what's an Arborist worth.

treestyle · 29th June 2007, 10:06 PM

wondering what you all think we are worth.

I work for a local government and as a result i get paid just enough to survive till next pay day, the upside is that it's full time, sick days and 4 weeks annual leave and good super annuation. oh and a 9 day fortnight. Pros and cons all in all i spose it's ok. p/h.. approx. $19 climbing.

on my days off i get some private work. all legit i have insurance and all work is on the books. i charge $55 an hour for me and $33 p/h for a 2nd person, of which i pay them $25 per hour. usually i quote per job and often make more then my hourly minimum.

i want to be competitive WITHOUT bringing the value of our market down...........do you think i am around the right fiqures?

please be truthful, the more we try to underbid each other the more we bring the value of ourself down.

thanks!

Sean Freeman · 29th June 2007, 11:15 PM

First up let me make it clear I don't own a business, I work for someone else in his business Northern Tree Specialists, you have to factor into your price all of the overheads that the business carries..ie all the repayments, insurances, tax as well as the normal running consumables. When you do this then a small business like the one I work in has to charge around $200 per hour, even that figure is not making a huge profit, it has to run and maintain 1 truck and chipper, 2 4wds 1 trailer, two complete climbing kits (one is mine) small rigging kit 6 chainsaws 1 pole saw.

When I think about the costs annually of simply running and maintaining 1 chainsaw for the year I can't understand how the hacks can make any sort of legal living with the rates they charge.

a_lopa · 29th June 2007, 11:24 PM

I had a customer want a few extras done this week because"we were going well for time" as HE put it!!!

Ekka · 29th June 2007, 11:55 PM

Treestyle,

It appears on the surface that what you are charging is OK for "man hours". It doesn't include machinery etc.

Let me tell you a story and then think about what things are worth.

Quote:

A couple of well to do middle aged Aussie women are holidaying in France. They are having a latte' al fresco when they notice a few tables away Picasso quietly having a coffee.

As a memorial to their trip they decide to ask Picasso to autograph a table napkin with lipstick (all they had). So one of the women approaches and asks the famous Picasso to which he happily obliges.

As he finishes he turns to the woman and says, "that will be $50,000 thankyou."

To which the woman replied, "$50,000 dollars, but it only took you a few moments!"

To which Picasso replied, "no my dear, it took me a lifetime."

The moral of the story is, is it the same to climb a 10' foot tree in the middle of a yard as it is to climb a 100' tree above some-ones roof?

Are you devaluing your own worth with an hourly rate or would you be better pricing perspective? By perspective I mean the way most others would see it.

Our skill is acquired over time and at great risk, the risk varies according to the task at hand, be wise, charge accordingly.

I know with pruning there's very few people I trust, very few. You have seen by the busts I have put up what the client gets when they look at money and rates.

Try to shift the focus onto what the worth is of what you do, how many others are capable of doing it properly.

If I know how to save a valuable tree and it takes me 15 minutes to administer the dose does that make me worth less than an idiot who roots around with it for days?

treestyle · 30th June 2007, 04:13 AM

Thanks for your replies.
Some good food for thought there. Wondering Ekka when you said that my hourly rate doesn't include machinary, do you include chainsaws as machinary?

Ekka · 30th June 2007, 04:25 AM

No, machinery is chippers, stump grinders, loaders etc.

treestyle · 30th June 2007, 04:40 AM

ok ta. do you think that you guys evaluate / assess individual customers and adjust your quotes accordingly?

Ekka · 30th June 2007, 05:24 AM

Definately, both the job and the customer.

justoon · 1st July 2007, 10:29 PM

I would have to agree with what has been indicated by Boa and Ekka, then throw in the cost of an ewp,traffic control and your at about 350-400 hour depending on the Job

justoon · 1st July 2007, 10:31 PM

Ekka whats your av cocos palm trim worth?

Ekka · 2nd July 2007, 12:32 AM

I love that question, what it's worth and what I get paid on average are 2 extremely different things.

There's big differences but I would say $55 each for average and have done some for $110 and lost! Depends on locations, crap, size, clumping etc.

But in a nut shell compared to other trades not enough.

Now a days I'm walking away or pricing what it's really worth. If some-one has 50 pots beneath and staircase, roof, pergola etc I say seeya later. It would be one of the lowest jobs and most dangerous for us.

JayD · 2nd July 2007, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekka

I love that question, what it's worth and what I get paid on average are 2 extremely different things.

There's big differences but I would say $55 each for average and have done some for $110 and lost! Depends on locations, crap, size, clumping etc.

But in a nut shell compared to other trades not enough.

Now a days I'm walking away or pricing what it's really worth. If some-one has 50 pots beneath and staircase, roof, pergola etc I say seeya later. It would be one of the lowest jobs and most dangerous for us.

So true Ekka, Do it for what it's worth or not at all,as Ive said before it's easy for the untrained eye to get a truck load of waste from one palm clean!!!

Ekka · 2nd July 2007, 01:32 AM

Here's an older thread about palm cleaning with pics

Palm Cleaning, what we see compared to the customer

treestyle · 5th July 2007, 11:28 PM

I like that, what it's worth or not at all!

29th June 2007, 10:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
treestyle Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: North Brisbane Posts: 128	what's an Arborist worth. wondering what you all think we are worth. I work for a local government and as a result i get paid just enough to survive till next pay day, the upside is that it's full time, sick days and 4 weeks annual leave and good super annuation. oh and a 9 day fortnight. Pros and cons all in all i spose it's ok. p/h.. approx. $19 climbing. on my days off i get some private work. all legit i have insurance and all work is on the books. i charge $55 an hour for me and $33 p/h for a 2nd person, of which i pay them $25 per hour. usually i quote per job and often make more then my hourly minimum. i want to be competitive WITHOUT bringing the value of our market down...........do you think i am around the right fiqures? please be truthful, the more we try to underbid each other the more we bring the value of ourself down. thanks!

29th June 2007, 11:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
Sean Freeman PDF King & Arborist Extrodinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Townsville Nth Queensland & Gold Coast Sth Queensland Posts: 1,645	First up let me make it clear I don't own a business, I work for someone else in his business Northern Tree Specialists, you have to factor into your price all of the overheads that the business carries..ie all the repayments, insurances, tax as well as the normal running consumables. When you do this then a small business like the one I work in has to charge around $200 per hour, even that figure is not making a huge profit, it has to run and maintain 1 truck and chipper, 2 4wds 1 trailer, two complete climbing kits (one is mine) small rigging kit 6 chainsaws 1 pole saw. When I think about the costs annually of simply running and maintaining 1 chainsaw for the year I can't understand how the hacks can make any sort of legal living with the rates they charge. __________________ Sean Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky, We fell them down and turn them into paper, That we may record our emptiness. - Kahlil Gibran

29th June 2007, 11:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
a_lopa Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Drouin Posts: 866	I had a customer want a few extras done this week because"we were going well for time" as HE put it!!! __________________ Free Tree Industry Link Directory Drouin tree lopping, land clearing and stump removals

30th June 2007, 04:25 AM	#6 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 6,869	No, machinery is chippers, stump grinders, loaders etc. __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

30th June 2007, 05:24 AM	#8 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 6,869	Definately, both the job and the customer. __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

30th June 2007, 04:13 AM	#5 (permalink)
treestyle Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: North Brisbane Posts: 128	Thanks for your replies. Some good food for thought there. Wondering Ekka when you said that my hourly rate doesn't include machinary, do you include chainsaws as machinary?

30th June 2007, 04:40 AM	#7 (permalink)
treestyle Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: North Brisbane Posts: 128	ok ta. do you think that you guys evaluate / assess individual customers and adjust your quotes accordingly?

1st July 2007, 10:29 PM	#9 (permalink)
justoon Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boyne Island Posts: 63	I would have to agree with what has been indicated by Boa and Ekka, then throw in the cost of an ewp,traffic control and your at about 350-400 hour depending on the Job

1st July 2007, 10:31 PM	#10 (permalink)
justoon Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boyne Island Posts: 63	Ekka whats your av cocos palm trim worth?

2nd July 2007, 12:32 AM	#11 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 6,869	I love that question, what it's worth and what I get paid on average are 2 extremely different things. There's big differences but I would say $55 each for average and have done some for $110 and lost! Depends on locations, crap, size, clumping etc. But in a nut shell compared to other trades not enough. Now a days I'm walking away or pricing what it's really worth. If some-one has 50 pots beneath and staircase, roof, pergola etc I say seeya later. It would be one of the lowest jobs and most dangerous for us. __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

2nd July 2007, 01:32 AM	#13 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 6,869	Here's an older thread about palm cleaning with pics Palm Cleaning, what we see compared to the customer __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

5th July 2007, 11:28 PM	#14 (permalink)
treestyle Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: North Brisbane Posts: 128	I like that, what it's worth or not at all!

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