wood removal

[treeman82]

One of my associates was approached by a firewood dealer. The dealer said that he would pay the associate for the privelage to come to his jobs with his guys, and take away all of the wood for firewood. Doesn't matter if it's 1 tree or 20 trees.

I was wondering if you guys have ever come across this on the firewood end?

 

[CentaurG2]

Nope. I would be a bit worried about such an arrangement specifically concerning timely removal and clean up. A lot of removal trees are useless as firewood. They are either soft wood, rotten, too large or full of steel. Firewood is hard to come by in New England and a lot more homeowners are opting to keep decent removal wood. We just leave it in random lengths where it falls and they can have at it.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Nope. I would be a bit worried about such an arrangement specifically concerning timely removal and clean up.

This is the biggest problem I've had trying to get people to haul wood. Either it takes forever, they don't take it all, they leave a mess... Those who do it all are worth a few extra bucks, but then you have the problem of insurance.

What are they in the eyes of the law if not under contract "for hire".

Will they fall under your W/C and GenLib?

When they are hauling the wood off, do they become an agent of your company, thus leaving you liable for their actions on the road?

For me I've found that it is best to discount leaving the wood for the client to dispose of, if they want to haggle. I have given them names of good wood haulers, more often suggested the firewood forum and CL.

 

[Vrutter]

If you let another contractor on your work site, they are your responsibility. If their safety certs and insurances are not up to date, you could be on the hook. We put wood at the curb and then leave it.

v

 

[TDunk]

Nope. I would be a bit worried about such an arrangement specifically concerning timely removal and clean up.

Those are the two biggies there. What i've done before is have the "firewood" guy make arrangements with the HO. Keeps me out of the middle of it.

 

[TreeTopKid]

Nope. I would be a bit worried about such an arrangement specifically concerning timely removal and clean up. A lot of removal trees are useless as firewood. They are either soft wood, rotten, too large or full of steel. Firewood is hard to come by in New England and a lot more homeowners are opting to keep decent removal wood. We just leave it in random lengths where it falls and they can have at it.

Me too! A lot of firewood guys down here are shady. There are plenty advertising 'Oak' or 'Hardwood' selling Pine.

 

[Rftreeman]

I charge for wood removal on every job unless the customer wants to keep it then that is listed in the contract and if a firewood guy wants it he has to come get it or if he's close I'll take it to him just to get rid of it.

 

[John464]

bad idea. been through it before.

The customer is paying you to remove the wood.. are you willing to rely on some firewood scrounger to complete your job? Kiss your reputation bye bye. More hassle than its worth. Do as the customer is paying for and complete the job with your own personnel.

 

[tree md]

I used to have a couple of guys come pick it up several years back. They had a large stake bed truck and even had their own saws and would cut it up. I would be on the job watching them while they cut and loaded the wood. There was never any question of them finishing my job because I didn't get paid until the job was done. Therefore they had to get the wood in a timely manner or I'd haul it off myself. Worked out great for me. I also used to have pulpwood guys come pick up my live pine logs. I'd usually tip them $50 or so for doing it because they came from long distances. Saved me a lot of work, time and money. I've even loaded an AS member's wagon before. Had a crane load his double tandem trailer with about 8K pounds of large Hackberry logs. There are plenty of efficient ways to get wood hauled off if your creative. I call it smart business.

 

[Slvrmple72]

This last year more so than ever I have seen a marked increase in the percent of homeowners who want the wood left for their use. I would say at least 75% maybe more. Of the remaining 25% I would say better than half of it is pine! I am seriously thinking about taking the year off. Maybe listing myself as an insured climber to HO and firewood guys who want that tree down but cannot do it without a climber. I have plenty of opportunities to aquire the firewood I need to heat my own home. I don't know.. one bad storm and I can wind up really busy again... just never can tell. Just make it clear that my responsibility begins and ends with what I do while up in the tree because you know a lot of these firewood guys are running saws uninsured on homeowners property. Homeowners don't care, at least until they realize the liability that their assuming and what it can do to their homeowners policy. Nothing is "free".

 

[tree md]

I guess people tend to be more sue happy in the Northern climes. Most places I have worked in the South people aren't so sue happy and worrisome. I never batted an eye at having a couple of firewood guys who seemed to be born with a chainsaw attached to their arm come get a load of wood from me. I have always been happy to help them eek out a living if I could. Same for pulp wood guys. Now if I saw someone that I didn't know show up with a shiny new 460 and run around like an accident waiting to happen I would be more concerned. I guess I never considered the ramifications of someone getting hurt on the HO's property. All that work with me are proficient saw hands or they are regulated to brush draggers. I have even put a sign up saying free firewood on the curb (with the HO's permission) and had it disappear in a day. Anytime I can get someone to haul off wood it saves me time and money.

 

[Slvrmple72]

The problem you run into up here is people who want the wood for free, cut and split, delivered and stacked, and if they trip over a stick you are getting sued for damages. Hey, afterall, you are the contractor making big bucks raping homeowners with those "exorbitant" tree removal costs!

 

[treeman82]

You guys were right, it was shady. My guys had the firewood dealer come out to the job to pick up the wood. The dealer had promised them money for the chance to come and get it. Well he showed up and renegged on his word.

This is not something I'd ever do. As was said before, in my business I am being paid to get rid of the wood. Either I'll get it done on my own, or I'll call up some trustworthy associates who will be there when they say, and will have it done.

 

[TackleTree]

dont mess with any firewood guys but have a friend who has a portable saw mill and loves it when i call with some pine logs or other types. It is a definate liability to bring another person onto the job. For numerous reasons already discussed. Can never be too careful but it sure helps to have someone else deal with the load.

 

[kyle1!]

Homeowner here

A couple of questions for you guys.

How far out of the way would you go to get rid of the wood that is not left behind on a removal from your regular dump site? 10miles? 20miles?

What type of cost would be assoicated with this out of the way effort?

I ask because I would like to burn wood for heat. A tree company has their dump spot 15miles north of my house along a major highway. After they build up some inventory they rent a tub grinder. I have this tree company coming to my home to give me an estimate on a large silver maple and large hackberry drop. I am thinking about asking them what would it cost to have them deliver to my place. They had some nice looking ash logs in their pile.
Thanks

Brian

 

[tree md]

A couple of questions for you guys.

How far out of the way would you go to get rid of the wood that is not left behind on a removal from your regular dump site? 10miles? 20miles?

What type of cost would be assoicated with this out of the way effort?

I ask because I would like to burn wood for heat. A tree company has their dump spot 15miles north of my house along a major highway. After they build up some inventory they rent a tub grinder. I have this tree company coming to my home to give me an estimate on a large silver maple and large hackberry drop. I am thinking about asking them what would it cost to have them deliver to my place. They had some nice looking ash logs in their pile.
Thanks

Brian

If the home owner is in the neighborhood I am working in I'll drop it off for free. If someone wants some wood and asks me for it I'll take their address and keep them in mind when I am hauling a load close by them. I also do this with chips. Saves money on gas by not having to haul the load all the way to our wood yard which is 15 miles out of town.

 

[Rftreeman]

I'll tell you all something I have done several times and it has worked good most times with wood and chips. I'll post an ad on craigslist a few days before for free wood and chips with the street I'll be on and most of the time I'll get several replys that are very close for chips and even had some people come get wood instead of me hauling it, sure makes it easy on the gas bill.

 

[Tree Machine]

Good suggestion, RFTreeman!

One of my associates was approached by a firewood dealer. The dealer said that he would pay the associate for the privelage to come to his jobs with his guys, and take away all of the wood for firewood. Doesn't matter if it's 1 tree or 20 trees.

I was wondering if you guys have ever come across this on the firewood end?

I have guys come in on every takedown. Often it is my regular guys who sell the wood in the fall. I call when I'm within a couple hours of having it ready. When they show up (almost always two guys), they load up, I flip em a twenty per load and they're gone. They like the big rounds cut to 16". Saves me loads of extra work and it's a win-win.

Lately I have another guy with a wood boiler. He likes stuff cut into 32's which means half as much cutting for me, and likes the less massive diameter stuff. At first he would show up when he could, but we just did something that works really well- he delivers and drops off a trailer before work. He comes back after work and picks it up loaded, or helps finish loading it up.

Sometimes I stage smaller amounts of wood at two or three jobs and then have the guys go around behind me and pick the wood up while I'm off on yet another job.

It can work. Timing is everything in most cases. You just need to have a reliable taker of the wood (better yet, a list of reliable takers). I would NEVER allow anyone to use a saw on your jobsite. That is the job you do.

I've gotten quite a few takers from John Paul's 'Free Firewood' thread.

 

[highasatree]

I have many people picking up firewood from a job site, but no one does any cutting except me and my crew.