gonna try selling firewood this year

[WhiteMike]

i love hunting and cutting my own firewood, and with hundreds of miles of forest service roads out my back door i think its time for me to take advantage especially after reading about some of the guys on here who sell it. So for those of you who do...

How did you start out? Selling by the cord on craigslist? Do you have the same customers over and over or just whoever calls you from craigslist ads? How much do you sell per year? Do you make a good profit vs the time you put in?

Do you use the same method for selling bundles? If not, how do you go about promoting the sale of bundles? i see bundles for sale at ridiculous prices at stores all over town. I live in a huge destination for camping and they are building a couple new stores in town so i think if i get a hold of the owner/manager i might have an in. I definitely wont step on anybodys toes and try to sell to a store that already has a supplier. basically id like to know how you started selling bundles, how much do you sell at a time to certain stores, any contracts invovled etc, how much you put in a bundle and how much you charge, how you actually bundle it, etc.

right now all i have is a 1/2 ton pickup with a 6.5 ft bed so it takes me about 3 hours to find, fell, buck and be back home but its probably only 1/2 to 3/4 cord with that bed filled to as much as it can hold. im assuming id need a dump trailer (especailly for deliveries if i sold by the cord) but if that were the case im assuming i could get at least 2 cord per trip. I plan on going every saturday starting march 31st as all of the roads are only open to snow mobiles until then.

please let me know if theres anything i missed or any other advice you can think of

thanks!

 

[svk]

If you can find a market for bundles then you are golden. Otherwise just get the word out, don't short anyone, and make sure the wood is dry if you are selling it as seasoned.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Shell out about 300k for used equipment... that'll be a start.

 

[stihlman27]

When I first started 4 years ago I had a half ton truck an axe a small 5 ton electric splitter and my Ms 290 first year I sold 3 cord after that each year got better. Right now as you can see in my signature I've come pretty far last year I sold 16 cord. In the process of buying a 6 x 12 dump trailer now. Just like what svk said make sure you don't short no one and make sure the wood is dry and seasoned. Look on your local Craigslist and compare prices, I keep my wood set at a solid price. As far as time vs labor I'm not to sure as I really enjoy just being out in the wood cutting.

 

[Jere39]

i love hunting and cutting my own firewood, and with hundreds of miles of forest service roads out my back door i think its time for me to take advantage especially after reading about some of the guys on here who sell it. So for those of you who do...

. . .

thanks!

That's why I do it and that in itself is really all I need. If I wanted a return on my hours spent outside, I'd probably do better as a golf caddy.

To your questions:
I started with a CL ad, and by the second year had established a customer base that likes the wood I offer, the business model I operate, so, I haven't run an ad for over 5 years. I have no problems with payment, I have developed some friendships among the guys that buy from me. We always chat about where the big deer are, or who's dog is working birds or ducks better this year, or just share a box of Dunkin Donuts and sit on a tailgate for a while.
I cut, split, stack, and sell about 16 cord a year. I don't typically realize an actual profit, preferring to plow my earnings back into various equipment like ATV, grapple, new saw, . . .

I own a pick-up truck, but prefer to use a trailer for hauling wood. I can load it in the woods, pull it out with my tractor or ATV, then switch the trailer to the truck on the driveway for delivery.

My advice, do it because you enjoy it, you aren't likely going to get rich

 

[unclemoustache]

This year I separated species- hard and soft. 2 different prices. Some sellers mix it all together.
Feel free to add a delivery charge (flat fee or per-mile) with free delivery within so-many miles.
Also consider a stacking fee. I do $20, and find that usually keeps me from having to stack and customer feels like he is saving money.
I also have a card reader on my phone. It charges high fees, which I pass onto the customer (extra $8 or so for every $100) but it at least gives another pay option.

In my ad, I want to educate the customer to not get scammed, so I have an explanation at the bottom about what a "cord" is and is not. 128 cu ft, or a stack 4x4x8. Some people use the term cord to mean 'face cord' which is only 1/3 of a cord. 'Rick,' 'rank,' are also terms for a face cord. A full size truck can hold a full cord only if there are sides on the bed as high as the roof.

Good idea to give a bit over, be friendly and polite but don't let anyone walk over you. I keep a moisture meter on the truck and show the customer how dry it is. (Whitespider may have something to say about that).

CL ads are great, but there may be fb pages in your area where people are always posting yard sales, lost dogs, street repairs, etc.

Bundles are where it's at. Try local hardware stores also. Pretty much anything with a store front. You do all the work and they profit a buck or two for each bundle. Even a smoke shop or thrift store might be interested in that.

 

[Big_Al]

Also keep in mind if you're cutting on forest service land they usually require you buy permits. Normally limited to dead or down trees and usually you can only buy 10-12 cords of permits. Over here its also personal use only, no sales.

 

[fireemt799]

Are you planning to do this as a hobby, side income or full time business? First thing I would advise is taking a business plan class from your local sba, sbdc or college. They are offered several times a year and will give you a lot of great information. Dump anything always means more money in insurance, maintenance and repairs. I don't see the point in all kinds of unnecessary equipment some people like to use. Only adds to your expenses and cuts into your bottom line. Load your truck and when you get back home back up to the splitter and split as you unload. A wheelbarrow can haul a lot of wood if you cant get your truck close and doesn't cost any fuel. Do you have a location that you can sell bundles from at your yard? That is how you make the most money from bundles. As far as wholesale bundles don't even attempt it until you have enough of a supply built up to meet the orders. There is no quicker way to cut your throat then get an order and not be able to fill it, word will get around quickly. What are regulations on wood and bundles in your area? Any restrictions due to bugs or diseases? If you have to heat treat and certify your wood for bundles you are looking at 6 figures for a kiln to do that. The list of questions you need to answer goes on. I do bundles wholesale and retail, several hundred cords of firewood and contracts each year. I started out with a hand saw, ax and a ford ranger pick up. I still don't have a bunch of fancy equipment just the basics, splitter, bundler, chainsaws, trucks, fork lift and kiln I designed and built myself. You can spend a ton of money on equipment and barely make it or go broke. Or you can start small and buy necessary equipment when you have the cash for it and keep your profits better.

 

[rarefish383]

This is my 8' dump trailer. When split and stacked tight, loaded to the top of the side boards, is one cord. It has electric brakes on it. Before hooking up a brake controller, it was flat out scary going down hill behind my Ram 1500 4X4. It would push you all over the place. With brakes hooked up, no problem. It's rated at 5000 pounds, and with a load of green Oak it is over weight. Dry Oak puts it right at it's limit. I don't see anyway you can put two cord on a half ton and trailer and not be a DOT risk. As far as extra insurance for the dump trailer, in MD, my insurance is $18 extra per year. The trailer is covered by the vehicle that's pulling it. But if it got damaged it wasn't covered, just the other guy. The Extra $18 gets full replacement of the trailer. If a tree fell on it in my yard, it would be covered, Joe.

 

[absrio]

you'll want a super split. http://www.supersplit.com/home/index.html

 

[HardyBurner35]

My father and I run a small time firewood business In Illinois. This is just our second year and we have picked up enough customers to slack on advertising and to be as busy as we want to be. Most of our customers are city folk who burn a load a year in their fireplace. For these folks, dry wood is a priority. We do have 2 customers with outdoor boilers and they are a lot easier to deal with. You can sell them bigger chunks and even semi-seasoned wood that isn't ready to burn in fireplaces.
We have an old f-150 with a 6.5 foot bed and sideboards that we deliver all of our wood in. We advertise it as 2 face cords. It is definitely a selling point when you offer to stack the load for them. We have sold over 30 cords this year. Its not a big money maker, especially between 2 people. For my father who is retired, it is just a hobby. I help him out because I am out of work in the winters and because he lets me use his equipment to cut the wood for my outdoor boiler.

 

[user 122190]

A few years ago the top mechanic for the Shoshone Yamaha in Pinehurst Id told me, he and his teenage son cut and delivered 80 cords one summer. Seemed like a hell of a lot of work, but the $12K surely bought a lot of steaks for him and his family. I can't imagine doing this without help and some good heavy equipment to help ease the load. When I'm feeling real active, I can almost cut and haul a cord a day. The next day I can hardly move.

 

[farmer steve]

i think you guys scared the OP away with all this hard work talk. just kidding. some very good points have been brought up for the OP to consider. i'll say from experience that a happy,satisfied customer is a return customer and the best advertising you can have.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

This year I separated species- hard and soft. 2 different prices. Some sellers mix it all together.
Feel free to add a delivery charge (flat fee or per-mile) with free delivery within so-many miles.
Also consider a stacking fee. I do $20, and find that usually keeps me from having to stack and customer feels like he is saving money.
I also have a card reader on my phone. It charges high fees, which I pass onto the customer (extra $8 or so for every $100) but it at least gives another pay option.

In my ad, I want to educate the customer to not get scammed, so I have an explanation at the bottom about what a "cord" is and is not. 128 cu ft, or a stack 4x4x8. Some people use the term cord to mean 'face cord' which is only 1/3 of a cord. 'Rick,' 'rank,' are also terms for a face cord. A full size truck can hold a full cord only if there are sides on the bed as high as the roof.

Good idea to give a bit over, be friendly and polite but don't let anyone walk over you. I keep a moisture meter on the truck and show the customer how dry it is. (Whitespider may have something to say about that).

CL ads are great, but there may be fb pages in your area where people are always posting yard sales, lost dogs, street repairs, etc.

Bundles are where it's at. Try local hardware stores also. Pretty much anything with a store front. You do all the work and they profit a buck or two for each bundle. Even a smoke shop or thrift store might be interested in that.

Not sure what you are using, but Square reader is about 3%. I don't charge extra. That's not SOP. It's just the cost of doing business.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I don't see the point in all kinds of unnecessary equipment some people like to use. Only adds to your expenses and cuts into your bottom line. .

Completely needed things, at a minimum...

Chainsaw
Log truck
Skidder
Forklift or skid steer
Processor
Dump truck

Ideally too...
Feller buncher
Delimber
At least 2 dump trucks

I'm not "big", I do about 500 cords a year. I could double it with more laborers though, the demand is certainly there. Just workers are expensive!

 

[Tenderfoot]

This was my first year selling wood seriously. Advertising varies. I avoid craigslist for most things, just too many other folks on there. I used word of mouth and my other business contacts. I moved 50 cords this fall, and am still going. Get tree service wood for free. Took it home from work in the summer and get it brought to me other times. But, I am urban. My limit to how much wood I can sell is only space in my yard and nothing else.

For equipment I have got an M101 trailer and a 1 ton SRW truck for deliveries, I can move about 1 1/4 cord at a time that way, but I only move one. Not dumping the wood is an advantage, people seem to like not having bark chips and other waste in their driveways, just clean wood. But, it takes longer to unload. I have a 22 ton ariens splitter, 3 saws, 3 splitting axes, and the tools to fix them and spare parts. Chaps and a hard hat are a must IMO. You really do not need a lot of the equipment if you keep things small time. You can make just as much money hourly if you don't invest in $100k of equipment.

Personally, I would not want to tow two cords with a half ton. I would stick to a 3/4 or 1 ton truck for that kind of job. Your operating costs are really not much higher with the 1 ton either, when you are empty.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

No junk when I dump aside from a bit that comes off the wood, same as if you tossed it off a pickup bed.

 

[merc_man]

I advertised on kijiji the first year. I really didnt want a huge clientel and never advertised the next year. The ones that called me back is the ones i sell wood to. Probly be better off working ot on a saturday for extra cash but cutting wood is what i enjoy.

Im down to just selling to two people now. That makes me enough extra cash if i need a new saw or parts it comes out of that money.

I sell mine for 60 bucks a face cord.
Also as mentioned above dont short anybody. I alway throw an extra arm full on. I had one person accually pile then measure and let me know later ther was exacly a cord.

Sent from my SM-J320W8 using Tapatalk

 

[fearofpavement]

I have a 6 x 12 dump trailer and if I toss the wood in, it will only hold a cord of split wood heaped as much as possible without it falling out. I could probably fit two cord in it if I stacked it in there but that would be too time consuming. I don't deliver wood and that really limits my sales but I don't care. Not going to spend the time and expense to deliver. Customers pick up wood at my site. They load their conveyance and then I measure it and charge them $x per cubic foot. I help load. Wood sales around here are really weather dependent. Ice storm coming? Then the phone calls start...

As far as the minimum equipment to start selling firewood? A pick up truck, 2 chainsaws, a couple of mauls, a wheelbarrow and a strong back. Get some wood built up and then start advertising it. Have some business cards made up and hand them out to people. Go from there.

 

[fearofpavement]

One other thing to add regarding wood. A lot depends on your potential market. If you live in/near a large city, you can probably get twice for your wood than a rural area would draw. I don't make enough profit on firewood that I would split and stack it if I hadn't already been paid to cut it. ie, it's a byproduct of my tree service. Some people think I want their tree to cut up for firewood. I don't. Not unless I get paid to cut it up and haul it off. About the best I can do around here is $140 a cord (picked up). I have found that there seems to be more demand for "cooking wood" or "smoker wood" than just regular firewood. So in the future, I intend to "sort" more of my wood by specie and specialize in the smoker wood market. Also check to see if there are restrictions against "moving" wood in your area. Some places you can't take it across county lines, etc.