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Took down 9 dead ash trees and a locust that fell on the old stone spring house. I'm sure a tree service would have charged 4k or more. Me and two guys did it in 7 hours, property owner supplied lunch, water, chainsaws, rope, winch, oil, gas, beer, and coffee. We each got 350 and I got an extra 50 commission. I dunno seems like an honest price to me, maybe I'm too honest...

Took down 9 dead ash trees and a locust that fell on the old stone spring house. I'm sure a tree service would have charged 4k or more. Me and two guys did it in 7 hours, property owner supplied lunch, water, chainsaws, rope, winch, oil, gas, beer, and coffee. We each got 350 and I got an extra 50 commission. I dunno seems like an honest price to me, maybe I'm too honest...

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[–] • 9 pts

nope, seems like the owner supplied everything which makes you a laborer. fair pay.

[–] • 4 pts

That's what I thought. I mean there's a degree of danger and skill with dead trees and rot, and there were a couple tricky ones, but I dunno. Just seems like gravity and physics. My one buddy seemed a bit cheesed I didn't charge more. Probably cause he's moved up to the management level of just phone calls quotes, knows what we could have charged.

[–] • 4 pts

If you supplied everything, insurance included, but it would have cost you alot more

[–] • 1 pt

I'm glad nothing went wrong, that's for sure. There were a few ball clenchers, but thankfully everyone walked out intact.

[–] • 4 pts

Totally, if they arrange everything and just say "I need you here to do these things, all the tools and supplies are there that you need." it's a known quantity and done when you're done.

[–] • 6 pts

If you do not own your own equipment, you charged a very fair price.

If you have your own equipment, and a crew, you should consider starting an LLC and hiring a salesperson.

[–] • 4 pts

Very fair sounds like a polite way to say under charged... I had an LLC, started in 2018, things were looking good... Something happened in 2020 didn't have enough of a name yet, and realized my partner was gonna bankrupt us, let him take it over. He did go bankrupt, dealing with several lawsuits. I'm clear, but definitely didn't have the capital to start up again.

[–] [deleted] • 1 pt

I had a similar situation... had a partner for a decade, and when Covid hit, he wanted to stay the course, and I wanted to cash out. We split, and I have no regrets, as I now field friendly phone calls where he's sharing his mounting losses.

[–] • 1 pt

Mine was a little different. He was always coming up with new hog brained ideas... Wouldn't focus, wouldn't work when he was in the field, trying to take on more employees than we needed, high all day, high and drink by 2 most days... Have fun buddy. I would send him clients when they contacted me, because I didn't want to change my number afterwards, but he never said anything back.

[–] • 3 pts (edited )

Sounds pretty fair compared to rates here. I contracted a pro tree company (insured) with logging truck, lift truck and chipper/chip truck in 2021 to cut down/trim back the tall trees and limbs within the right of way on both sides of an overgrown 700ft length of paved road before I had the old road ripped up and rebuilt. They were there about 2.5 days, charged around $2500 IIRC. Shredded the refuse, hauled away the logs. Recommended them to others, everyone was happy.

[–] • 1 pt

That's pretty good, I'd imagine the price would be a little higher these days do you recall how many guys were on the job?

[–] • 1 pt

I believe 3 total, but the owner was only there about 2/3rds the time. He had another crew operating elsewhere and he was likely visiting perspective customers, writing quotes, etc too.

Yes, it wouldn't surprise me if that was a $3500 job now. He was a bit cheaper than the big name guys in the area in 2021 because he was trying to gain market share as a new dtart up business.

[–] • 1 pt

Yeah, it's tricky starting up. I know I was eating pretty much just oatmeal when I gave it a go. It's much easier just working for someone else. Let him have the headache.

[–] • 2 pts

Sounds like a fair price for a day laborer today.

The spics at home depot here want 300 a day. Just to paint if all materials are supplied. Not including lunch and water.

[–] • 0 pt

Yeah it's funny, guess it's the same here. Passed a Wawa on the way to the job yesterday and one of the guys jokes we could use two more dudes. Used to be 150 in 2019, but he said yeah 300 now. I was laying some brick back then, nothing pretty, meant to look old and patched up. The one guy spoke good English, but only because he wanted more money. Didn't show me any skill that would warrant the increase, but at least he asked in English.

[–] • 0 pt

Yep, its time to paint the house. So while I was at that big box orange store the other day buying a few things. I stopped and asked them what they wanted to paint. they wanted 3 dudes at 300 each.

If i am willing to spend 1k in labor, I can get professional painters for only 50% more.

[–] • 1 pt

Yeah that's the problem. You don't know what skill set they actually have. Some of them are really talented, but most are just looking for pay.

[–] • 2 pts

$400 for 7 hours of work isn't bad at all. No overhead because the equipment wasn't yours. And a free lunch... Pretty good haul if you ask me. I have to hang around 4000ft² of drywall to make that much, cover wages, gas, and other overhead costs.

[–] • 1 pt

Not a bad for day off I suppose.

[–] • 1 pt

As long as the work is coming in you're good.

[–] • 1 pt

It's not a steady thing, but making 400 on my one day off is nice.

[–] • 1 pt

Pricing really depends on where you are in the country.

A good rule of thumb is charge 3x the total of what the hourly pay is for all hours worked. Those 2x go to taxes, licensing, insurance (both professional and medical for employees), admin staff, etc.

[–] • 0 pt

Taxes on a cash job, Uncle Sam doesn't need to know.

[–] • 1 pt

Nothing wrong with putting in a honest days work for a good price.

[–] • 1 pt

Cash went straight to the wife. I'd just spend it on something we don't need.****

[–] • 1 pt

If you had your own equipment, you could charge a lot more. Since you don't, there is nothing really wrong with what you got paid.

[–] • 1 pt

I do have equipment, but so does he. Using his took my biggest question out of the equation. Handy enough guy, but he's getting too old to be running around the woods with a chainsaw, and it would be a shame not to give his old stihls a good days work.

[–] • 1 pt

As a homeowner, paying out $750 for 9 trees, providing some refreshments and equipment, I would be alright with that price. Did you guys process/haul it off or make firewood out of it?

[–] • 1 pt

Dropped em in the woods and got em flat. Stacked the first 20 feet of the 5 that were closer to the edge of the woods.

[–] • 1 pt

Considering you don't have your own equipment 50 an hour is pretty nice

[–] • 0 pt

I do, but he offered his. Made pricing easier.

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