How much do you pay your climbers?

It's all about production. How hard are guys willing to work and what responsibilities will they take on. I tell everyone the more you can do the less I have to do and therefore can pay more. I start ground guys at $18.00 am hour and offer multiple ways for raises CDL $1 an hour, CA $3 an hour, NJLTE $3 an hour, properly hand file saws $1
Currently I am the only climber and owner I will be buying a mek constantly looking for
 
I will be buying a mek constantly looking for good climbers I would be happy to pay $30 -$40 an hr depending on capabilities. Along with gear allocation. Vacation time, and IRA, and training and trip to tcia and climbing comp entries
 
Baja Mike said:
I will be buying a mek constantly looking for good climbers I would be happy to pay $30 -$40 an hr depending on capabilities. Along with gear allocation. Vacation time, and IRA, and training and trip to tcia and climbing comp entries
Click to expand...
Now that is the way forward
 
Timber1972 said:
All PPE supplied and $2000 first year for climbing gear and $1000 each year after. Paid training and if CA dues paid annually. Extended health benefits paid 50% of premiums. We work pretty much year round with a slower pace for January and February. Good months for upgrading or courses which are paid for.

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Dude you live in Northern Alberta! That's not enough!
 
Baja Mike said:
I will be buying a mek constantly looking for good climbers I would be happy to pay $30 -$40 an hr depending on capabilities. Along with gear allocation. Vacation time, and IRA, and training and trip to tcia and climbing comp entries
Click to expand...
So where are you at? Baja? Can't be Baja unless you log cactus!
 
Actually it is pretty decent for a starting wage. Remember we don't pay pst on anything either nor does our provincial part of income taxes rip us a new one like in BC.
I ran a consulting firm with 40 employees in the Okanagan. I worked 2 x as hard and made about half as much as I do here.

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk
 
Damm i should be working for yall mofos.
But 12 hr days? Damn well better be 450 bucks.
On a good day I can get over 2 grand with one other guy and i am under 20 hourly. Depends on the guesstimate. Im asking for a raise.
AVL, NC.
 
CollegevilleTree said:
I’m just wondering how much you guys pay your daily climbers. I feel that we offer very high pay for our employees compared to other companies in our area. Our best climber makes $300 a day. I know different areas will have different acceptable wages, so I’m hoping to get info from several different people. Thank you in advance!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
You talking about an employee or a subcontractor with own insurances/gear/etc? 300 a day as an employee is not bad. Not great for a highly skilled sub though.
 
It's a tough question, as every climber has different production levels, skill sets, safe production levels (differentiating here), ability to work with the crew and equipment available, dependability, on and on (drug habits, too many children, unreliable car. There is a meth capital not too far from Olympia, the State Capitol).

I always get the "I can climb anything on spurs" and "I'm a great takedown climber" applicants.
Skill set has been lacking, and dangerous.
Oh yeah, the ten-year climber who had a special knot that seemed to work well for rigging, no known name, slow to tie, and can't be set remotely. Oh, and he set the square rig upside-down to swing a log off, and didn't know anything except cutting small and butt-rigging.





The vast majority of everyone is average at what they do.
 
Last edited:
Here in Broome, Western Australia I am earning $40 per hour on a casual rate.
Work slows during the dry season and we struggle to maintain 30 hour weeks some weeks, however during the Wet 50 to 60 hour weeks are common.

I worked in Perth for a time and the going rate is $30 to $35 with a fulltime position.

Earlier I worked in New South Wales. My first Boss paid himself $70 per hour and I never met a climber cheaper than $50.
 
Back in the 90s into the early 2000s when I did a lot of takedowns and prunes I would pay $50 an hour cash; top notch climber, he was class of '65 at the same high school I went to 13 years later. Once he wanted $500 for a big take down near a house and I paid it.

He referred a couple others to me when he left the area; one Guatemalan was reasonable at the same $50 an hour or so for a while, then wanted to do it by the job; I referred him to a local observatory that wanted some trees topped or removed and he estimated it $1500-$1700 or so. He didn't get the job with crazy high prices like that; but many local services charge upwards of $3K a day for a crew.
 
rope-a-dope said:
Damm i should be working for yall mofos.
But 12 hr days? Damn well better be 450 bucks.
On a good day I can get over 2 grand with one other guy and i am under 20 hourly. Depends on the guesstimate. Im asking for a raise.
AVL, NC.
Click to expand...
I had to point out the other day that what a tree takes to finish is not determined by the salesman. In fact, it is the opposite. He's just trying to guess what you're going to be able to do with it. It sounds like whoever is selling is pretty good at their job.

I have no doubt that you are worth at least 20. If a climber on my crew isn't making that, it's because we need the body too much to fire them.
 
Everyone wants the 50/hr, but can they get the tricky ones on the ground???? I can't trust guys with anything except basic climbing. To high of a liability. Been training a guy slow and steady for the past year. Takes forever and lose a lot of money in opportunity cost in the short run, but it will definitely pay off in the long run so long as I can keep him. Going to offer him salary, upping his pay 30% with insurance etc. Otherwise he'll go somewhere else. Wouldn't blame him. Even 25/hr is kind of a joke when you think about it...

I think that's the best way; to promote from within. When they can really do it, you have to pay them legit. Most guys don't have what it takes, so if you find one you've got to train/encourage them and make sure you keep them. Then you know what they can do cause you've taught them. Lots of very low experience guys who have spent more time watching August Hunickee videos than climbing trees. Too embarrassed to say they've never done it, till they're up there shitting there pants and can't get the job done.

When you hire a new guy you really have no idea what they can do. They're all going to want 50/hr, who can blame them! Some guys are worth 100, just for the peace of mind. I've got a guy for 20 on the ground who I think I would pay 20/hr to stay home so I wouldn't be so stressed at work watching him do such a shitty job. He asked for a 3$ raise the other day. I almost fired him on the spot! You all know what I'm saying!!!!!

So, moral of the story. Charge enough money so you can afford to pay good guys real money so they aren't constantly plotting ways to find a new job that pays real money. 25/hr for 1200 hours a year isn't an acceptable wage for a skilled adult. Even a single one.
 
Note for the new climbers/ground guys. Be willing to dig in and work hard and negotiate a timeline on raises if you're making a career out of it. Communication is key. You have to let your boss know what you want to get paid eventually and what you want to learn/get out of the job. Don't assume anything. Practice on your own. Be motivated. It takes years and years of experience/practice. Don't be entitled. At least not until you're the real deal. **The real deal means you can figure out a way to get anything on the ground safe.** At the end of the day, the bullshit walks. Don't be the bullshit!
 
southsoundtree said:
Wait, I think you said to invest personal time to further your career.
Click to expand...


I hate how everybody wants to be a badass, but nobody wants to read "the art and science of practical rigging".
I would never have guessed how many aspiring climbers don't want to stay after work and climb some trees and learn FOR FREE.
I know guys who get a serious day wage to teach things that I know. (I don't know everything, of course. I do make a point of soaking up what tricks I can every chance I get.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Kask Stihl NORTHEASTERN Arborists Wesspur TreeStuff.com Teufelberger Westminster X-Rigging Teufelberger
Back
Top Bottom