mga
wandering
lol...i think that's a record number of words for a tom trees post!!!!!!
Delivered cord $$$
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lol...i think that's a record number of words for a tom trees post!!!!!!
avalancher
Arboristsite Raconteur
Ohiowoodguy
ArboristSite Operative
The nearest I can figure, from the misleading info from the oil companies, is that $300/cord firewood is still less than 1/2 the price of gas or oil, if you have a reasonably efficient woodburner; and about 1/3 the price of electric heat.
I think its about time the firewood dealers (us) earn more than $3/hour, but the overwhelming number of dishonest dealers are still gonna keep our reputations in the gutter
.
I think its about time the firewood dealers (us) earn more than $3/hour, but the overwhelming number of dishonest dealers are still gonna keep our reputations in the gutter
.
NDtreehugger
ArboristSite Guru
The nearest I can figure, from the misleading info from the oil companies, is that $300/cord firewood is still less than 1/2 the price of gas or oil, if you have a reasonably efficient woodburner; and about 1/3 the price of electric heat.
I think its about time the firewood dealers (us) earn more than $3/hour, but the overwhelming number of dishonest dealers are still gonna keep our reputations in the gutter
Naw
Just give an honest cord kick in a bit of kindling maybe a free stacking
hand them a card tell them delivery on the 2nd cord of the year is free delivery if with in given miles, take your biz to the next level offer chimney cleaning dishonest dealers will end up going away
I was thinking the same thing. Last year all the guys who cleaned a tree up or a fence row and ran out of wood early sold too cheap. I took the heat later on from folks who complained about my price. I simply told them that I would not sell wood for less. I put way too much effort, time and money into making firewood and will not give it away. I told them "take it or leave it". Most of them are now calling me and asking that I not forget them this year.
It makes me sick to see what you guys get for wood, price around here is 180 a cord, and it had better all be oak or the customer wont take it. I have had nothing but complaints since our wood went up from 50 bucks a rick to 60 for this year. Have been called a price gouger three times already.
I get the same thing. I'm nice about things but I simply will not give it away. If you want wood from me you are going to pay for my labor, my gas and towards all the expensive equipment I have. I'll burn it myself or let it rot before I'll give it away. And no, I do not get as many calls as those guys who are cheaper but I will always give you a good honest cord and I have had repeat customers for years. Stick with your guns and get the price you need to make a little money (or might as well go flip burgers - it's alot safer!)
Scootermsp
ArboristSite Guru
You are right
Fortunately there are people out there that realize you get what you pay for. The smart customers know that they get more heat from a full cord of HW at a higher price than they do from a skimpy cord with pine mixed in. Oftentimes it is cheaper to spend more money for a superior product
Fortunately there are people out there that realize you get what you pay for. The smart customers know that they get more heat from a full cord of HW at a higher price than they do from a skimpy cord with pine mixed in. Oftentimes it is cheaper to spend more money for a superior product
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
It has been 150 a full cord of seasoned here for too long. I noticed
no one had the prices in the paper this year so maybe finally they
are understanding it is worth more for the labor involved. I don't sell
it for a living but have been asked and on rare occasion for some of
my good tree customers deliver them some. It just is not going to
keep the lights on for me. I burn seven cords per year though and
it saves me more than I would make selling it!
no one had the prices in the paper this year so maybe finally they
are understanding it is worth more for the labor involved. I don't sell
it for a living but have been asked and on rare occasion for some of
my good tree customers deliver them some. It just is not going to
keep the lights on for me. I burn seven cords per year though and
it saves me more than I would make selling it!
KsWoodsMan
Addicted to ArboristSite
He gets right to the point. No candy coating or long explanations.
Firewood can't stay at depression prices forever. Fuel has costs, saws, equipment and PPE cost us too. The PU, truck or truck and trailer didn't come free. If we hire any help or pay the kids to help they like having some folding money from time to time as we go along. This all adds up over time.
For fuel and pre-mix I have about $20 in each cord I bring home. I pay the boys a portion for each cord they help with. I generally cut/scrounge what is going to get used us. A cord takes us about 3 hours to go, fell, brush, buck, hand split, load, haul, unload/stack. My boys ( 11 & 13 ) like to get about 30-40 bucks apiece a day for a good weekend workout. I have $100 per cord just in fuel and wages. That doesnt include the cost of the truck, the saws or maintenance, log chains, trailer or my time. Everything else has to come out of my half of what we sell it for. I like treeservice wood best.
I advertise for $210 U-pickup or $270 delivered for an honest cord. To deliver on an 8 ft bed it has to be reasonably stacked and tied to make it very far. The boys get a cut of this and the customer can measure it if he likes.If he wants it stacked it has to be within easy throwing distance. We charge extra for stacking. This rounds it out to an even $300 delivered and stacked.
Will that price go up this winter ? yes, naturally I've had to store it that much longer. The storage of wood ties up space and there is always a chance of loss to theft. Winter brings a shortage of wood and those that are caught unprepared pay the price. I put it right in my ad that the price is going to go up when the supply runs out. Save some money, buy it early and know you have it when you need it.
mga
wandering
i noticed locally on craigslist, there are many advertising to remove trees for free just for the wood. i'm sure they are selling the wood as firewood.
but, are these people considered "scags" because they're taking work away from real arborists? how much of the free removal puts a dent into legitimate businesses that depend on tree work?
but, are these people considered "scags" because they're taking work away from real arborists? how much of the free removal puts a dent into legitimate businesses that depend on tree work?
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Bass
ArboristSite Member
you can't even get long lengths around here anymore. i've called my reg guy countless times to no avail and the other ones are selling it for 110.00 a cord if they have it.
no construction, no new roads, no new homes and a huge demand for firewood this year due to the oil prices seems to have a major impact on the prices here..
avalancher
Arboristsite Raconteur
I remove trees for folks that want a tree removed, but I try real hard not to tread on the toes of the pros that do it for a living. I will drop a tree for the wood if its a good tree for firewood like oak or hickory and if it is just a simple drop in a pasture or something. Nothing complicated, no structures nearby, etc.
If the tree ends up being a safety issue, I try and talk the homeowners into calling a pro. I try and look at it from both points of view. One guy had a large white oak in a large yard with nothing in the way, he said he got an estimate from an arborists to take it down. The guy wanted 800 bucks to drop it and cut into lengths with no cleanup. I did it for him, we shared the wood 50/50.
Two hours later the tree was down and cut into lengths. 800 bucks for two hours of work? Took me another hour to load my trailer and the homeowner cleaned up all the branches. We both walked away from it happy.
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
That is why people think that tree work rocks but what they fail
to see is the overhead involved to make that money! By the time
legitimate business pays it's overhead they are lucky if they make
anything. I used to get angry with firewood free ads but now just
wait and watch as some firewooder lands a tree on the house!
I really don't even like to go on estimates anymore as most are
cheapskates but enough see the value to keep the lights lit, the
other crowd just adds to overhead and I am getting better at breaking
their code per phone contact!
going rate in S Michigan seem to be around $70 per face cord or $210 per full cord. Ive been buying green unsplit rounds all summer for $105 per full cord. Have about 20 full so far to start splitting this fall for the next few years
avalancher
Arboristsite Raconteur
I fully understand your point about overhead, and I wasnt trying to tread on anyones toes, especially someone that does tree work for a living. I guess my point is that in this industry like every other industry there are plenty of guys that want to take advantage of folks by overcharging them for a service, and it really just makes the industry as a whole look bad. Some folks get frustrated when they get an estimate and dont bother asking around for some more bids and then develop an opinion about the industry as a whole.
I will have to say one thing, I have pointed more people to a professional than trees that I have dropped by far when it comes to taking trees down in someones yard.
In the particular case that I mentioned, there is no way that anyone can justify 800 bucks for a two hour job. It was a simple drop and buck.
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
While in that case maybe not but I have made the same hourly before
and do not feel bad. I will tell you it is worth more than we usually get
and is a profession so should be similar to Lawyer, Doctor etc. The problem
is; that even though it is a profession, too many people cheat legitimate
businesses by doing work unlicensed,non-insured etc. Many of these workers undermining legitimate businesses know the basics so they can get some jobs done the easy ones leaving nothing but the hard work for the true professional to do. Maybe they sell too many chainsaws, maybe they need to check business licences better. The thing is; getting caught doing business without a privilege license is a stiff fine that many do not even know exists.
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nickblaze466
ArboristSite Operative
I don't consider them scags. If they can do it cheaper then I can then by all means, go for it. There is a risk that if the tree drops on a house or a car, then its up to the homeowner to float the bill or get a lawyer to get it paid for.
At the same time if there isn't competition then whos to say i can't charge you 10k to remove a pine tree? i know some people will gripe about it, or not agree with me, but its a business just like everything else. there are expenses, there is overhead, there is a lot of nickel and dime stuff that the customers don't know about, its a trade off. free market and all that.
As more people switch back to burning wood the price is only going to go higher, and higher, and higher....... simple law of supply and demand. which in turn is going to make the price of logs for the sawmill go up
If they let you burn wood in the year 2050 what is it going to cost??? $3500 a cord?
If they let you burn wood in the year 2050 what is it going to cost??? $3500 a cord?
avalancher
Arboristsite Raconteur
Why be mad? Its the same as any other commodity, supply and demand. I think the price should go up as the winter progresses. I know I have thought many times while trying to deliver wood in really bad weather that these folks should have thought about their winter wood supply back when the weather wasnt so bad. Bad enough that I am trying to struggle up a steep hill in the snow with a load of wood, worse when I get there and they are mad that they have to pay a little more!
As the winter progresses, you are going to see a lot more "mixed wood" for sale, I think this winter people are going to be burning a lot more and burning what ever they can get a hold of, including mixed wood. I know I have 8 cords set aside of mixed stuff when the oak and hickory sell out and I certainly dont have a problem selling or burning it myself.
