Pending first sale

[blacklocst]

So a friend calls me and asks if I'd be willing to sell two pickup loads of firewood. Being that I never sold a stick of wood before I ask him what he wants to pay for it and he says no no no you tell me what you want. I throw out a number of $150.00 and says that he has to get back to me cause it's for a customer of his (he's a landscaper). Is that too low a price for the wood? Btw the two loads are in a Tundra short bed I think their 6'6" and just stacked level to the top.

 

[04titanse]

So a friend calls me and asks if I'd be willing to sell two pickup loads of firewood. Being that I never sold a stick of wood before I ask him what he wants to pay for it and he says no no no you tell me what you want. I throw out a number of $150.00 and says that he has to get back to me cause it for a customer of his (he's a landscaper). Is that too low a price for the wood? Btw the two loads are in a Tundra short bed I think their 6'6" and just stacked level to the top.

For a short bed pick up load that is only filled to the bed rails that over priced in my opinion. That's a face cord at best. I would think closer to $100 is fair for around here.

 

[blacklocst]

Wow you think so... I'd have a hard time letting it go for less, as it is seasoned for a year and its all Ash.

 

[RVALUE]

Just figure it at about $ 6 per hour, without expenses. Should be close.....

:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Fifelaker]

Location, Location, Location.... A 1/3 cord or a "face cord" would sell for $50-$55 around here and that would be oak.

 

[jthornton]

It's $45 - $55 for 4' x 8' x 16" around here for hardwood. You don't have to do anything to the wood while it dries out... so no cost to you. It really depends on the area your in as to what the going rate is per cord.

JT

 

[CTYank]

For a short bed pick up load that is only filled to the bed rails that over priced in my opinion. That's a face cord at best. I would think closer to $100 is fair for around here.

Oopsie! He's talking two pickup loads. Soooo, close to $200 would meet your criteria.

 

[RiverRocket]

I sell a full cord for $150 -$185 and it's all Oak,Locust and Cherry. I don't sell pick up loads, but my brother gets $70 for a full size pick up (8'bed)

 

[chucker]

!! "YUPP"!! there is nothing like giving your hard work/labor away and a good product to worsen the kick in the ash for your troubles...... all dry red oak $90.00 for a rick(face cord) ..... $150.00 for a half cord .... and a full $270.00 for the real deal !!!!!.....

 

[REJ2]

Id say your right on spot, with his truck and him delivering. You can help him load if you choose.

 

[RiverRocket]

!! "YUPP"!! there is nothing like giving your hard work/labor away and a good product to worsen the kick in the ash for your troubles...... all dry red oak $90.00 for a rick(face cord) ..... $150.00 for a half cord .... and a full $270.00 for the real deal !!!!!.....

Wish I could get $270 a cord...It's amazing how prices vary so much depending on what part of the country/world your in.. guess it depends on availability..if you live in the city where wood is hard to come by, I can see getting $270/cord, but I live in the mountains... there's no shortage of wood, or people selling it.

 

[stihly dan]

It's your wood. Sell it for what you think it's worth for you not to have it. If they don't like it they don't have to buy it. Wood that I process for myself is worth more to me, than the going rate.

 

[zogger]

Look on your local CL for average prices. There's too much variable in wood prices around.

Friends of mine in w. virginny way the heck out in the boonies where cellphones don't work are no longer able to process their own wood so started buying it for a coulpel years. Bad unemployment around there, tons of guys selling. $90 delivered per green cord.
they had one young guy cutting for them on their own property and it turned out cheaper just to order some uop and get it dropped off.

That is the cheapest I have heard about, then it goes to over 300 a cord in other places, so who knows. Around here, 150 cord or equivalent various pickup "loads", usually around 45 or 50 bucks for a full size pickup bed, sorta stacked up, guessing 1/3rd cord or so.

More or less why I am in no giant rush to try and develop a firewood business around here....I have free access to a LOT of wood, I enjoy everything about firewooding, but..can't see how I would make any once you start factoring in wear and tear on equipment and other costs, insurance, biz license, all of that. Taxes. Might make like 10 or 20 bucks a cord net.

Plus, I split by hand...150 ain't paying me to do that, and I only want to split what is comfortable to me.

Now, 250 or 300 smackers a cord..hmmm....ya, I would proly do it then.

If someone really really *really* needed some of my c/s/s, I would consider a friendly swap or just gift it, that's about it.

 

[spike60]

Wood that I process for myself is worth more to me, than the going rate.

That's exactly how I see it. Once I've processed a cord for myself, it's value is equal to the amount of oil I would burn to generate the same amount of heat. That's way more than the going rate for firewood around here.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Welcome to the firewood biz

You have to love it, because you don't do it for the big bucks.

Based upon your truck bed dimensions, a stacked load just over the height of the bed will get you a half cord. Higher math comes into play now, two loads is a cord.

Are you selling it to your friend for resale or direct to the end user? If direct, you have every right to ask the going rate for seasoned wood in your area. Unfortunately this time of year is considered "off season" for wood sales, so you may have to either negotiate, or set a price and hold firm as I do, knowing I'll get it in a couple months. Besides I prefer to spend quality time fishing this time of year.

If the wood is to be resold by the landscaper, he is going to be looking for some room in the price for his mark up, once again you're getting less for your investment of time and materials. You have to decide if it is worth it, and if you need the money.

Selling wood to a reseller almost always cuts into the profit margin which is why I won't do it. The one exception, if I need to move 8 or more cord, there's a local logger / trucker with wood contracts to supply firewood dealers on Cape Cod. He'll pay me my in landing price, come in and load his live floor, hand me cash, and head out. The price of quality seasoned wood out there is so high he still makes an obscene profit, as does the dealer.

Take Care

 

[TeeMan]

A full sized pickup load for pickup not delivery (1/3 cord or face cord) goes for around $90 - $100 while in season here. For off-season, it is fair to say that $80 is an average. So for two pickup loads in a smaller truck I would think $150 would be fair to say.

 

[kyle23]

I sell a full cord for $150 -$185 and it's all Oak,Locust and Cherry. I don't sell pick up loads, but my brother gets $70 for a full size pick up (8'bed)

I get 80$ For a 6ft pickup bed of all maple. I guess it really does all matter on where you live and what cords are going for, around here cords of quality seasoned hardwoods go for 225+.....

 

[RiverRocket]

It's your wood. Sell it for what you think it's worth for you not to have it. If they don't like it they don't have to buy it. Wood that I process for myself is worth more to me, than the going rate.

I understand your way of thinking,Not wanting to sell your wood, But i live on a farm and have way more wood than i could ever burn and I enjoy cutting. So the wood I sell helps support my CAD..:msp_biggrin:

 

[blacklocst]

Thanks for all the responses guys, got the call from my friend today and said that he'll take the two loads for 150.00. I'm not trying to get into the firewood business but since I'm a few years a head I'd be willing to sell some wood here and there.
The kicker to this is I told my wife about my plans to sell the wood for that price and told her if I figured the time and money it took to produce the wood it would probably come out to less than ten bucks an hour. well would you know that she flip out on me and said you can't sell it, you worked to hard for it, and so on,but I came back with I enjoy cutting wood it's relaxing and it's a stress reliever and I do it on my free time and we have plenty. So then she says if you do it on your free time and were years ahead then you should be doing the things around the house I've been bugging you about for the longest time.
Finally my son chimes in and says but mom dad enjoys it and its like going to the gym for him and he does't have to pay for it. I love that boy!

 

[John R]

Thanks for all the responses guys, got the call from my friend today and said that he'll take the two loads for 150.00. I'm not trying to get into the firewood business but since I'm a few years a head I'd be willing to sell some wood here and there.
The kicker to this is I told my wife about my plans to sell the wood for that price and told her if I figured the time and money it took to produce the wood it would probably come out to less than ten bucks an hour. well would you know that she flip out on me and said you can't sell it, you worked to hard for it, and so on,but I came back with I enjoy cutting wood it's relaxing and it's a stress reliever and I do it on my free time and we have plenty. So then she says if you do it on your free time and were years ahead then you should be doing the things around the house I've been bugging you about for the longest time. Finally my son chimes in and says but mom dad enjoys it and its like going to the gym for him and he does't have to pay for it. I love that boy!