UKH

What’s it like working as a tree surgeon? I’m interested to know how possible it is to get regular work, rough pay rates (as a sole trader, not working for a company), also guessing the majority of work is in winter?

Have been doing lots of garden clearance and am thinking about scaling it up, so any advice would be appreciated.

Indirect answer.  I’ve met several and employed one.  They all do it as side work to their main employment, either in farming or industrial scale tree nursery.

Depends where you live for starters.

To do it as a sole trader you will need all kit, can probably hire a chipper to begin with but will definitely need a tipper van and somewhere local to dispose of chip and logs (if you've got the space you can store the logs until seasoned and sell them as firewood).

You'll need chainsaw qualifications as well as tree rope access qualifications and first aid qualifications unless you've already got those. Otherwise you won't get insurance.

To build up to the point where you have enough work will take time, if you have the tree surgery qualifications you could always work for another company as you build your bits up on the side, wages won't be the same but neither would be your outlay.

Also don't set up as a sole trader - limit your liability by setting up as a limited company with yourself as director.

It's hard work. You don't see many older tree cutters.

I've come across a couple of tree surgeons in their 30's to early 40's who talked about the need to move sideways into a more theoretical area of tree management, and the impact on their bodies. 

I do occasional labouring for a tree surgeon, not cutting and climbing as I don’t have those tickets, so just dragging, chipping, log splitting etc. I’m 40 and notice how much harder it feels now than how it felt when I did it before 20 years ago. That said, I enjoy the work and I’m not about to conk out just yet. I don’t think I’ll chase the tickets however since at the end of a big day swinging a top handle saw around, our main climber (who is 25) is near enough destroyed, so goodness knows what it’d do to me! 

The boss does seem to employ quite a lot of freelancers on a regular basis as it’s a fairly big operation, so I imagine that approach is commonplace. 

HTH

Tom

If his profile is accurate and he's only 26, working on the theoretical side of tree and woodland management, and about how to inspect trees from a tree health perspective (and public safety), and as much of the 'other stuff' as he can do between now and when his body starts to feel it is definitely a good plan.

Chainsawing on the ground and processing the resulting felled trees is probably the biggest full body work out I've ever had. When I walk past a tree surgery team 'looking bushed' I know just how they feel.

It can be a fun job but its hard work. There are loads of people doing tree work these days so regular work can be hard to come by (especially in summer)  if your self employed. 

Most self employed tree surgeons are sub contractors, as the start up costs are minimal. the initial out lay would be climbing kit+PPE @£1500, climbing saw @£550, ground saw @£500 and public liability insurance. a competent climber with 5 years experience would probably be on around £120 a day depending on where you are in the country. 

I found working in the utility Arb industry(clearing vegetation from high voltage powerlines) provided a much more stable employment with better pay and a its a bit easier on the body! 

My advice would be to contact some local tree surgeons and see if you can get the odd days work dragging brash and feeding chippers, that way you will be able to see what is involved and gain some experience at the same time. 

Hope this is helpful. 

Very hard physical work, have to factor in weather as some days you won't be able to work due to conditions. No work = no pay if self employed. Many jobs require 2 people, safety for starters, so factor in finding a helper. Perhaps best to train up and then look to work for a specialist tree surgery firm to gain experience.

Very rewarding job if it is right for you.

My friends don't even climb anymore unless they have to - everything is done from MEWPs (cherry picker to me) so long as you can get the access.

That's because they're not allowed to work within a certain distance from the HV, so the 'Leccy boys do the close cutting.

Hard work to be honest although depending on your location, can be very lucrative.

Cutting tall hedges, leylandii, is the way to go, but still a real physical workout, but also provide work in the summer period. 

Ask yourself, how many older tree surgeons do you know?

I've just had 3 trees removed and it looked like a heck of a lot of hard work. The guys were working 10 hour days and really didn't stop. They took down 2 big trees and vastly reduced a third. The work took 5 days and had 3 guys working flat out. 

I paid £3k for the work, that was for 3 tree surgeons and their equipment, to cut down the trees and reduce the timber into wood burning stove size rounds. 3 guys x 5 days is a £200 per day wage. So £1000 per week and say 30 weeks work a year gives an ok wage.  I'd echo the previous comments and say if you are under 40 it's probably worth a punt.

I doubt very much that they were all taking home the same pay. The owner of the business must have overheads etc. A decent climber can earn anywhere between 120-250 a day depending on experience/speed/location. 
There is a lot of freelancing goes on in the trade, both for climbers and ground staff. Many have their own work and fill their diaries working for others. 
It is hard work. I’ve been doing for 10yrs and I’m 41, my backs not great!! Not intending to stop though, just planning on paying someone else to climb! 

I’ve been a climbing Arborist for 8 years now and have mainly been subcontracting for that time. It’s great fun but the novelty is starting to wear off when I wake up knowing it’s pissing it down all day and I’ve got a big takedown to do. 
 

The money’s okay, I tend to charge £150 a day and i would never be without the freedom being a subby gives me! The works taken me to Suffolk, Norfolk, London, Wales, Norway etc which has been great too. 
 

Dont underestimate just how brutal this job is. My wrists and elbows are both in bad shape at the age of 27 and whilst working long days in Norway I’d regularly wake up at 6am for work aching so much i wondered if I’d make it out of bed haha.  I’m at the stage now where I’m looking for less strenuous avenues....

Feel free to shoot me a message if you have any questions. 

I did quite a bit of tree surgery when I worked in forestry, for a contractor company in the Sussex area. But that was 40+ years ago and equipment and techniques have moved on massively since then, even the basics like weight of the chainsaw you are working with.

The one thing that hasn't changed, as you and others who have done the job keep pointing out, is how physically hard it is for a climber, day after day in all weather (within reason). This is combined with mental exhaustion, every move you make is considered and a long day is draining. I agree that not many climb regularly into middle age, it's a young man's job (and women though I've not seen one?).

The climbers I know that have gone into it have given up climbing in the evenings as they're too knackered after a day at work.  I spoke to another yesterday who has developed golfer's elbow in both arms that he can't shift as he can't stop work for long enough to let them heal.  As stated by others, everyone has their regular clients but subcontracts to others when not working for themselves and vice-versa.

Interesting to read that fatigue and repetition take their toll. Im pleased to have not read about people losing limbs or lives.

Ive done a bit of weekend work for free in exchange for logs. Chipping, hauling stuff around etc. Nothing in the large scale. Absolutely knackering and worrying that some are knackered and then still use their tools.

Kudos.

Have a few weeks of trimming Hawthorne and you might regret becoming a tree trimmer.