Quoting Bush and Hedge Trimming

I price it out all the same. I’m actually better estimating hedges, and small prunings than bigger projects. Meaning it’s more profitable for me.
Today I climbed a orchard ladder once, free climbed a few small trees (about 4’-6’ off the ground) and roped into a small 25’ dogwood.
Left piles of brush and made about 125-130% my average daily.
 
evo said:
I price it out all the same. I’m actually better estimating hedges, and small prunings than bigger projects. Meaning it’s more profitable for me.
Today I climbed a orchard ladder once, free climbed a few small trees (about 4’-6’ off the ground) and roped into a small 25’ dogwood.
Left piles of brush and made about 125-130% my average daily.
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I am better now that I dont discount hedging like I did when I started. I usually get hit when conditions change between quote and job dates. Moisture can mess up your day with hedging some varieties - even if you refuse to carry out work and lose the time/fuel that day.

I have even had this happen from neighbours sprinklers - try hedging a soft hedge when it wet and there is no longer a height to hedge to.....
 
I will do hedges.. Full price for sure. I have a few customers that are good for a few days every year. 1 lady 4 times a year. Some customers for many years.
 
evo said:
Damn thing is so big I do the upper half from the roof of the chip box. This thing is level on top. Measuring from the top of the hedge it’s about 4.5’ on the up hill side, and 15-17’ on the down h
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I have seriously considered designing a rail/track hedger to do these, as I used to have clients with similar right next to pools that were 17' high. Ended up losing them because the aerial hedging (using tyrollean system) cost too much. Had to use secateurs whilst hanging off tyrolean system ropes that were redirected over nearby tall trees...
 
Before I got started in the business I did work for neighbors and such once in a while and I once had a job that had upwards of 200+ arborvitaes that needed topping and sides done. Thing took a long time. Ended up driving down the line on a pickup, we used plywood to build a platform to work off of for the tops.

And some areas and sides we had to use two ladders with a board in between for platform and then keep moving it down the line because we could not get access with truck.

Hedges were all the way around a huge property.

Spent 6-8 hrs a day everyday with a hedge trimmer lol
 
I'm with swing. Build a wall and paint it green. Hedges suck in a major way. Everyone wants that shit in Evos pic but it never turns out that way because they don't like paying the bill. So we have to come in and somehow turn a row of fucked up amputee's into a hedge? It wont be maintained. It wont look good. It wont stay small.
Unfortunately I'm not the sales rep.
 
rope-a-dope said:
I'm with swing. Build a wall and paint it green. Hedges suck in a major way. Everyone wants that shit in Evos pic but it never turns out that way because they don't like paying the bill. So we have to come in and somehow turn a row of fucked up amputee's into a hedge? It wont be maintained. It wont look good. It wont stay small.
Unfortunately I'm not the sales rep.
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I actually enjoy that hedge. It’s at a high end restaurant/resort, the true 5 course meal $500 a head if paired with wine kinda place.
The issue is it’s in a very visible part of town, and when ever I’m working on it I get 3-5 folks wanting me to do their crappy hedges just like that one. I then tell them my rates and that I have to tend this one 3 times per year (leyland) and the tend to just slurk away.
 
JD3000 said:
Looks like a nice big Kousa in the background too
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It’s not that big but on a rise. It’s kinda like a Arborist play ground, the person who did it before me did a pretty damn good job. They also have ‘light wells’ from bridges to the main floor down to the lower story with vine maples planted in them. It’s so large I have to rappel of the railing on the third floor to prune them. One tree is pleached, some nice Japanese maples, dogwoods, apples, fan espalier pears, 24” dbh transplanted Norway maple, and the never ending odd thing here or there
 
evo said:
I actually enjoy that hedge. It’s at a high end restaurant/resort, the true 5 course meal $500 a head if paired with wine kinda place.
The issue is it’s in a very visible part of town, and when ever I’m working on it I get 3-5 folks wanting me to do their crappy hedges just like that one. I then tell them my rates and that I have to tend this one 3 times per year (leyland) and the tend to just slurk away.
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I bet it is nice doing a pristine, perfect shave. All our "hedge" work is for people like your slurks with a row of hulking Leylands on the driveway that want us to somehow make them little and cute again. Or uber topped hemlocks...some how it's always a species that tries to grow like a real tree.
3x a year? Do you ever have to reach in to make larger cuts?
 
evo said:
They also have ‘light wells’ from bridges to the main floor down to the lower story with vine maples planted in them. It’s so large I have to rappel of the railing on the third floor to prune them. One tree is pleached, some nice Japanese maples, dogwoods, apples, fan espalier pears, 24” dbh transplanted Norway maple, and the never ending odd thing here or there
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Interesting work - do you need IRATA for the rappel pruning?
 
rope-a-dope said:
I bet it is nice doing a pristine, perfect shave. All our "hedge" work is for people like your slurks with a row of hulking Leylands on the driveway that want us to somehow make them little and cute again. Or uber topped hemlocks...some how it's always a species that tries to grow like a real tree.
3x a year? Do you ever have to reach in to make larger cuts?
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Nope, it’s well established, and even has been deadwood in the interior. So just straight shearing for the most part, once it’s done you can see dappled light through the thing. I’ve slowly been fixing a few proud spots, holes and a dead branch or two. Took he last guy 3+ days to do it. I’ve done it in one but break it up over two days and pruning other things for the other half days to avoid burn out or trying to just get er done.
Speaking of which, I’m considering going with battery hedgers. From what I hear they are quite, lighter and more torquey. I can’t start before 10am due to noise constraint for the guests.
 
Nice photos - tell the story well.
I always space out hedging too so I dont get trim happy :pcmala:

Have only used the Makita ones, and they are light enough but stable - little bit grabby especially with plastic guard - I would remove if I owned one. Swap battery is handy.

Not so sure about the Stihl ones as they are small in the hand and light and small battery.

I really want a hedge shear configured like a shearing shear (end on blade) - if you find one please yell out...
 
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