tree care co. vs. tree removal co.

I believe tree removal is tree care. Part of the full meal deal. I offer everything, I always promote proper pruning and consulting, but basically my area is too poor and mostly from a farm background to even want to pay for a hairy removal.

Often phc is translated to fert and spraying. I would never recommend these practices. Even though they are profitable I have issues with the ethics and effectiveness. I don't see a way to profit in a low income, low tree value market through consulting.

Here's my main concern, someone with no experience should not be able to buy a used bucket truck and a chainsaw, then out market and price me till they go out of business. Mean while taking a big bite out of my small market. That has more than the obvious immediate effects. It effects the whole arborist's image and insurance rates.

The ISA Cert Arborist program may not be the greatest but it isn't even required to put up the biggest billboard promoting your company as the best tree care provider which could be based on absolutely no skills or expereince. It's still a shady business in most peoples view and this is based on the door knockers, parttimers, and hacks.

If either the ISA did more consumer education or lobbied for certification requirements to take money for service then we could make proper money for removals and be recognised as a credible source for advice and tree care.
 
Carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and many other trades have the same complaint and they are licensed. I understand the difficulty of the varying markets but in the end it's a matter of how well you can convey the value of the work you're proposing.

The more competitive the market, the more we have to develop or sales skills.
 
Tree removals don't translate to repeat business nearly as well as tree care but tricky removals can be pretty lucrative.

I'm a 'swim through the canopy with a handsaw' type myself but I do about half removals, half root work/pruning. I'd like to get by on arborcare alone because I don't like climbing dead trees and while it's joy to swing around and rig down a live tree... I don't particularly like killing'em.

Sometimes the best way to secure a good regular customer is to NOT cut down their tree but rather show'em a good way to keep it and still get what they want..
 
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Tree removals don't translate to repeat business nearly as well as tree care but tricky removals can be pretty lucrative.

I'm a 'swim through the canopy with a handsaw' type myself but I do about half removals, half root work/pruning. I'd like to get by on arborcare alone because I don't like climbing dead trees and while it's joy to swing around and rig down a live tree... I don't particularly like killing'em.

Sometimes the best way to secure a good regular customer is to NOT cut down their tree but rather show'em a good way to keep it and still get what they want..

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EXACTLY Chip, eloquent prose indeed :) says it all right there my friend...
 
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Sometimes the best way to secure a good regular customer is to NOT cut down their tree but rather show'em a good way to keep it and still get what they want..

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Chip for prez....
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If you are focusing on removals, you could also start selling re-planting. It would be cool to see more arborists doing planting around here instead of giving it away to the landscapers and then having to correct the situation later.

jp
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Fer sure propagating and trialing, then planting plus tree care and removals would be the full meal deal. That is the dream.

And in my free time an authentic looking Japanese garden.
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It's challenging to build repeat business doing removals. You loose a client every time you cut down a tree.


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For the most part, yes. However, I'm sure we've all been called out to do more than one tree removal for the same property at different times... And that referrals still come from people the people we took a tree down for. I'm not saying a tree removal company is the better way to go, I'm just say'n...

I'm wondering what Mike Poor's percentage is between tree pruning and tree removals is. Let's not forget he has 3 Knuckleboom cranes. He has a niche in tree removals and he is doing quite well with it.

I know if I had my choice, I'd stick to just removals. But, I'd be limiting myself...
 
I'm with you jamin,i prefer to do removals.And thats primarily what we do.But when things get slow,like they are for us right now,i start to wonder if i'm just to specialized.But i know for a fact that there are guys out there doing just removals and making it work,i started this thread to try and learn something from one of these guys,but so far the majority has not agreed with me that it can work in the long run.
 
We do both and it allows for a consistent flow of business. IMHO, specializing just means extra effort in marketing and sales. Maybe a larger geographic area depending on population density as well. Oh, and the ability to say "no we only do removals"....
 
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