Pics of two projects

[picframer]

Although I always have a camera in the truck, I never remember to take any pictures, it seems I arrive at a site and "It's Get to It"

Anyhow here is one of our tractors getting ready to leave for a wood clearing and chipping job, this unit will chip a log up to 6", I know I said I wasn't buying anymore equipment this year however I bought a Bear Cat 10" Industrial chipper yesterday, we pick it up at noon today. We have so many tree jobs I had to along with two more staff, we were hired to clear 12 building lots on a lake for cottages, that will take 5 guys 6 weeks.

This second set of pictures is a job I am helping the staff with, tilled 11,000 sq ft, rolled, put top soil down, rolled again, power raked, rolled again will seed and spray, then there is a brick walkway to do, two culverts in the driveway, drainage system, rebuild the driveway, build 5 flower/tree beds, pressure wash the deck and house, 5 guys 6 work days. We finished the top soil yesterday, 7 loads, took three of us 7 hours.

Thanks for looking.

Andy

[picframer]

Just realized the staff on this site are not wearing Company shirts/pents or shorts, Dave, Ben and Shawn started Monday, we ran out of company clothing, big order will be ready for pickup on Monday.

I couldn't get over the people stopping to look yesterday, this place is right on the ocean, amazing view, a local police officer even stopped and asked for a quote, from this we have four appointments, I did one yesterday for wood clearing, chipping & new lawn - got the contract, will do the other appointments today.

It was quite a production, next week we are gdoing the same thing up the road 5 min, 27,000 square feet, it seems the jobs are getting bigger for some reason, we don't seem to be getting called for small stuff, most of these jobs are 3,000 +, average is $5,280.

[turfmaster]

It was quite a production, next week we are gdoing the same thing up the road 5 min, 27,000 square feet, it seems the jobs are getting bigger for some reason, we don't seem to be getting called for small stuff, most of these jobs are 3,000 +, average is $5,280.

Pretty soon you will have to change your lettering on the trailer to just excavation instead of mini excavation.

[Steve]

getting ready to leave for a wood clearing and chipping job, this unit will chip a log up to 6",

What does this mean? That you can chop down trees up to 6 inches in diameter? Or how does that all work?

This second set of pictures is a job I am helping the staff with, tilled 11,000 sq ft, rolled, put top soil down, rolled again, power raked, rolled again will seed and spray, then there is a brick walkway to do, two culverts in the driveway, drainage system, rebuild the driveway, build 5 flower/tree beds, pressure wash the deck and house, 5 guys 6 work days. We finished the top soil yesterday, 7 loads, took three of us 7 hours.

Do you have any advice as to how to create an estimate on such work? I bet a lot of newer members would have no idea on where to even start with coming up with such a bid.

When you meet with the customer, will they say, hey I want this area tilled and top soil laid then have it rolled and raked? Or do they just point to an area and say can you help me make this look nicer? It seems like a lot of what you could sell is based on what you know and the tools you have versus possibly what the customer initially requests.

[picframer]

What does this mean? That you can chop down trees up to 6 inches in diameter? Or how does that all work?




Do you have any advice as to how to create an estimate on such work? I bet a lot of newer members would have no idea on where to even start with coming up with such a bid.

When you meet with the customer, will they say, hey I want this area tilled and top soil laid then have it rolled and raked? Or do they just point to an area and say can you help me make this look nicer? It seems like a lot of what you could sell is based on what you know and the tools you have versus possibly what the customer initially requests.

Hi Steve,

Yes, drop a tree that is 6" across into it, self feed and it's gone in seconds, customer then has chips for a walkway or mulch.

We do not estimate, straight $100.00 an hour, min one hour, $45.00 transportation fee, includes tractor, chipper and one operator, each additional operator is $45.00 an hour, Chain saw operator $65.00 an hour, we now have two months worth of work.

When we meet the client generally they say, fix it, how much.

Here are some images from the same property today, we are almost finished, picked up 6 contracts from people driving by, I would leave and do a quote, one is staggering, down the road not far is a very rich area on the Ocean, all new, One of the new residents is a friend of this client we are at, very rich people, just built a home, asked me to come in and do $20,000 worth of work and said if that doesn't finish it, we will pay you more....I was speechless, we will have to hire at least 6 more people and my son is doing that as I type.

This is me on our 2520 pulling a box blade, driveway turned out like glass, everyone who has seen it is shocked.



Andy

[Steve]

No pictures were attached.

We do not estimate, straight $100.00 an hour, min one hour, $45.00 transportation fee, includes tractor, chipper and one operator, each additional operator is $45.00 an hour, Chain saw operator $65.00 an hour, we now have two months worth of work.

Are there times when you have a guy on a tractor also doing the chain sawing when necessary? Or do you go with two men then?

Are you able to look at a property and give a round about hour estimate or do you simply say $100 an hour and we will see how much we can do within your budget? Or what do you suggest? Also how do you handle larger trees?

[picframer]

No pictures were attached.



Are there times when you have a guy on a tractor also doing the chain sawing when necessary? Or do you go with two men then?

Are you able to look at a property and give a round about hour estimate or do you simply say $100 an hour and we will see how much we can do within your budget? Or what do you suggest? Also how do you handle larger trees?

The software returned errors when I tried to post pictures.

Some jobs you can quote how many hours, most are simply too risky and those of us who do this will not quote an exact price, I can tell you for example it will cost around $500.00 and we will stop at that price, 99% of the time the client will ask for two references and we have received every tree clearing I bid on, at the moment we are booking into August, we do good work and we have equipment that makes it very fast, faster than most.

There are always at least two men, I will not let an employee work alone with a chain saw, just too much risk for them and for the company, anything can happen, I have been working in the woods since I was 13, I have seen many serious accidents where if there wasn't another person around, the person hurt would not have made it.

Having the proper gear is key, this 10" chipper I have coming will take a tree that is 10" across the butt and chip it in no time at all, I will take a picture of it tomorrow, there may be one or two companies that have something this big in the city, you can't rent anything here over 4" so we get a pile of work because of that.

We picked up a job last week, the fellow said what we were chipping in an hour was taking him 8 hours with a rented 4" chipper and to rent one is $225.00 a day, it's just another niche market that I discovered and has taken off.

The other one is pressure washing, I am honestly shocked, we now have four commercial units on the go, the pictures I email people gets us the job every time, it is honestly amazing to me.

So now we have four top performing areas and at the moment things are running smooth.

Andy

[picframer]

Pretty soon you will have to change your lettering on the trailer to just excavation instead of mini excavation.

No bud, I don't honestly have any desire for big excavation work, our biggest excavator is a John Deere 50D, it's a 5 Ton and does amazing work. There is lot's of bigger jobs around, I personally do not like the risk of these $20,000+ jobs, I have looked at a couple.

We are in the middle of the road I guess, just where I want to be and hope to stay.

[picframer]

Also how do you handle larger trees?

Sorry, missed that question....I will cut a tree up to 30" across the butt, anything bigger than that requires gear I do not have and honestly I don't want to get into trees that big.

I would guess the average here is 16" across, 40 feet high +/-, pretty much all spruce, we are very comfortable with this.

If there are power lines close we walk away, I looked at two today and wouldn't touch them, just too dangerous.

[Steve]

The software returned errors when I tried to post pictures.

I think that happens when the images are too large to upload. Then I usually have to make the images smaller and try it again.

most are simply too risky and those of us who do this will not quote an exact price, I can tell you for example it will cost around $500.00 and we will stop at that price

Have you ever been in a situation where you couldn't finish the job because the customer didn't want you to go over a certain price? Do the customers ever ask you to give them some sort of ballpark figure range you are guessing it will be between? Otherwise wouldnt you have an open ended potential figure and would that make the customer nervous?

I will cut a tree up to 30" across the butt, anything bigger than that requires gear I do not have and honestly I don't want to get into trees that big.

When you cut these trees do you climb up and cut them in sections or is the property big enough where you can just chop them at the bottom and let them fall?

The other one is pressure washing, I am honestly shocked, we now have four commercial units on the go, the pictures I email people gets us the job every time, it is honestly amazing to me.

Do you have any advice on creating a power washing bid?

[picframer]

Have you ever been in a situation where you couldn't finish the job because the customer didn't want you to go over a certain price? Do the customers ever ask you to give them some sort of ballpark figure range you are guessing it will be between? Otherwise wouldnt you have an open ended potential figure and would that make the customer nervous?

Not yet, I think the way I present myself and the company puts the client at ease, I am a very friendly outgoing sort, call most people buddy....we have not yet had a client say stop, I like to let them know approximately what I think it might cost, their response is generally, I can only afford $X,XXX.XX, I reply let's see where we are when have hit half your budget, generally speaking the client asks us to keep going. With the gear we have we can clear a lot of down fall, standing or brush in a hurry. I was thinking today about some of the feedback at the staff meeting this morning, the two tree crews have been getting the same replies, I can't believe you did the job so fast, this was a deal....that tells me that I am not bidding high enough. Have to give that some thought on the weekend.



When you cut these trees do you climb up and cut them in sections or is the property big enough where you can just chop them at the bottom and let them fall?

Steve, it depends on the tree, location, what is around it or them. We use a color system using surveryers tape, it is really bright.

Blue - The client and I walk around and mark the area to be worked on

Lime Green - Crew can Cut

Bright Red - Only myself or Ben can cut, we will climb in necessary, generally it isn't

Orange - Crew cut with caution, if you do not feel comfortable, leave it


Do you have any advice on creating a power washing bid?

I think I am still on the learning curve, I have had to do something I have never done before, twice this week, go back to the client, explain that I made a mistake in my bid, can we split the difference for the extra time, one said she would pay the full amount, the second said yes, it was bigger than I thought to but the results are outstanding.

Vinal Siding is simple and quick as are driveways.

Decks are a different story, we did one today 36 X 16, two levels, three sets of steps, bid $625.00, it took two staff with two machines 10 hours, that quote was too low. Some decks go super quick and some are a PITA, I find homes right on the Ocean the worst, the salt in the air gets in the wood and buddy is it ever a slow process.