Price increases

[sb47]

I went up 15% to cover costs and buying power of profits. But I should have done more. I’m all of a month behind right now, can’t get people taken care of. Working so many hours my wife is pissed off. I tried to give a guy a 4 cord job for 100% of the money and he wouldn’t take it. It’s more than he usually sells wood for and would be picked up no delivery. People aren’t working. I’m gonna have to go up an other $50 because I can’t stand to be so far behind. Makes it hard to sleep.

I had been wanting to go up for awhile but was afraid I might loose customers because of it but with the economy going the way it is I figured now was a good time to do it, so I can blame it on the economy.
I didn't go up a whole lot but I did go up some. I went up 5 dollars for my bagged wood making my 15 dollar wood now 20 bucks and my 20 dollar bags are now 25 bucks and my cord wood I went up 40 bucks a quarter from 120 a quarter to 160.
Most people around her only buy a quarter or half at a time witch is a half truck load to a full truck load.
I'm not seeing much resistance because everyone knows everything is going up.
My bags I use went up double and of course fuel and oil, chains for the saw all have gone up as well.
My biggest selling point is the quality of the wood I produce because I do mostly cooking wood then just regular firewood. I have many regulars that always comment on the quality of my wood particularly after they buy from someone else.
Your never going to make everyone happy, that's just how it is, so don't loose any sleep over it. There will always be someone that thinks wood prices should be decades behind inflation. Just do your best and don't worry about the bargain hunters and tire kickers, they will never be the ones that keep you in business.

 

[SamT1]

I had been wanting to go up for awhile but was afraid I might loose customers because of it but with the economy going the way it is I figured now was a good time to do it, so I can blame it on the economy.
I didn't go up a whole lot but I did go up some. I went up 5 dollars for my bagged wood making my 15 dollar wood now 20 bucks and my 20 dollar bags are now 25 bucks and my cord wood I went up 40 bucks a quarter from 120 a quarter to 160.
Most people around her only buy a quarter or half at a time witch is a half truck load to a full truck load.
I'm not seeing much resistance because everyone knows everything is going up.
My bags I use went up double and of course fuel and oil, chains for the saw all have gone up as well.
My biggest selling point is the quality of the wood I produce because I do mostly cooking wood then just regular firewood. I have many regulars that always comment on the quality of my wood particularly after they buy from someone else.
Your never going to make everyone happy, that's just how it is, so don't loose any sleep over it. There will always be someone that thinks wood prices should be decades behind inflation. Just do your best and don't worry about the bargain hunters and tire kickers, they will never be the ones that keep you in business.

I’m the most expensive in my immediate area. But I’m the only one who sells wood always. Once people buy from me once they pretty much always do. A lot of the other guys skimp on volume and sell small wood. I sneak in 25% green almost always just because dead trees are limited. Rarely does anyone even notice or care. Probably because they wouldn’t even get that 25% buying elsewhere. I do some horrible delivery’s now and then.
Lots of new customers this year since the guys that do 10-20 aren’t do it for some reason. I’ve been bit by a mean dog, ghosted by a lady I guess didn’t have money when I knocked on door, had a lady reject my load showing me 12” long and 3” max diameter stick telling me she wanted a load of that. Accused of bringing a guy all green even though I know he is super picky and didn’t bring any green. It’s been a fun year.

 

[sb47]

I’m the most expensive in my immediate area. But I’m the only one who sells wood always. Once people buy from me once they pretty much always do. A lot of the other guys skimp on volume and sell small wood. I sneak in 25% green almost always just because dead trees are limited. Rarely does anyone even notice or care. Probably because they wouldn’t even get that 25% buying elsewhere. I do some horrible delivery’s now and then.
Lots of new customers this year since the guys that do 10-20 aren’t do it for some reason. I’ve been bit by a mean dog, ghosted by a lady I guess didn’t have money when I knocked on door, had a lady reject my load showing me 12” long and 3” max diameter stick telling me she wanted a load of that. Accused of bringing a guy all green even though I know he is super picky and didn’t bring any green. It’s been a fun year.

That's why I stopped doing delivery's all together. Way to many ways to get burned or have complaints. Being pick up only and having it stacked, they can see exactly what they are getting and they can choose what ever stack they want. If they don't like what I have to offer, they can keep shopping somewhere else or pay in advance for custom cut and split wood. I will not do custom orders without getting paid in advance. Some like a mix of dry seasoned and some green wood. They will buy a quarter of green and a quarter of dry seasoned wood.

 

[Captain Bruce]

How many face cord is in a "full cord" for sure? I've always had 2 measurements: pulp cord for length wood 4' x 4' x 8', and a face cord (rick, fireplace cord) for cut split wood 4' x 8' x 16". Sure would like to know what's going for $800 out east and $650 out west. Around here (Northern Lower MI) pulp cord wood is around $100 and a face cord is $65 - $85, both delivered within 20 miles give or take, and usually mixed hardwood. Really would like to see how a "full cord" is measured once cut and stacked.

I agree, and being originally from Canada, just outside Windsor/Detroit.....we would cut, split wood for weeks. A buzz saw was used for anything under 8" given the lack of need to split. When the wood is loaded, on flat rack wagons, or in trailers made from old pick-up trucks, we'd put a bush cord in the yard for $150, and come fetch the trailer next day. A face cord, more commonly known to homeowners a s simply a cord, is always 60-80 bucks.......and thats kicked off on the front lawn. EVERY stick was sold by Nov. 1. Sounds like none of this makes sense to you? A bush cord, or full cord? Thats a google question. Coming to this forum, for basic info.? If you are cutting and selling firewood, you must be losing your ass if you don't know what a cord is......

 

[sb47]

I agree, and being originally from Canada, just outside Windsor/Detroit.....we would cut, split wood for weeks. A buzz saw was used for anything under 8" given the lack of need to split. When the wood is loaded, on flat rack wagons, or in trailers made from old pick-up trucks, we'd put a bush cord in the yard for $150, and come fetch the trailer next day. A face cord, more commonly known to homeowners a s simply a cord, is always 60-80 bucks.......and thats kicked off on the front lawn. EVERY stick was sold by Nov. 1. Sounds like none of this makes sense to you? A bush cord, or full cord? Thats a google question. Coming to this forum, for basic info.? If you are cutting and selling firewood, you must be losing your ass if you don't know what a cord is......

A true legal cord is 128 cubic feet no mater how you slice it. Anything else is a fraction of a legal cord.
In my opinion if you use the word cord in the description it must be a legal cord. I don't advertise with the word cord but instead I use the word "stack" and give the measurement.
I do this because how you cut it determines how much labor is involved.
A true legal cord (128cf) cut to 24'' only needs 2 rows stacked 4 feet high and 8 feet long.
The same 128cf cord cut to 16" takes 3 rows 4'x8' to equal the same 128cf. That means more labor. More cutting, more splitting and more stacking.
Most fireplaces and wood stoves and BBQ pits are made with smaller fireboxes so a 24'' split is to long. That is why most people use the term face cord so they can get away from having to make 3 rows to make a legal cord.
I cut anywhere from 16'' to 20'' give or take, I'm not measuring every cut I make exactly so I just guess at it and I'm pretty close just by eyeballing it. Most is of my cuts are an average of 18''
My stacks are stacked in 4 1/2'x4' stacks and are 16 to 20'' long give or take and is a mix of both. The extra 1/2 foot tall and the extra length gives them a closer volume that is closer to a legal 1/4 cord. They can buy as many stacks as they like and they are all the same size. One stack equals a half truck load stacked real tight. 2 stacks equals a full truck load stacked in real tight. And they are all just a little bit over the height of the bed.
I get $160 for a 4 1/2'x 4' x 16''/20'' mixed length stack. I charge $160 for each stack with no discount for how many stacks they want. 2 stacks = $320. 4 stacks = $640 no discounts or good buddy deals allowed.

 

[Brufab]

Face cord 4'x8'x16"
Cord 4'x8'x48" or 3 face cords. Let me know if I am wrong guys that's just what I have always thought.

 

[NorthernMaverick]

I agree, and being originally from Canada, just outside Windsor/Detroit.....we would cut, split wood for weeks. A buzz saw was used for anything under 8" given the lack of need to split. When the wood is loaded, on flat rack wagons, or in trailers made from old pick-up trucks, we'd put a bush cord in the yard for $150, and come fetch the trailer next day. A face cord, more commonly known to homeowners a s simply a cord, is always 60-80 bucks.......and thats kicked off on the front lawn. EVERY stick was sold by Nov. 1. Sounds like none of this makes sense to you? A bush cord, or full cord? Thats a google question. Coming to this forum, for basic info.? If you are cutting and selling firewood, you must be losing your ass if you don't know what a cord is......

No I'm not losing my ass. We sell more pulp wood than cut/split wood. Whenever we did, it always was by face cords, so that's what I was used to.

 

[sgbotsford]

How many face cord is in a "full cord" for sure? I've always had 2 measurements: pulp cord for length wood 4' x 4' x 8', and a face cord (rick, fireplace cord) for cut split wood 4' x 8' x 16". Sure would like to know what's going for $800 out east and $650 out west. Around here (Northern Lower MI) pulp cord wood is around $100 and a face cord is $65 - $85, both delivered within 20 miles give or take, and usually mixed hardwood. Really would like to see how a "full cord" is measured once cut and stacked.

A face cord is 4' x 8' by the length of the chunk. So if you are cutting 2' chunks for fireplace use, a face cord is 4x8x2 and is 1/2 full cord.
If you are cutting 16" pieces for a wood heater, it would be 1/3 of a full cord.
If you are cutting 12" pieces for an old style wood range, or a franklin stove it would be 1/4 of a full cord.

 

[SamT1]

A face cord is 4' x 8' by the length of the chunk. So if you are cutting 2' chunks for fireplace use, a face cord is 4x8x2 and is 1/2 full cord.
If you are cutting 16" pieces for a wood heater, it would be 1/3 of a full cord.
If you are cutting 12" pieces for an old style wood range, or a franklin stove it would be 1/4 of a full cord.

I’d sell each of those scenarios for the same price. I sell clock time on the saw and labor time on me not dead trees. A guy having to pay for trees may charge different though.

 

[Cricket]

I spend my life arguing about this. At least a legal cord, you can show proof for, but the various definitions people use are all over the map.

Though I think a lot of folks arguing that a face cord (also called a rick around here anyway) has a very specific definition, are mostly embarrassed that they got screwed (by their lights) because they wanted 18" and got 16".

 

[sgbotsford]

Stacked versus loose:

It doesn't make that much difference. It's hard to compute, and in practice you do it by test. With gravel, the air space is about 28%. I suspect with a wood pile it would be somewhat higher at maybe 35%. But neatly stacked wood will still have air space in it. Depending how careful and how even your wood is, I'd expect it to be 15-20%. So you are gaining only about 15%.

So ballpark a 6 cord pile of wood would stack neatly to about 5 cords.

In my book, it's not worth the effort. My wood shed holds 9 cords on each side. I can afford to have it be only 7.5 "stack cords" as I only use about 5-6 cords a year.

 

[sb47]

I’d sell each of those scenarios for the same price. I sell clock time on the saw and labor time on me not dead trees. A guy having to pay for trees may charge different though.

In general when buying firewood you are mostly paying for the labor to produce it. More man hours and fuel and equipment cost are a factor as well. But for me it's mostly the labor cost that drives the price I ask.
If you are producing it by mostly manual labor, you are paying for the labor hours. But producing firewood with more expensive equipment you are paying for the cost of said equipment.
Automated equipment will produce it faster with less man hours but the cost of that equipment has to be passed on to the consumer.

 

[SamT1]

I spend my life arguing about this. At least a legal cord, you can show proof for, but the various definitions people use are all over the map.

Though I think a lot of folks arguing that a face cord (also called a rick around here anyway) has a very specific definition, are mostly embarrassed that they got screwed (by their lights) because they wanted 18" and got 16".

Yea if you have to advertise around here your screwed. I don’t know what new guys do. That may be why there’s no one new cutting. I don’t know of anyone selling a 4x4x8 cord with 3 rows of 16” pieces. Mainly because no one here wants that size.
but anyone advertising cheap is selling a face cord cut 18”.
most the guys advertising “full cord” are selling a stack 16’ long 3.5’ tall at best and 18” piece of wood. So you can imagine how hard it would be to sell a 128cf stack when guys are selling a half donkey stack for $150.

 

[farmer steve]

Face cord 4'x8'x16"
Cord 4'x8'x48" or 3 face cords. Let me know if I am wrong guys that's just what I have always thought.

Yep.

 

[farmer steve]

In general when buying firewood you are mostly paying for the labor to produce it. More man hours and fuel and equipment cost are a factor as well. But for me it's mostly the labor cost that drives my price I ask.
If you are producing it by mostly manual labor, you are paying for the labor hours. But with wood that is producing firewood with more expensive equipment you are paying for the cost of said equipment.
Automated equipment will reduce it faster with less man hours but the cost of that equipment has to be passed on to the consumer.

When a customer would ask my dad how much a load of wood was his answer almost always was free. Then proceeded to tell them how much it would cost for cutting, splitting and delivery. Dad is 90 and this is the first year I can remember that he is not selling wood.

 

[LoneOak]

Yea if you have to advertise around here your screwed. I don’t know what new guys do. That may be why there’s no one new cutting. I don’t know of anyone selling a 4x4x8 cord with 3 rows of 16” pieces. Mainly because no one here wants that size.
but anyone advertising cheap is selling a face cord cut 18”.
most the guys advertising “full cord” are selling a stack 16’ long 3.5’ tall at best and 18” piece of wood. So you can imagine how hard it would be to sell a 128cf stack when guys are selling a half donkey stack for $150.

I don't know what part of Texas you are in but around here, people who call me for firewood want 14" - 16" lengths 18" max. I advertise a cord @ 128 CuFt. and that's what I sell. If they want a half they will get 64 CuFt. I have been selling 2 - 3 cords a week since the end of September. I can barely keep up between tree removals and firewood deliveries. I guess people who know what a cord of wood is will buy from people who know what a cord of wood is.

 

[Brufab]

Yea i was looking for a woodburner and if your on the medium size ones alot say 16" max log capacity. The wood I cut to burn is usually in the 16-18" range.

 

[SamT1]

I don't know what part of Texas you are in but around here, people who call me for firewood want 14" - 16" lengths 18" max. I advertise a cord @ 128 CuFt. and that's what I sell. If they want a half they will get 64 CuFt. I have been selling 2 - 3 cords a week since the end of September. I can barely keep up between tree removals and firewood deliveries. I guess people who know what a cord of wood is will buy from people who know what a cord of wood is.

Old lady’s here would tell you to take that “chicken ****” wood home. It’s funny home everywhere is different.

I don't know what part of Texas you are in but around here, people who call me for firewood want 14" - 16" lengths 18" max. I advertise a cord @ 128 CuFt. and that's what I sell. If they want a half they will get 64 CuFt. I have been selling 2 - 3 cords a week since the end of September. I can barely keep up between tree removals and firewood deliveries. I guess people who know what a cord of wood is will buy from people who know what a cord of wood is.

I’m north of Abilene. My old lady’s wouldn’t let you unload 16” wood. They call that “chicken **** wood”. But half my people have regular fire places and the other half have apparently larger stoves. I do occasionally get a 16” order, but I get a whole lot more 24” orders. Half of what I sell is 24” cut for bbq joints. About as big as you can carry in one hand type stuff. Half is 20-22 for fireplaces.
I’ve run in the 10 a week range since early august. I’d be doing 20 if I didn’t have a day job.

 

[chipper1]

When a customer would ask my dad how much a load of wood was his answer almost always was free. Then proceeded to tell them how much it would cost for cutting, splitting and delivery. Dad is 90 and this is the first year I can remember that he is not selling wood.

That's why I charge the same to process wood at a customer's as I sell it for or close to it.

 

[Ben Hur]

They are saying heating costs will go higher this winter ,dont sell all out early.

That’s when I appear out of nowhere with 50 seasoned cords to sell.