Woodland management contractor

Private woodland owners, farmers, country estates, charities and local councils, plus sawmills and timber buyers who commission work.

Day rate or fixed price per job, or a price per tonne or cubic metre of timber extracted. Some jobs let you keep or sell the wood as part of the deal.

• Safe chainsaw and tree felling skills
• Fitness and comfort working outdoors in all weather
• Basic machinery maintenance
• Quoting jobs and managing your own time

• Felling usually needs a licence from the Forestry Commission (or the Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish equivalent) above certain volumes, so check who is responsible for it on each job
• Check for tree preservation orders, protected species such as bats and nesting birds, and other restrictions before cutting
• Public liability insurance, plus employer's liability once you take on staff
• Chainsaw and tree work is among the most dangerous manual work, so keep your training current and do not cut corners on PPE
• Machinery, fuel and vehicle costs can rise fast, and work slows in wet or winter weather

Startup costs are typically around £4,000 to £20,000, depending on your chainsaw kit, PPE, training and whether you buy a tractor, trailer or ATV. These are estimates, so price your equipment carefully.

Monthly revenue is typically around £1,500 to £6,000, depending on how much work you win and how many hours you put in. Work can slow in wet or winter weather, and machinery and fuel costs can rise fast.

Felling usually needs a licence from the Forestry Commission (or the Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish equivalent) above certain volumes, so check who is responsible on each job. Also check for tree preservation orders and protected species such as bats and nesting birds.