FREE firewood debate
WOW, you guys ARE the veritable grill committee, but I say that with love and respect. Thanks for the kind disclaimer, 165. You all bring up many good points. As far as "offering a discount to leaving the wood at streetside"... yes, always. I let the client opt for the savings, or not. If nay, the higher price is worth it for me to haul it off, but they almost always opt for the savings as long as the wood's going to leave, regardless. Also yes to putting it on the client's lawn inside the sidewalk line. Taking professional liberties to utilize city property without permission, a no-no. Public safety, yes. Replying to the 'mess of an unsightly pile', also a no-no. I led my reply earlier with 'cutting excellent quality pieces.... consistent length and NO STUBS'. The wood gets STACKED, not piled, and it stacks well because there are no protruberences (or is that protrusions, Nick?). This also answers Geofore's question about about cutting the limbs off at 60 degree angles for ease of feeding -- cutting the limbs off flush with the plane of the log achieves this (this is how to make firewood, NOT, I repeat NOT how I prune branches off limbs remaining on the tree) Passersby see a nicely stacked arrangement and they envision this alongside their own house. It doesn't really take much more time or effort to stack vs. pile It's part of the 'recycling' strategy, or finding a good home for the wood. Also, I like to get a few pieces out there as soon as possible with the FREE sign, early on in the job. If someone stops and I've got a bunch of pieces that haven't made it out to the stack, I'll get em on the landslide and wheel them right to their car or truck and assist helping them load up. Got a good number of new jobs this way and occasionally they want the chips, too (which are also FREE). Lastly, if there IS still a pile there by the time I get done (which there usually isn't) I tell them there's no need to pay me until it's all gone, and I leave them a self-addressed stamped envelope, OR "If it's not gone in 24 to 36 hours, you call me, and I'll come get it". In 8 years, I've never gotten that call because at that point its a small pile, otherwise I'd have called one of my firewood people. People taking the big rounds used to be a problem, but now I have an entirely amazing vertical splitter ONBOARD my chipper. I don't use it a whole lot, but it's an onboard warrior waiting to crack the big rounds into sizes people can handle (and there's no chance of kids rolling rounds down the street after I leave).
Sometimes the FREE thing is simply not appropriate, like on a high-traffic street, and I need to make that judgement call before offering the option. On my estimate sheet I always say "Price includes full cleanup and arrange removal of the firewood pieces". Arrange removal. Either somebody will take it, or I will. Bottom line, ALWAYS with the customer's consent, and they get first choice on any wood they might want. The word FREE, gentlemen, is a very powerful word. Quality wood is valuable, city or country and just about anywhere. If it's FREE, it's very worth it for SOMEONE. Lastly, don't expect even the most beautiful pile to spontaneously walk away - it takes a FREE sign to communicate clearly. Everyone understands free. It means "this is YOURS if you want it". Not taking biodegradable wood-based materials to occupy valuable landfill space I consider not only an environmental initiative, but an ecological responsibility. That's just me, though. Everyone's got different situations and settings and you need to use your professional judgement and do what is best for you and your clients.
