Saturday.
He made excuses as to why it happened and I believed him.
Damn if it didn't happen again 4 years later with the same guy.
Now he calls, he doesn't get a return call!
 
Thanks Tom. I hear ya. It just feels better to hear it from others. Years ago I did a garage a and breeze way roofs for a guy and we got to talking. " Oh you do tree work also?!" I give him a roll of ribbon, (now I use colored pin tacks). The next day he had 17 trees marked off. I give him a price of around $8700. I tell him I have to put my 14yr old dog down and i need some time to have a clear head before i climb. He was my boy since he was a 4 day old shirt pocket squirt. Best friend I ever had. 5 days go by and I see a mini skid was in the yard. I keep an eye on the site and see one of the locals there working it as I drive buy. He waves and I flip em off. Couple years later he tries to sit at a table in convenience store with me while I'm having a coffee checking out the want ads. There were no tables open. "I see your doing the same thing I am."
I say "Yup, but I'm not sitting with you." I got up and walked away.
 
Toms right, it's not worth the blood pressure increase. It is fun sharing the stories though and kinda relaxing to know that someone else got screwed too :sorprendido3:. but on a serious note, it's important to look at these instances and see where we went wrong. Was my price actually high? Did the other guy see something I didn't and can complete the work faster? What's the other guys overhead? Did the HO share your estimate? is the other guy starving for work? There are so many questions that are unanswered that could possibly change how you feel about what happened. Many times if I loose a job I'll look at my notes and see if I may have messed up, and I think about how they will do it for less.
3 weeks ago I was finishing up an estimate and leaving a property. The HO said we will be making our decision Thursday after the last company looks at it. Right then I checked out, this guy has had all the big guys look at this, there no way I'm getting this. I even thought my price was a little high because I want to put a 50T in the street when someone would pull a 30T in on the lawn. But my plan was mine, and the price reflected that and the quality I require on my jobs. Low and behold he emailed Thursday at 7:30 at night "the job is yours let me know when".
Are all those other guys saying I'm a low ball hack? Probably... do I care? Not really, because they don't see how I will make the job profitable for me. Do I want them to know... NO, that's how you beat the big companies be small and agile :rebotando::reloco::burlas:
 
Thanks Mert. The story sharing is the good part of making light of things. I learned the one lesson with ribbons. Not sure what went foul on the spruce job .... had a start date on Mon. Oh well. I definitely don't want to be the guy who has so many clients waiting because the price can't be beat.
 
Had a commitment from some people to buy my truck. Asked if I wanted a deposit until pick up on the weekend. Should have taken it. Then texted back to pass, after agreement and removal of sales as/ effort with others.

Signed contracts are best. Starting the work, too, better, especially with storms.

I don't begrudge someone wanting the tree of their house faster.
 
Last summer I had a bid on a elm next to a single wide trailer wasn't even dead yet really bushy maybe 30ft tall 450$. Guy never said he was ready to have it done.

3 weeks ago he comes up to me all buddy like showing me pics of the " competition " cutting it tells me ..

" he was there roping all day that thing was 100ft tall " ( in one pic his 60ft bucket wasn't half way up but level with the tips lol )

I told him "boy he sure made it look like a lot of work huh"

" oh yeah man he gave me a good price only a thousand bucks he's an old friend of mine "

I stopped there and let him think about it.... a week later he askes me to look at another tree. He explained where it was I was like "yeah I know that one with the green leaves kinda barky looking I'll give you a price next time I'm up that way"

It will probibally be a while lol

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TreeWorks13 said:
Last summer I had a bid on a elm next to a single wide trailer wasn't even dead yet really bushy maybe 30ft tall 450$. Guy never said he was ready to have it done.

3 weeks ago he comes up to me all buddy like showing me pics of the " competition " cutting it tells me ..

" he was there roping all day that thing was 100ft tall " ( in one pic his 60ft bucket wasn't half way up but level with the tips lol )

I told him "boy he sure made it look like a lot of work huh"

" oh yeah man he gave me a good price only a thousand bucks he's an old friend of mine "

I stopped there and let him think about it.... a week later he askes me to look at another tree. He explained where it was I was like "yeah I know that one with the green leaves kinda barky looking I'll give you a price next time I'm up that way"

It will probibally be a while lol

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I'd say, "Your old friend has a bucket truck .... call him." And then I'd promptly walk away.
I don't have no time for that.
 
I'm glad you guys are here to help each other. I want to start a small arborist business.. But For now my body is saying not a chance. I have allot of pain and climb when I can. But there is something wrong with my red blood cell count and my Dr. says everything is normal but you are anemic and it is probably cancer so she wants me to get an endo. I have to wait till July to get a appointment in the mean time I went from 180lbs to 155 and feel weaker every day. I hope they find what they are looking for when they stick the camera up my ass then I will be the guy trying to play catch up and bidding jobs just so I can make a few bucks. And I would have said to the guy GO TALK TO YOUR FRIEND WITH THE BUCKET TRUCK!!! In my world my word is as good as a written contract but most people don't think that way. Even a contract they will ignore have the work done and say take me to small claims court and the time it will cost you will probably not be worth the trouble. Sorry for the rant but the way I grew up was a man is only as good as his word. Maybe I will make that my quote! Thanks for letting me rant I'm a little frustrated with the medical system!
 
@TLG,The medical system does indeed suck. It's become a business like everything else. Eat lots of raw veggies and drink a lot of pure water. I also do shots of apple cider vinegar, daily. ;)
 
Your price is based on the value of the work you do as it relates to the client. In this case, it would seem the greater value to the client was timing. Review the jobs lost with a focus on the value the client placed on all the elements of the job. Learn how to ask the questions that will uncover their highest priority, i.e., value, then be sure you can deliver it. The price needs to reflect what is profitable for you.
 
Rob, you always have some great advise. I mean that with sincerity. A guy I sub roofs from was there for a 2nd story porch and a carport estimate. He got to talking with the HO about the failing spruce and all the trees overwhelming the tiny back yard. That's when he brought me in. The client is in the process of buying the house and still hasn't moved in yet to date. I happened to be in that neighborhood yesterday. They're still standing. She didn't like the first estimate she got for removing only half the double spruce. I explained that the lightening wound has begun to rot and will continue into the other half. Wood pecker holes are obvious and easy to point out. Some people are just a strange bird.
 
TJG said:
And I would have said to the guy GO TALK TO YOUR FRIEND WITH THE BUCKET TRUCK!!!!
Click to expand...

I'm not going to be going out of my way for the guy and he wont get nearly the same price as he would of before. I did make him feel pretty dumb when he actually brought it up again in front of another customer .... At work ( I'm a part time fair weather weekend hack but I'm trying not to be ) ... The other customer seen exactly what was going on and laughed his balls off lol. I can't really get away from the guy so I can't make to many waves. Regardless his money spends just the same as anyone else's. Only difference is right now I'm so far behind its sick. If I get caught up I'll bid it cut it and move on to the next. No point in shooting myself in the foot just for fun. This is the second job I lost to the guy with the bucket this year I watched him work on the other job I lost.....lowes special husky rancher the whole way. tried to swing 30 ft of a maple top under on itself and lost it. Slipped the rope. He also had about 20 ft of reach left in the boom when he did this. I think he's afraid of heights or something ... Then cut under his notch on a couple back cuts..... laid down 1/2 inch plywood over a paver that he could of just moved yes a paver as in one nothing under it but dirt ..... then dropped basically everything over 12 inches right on top of a french drain that he also parked his outrigger on with no pads...... I'd say this guy is going to take care of himself eventually but he's been doing this crap for like 15 years now talk about one lucky sob

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