tree removal business

[yamaha605]

So I have been really thinking about a tree removal business.  I have been helping my dad for years with firewood, clearing land of his and so forth.  I have a good general knowledge of felling.  I think I can handle doing this.  I love doing stuff like this.  Was thinking about doing it on my off days from work.  I am currently a Maintenance Forman underground here in southern West Virginia at a coal mine.  Any suggestions from you veterans.  And also insurance and stuff and legalitys.  any input greatly appreciated. Thanks

[beenthere]

Would suggest checking out the insurance first... then check on the West Virginia laws for running your own business along with any required (if any) license needed. Then might be good to check with a lawyer about your obligations if something goes wrong.. and if there are houses, buildings, power lines, cars, etc. close by where trees are to be removed... they can certainly go wrong.

Will take your word for knowing the tree trimming, climbing, dropping, and removal end of the business.
Assume you have the equipment to start out with.

Some good reading on this forum over the years as to what is involved.
Everyone has to start somewhere.

Wish you well with your venture.

[WV Sawmiller]

Y605,

   I'd suggest you update your profile with more info about yourself.

   Getting the business license is simple. I went to courthouse in Beckley WV and filled out the form and got mine in less than 30 minutes. I used a Nationwide agent there in Beckley who is a broker for my sawmill liability insurance. Send me a PM if you'd like her name and contact info. I suspect your insurance would have to be different based on the nature of the work and the threat/nature of potential damage. How about equipment? Do you have a bucket truck, ladders, trailer, assorted saws? Do you plan to do stump grinding or removal? If you're bulldozing stumps you have the threat to underground utilities and such to contend with too.

   A good knowledge of felling trees is good but how are you at climbing? I suspect you'll find more will have to be taken down from the top down than from ground level. Everybody in southern WV has or knows someone with a chainsaw and a 4WD pick up. If it was easy they'd have already done it themselves. The trees they will want you to remove are the ones in the fenced in back yard on the steep side slope leaning over the garage with power lines on both sides during an ice storm.

    Good luck. We need good tree trimmers and removal people.

[yamaha605]

wv sawmiller.  I have tree climbers.  no bucket trucks have a good knowledge of climbing and understand most will have to be taken down from the top down.  I have insurance for my home and cars through nationwide in Beckley.  I have an 034 super a 290 farmboss.  both with 20 inch bars.  a ms210 with 16 bar.  and plans on building a ms660 with 28 inch bar. have a 07 model 1 ton dodge dually and a 6 ton dump trailer have used the speedline technique one time and fell in love with it lol  something about ziplineing tree branches that's fun lol.  thinking of investing in a good chipper or splitter havnt made mind up but probably will end up with a good splitter cause I have a wood furnace and not only that but can make money off the wood.

[timberlinetree]

A good thing to have is a legal contract for you jobs. I like using a zip line. Draging brush up a hill or over obstacles is no fun. Work safe!

[Lumberjohn]

I would keep your day job and start part-time. It is almost impossible doing tree removal without help on ropes, chipping etc.
Like said earlier there are tons of guys with a chainsaw/pickup/bravado and no insurance to under cut your prices.

[bkaimwood]

Sounds like a plan that could come together... Few good points made by others, I can't stress their importance...a big chipper...not having one can triple or better, the amount of time you will spend on a job...this in turn will triple the wear and tear on your body....this will also add to your estimate prices...which may mean losing more bids...the customer doesn't want to pay more, and see you there longer, because YOU don't have all the equipment... Chances are Joe schmoe down the street does...if you aren't adding costs for additional time, then you are losing. I am no longer in the tree removal business, but when I was, started with a few jobs and no chipper...brutal...bought a good used one and it paid for itself fast, and still got what I paid for it when I got out. Second, a bucket truck...also priceless... That awesome if you are a great climber...I was OK once, but too old...bad shoulders, hands, knees, and everything else....it catches up with most FAST....I could see a strong young fella starting out without a bucket truck, but it would definitely be in my business plan as my first investment, next purchase...after I had a chipper to start. If you want to get cracking, and are short on a piece of equipment and capital, factor a day rental in your bid for the missing item...you will probably still be able to give competitive bids using this method...guys that have it have factored it in, but just in a different manner, ie. payments they have, or money toward a replacement when theirs is worn out. Last on my list would be a stump grinder...75% of my customers didn't care about the stump, but if they do, another rental consideration... Wish you luck!!!

[slider]

Yamahaw605,I am probably not the one to give advice here but myself and my partner have just started a tree business.We have been going for about 7 months now.We stay busy here because there was a need for our services.As others have stated proper insurance is a must.We have completed around 65 jobs so far and are still learning.The bucket truck came first and then the chipper.The chipper probably improved our operation more than anything.
I will say this be careful what you bid on.We turned down a job a while back because it was over a large fiber-optic line.After contacting the company we found out that a limb strike on that line was 25,000 or more.They brought a crane in on that one.Don't let your ego get you in trouble.Good luck and keep us posted.al

[WV Sawmiller]

Y605,

   Good luck. Sounds like once you get the legal issues ironed out and buy or have access to the bucket truck and chipper you will be in business. Send me a business card and if I run across anyone needing tree service I'll send them your way. I get people who want me to cut the trees in their yards to sell me the logs or on shares and I don't do that but would be glad to pass along your info. I'd appreciate you passing along my details to folks wanting their logs sawed into lumber.

   Be careful out there.

[bucknwfl]

Always call the local utility first especially anything near powerlines. At least once a month we have someone cut a limb or tree that damages powerlines. We offer to makes tree safe so the tree company and safely remove trees and limbs closer than ten feet.  We usually save them a lot of work in the process   Service wires to the house can be dropped or de energized usually for no charge if you plan ahead. But remember most company's will not touch other companies wires ie: phone and cable

[Pine Ridge]

Wish all you guys that have just started your own business or are thinking about it the best of luck , wish i had done it myself when i was younger.

[yamaha605]

Ok my plan thus far is to do a couple of jobs on my off days from work.  have a buddy that has a chipper with a diesel engine on it.  hes gonna get me the rest of information about it he couldn't tell me anything other then its big and is a diesel lol.  thinking about buying it.  my father has a 1 1/2 dump truck I can use anytime I want.  I have tree climbers and some rope.  need to order more rope I think.  and am going to contact my insurance company about insuring a business like this.  but im going to just do it on my off days from work for now till I see how its gonna go.  A friend of mine just started a logging job and he used to do tree removal and he told me he still gets calls all the time to remove trees.  He said he'd help me what he could as far as my first job or two and getting the jobs.  So theres my plan as of right now.  just have to see what else pans out.

[Straightgrain]

Go legit or not at all; working "under the radar" sells yourself short.

You will need:

The entity (llc, llp, s corp, or sole proprietor)
license
bond
insurance
OH&S compliance plans

X2 on the insurance agent being your 1st stop.

You must decide which is the most important goal; making money or making friends (very-few people can do both well enough to do both).
Your competition will be cheap labor.
Gross income  is not your net take home pay; bid accordingly.

[mclean]

Big chipper, and large truck to chip into is key in the
Tree removal biz.  Otherwise the challenge isn't dropping the tree, its hauling away branches.  Incredible the mess a 60ft tree can make.

Insurance is a big annual cost, bonding and the license is pretty cheap.

[Ron Scott]

Look the job sites over well prior to bidding and have all the personal protective gear and work safe!

[WV Sawmiller]

   As mentioned above think carefully about setting up your business. Other threads here address that. One note I read that was a good point is the LLC protects your personal assets from liability law suits but if you are the operator they can still go after you. In my case since I was always going to be the operator I just stuck with the Sole Proprietor option. Each business plan is different but discuss with your lawyer too.

[timberlinetree]

Having the power co drop the lines is a really big help. This is them putting the lines back up  (after they took them down) on Friday's job.

 

[Cutter/Climber]

Was scrolling through some old post and seen this. Was just wondering how you were making out with your business. Hope you the best of luck. God Bless