Prices

[Wood Doctor]

What is the true cost of a cord of firewood delivered to someones house? (not what they pay for it, what it really cost in time, material, and all inclusive miscellaneous expenses)

That 'cost' will vary for each of us of course...
Do you buy logs?
Did you pay for a web site?
Do you sell seasoned wood? (more handling)
Dedicated truck or trailer, or personal use weekend warrior?
Insured?
Time per cord?
Clean up time, or cut in woods?
Equipment investment?
Equipment maintenance?
Sales tax?
Compliance of state and local regulations?
Land use... buy, rent, borrow?

My cost is about $200 for a full cord, so I might make $50 if I sell it for $250. That requires either two deliveries or a combo with a 5 x 8 trailer and the truck both packed. Distance, of course, means a lot. I hate doing the combo because my truck growls and curses at me all the way to the customer. Last week I knocked off five pounds if blubber. 'Tis the season.

 

[jrider]

Ran out of wood already this season but struck a deal with a guy not far away. He has quality oak - clean, nice sized splits, and seasoned - he will sell me for $160 picked up. I have to load it and then will drive it 10-15 minutes away and charge $240. I can easily do 10 cords in a day with a helper. If I could find someone to supply enough to meet all of my demands, I would probably stop cutting and splitting all together.

 

[lknchoppers]

Ran out of wood already this season but struck a deal with a guy not far away. He has quality oak - clean, nice sized splits, and seasoned - he will sell me for $160 picked up. I have to load it and then will drive it 10-15 minutes away and charge $240. I can easily do 10 cords in a day with a helper. If I could find someone to supply enough to meet all of my demands, I would probably stop cutting and splitting all together.

I think you have found the key I found a few years back...lol....I do a lot of what you describe !!

 

[jrider]

I think you have found the key I found a few years back...lol....I do a lot of what you describe !!

I have thought about it before but never really tried hard to find someone who has quality and quantity.

 

[lknchoppers]

I have thought about it before but never really tried hard to find someone who has quality and quantity.

OK, now you found one supplier, think about another or two more if you can. I found out that Multiple supply options are needed when you rely on others. It takes time but they are out there, time to master "The Art Of The Deal" and save your back.

 

[DSW]

I have a guy saying i shorted him. This was a guy I had no intentions of delivering to again. He checked all the boxes on the headache list so I guess this was bound to happen. Plenty of people have racks and we both know before I leave. This guy doesn't own any racks and is now telling me about my amount being off 2-3 weeks later.

 

[chucker]

every couple of years there is someone that knows more, done more, done it longer and done it better then any of us that have been doing it and still doing it 30 years later?? lol gotta love the smart people!

 

[Wood Doctor]

Ran out of wood already this season but struck a deal with a guy not far away. He has quality oak - clean, nice sized splits, and seasoned - he will sell me for $160 picked up. I have to load it and then will drive it 10-15 minutes away and charge $240. I can easily do 10 cords in a day with a helper. If I could find someone to supply enough to meet all of my demands, I would probably stop cutting and splitting all together.

Amazing how high prices are in New Jersey and what people are willing to spend on firewood there. I can raise my delivery price, but I have to supply more wood when I show up. My price per cord is thus flatlined at $220. As long as propane sells for a buck a gallon and natural gas for $4 per mcf, that's all I will ever get.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

It is not even cold yet, but where will the prices end. The last few loads were $600 and climbing. Pine is even climbing past $300. It's California. Thanks

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Ran out of wood already this season but struck a deal with a guy not far away. He has quality oak - clean, nice sized splits, and seasoned - he will sell me for $160 picked up. I have to load it and then will drive it 10-15 minutes away and charge $240. I can easily do 10 cords in a day with a helper. If I could find someone to supply enough to meet all of my demands, I would probably stop cutting and splitting all together.

You are part machine if you can pickup, stack, and deliver 10 cords in a day! Some weeks that's what I do. Granted I'm cutting it too, but still. Some deliveries take 2-3+ hours of driving.

 

[jrider]

You are part machine if you can pickup, stack, and deliver 10 cords in a day! Some weeks that's what I do. Granted I'm cutting it too, but still. Some deliveries take 2-3+ hours of driving.

No stacking. Throw it in loose. It’s tiring but not that big of a deal

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

No stacking. Throw it in loose. It’s tiring but not that big of a deal

Still, if you are making 5 loads (2 cords each) that's 2.5hrs just of driving. Plus how are you guaranteeing it's 2 cords with it just tossed in?

I've tried that and it varied way too much.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Amazing how high prices are in New Jersey and what people are willing to spend on firewood there. I can raise my delivery price, but I have to supply more wood when I show up. My price per cord is thus flatlined at $220. As long as propane sells for a buck a gallon and natural gas for $4 per mcf, that's all I will ever get.

There are plenty of folks here that heat with natural gas and still buy wood. They aren't worried that natural gas is cheaper, they want wood for a stove, fireplace, outdoor pit, camping, etc.

Heating costs aren't always the deciding factor is what I'm getting at.

I get people that moan about my prices, but I don't worry about it. Some people would moan if it was free even.
I'm usually busier than I have time to be, so if anything I could probably raise the prices.

 

[jrider]

Still, if you are making 5 loads (2 cords each) that's 2.5hrs just of driving. Plus how are you guaranteeing it's 2 cords with it just tossed in?

I've tried that and it varied way too much.[/QUOTE
I rarely drive more than 10-12 miles per delivery. I have stacked multiple cords and tossed them in the truck. Once the cord is in, I spray painted marks to the level of the wood. That’s for one cord. The second cord fills the truck.

 

[chucker]

! jr, your right ! "some settling may occur".....

 

[DSW]

Holy thread revival.

Don't even remember posting this.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

No stacking. Throw it in loose. It’s tiring but not that big of a deal

Wood thrown loose into a pickup is not accurately measured, but it takes a extra half hour to stack once in a pickup. A load that is not stacked will be more than two times as large as a stacked load. Many times people who argue about price or something I send them a loose load knowing they are getting half as much wood as they think. Thanks

 

[jrider]

Wood thrown loose into a pickup is not accurately measured, but it takes a extra half hour to stack once in a pickup. A load that is not stacked will be more than two times as large as a stacked load. Many times people who argue about price or something I send them a loose load knowing they are getting half as much wood as they think. Thanks

I’m not using a pickup and I have no arguing

 

[jrider]

Delivered 11 cords today. Had one helper loading so technically if I loaded half, I tossed 5.5 cords