Cold snap = predictability

[jrider]

This recent cold snap brings about the same predictability as any other mid winter cold snap from firewood buyers. "I'm out of wood, do you have any left?" "Oh and can you deliver today?" Some of these people bought in the fall, liked what they saw and said they would be calling for more. My response to them is that I sell out before thanksgiving so don't wait. But most of the calls/texts/Facebook messages come from people who thought my prices were too high back in the fall. Those are the ones that bring a little smile to my face because I know most of them went with the cheaper guy who promised seasoned wood but delivered green wood or they bought a cord that didn't measure out to a cord.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

bull or bear market! depends on season... and more importantly.... temperatures...

well, enjoy your smile. no doubt it is a deep, but subtle one... lol

 

[farmer steve]

same here jrider. pretty much ran out of good dry wood before the last big snow.most of what i sell is "free" wood to me but with snow and then mud and now artic temps i too resorted to C/L.found an ad for firewood in an unlikely spot on C/L and made the call. C/S/S covered for 5-10 years. primo wood and i can make almost $100 a cord.hauled 5 cord so far and its only about 10 minutes from the house. iv'e tried to cut out delivering except to long time customers and seniors.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Not cold, but snow

Every year I too, go through the Jan. / Feb. desperately need wood delivered calls. 90% of the time it has nothing to do with the cold weather, it's ********s that for some reason stack their wood far away from the house and won't dig their way to the pile. They prefer to have a 1/2 to 1 cord dropped off in the drive.

Typical call consists of, there's a foot and a half of snow and ice and I can't get to my woodpile can you deliver today or tomorrow? My response has become scripted, sorry, but my wood in the landing is under the same foot and a half and I'm not spending an hour + with the skidsteer digging it out for a $125 order. Besides my piles aren't covered so the wood will have ice and snow all over it, you won't be happy. But you sell wood, I need some now. Sorry, I sell out in Sept. and don't guarantee delivery after Dec. 1. This is usually followed by a blast of expletives and comments about my lineage.

One caveat, a long time, repeat customer will get service from my secret easy to get to emergency stash.

Take Care

 

[svk]

I always say it's the ant vs grasshopper with folks who buy their wood. Too many grasshoppers AND too many hacks selling green and/or shorting the actual volume of wood promised.

 

[ponyexpress976]

Had a "similar" problem when the big snow hit back in January. A lawn customer leaves me a voicemail 2 hrs before the snow starts and says if we get more than 5" (weather service was already predicting 12-18") he wants me to come by and clear his driveway. The snow finally quit flying(31" total, plus drifting) around 8pm Saturday. His calls to find out when I'd be there began about an hour later. The hissy fits didn't begin until Sunday morning when I informed him that signed service agreements/businesses get priority and that after 30+ hours of plowing I needed a few hours of shut eye. Moral of the story: waiting until the last possible minute DOES NOT make your problem my emegency. Second Moral of the story: If I must handle your emergency, your wallet is going to hurt because being stupid is costly.

 

[jrider]

Had a "similar" problem when the big snow hit back in January. A lawn customer leaves me a voicemail 2 hrs before the snow starts and says if we get more than 5" (weather service was already predicting 12-18") he wants me to come by and clear his driveway. The snow finally quit flying(31" total, plus drifting) around 8pm Saturday. His calls to find out when I'd be there began about an hour later. The hissy fits didn't begin until Sunday morning when I informed him that signed service agreements/businesses get priority and that after 30+ hours of plowing I needed a few hours of shut eye. Moral of the story: waiting until the last possible minute DOES NOT make your problem my emegency. Second Moral of the story: If I must handle your emergency, your wallet is going to hurt because being stupid is costly.

I hope you got more for plowing that much snow than normal, especially from guys like him.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I have a friend that bought lumber cutoffs from a rafter company and did some math that it was enough for 2 winters. I tried to tell him his math was wrong but I'm the dummy.

He ran out a few weeks ago.

I sell wood year round, have quite a few orders right now for next year's wood.

 

[ponyexpress976]

I hope you got more for plowing that much snow than normal, especially from guys like him.

You would think...but most people complained about their invoices. My response was "when was the last time we got a average season's snow fall in 24hrs? "I never actually cleared the a$$hat in question. He couldn't wait and did it himself. I was at the neighbor's house 2 hours later.