how may of you guys sell fire wood?

[TREETX]

hey TM, thanks for reminding me exactly who I was poking fun at.

If it works for you, go for it. Markets vary. The closest thing to getting rid of a lot of logs I've had was leaving them with a bbq joint that would take all the oak we had. It was oak wilt smoked bbq.

if there is such a market for wood, seems like you could find someone who does firewood on their own and just have them come after you at jobs.

 

[johncinco]

I have been out a few days withh hunting season, and delivering the firewood I had already taken some orders for. I cut wood all year long, a couple hours at a time and stack it up in the woods. I delivered 11 cords of wood about 40 miles south of me. I got $195 per cord, dumped on the ground. A couple guys wanted it stacked and I charged $45 to do that. I also gave 2 elderly discounts at $150. Keeps me busy, made enough to pay for my snowmobile trips the winter, and keeps my woods clean.

 

[Treeman14]

Not much demand for firewood around these parts. I did give away a load of oak to a BBQ place last week. Saved on dump fees and got a free lunch. Yum.

 

[Newfie]

Brett,

Did they stack your lunch by the side of the road and put a big FREE sign on it?

 

[Tree Machine]

Quit pickin on me.

 

[DDM]

Interesting thread

 

[hamptontreeguy]

i sell a cord for $275 seasoned stacked and delivered but by the time my 2 guys split, deliver and stack it i make about 20 dollars off it. the only good part is that i have my guys split it in the summer when i am making good money so in the winter when i am slow i can have some cash to get me by till spring

 

[teamtree]

why bother?

We split firewood in our down time or to end a short day in the field. I believe that firewood is a break-even situation at best. I have had to stop my guys from splitting wood to fill out a day or week because they just do not do it fast enough. To make 15-20 an hour on it...you have to work hard. Especially around here, guys are selling it delivered for $120 per cord.

I just raised my prices and hold steady....make some nice money on the side. For example...sell a truck load for $60 on Saturday...I take my wife out that night. I like doing it but would not consider doing it for less.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Yeah Dave, glad you pulled it back up.

I just sold my first run ( or 16 inch face i read somewhere that a run is a standard 1/3 cord) for $50 U-Pick, the going rate here is around $85 per run.

Mine has only ben curing for 5 months, so I discounted it. The guy lives near by...

With NG and heating oil so high they cannot make stoves and inserts fast enough for the market right now.

I'll be setting up drying ricks next year, now that I'm on a main road I should be able to do a bit more of this then before.

 

[SteveBullman]

i'll never understand how people say they cant make any money out of firewood....ive done great by it. in fact it subsidises my tree work if anything.
just about everything in my house, furniture wise is bought and paid for through my firewood sales alone every year

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

i'll never understand how people say they cant make any money out of firewood

I guess it plays on how you run the company. If you have a lot of work all year long and don't need to use it to work the employees in the bad weather, then the ROI may not be there.

I know people on both sides of the equasion; it fits thier small buisness well, others who cannot spend the man/ equipment hours on something that has a very low margin of profit.

DO you pay people to prosess and deliver the wood, or do you do it yourself? I've talked to some people who did the math on it (before fuel prices went way up!) and found that the deliveries were at best loss leaders with thier best clients.

 

[SteveBullman]

i cut and deliver myself at the minute,but even with employing someone there would still be a good bit of profit in it,so long as i was present to ensure the processing kept up to speed. one big company i know decided it was more profitable to do all the cutting themselves whilst the boys did the nice tree jobs.
firewood is a hard job to get motivated for if you're not seeing the profit yourself

 

[Big A]

!!!

I too have found firewood a rewarding outlet in the past, cutting, splitting and netting logs for a small, successful niche market. I never wanted it to take over as a main earner b ut I think it would do if I took the time. This time of year people seem willing to pay over the odds for logs if it means they dont have to mess about with them. Keep the nets small enough and even little old ladies can manage them (and the profits higher!!)