Pros vs. Joes

hl_tree

hl_tree

Location
New Fairfield, CT
I've got a bunch of other companies I climb for when I don't have anything else going on. Two of them wanted me this past week, neither got me. One I'll work for tomorrow, and the other is Tuesday / Wednesday.

Long story short though...

Tomorrow's company "Angel, do I need anything special?"... "Nope, just 2 ropes, your gear, and your climbing saw, I have everything else... the tree is tall but skinny." I tossed a couple extra pieces in the mix and feel confident that I have whatever will be needed and then some.

Tuesday / Wednesday's company... "What should I bring?"... "Oh, just bring your climbing saw and your gear... I have everything else." We'll wind up needing rakes, ropes, saws, etc. etc.
 
As subs, maybe we should change our pricing schedule. Standard rate applies only to "standard" (and I use that term loosely) climbing or felling equipment. Rigging, ropes, saws, GRCS, axes, shovels, rakes, etc. may need to come with an additional charge. Half joking, half serious about this.
 
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As subs, maybe we should change our pricing schedule. Standard rate applies only to "standard" (and I use that term loosely) climbing or felling equipment. Rigging, ropes, saws, GRCS, axes, shovels , rakes, etc. may need to come with an additional charge. Half joking, half serious about this.

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Uh oh!, geez whats that gonna cost? Am I on the extended term schedule?
grin.gif
 
My normal doggie-poo folding shovel rate is $5/day. Considering the contractor in this case... I'll let you keep it for free. Speaking of doggie-poo, I'm gonna start charging clients $250/hour just to clean up the land mines.
 
It might be worth the drive to see the trees before the scheduled work day to see what your in for.It doesn't hurt to have a game plan in place before starting the job.
 
The job on Saturday went just fine. Only wound up needing my climbing saw, climbing gear, and 1 rope. That guy is alright.

The guy I worked for yesterday, and will work for again today :( I was MAD. Wound up meeting him at 9:30 yesterday morning. He said the job was a half day job... meanwhile I spent almost 3 hrs chasing dead wood around in this big cherry tree. After taking a 1 hr lunch I was able to leave at 4:00. He still had a good hour or two of raking and brush dragging to deal with at that point.
 
The first company is doing fine. The guy has a bunch of work, he'll be coming by one day to fix the walkway and steps at my parents' house in return for what I did for him last Saturday.

The second company, I found out that the first day I worked for that guy, he wound up being on the job from 9:30 AM until 6:00 PM. He did give me $300 though for my 6 hrs on the job.

The second day I worked with this guy, we busted our butts from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (4:00 - 6:00 was in the rain) I got a whole $200. We started at 10:00 because he left the keys to his chipper at home. This guy says that he is going to be getting out of the business... after a little bit over a year I think??? Anybody want to buy an old highway truck, or a 97 / 98 Vermeer 1230? I think he wants 12K for the two of them.
 
Maybe you guys who are the pro's could offer a training course- you'd make more than $300 for 6 hours. That may not be in the cards for several reasons. I guess I have no understanding of contract climbing. Do you do it to stay busy apart from your primary job? Are you self employed? How does the insurance work on a contract job?
 
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The second company, I found out that the first day I worked for that guy, he wound up being on the job from 9:30 AM until 6:00 PM. He did give me $300 though for my 6 hrs on the job.

The second day I worked with this guy, we busted our butts from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (4:00 - 6:00 was in the rain) I got a whole $200.

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I am interested in the price difference. One day you got 50/hr and the other 25/hr from the same person. Why don't you charge a flat rate for your services?
 
Pancake, I just do this when I don't have work with my own clients. Keeps me busy I guess.

Frog, normally people just hand me a wad of money when I am done for the day. This guy normally pays me $50 per hour to work for him. When he paid me that day I said to myself "Man this feels light." I think the guy is having some $ problems. Like somebody else said though... take the good with the bad. Some days I get $400 - $500, other days $200. If he had handed me $100 for all that work I surely would have said something to him... but I realized that he was going through some bad stuff, so I said F-it and took what I was given.
 
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