Advice: Worth having land logged VS cut and have picked up

[Keaton85]

Buying a piece or property with some large, straight pines. This is in coastal new england and wondering what is the recommended route to take?

Option 1: See if a company will come and clear the land of all usable lumber, as it's a small piece of land, this might be a zero sum game. I get the trees removed, they get the logs....
Option 2: DIY approach of fell, limb and cut to length, then drag them to the road to be picked up for possible cash?
Option 3: Do option 2 yet save the good lengths for later and have a portable mill come in and make up boarding boards for the house build or barn?

From personal experience, whats the cost effective approach?

 

[ArtB]

What is 'large'? 18" DBH, 32" DBH ?? 8" DBH?

Your idea of large may not be a loggers idea of large.

Option 4. Use the logs for beams in the house. For own house 45 years ago, used 21ea 30 ft logs 18" to 30 " dia 'in the round' for structural elements in the house. Peeled and flattened one side to 4" wide flat spot with adze.

 

[Keaton85]

I would say that they are in the 32" range. I will measure and count this weekend....

 

[Gologit]

I would say that they are in the 32" range. I will measure and count this weekend....

If you ask your questions in the Forestry and Logging forum you can probably get a good range of answers. One of the moderators, Madhatte, is a professional forester and there are several full time loggers that hang out there also.

 

[Keaton85]

Would any mods like to move this over? please....

 

[ATH]

If you are going to sell, I strongly recommend you work with a forester rather than going straight to a logger. Without knowledge of the local players, you are more likely to get the best price for the logs.

You will have potential for the most money in your pocket if you do more of the work...but are you able, do you have the time??? That often goes with anything from mowing your own lawn to painting the house, putting on a new roof, selling a house, etc... But we hire experts to do those things knowing it will get done better, or because we don't have the time/interest/ability to do them, etc...

Bigger picture...what are you doing with the land? If you are building on it, I'd personally find a way to use the logs on your property. Perhaps you can exchange milling for a portion of the logs.

 

[Keaton85]

The land is getting cleared for a building site, small house. My father and I could handle the trees, it's the time aspect and the ease of having someone come, cut and take away. I will have to get a local forester to asses what we have and the best course of action.

We would love to be able to use the trees from the land to help with the house build, yet that might not be cost effective or realistic time wise.

 

[Keaton85]

Update:

Fell and bucks 15 pines today! Long day but got a good start on the clearing. Now to decide on portable mill and use the lumber, or get it hauled away and sold off.

 

[gemniii]

C'mon - without pictures it's just an internet rumor!!
Are you going to CSM?

 

[Keaton85]