Actual cost of firewood

[Deere Dude]

In our town I noticed a lot of wood stacking in pallet sized cubes in the rear of the county police station. Whenever anyone needs any tree work down in town they bring cons along with their their chainsaws and commence to toppling and cutting up and splitting trees. They cut and get rid of the tree for the homeowner at no charge.

I heard they give the wood to the needy that burn wood, but may be wrong on that, they may charge a little bit. It is a fairly big operation to give the cons something to do but it seems to work.

 

[4570Man]

In our town I noticed a lot of wood stacking in pallet sized cubes in the rear of the county police station. Whenever anyone needs any tree work down in town they bring cons along with their their chainsaws and commence to toppling and cutting up and splitting trees. They cut and get rid of the tree for the homeowner at no charge.

I heard they give the wood to the needy that burn wood, but may be wrong on that, they may charge a little bit. It is a fairly big operation to give the cons something to do but it seems to work.

Do the cons know what they’re doing or are they a mostly a tree in an open field type work? That’s how I get most of my firewood and several and a couple loads of saw logs, but I won’t cut standing tree.

 

[Deere Dude]

Do the cons know what they’re doing or are they a mostly a tree in an open field type work? That’s how I get most of my firewood and several and a couple loads of saw logs, but I won’t cut standing tree.

I should have stated and I believe a tree guy will fall the tree then the cons take over. A lot of it is done in town.

A friend in town was having a 28-30' big oak taken down and was going to call the sheriffs dept just like other trees he had cleaned up. I told him to cut it down and get rid of the brush and I will get the rest instead of the cons. I got probably a 11-12,000# load out of that tree.

I was at a body shop a few months ago and a sheriffs dept. pick pulls up with tool boxes on if and out comes a couple cons, got their Stihl chainsaws and started cutting brush and 2" vines from a chain link fence. I think it bordered a government property and buildings. So a lot of maintenance is done by these guys.

 

[4570Man]

Here the cons pick up garage and mow the court house lawn and a few other places I can’t think of. That’s about the existent of there work.

 

[gladehound]

Ahead, maybe. $20k+ in 12 years....unlikely.

How many cord of wood do you burn a year, and what is the going rate for it locally?

6-8 cords a year depending on weather. $225 a cord to dump it in the driveway. $300 per cord to have it stacked also. Then I still have to bring it in and load the stove so buying wood does not replace the whole process and can't be used as a comparator alone. Oil is a better comparator and cost about the same as having buying wood by the cord and having them stack it. So roughly, I'm ahead $2000 a year. My stove / flu paid for in Year 1. My equipment paid for from other uses and would have independent of if I burned or not. Plus I get the heath benefits (both mental and physical). As others stated, some people actually pay money to go work out!!! I'd rather go get firewood.

 

[LD1]

6-8 cords a year depending on weather. $225 a cord to dump it in the driveway. $300 per cord to have it stacked also. Then I still have to bring it in and load the stove so buying wood does not replace the whole process and can't be used as a comparator alone. Oil is a better comparator and cost about the same as having buying wood by the cord and having them stack it. So roughly, I'm ahead $2000 a year. My stove / flu paid for in Year 1. My equipment paid for from other uses and would have independent of if I burned or not. Plus I get the heath benefits (both mental and physical). As others stated, some people actually pay money to go work out!!! I'd rather go get firewood.

If the wood you burn has a value in your area roughly equal to what a cord of wood cost....I fail to see how you come out ahead.

Currently you are cutting, splitting, and stacking 6-8 cord of wood to burn in your home.......all so you don't have to give the fuel company $2000.

If you were to cut, split, and stack that same amount of wood, but rather haul it to and stack on someone else's property......collect $2k to pass along to oil company....and then heat your home with oil and not hassle with a fire and mess in the house.

Isn't that about a wash? Equalling no savings....or very little if you factor in delivery cost

 

[dodge man]

Another point, it would cost some people to have more expenses to sell wood. For example a pick up truck or a dump trailer. I have a pick up but I think I've only hauled fire wood in it once, and that was given to me. All my wood handling takes place with my tractor. I don't worry about denting the end load on my tractor but I would the outside of my truck, the bed, or the back glass. Also it seems like it would take handling the wood more often to sell it, pick it up and load it in your truck, then dumping and stacking it. For me personally I would have to get something like $500 a cord to make it worth my time and effort to sell it.

 

[LD1]

Another point, it would cost some people to have more expenses to sell wood. For example a pick up truck or a dump trailer. I have a pick up but I think I've only hauled fire wood in it once, and that was given to me. All my wood handling takes place with my tractor. I don't worry about denting the end load on my tractor but I would the outside of my truck, the bed, or the back glass. Also it seems like it would take handling the wood more often to sell it, pick it up and load it in your truck, then dumping and stacking it. For me personally I would have to get something like $500 a cord to make it worth my time and effort to sell it.

All valid points that I have touched on in the past.

Some people already use a truck to haul their wood from wherever they cut. In that case.....no extra risk and expense other than a little more milage.

Another option is sell wood for pickup only.

I offer both delivery and pickup. 25% opt for pickup at a slight discount.

 

[4570Man]

I charge $5 a rick and a dollar a mile for delivery. 9/10 people opt for delivery. If you only have a regular pickup you’re going to beat the crap out of it hauling firewood. I don’t stack the wood on delivery and I have a dump truck, but I handle wood less times for delivery than if I burned it myself.

 

[/pine]

Just an observation...
If I was going to sell firewood...I would seek out long term customers that have the room/ability to store and season next seasons wood as well as the present...
...This would allow loading a truck or trailer directly from the splitter to the delivery vehicle...eliminating loading, moving, unloading, storing, reloading before delivery...IMO secondary handling cost time and that is a valuable asset for most...cutting and splitting is the part most tend to enjoy...the fun ends at the splitter IMO...

Granted a lot of folks just don't have the room but many do...a side line to selling cord wood might also be selling simple, basic, prefabbed wood sheds...