How much to charge for a cord?

[LoveStihlQuality]

Most buyers don't know what a "full cord" is. Most are thinking of face cord or 'rick". I've seen a guy who posts pics of his 4 + piles with t posts every 8 ft, selling face cords. Helps eliminate disputes.

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[sb47]

Most buyers don't know what a "full cord" is. Most are thinking of face cord or 'rick". I've seen a guy who posts pics of his 4 + piles with t posts every 8 ft, selling face cords. Helps eliminate disputes.

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That's one reason I don't deliver. People can come see the stack and decide if that's what they want before they pay and load. If you deliver and they don't have a measured rack to stack it on and they complain they got shorted. When they see 50 stacks exactly alike and they can measure it on the spot and chose what stack they want, it eliminates any disputes. I do the same. I have all my wood stacked between t-post 4' sections.

I stack mine like this.

 

[Marine5068]

That's one reason I don't deliver. People can come see the stack and decide if that's what they want before they pay and load. If you deliver and they don't have a measured rack to stack it on and they complain they got shorted. When they see 50 stacks exactly alike and they can measure it on the spot and chose what stack they want, it eliminates any disputes. I do the same. I have all my wood stacked between t-post 4' sections.

I stack mine like this.

Good idea

 

[Cambium]

There's a nursery around here that just charged my neighbor $380 for a cord with delivery. (they are 5 miles away). Sick.
The Average is about $220 around here.
When I have extra wood I can get rid of, I charge $200 and then a $20 delivery fee if outside 10 miles. $30 to stack.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

I do not understand why every one posting here does not mention how they are trying to increase the prices as much as possible as the sky is the limit. If there was a way to get $1100 per cord would not that be better than pocketing $235 per cord. The last I remember as of a couple of days ago when splitting wood in the sun the work was tiring. My helper gets $15 an hour and would like to give him more, but then there might not be a ample amount of funds for gas and new saws. The winter of 17-18 did not exist, but last winter 18-19 was extra ordinary. Jan-March saw people getting excess of a $1000 a cord all day long. Those selling could not care less about reputation as they saw some opportunity and took it. I took some advantage, but not as much as could have. Most customers live at a particular address for 5 to 7 years then they are gone. One thing at least here is Southern Cal is bundled wood brings in an extra $200 a cord after paying expenses so this is one thing I am trying to take advantage of. At this moment standard Oak brings in about $550 a cord with stove cuts as much as double that. Pine some years is the biggest seller which brings in about $250 to $275 a cord. Thanks

 

[Ryan'smilling]

There's a nursery around here that just charged my neighbor $380 for a cord with delivery. (they are 5 miles away). Sick.
The Average is about $220 around here.
When I have extra wood I can get rid of, I charge $200 and then a $20 delivery fee if outside 10 miles. $30 to stack.

I'm not sure why you're saying that $380/cord is sick. Sounds like your neighbors didn't do enough research. If the nursery told them the price and they agreed I don't see what the problem is, unless the wood wasn't as described or the quantity wasn't correct.

 

[motolife313]

I only deliver because no one comes way out to my place. Out of My first 10 Customers I had 1 showed up so I only deliver to there front door now and charge 20$ delivery and it don’t matter if your 2 miles away or 40 it’s 20$. Now I lose about 20% because they don’t wanna pay delivery. Lot of the time I’ll try and sweet talk them letting them know the scoop that there still getting a good deal compared to stuff at Home Depot and tell them I’ll give them couple extra spicies of wood to test for free since I got 10 of them. And it’s 20$ -30$ Per very full wheel barrow. Oak and walnut are 30$. Alder , maple is 20$ the rest are 25$ the oak comes out to 700$ a cord for if delivered 5 times per cord. I’ve delivered 1 wheel barrow many times so I can make more then. I like it when they buy at least 3 tho if I’m not going into town for something. Everyone is super happy with the service so far. Some guys even tip. That’s some nice white oakthis wood is for cooking btw

 

[woodshax]

Ya gots to charge what the market will bear.... I would much rather sell 10 cords at $500 than 20 at $250...... Ted.... $1100 in Cali? good stuff! we get $1200 in Texas State parks....could charge a lot more out there

 

[Ted Jenkins]

For years I scoffed at the idea of selling wood in bundles thinking the extra trouble was not worth it. A number of years ago when the seasons were more consistent trees did not die off as much, but with more and more pressure to reduce fire danger more wood is available. Now in this area we have plenty of people who are living here full time who are divided as to burn wood or not. Some of those who used to burn wood put in gas powered logs. The tourists who come up for the summer and winter seasons want to burn a real fire regardless of the cost. They will pay any price for delivered or bundles wood. Like woods says it does depend on the market. At the moment am trying to capitalize on both markets to get the highest return possible. Thanks

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

That's one reason I don't deliver. People can come see the stack and decide if that's what they want before they pay and load. If you deliver and they don't have a measured rack to stack it on and they complain they got shorted. When they see 50 stacks exactly alike and they can measure it on the spot and chose what stack they want, it eliminates any disputes. I do the same. I have all my wood stacked between t-post 4' sections.

I stack mine like this.

I'd rather deliver. I do allow pickup, but it's not common.

I used to just dump a few cords in a pile and let people pick from that. It was always a guessing game on how much wood they loaded. The pile would be gone and it always seemed like what was sold out of it didn't match what should have been in the pile.

Decided to just cut to order and stack it in the truck just like the deliveries, but instead dump it here. Then had the issue where someone would order 1/2 a cord, or even a cord and end up just grabbing a few wheelbarrow loads!
Then it was guessing game on what they got, plus I had a random pile of wood too.

Decided after a couple times of that happening that whatever they ordered is what they get charged. If they decide they don't want to pick it all up, that's their choice, but most end up taking it all.

Thinking of building a few racks with fork pockets, maybe 1/4 cord each, but haven't had a chance to.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Set the prices and don't waive from them. The price is the price.

May be worth considering delivery charges by mileage.

I don't deliver less than a cord, it's just not cost efficient, in both time and resources, to run around for $50 of wood when I can do the same trip with ~$600 of wood on the truck.

I only deliver because no one comes way out to my place.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

We pay $0.20/kwhr here.

Here in Quebec, Canada, a full cord sells for about 300-350$ seasoned and delivered. It a little bit cheaper but electricity is way cheaper than in the US. Between 0,06$-0,09$ / kwh. So I guess firewood sellers adapt their prices.

 

[md1486]

We pay $0.20/kwhr here.

I burn wood because I have access to free wood and because I love to process it, but in your case I bet burning wood become a real cost saver.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I burn wood because I have access to free wood and because I love to process it, but in your case I bet burning wood become a real cost saver.

On paper natural gas should be cheaper, but in real life, I save a fair bit. Maybe the Blaze King is more efficient than my boiler and floor heat, dunno.

I heat ~1400 sq ft on 2.5-3 cords a winter. (Stove is going about 7.5-8 months out of the year, have had fires as late as June and as early as August)

Also nice to not worry about being cold if something happens to the power or gas system.