[sandim]

Got a call from a gentleman earlier this week wanting some land cleared. He has an acre of Russian Olives he wants cut down and chipped and wants the stumps ripped out so that they won't grow back. (they're very invasive here in CT)
Have only done this on a MUCH smaller scale.
Would really really like to get this job as we don't plow over the winter and it would be great winter $$.
Don't have to make a huge profit on it, but don't want to lose my shirt either. I'm figuring 3 guys (ok, 2 guys and one girl...) 7 hours a day for two weeks plus equipment. Sound reasonable??

Any input appreciated.

Sandi

[TrickyDick]

Why 7 hours a day? What type of equipment will you be using. How is access to the site? How big are the trees? Is it just acre of olives or is there other stuff too? What are you doing with the stumps/ brush/ chippings, etc.?

[sandim]

Thanks so much for responding! I figure 7 hours of daylight...by the time we get down there and clean up at the end of the day.
As far as equipment: a chainsaw, backhoe and wood chipper. The only stuff we're taking down are the olives. Anything else stays. The olives we'll chip, the stumps go on a section of his property he doesn't care about.

[site]

Is there machine access? cany you move the chipper around on the lot? If so I bet you can do it in a week or less. Russian Olives are nasty. Good luck.

[Raj Venugopal]

And...it's likely too cold to matter, but I had a nasty allergic reaction to Russian olive tree trimming this summer.

Got access to an excavator with a rake on it?

[sandim]

Yes, I think there is machine access, if nothing else, we have a Jeep Wrangler with a hitch on it. Time for a little 4-wheelin'! No access to an excavator. Moving the chipper along the lot is a good idea. Russian Olives are nasty. Luckily, I've worked with them before and no allergic reaction, just the usual poison ivy...for the 4th time this year!
Ok, well, I'll give it a whirl and see what's what. I have until later today Thanks again!

[TrickyDick]

Russian olives are also one of the worst things to try to pull out of a pile to put through the chipper. They stick together liked their nailed.

I would agree that you can probably do it in a week. You might try offering a daily rate. $xxxx.xx per day for crew and equipment. You can estimate the number of days but be clear it is an estimate. That way at least you're not completely flying blind.

[Mark Oomkes]

How big are they? Are you able to get one of those brush hog type attachments on a skidsteer in there and cut them down? Sort of solves the running them through a chipper problem. If nothing else, get a grapple on a skidsteer for handling the brush\feeding the chipper.

And invasive or not, good choice on just getting rid of them.

[sandim]

Hmmm, very good idea! I sent out the proposal, but if we get the job I could get the grapple. So hard to quote big projects that you're capable of doing but have no idea what to charge. I ended up quoting 18k. Can't imagine someone would spend that kind of money to clear when someone could probably come in with a dozer, clear it in a day and charge a fraction of that.

Ah, growing pains.

If we get it I'll definitely post. Thanks to all for your good advice, and things to think of for *next time*!

[TrickyDick]

Am I missing something or did your estimate go up considerably from what you said in your original post?

[tom]

Originally posted by TrickyDick
Am I missing something or did your estimate go up considerably from what you said in your original post?

Exactly!