Small woodselling dilemma

[aandabooks]

I have never bought or sold wood before. Any advice would be helpful as I am going to try and keep two parties happy at the same time. So here's the problem:

My FIL just decided to get out of the woodburning game. He ran into a deal he couldn't pass up on a corn/pellet burner over the weekend. So he called me up and asked if I wanted to buy him out. Splitter (which I have been using for the past 3 years for my splitting needs), 2 saws (neither one anything to get excited about) and a pile of wood that we had not yet processed into the barn. About 3-4 cords. He got it in payment from his sister after she ended up owing him some money. A long story that I won't bore you with. $700 dollars. I told him no problem and I'd start hauling the wood when I got a chance.

Well I don't need the wood. I'm 3 years ahead at the moment. I relayed this story to a friend / co-worker who also burns with wood and he has let me cut on his property once. He hasn't got a good start on his woodpile for the winter and he'll buy wood at a farm auction from time to time. Well he asked me what do I want for all of the wood. I told him I wasn't sure but he knows what I'm giving my FIL for the whole deal. The going rate for hardwood C/S/D around here is about $80 for a face cord.

Last year he bought a couple of deliveries from a guy he knows for $125. 160 cu. ft worth of wood stacked on a dually flatbed. I told him if he were to let me use his trailer to haul with, 6x16 7000 lbs vs. my 5x10 2000 lbs trailer, we would work out a price per load.

It should work out to 3 heaping trailer loads of wood. Whatever I sell the wood for is reducing my investment in the splitter. What is a fair price?

 

[WidowMaker]

Well lets see,

He's let you cut on his property,
Your gonna use his trailer to haul it,
Your know he can buy at $125 for 160 CF, he's a friend

I'd say $100 a load, or $350 for all of it would get you some good charma points with him.

 

[toddstreeservic]

Why don't you ask him what he thinks a fair price is?

 

[sdt7618]

Safest bet would be to aski him a fair price we would be willing to pay. other than that $100 per trailer load, as seen. i.e not split. You could then sell the saw and reduce your splitter cost even further. Thats if you don't need/want them

 

[Wet1]

Let's compare apples to apples...

Was that 1.25 cord he bought last year for $125 was cut to length, split and delivered? Has this wood you're offering him even been cut to length, or is it still in log form? If it's cut to length, has it been split yet?

 

[aandabooks]

Well lets see,

He's let you cut on his property,
Your gonna use his trailer to haul it,
Your know he can buy at $125 for 160 CF, he's a friend

I'd say $100 a load, or $350 for all of it would get you some good charma points with him.

I cut some locust on his property a couple of years ago when I was just getting started. I'd use his trailer because of the better load capacity and it will be 80 miles round trip between my FIL and his place.

"toddstreeservic Why don't you ask him what he thinks a fair price is?"

I did ask him and he said to give him a price. He's one of those guys that will never pay full price and is always looking for a deal.

"TreeCo My bet is your FIL will be back to burning wood in a couple of years."

My FIL is 62, has early stage emphasima and still drinks 12-18 beers per day. 2 months ago he quit smoking 3 packs a day because the doc put him on prescription meds that will make him sick if mixed with nicotine. We will be lucky if he's not dead in 2 years.

"Wet1 Was that 1.25 cord he bought last year for $125 was cut to length, split and delivered? Has this wood you're offering him even been cut to length, or is it still in log form? If it's cut to length, has it been split yet?"

The wood is 3 years cut, has been covered and is split. My wife's uncle was burning in a fireplace until he cracked the masonry and the insurance told him he couldn't burn until the chimney was fixed. No money-no fix. I could throw it in my burner today and not worry about it. My buddy runs an OWB.

Sorry but I don't know how to do the multi-quote thing in the same post. Hope this makes some kind of sense.

 

[aandabooks]

Thanks TreeCo. It is what it is. A person puts their body through that kind of abuse for 45 years and it is bound to catch up with them.

 

[Wet1]

I guess I would find out what the best price is for today's market (not last years) and then discount it about 20%. Any more than that and it's completely not worth it given the distance... Otherwise, put it on CL and sell it for FMV.