Getting back into the tree business

tomstrees

tomstrees

Participating member
I wanted to get some feedback on getting back into the business. Tree work was in my blood for years, I ran a seat of the pants operation, doing maximum gross tree and landscape sales around $7OK in SW CT. The state came after me in 2003 for doing advertising without a license, though I had taken the arborist course in Stamford, I did not go on to take the tests and get the license. The state DEP official with oversight on tree care licensing told me that I was turned in by a couple of competitors who saw I was advertising without a license. I'm 52 now, in good health. What are reasonable paths back to tree work or landscaping employment? Also I see town and state crews out doing lots of tree and landscape work. Is there a good path for me back to employment in this arena?
 
I took the arborist exam; passed one section but not the other. In my years of doing landscaping and tree work, I hired a lot of climbers who were never licensed, but operated under the licensing of their companies or not at all. I knew a lot of tree guys doing well into the seven figures in volume who did not have licenses. I never applied toxic pesticides to trees working on my own; and that seemed to be one of the targets for enforcement. In Connecticut you can do tree removals without a license but you cannot under the arborist law prune trees. Is this unusual to the Nutmeg state?
 
Tomstrees,

I must be missing your point. On the one hand you say you want to get back into tree work then you expound on passing and failing, licensed and non-licensed people pesticides and what-not.

As I ask my kids, what has that got to do with the price of tea in China because it certainly has nothing to do with operating an honest and reputable tree company.

If you want in, then do it right, do it above board and play by the established rules. If your community requires licensing then get the license. If you don't want to get the license then go work somewhere one is not required.

If you choose to work outside the rules then be prepared to pay the costs. If you get caught working outside the rule then shut up and take the hit.

Please don't ask us to help you scam the system. It is insulting.

As long as you see your self as a victim and search for ways to screw the system you are going to remain a victim, but of your own doing, not of anyone else's.
 
Guys, it sounds like he is looking to get a job, not start a business. Therefore he may be able to work for a company in CT, just not own one. At least I think that's what he's saying.

-Tom
 
At this point I would just be a ground worker looking for a job. I don't even have a pickup truck anymore.
 
TTT,

Yep, the operative word in the orig post is employment. Sorry for jumping the gun. Appropriate mea culpa submitted.
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The thread is fairly convuluted and does give the impression of trying to work around the system.

I guess sage advice is still sage advice though.
 
tomstrees,
yes we here in CT are one of only two states in the union that require a license to practice tree care (last time i checked). I understand your frustration, especially from the viewpoint of someone starting at the bottom, but hey, i guess that's where everyone starts isn't it?

rfwood has sage advice, if a little abrasive.

it is the way it is. you make your choices with how your gonna work with it.

as you know, you can do takedowns here without your license, and with your experience and apparent need for work that might be the first thing i would go to if i were you.

there are also many municipalities with tree crews, and so many independent tree crews and as far as i can tell, in this biz, if you work hard you will have a job.

my best advice: get your cert man! (especially if you wanna be the boss, which you could probably finagle through previous customers/experience/etc.) you already studied once and passed one part of it! i know people that took it three, four and FIVE times before getting it. It is Not an easy test but that's what we nutmeggers think of our trees. As you know from studying there is a lot more to the test than just pesticides, because there is a lot more to tree care than just pesticides.

or you can go over the line to ny, mass or ri where apparently they don't give a flying squirrel about their trees! (dat's a joke ya'll... you new england tree guys are the best!)

and don't worry if you do go over the line... i'll pick up the slack around here.
 
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or you can go over the line to ny, mass or ri where apparently they don't give a flying squirrel about their trees! (dat's a joke ya'll... you new england tree guys are the best!)

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You pretty much nailed it. Thanks for the added humor! :)

-Tom
 
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Where do you live?

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SW Connecticut. I called one big tree service and he said he wouldn't even interview me for a job unless I had a license. When I was looking for workers my only criteria for a laborer was willingness and ability to do physical work.
 
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The tree service you called only utilizes certified arborists as groundpeople?

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I guess so. Round Hill Tree SVc, Greenwich a high end business. There are tons of ads for climbers; I don't climb. I don't see many ads for grounds crew. I could check with Lewis or Bartlett and see what their demand is.
 
ummmm...., you don't climb? you didn't even take the test? you can't get your own firewood? turned in for false advertising?

maybe you should come up with a different career path - maybe barking up the wrong tree? Good luck dude.
 
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The tree service you called only utilizes certified arborists as groundpeople?

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I guess so. Round Hill Tree SVc, Greenwich a high end business. There are tons of ads for climbers; I don't climb. I don't see many ads for grounds crew. I could check with Lewis or Bartlett and see what their demand is.

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if that's true, it is the exception, not the rule. (AND i give them big props for wanting to keep their crews so highly trained)

and the way things are these days i think it's rare that a person finds a job after one or two calls. i would plan on about fifty, and i think you will find a few good leads. i'm not trying to hold your hand or anything, i'm just saying that's how it is these days, probably different than when you got out of the biz.

i have heard stories of the good ol' days here in CT when there weren't enough saws to do the work... it sounds like you know all about that. things have changed... plenty of saws now.
 
There is more treework going on in New Canaan CT than most any other place on earth. Massive amounts of money, high population, large and small properties covered with trees. Lots of big tree services and small ones, and medium ones.
 
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