Trying to get into the wood splitting business

[damato333]

I just bought this log splitter in December and I'm trying to get into splitting other peoples wood for them. I figure for a tree company or a land clearing company it would be worth it cause they will be paid 2 or 3 times for the same wood. Also homeowners that had trees cut down or fall down and want firewood. I can do a cord in a little over an hour. If it's straight and no knots than an hour. I calculated it out and figured out that $100 an hour would cover my expenses. That includes my truck, log splitter, 2 people do the work, gas, and any clean up that is needed. I had one guy call me and he said he needed 60 cords split and he told me it was already cut into firewood length. I told him it would be $750 a day for an 8 hour day. I gave him a little break because of the volume of work. I thought that price was reasonable for everything that I am putting out. He told me he already got a qoute from a guy with a processor for $500 a day. I just don't believe that. That seems really low. If anyone can give me some input on this. Let me know if my quote is high, low, or right on. I also would like some input on how to go about getting people to pay me to split their wood.

 

[no tree to big]

cant really comment on the prices but if its already cut into firewood length that dude with a processor is screwed... also I just want to clarify but when you say cord you mean 4x4x8 right, not a "face cord"4x4x16

 

[damato333]

I mean a true cord(4x4x8). If the guy with the wood was telling the truth about getting that qoute cause now I think he was lying.

 

[Steve2910]

Rates range from $30-$50/ hr on our local CL for 1 guy & a splitter. Not sure if they'd even stay busy @ those prices.

Also, around here anyway- once you start putting $$ in someone's pocket as part of your firewood collecting efforts, you might as well shell out a few more bucks & buy seasoned cords.

 

[Ironworker]

Good luck with your venture, what kind of splitter is that.

 

[damato333]

Good luck with your venture, what kind of splitter is that.

It's an all wood log splitter. At $30-$50 an hour its not even worth it for me to get out of bed. Those guys might be able to do 2 cords on a good day. On a bad day for me i can do 7 cords.

 

[Ronaldo]

Looks like a very nice and well thought out splitter-good luck.

Ron

 

[ShaneLogs]

X2, Nice splitter! I like the splitting piece in it.

 

[rarefish383]

You might get lucky and find a nitch market. Many years ago I had a firewood processor that ran off a 40 hp JD tractor. We were getting 100 bucks a cord then and I would split for 40 bucks a cord. I don't know any big tree companys that will split wood. Way too labor intensive. But, they will often put trees on the ground for a cheap home owner. If you got hooked up with a couple tree companies to recommend you, you may make a go of it, joe.

 

[Wood Doctor]

It's a Lost Cause...

You might get lucky and find a nitch market. Many years ago I had a firewood processor that ran off a 40 hp JD tractor. We were getting 100 bucks a cord then and I would split for 40 bucks a cord. I don't know any big tree companys that will split wood. Way too labor intensive. But, they will often put trees on the ground for a cheap home owner. If you got hooked up with a couple tree companies to recommend you, you may make a go of it, joe.

I imagine I could split 40 cords of hardwood this summer and fall and I might make $1,500 while doing it. Meanwhile, I paid for all the fuel, oil, wear and tear on my splitter, etc. The money just ain't there. :msp_sad:

 

[damato333]

You might get lucky and find a nitch market. Many years ago I had a firewood processor that ran off a 40 hp JD tractor. We were getting 100 bucks a cord then and I would split for 40 bucks a cord. I don't know any big tree companys that will split wood. Way too labor intensive. But, they will often put trees on the ground for a cheap home owner. If you got hooked up with a couple tree companies to recommend you, you may make a go of it, joe.

I'm hooked up with a tree company in my area and all they do is drop the tree, chip the limbs, and cut the logs into manageable pieces. They call me to take it away as long as if its enough wood and if its close enough. I could call them and ask them to recommend me to homeowners that need there logs made into firewood.

 

[rarefish383]

I imagine I could split 40 cords of hardwood this summer and fall and I might make $1,500 while doing it. Meanwhile, I paid for all the fuel, oil, wear and tear on my splitter, etc. The money just ain't there. :msp_sad:

Well, that's why I said "might make a go of it". It will be a nitch service. When I was a kid I did it, but was subsidised by my Dad's business. I paid 3500 bucks for the splitter, around 1975, and my Dad felt sorry for me and paid me back for it, since I was using it for the business too. Then I took the money he gave me back and bought a 4 cylinder diesel JD. Plus, I mooched the fuel from the company. So, as you say. It's a lot of work for a small return. As a company we hated firewood, just too labor intensive. But, we had a couple guys that we gauranteed pay rain or shine. If it was raining too hard to work we'd dump a couple loads of wood in the barn and let them split for four hours, buy them lunch, and then cut them loose early. It will be hard to find that much splittin work for 5 days a week. Still, good luck, Joe.

 

[RAMROD48]

It's an all wood log splitter. At $30-$50 an hour its not even worth it for me to get out of bed. Those guys might be able to do 2 cords on a good day. On a bad day for me i can do 7 cords.

So stay in bed....if you get into the firewood business to make a living, your gonna starve to death and loose your house...

But you have fun with that...

Not being a #### here, just telling you, some of us have been there done that...I love cutting and splitting and making enough money to buy saws and saw supplies and an egg and cheese sandwich every so often....

But beyond that you are kidding your self....

 

[damato333]

At $750 a day it's not like I would be rich. There are a lot of expenses that go along with the work. It's not like I went out to home depot and bought a $1,000 pos log splitter. Around me a cord sells for $200. So for someone that already has logs and didn't buy them it's worth it.

 

[RAMROD48]

I sell every cord (all 100 I sell per year for at least 200)

you allready said that the guy balked at 750....

IF and thats a big IF, you make 750 a day, you would be doing pretty good...

you wont though...

I dont have a POS splitter or saws...and I have big equipment...if I clear 100-150 a day I am stoked...

Fire wood is blood money...stay as small as you can...

 

[Patrick62]

lotsa luck

That sure is a purty splitter tho

do the math... what does a cord sell for in PA anyway?? How much of that is the wood worth? How much is it to get it cut? Then how much is left?

Here in Colorado the numbers are slightly different, but the result is the same "there ain't $$$ in firewood".

In the yard, splitting with my splitter, I pay $18 a cord to the guy splitting. That is being pretty nice. I have run a cord an hour many times, but I am not capable of keeping it up past about 2 cords... you guys must be really really strong to do 7 cords in a day. that would only be around 35,000 pounds of thru put.

sincerely,
-Pat

 

[damato333]

I sell every cord (all 100 I sell per year for at least 200)

you allready said that the guy balked at 750....

IF and thats a big IF, you make 750 a day, you would be doing pretty good...

you wont though...

I dont have a POS splitter or saws...and I have big equipment...if I clear 100-150 a day I am stoked...

Fire wood is blood money...stay as small as you can...

I never said you have a pos log splitter. I think were at two different points. I payed over $8,000 for the splitter. I think I need to make sure I recoup that money in about 5 years. Splitting wood puts a lot of wear on all the components on a splitter. At about 5 years its possible to have an engine go and if the splitter didn't make that money back then I'm screwed. If I were to go out and start splitting for $50 an hour then I would be putting more wear on the splitter and risk it breaking down before I recoup the investment. Its not like there's a lot of people that want wood split(even if I was charging $50 an hour). So I need to make sure I cover my ass on the jobs I do get.

 

[damato333]

That sure is a purty splitter tho

do the math... what does a cord sell for in PA anyway?? How much of that is the wood worth? How much is it to get it cut? Then how much is left?

Around me a cord sells for $200.

 

[spike60]

I'm not sure this is a sound business plan. You're formula is based on recouping the cost of the splitter in 5 years, and you've arrived at charging $100 an hour/$750 a day? Does that include cutting it to length? I know guys with $100,000 excavators that charge that much. The other problem you face is that the value off a cord of wood remains constant regardless of whether you have an $8000 spiltter or a $40,000 processor. As is being discussed in the "no money in firewood" thread, this is a pretty small pie to split up. The norm for most guys is to make between $25 and $50 per hour, and you're shooting for twice that amount.

You propose to charge about $100 per cord to split someone else's wood, which if dropped by a tree company, already has some cost associated with it. The same math would apply to someone buying a log load of wood @ $100 per cord, and then paying you another $100 to block and split it. At that point, we've arrived at the same price as simply buying split wood, so why would anyone go through the hassle?

I'm not saying you can't make money with your splitter, but I think you're aiming way to high with the $100 an hour number. Cripes, if you could get $100 an hour to split firewood half the guys on this site would quit their jobs. :msp_biggrin:

 

[jrider]

I don't know of anyone who would pay that to have wood split. As others have discussed, it comes to a point where its easier and damn near the same price just to have split wood delivered. With that being said, good luck on your venture and keep us posted.

These guys advertise on CL all the time and they are getting $75 an hour.

Lucky Strike Log Splitting

And here is another thats a little closer to you - I think

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/for/3064797470.html