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Ran into a retired arborist at the lumber yard yesterday who said I'm charging too little for hazardous removals
I was picking up some wedges and he saw my truck decals. We got to talking and he told me he used to charge double what I charge for dead oaks near houses. Said he learned the hard way after a job went sideways in the 90s. Made me think about whether I'm undervaluing the risk factor. My current rate is $400 for a medium hazardous removal but he was saying $800 minimum. Do you guys factor in worst case scenarios when pricing or just go by time and equipment?
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leo23816h ago
Figure out your insurance premium first, that's the real number that matters. If you're only charging $400 and a tree drops the wrong way into a house, your deductible alone could wipe out months of profit. I've seen guys get sued for property damage on removals they thought were easy. The old timer's $800 sounds about right when you factor in having to rent a crane or bucket truck if things get sketchy. Maybe bump it to $600 first and see how it feels, worst case you negotiate down but at least you're covered if something goes sideways.
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