Would you give wood away?

[gwiley]

I have had a few folks suggest that I talk to local tree care companies about having them dump their wood at my place for free. They have told me that "the tree companies" have to pay to dump the trees they remove.

The question is: Is this for real? Would you dump your logs at someone's property for free? If so, what is the best way for me to approach a tree company with this question?

 

[Uncle John]

The tree service companys I know about sell firewood.
You may get some free wood but it will most likely be lower quality.
But it all burns.

 

[Bearcreek]

Only time I give wood away is when its so big and full of knots that i don't want to mess with it or its junk wood (aspen, cottonwood, pine) or the occasional charity thing for somebody down on their luck. None of the tree services that I know of around here have to pay to dump. Everybody's got contacts that want wood and chips. You may be able to find somebody that will sell you unsplit log lengths and save some money that way.

 

[ozarktreeman]

I have had a few folks suggest that I talk to local tree care companies about having them dump their wood at my place for free. They have told me that "the tree companies" have to pay to dump the trees they remove.

The question is: Is this for real? Would you dump your logs at someone's property for free? If so, what is the best way for me to approach a tree company with this question?

If you were closer I could hook a guy up with more than they can handle usually.But that,s me.I,m not in the wood bus,sells to cheap around here.But yea most outfits probably glad to get it out there way.

 

[huskystihl]

The best thing you can do is talk to a service and ask them if they would call you when they have removals and have wood to spare. I have customers who I will dump wood for a fee, basically fuel and beer money. I also have a couple guys i'll call that show up to the site that I load their trailers free of charge just to save myself an extra trip when theres to much to haul out. You might get lucky and have a load dumped once and a great while if your on the way but unless your willing to pay your out of mind. I recomend you get a trailer if you don't have one and get in good with a couple services and drop the trailer if need be before work and pick it up after. You'd be amazed how many load are hauled out on just a couple of residential removals and most services run lean and mean, 2 man crews, so you hauling a load is an extra couple hours off the clock. If you think your just gonna see loads rolling in with nothing in it for joe tree guy you'll be waiting awhile, stop and look at their trailer and if it looks to be worthy offer em $75 or $100 if they dump it. Just think of it this way, it's easy pickins when it's in your yard and most services are gonna run decent sized trucks and trailers capable of hauling 3 plus cords.

 

[Tree Pig]

It all depends. If its good wood and easy to transported back to the yard Ill keep it, but some times when its busy and I want to get the job done and move on to another I will offer wood to dependable people I know. The problem is when you offer someone wood and your counting on that, then they dont show on time and the HO wants the wood out. So if you do get hooked up with someone be dependable and you will most likely get repeat calls. Make them wait once you most likely will not hear from them again. The only other bad part about it is more and more people now want to keep the wood because they or someone they know wants it. It can make the jobs easier for us, but sometimes 2 or 3 weeks later when their brother in law hasn't put his beer down long enough to come get it they are calling you back to try and get the wood out.

 

[huskystihl]

It all depends. If its good wood and easy to transported back to the yard Ill keep it, but some times when its busy and I want to get the job done and move on to another I will offer wood to dependable people I know. The problem is when you offer someone wood and your counting on that, then they dont show on time and the HO wants the wood out. So if you do get hooked up with someone be dependable and you will most likely get repeat calls. Make them wait once you most likely will not hear from them again. The only other bad part about it is more and more people now want to keep the wood because they or someone they know wants it. It can make the jobs easier for us, but sometimes 2 or 3 weeks later when their brother in law hasn't put his beer down long enough to come get it they are calling you back to try and get the wood out.

Your dead on with that! I had an old lady wanted the hard maple left behind for her worthless grandson and then wouldn't pay me because he never came and got it, like it was my fault! I charged an extra $150 for the equipment to come back and remove it and she pid the original bill. Merry Christmas. The worst part was I cut it to firewood becaus this bozo didn't have a saw yet wanted to sell it which made loading a-lot of fun!

 

[ozarktreeman]

Gwiley,I gotta ask.Is Goochland really a name of a town?

 

[gwiley]

Gwiley,I gotta ask.Is Goochland really a name of a town?

Not a town, a county. We don't have a town here - just a county seat (Goochland Courthouse).

The real kicker is my street name......Lickinghole Rd. (No, I am not kidding). It is some sort of historical district name related to cows. I have actually had a shipping request refused once because they thought it was a prank.

 

[pdqdl]

... They have told me that "the tree companies" have to pay to dump the trees they remove.

The question is: Is this for real? Would you dump your logs at someone's property for free? If so, what is the best way for me to approach a tree company with this question?

YES! I pay to dump wood.

YES! I would fill your lot for free with all kinds of crap wood, and a big pile of good wood, too.


A telephone call to a receptive tree company would do the job, particularly if it is close enough to be economical. Your average tree service is not interested in playing "pick and choose your load" games. They will want an all or none situation where they don't have to worry about rejection of a load when it arrives.

I had a guy tell me once that he burned all wood that showed up, including cottonwood. He called us several days later, stating that he had enough wood for this year.

I haven't heard from him in a while...I wonder if he ever got all that cottonwood to go up his chimney?

 

[ozarktreeman]

Not a town, a county. We don't have a town here - just a county seat (Goochland Courthouse).

The real kicker is my street name......Lickinghole Rd. (No, I am not kidding). It is some sort of historical district name related to cows. I have actually had a shipping request refused once because they thought it was a prank.

That,s funny I don't care who you are.

 

[gwiley]

That,s funny I don't care who you are.

Glad I could amuse you. The folks I work with never get tired of playing games with my address....sigh...you would think that after 3 or 4 years it would loose its appeal.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I have had a few folks suggest that I talk to local tree care companies about having them dump their wood at my place for free. They have told me that "the tree companies" have to pay to dump the trees they remove.

The question is: Is this for real? Would you dump your logs at someone's property for free? If so, what is the best way for me to approach a tree company with this question?

It all depends where you are. Around here, they often just leave the wood beside the road, especially the power company clearance crews. They buck it to approximately firewood size, stack it, chip the brush, and move on. Tree companies come in all sizes and shapes in these parts. Some sell firewood, some can't be bothered.


Other places, nope. Ain't gonna happen.

Call a few and find out!

 

[treeman82]

I give wood away to friends or business associates. Other than that, nobody gets wood for free.

 

[Blakesmaster]

I wouldn't call the guys with full page ads in the phone book. Most bigger companies are equipped to process there own firewood. I'd focus on the guys with small ads, guys that advertise in newspapers, etc.

 

[treemandan]

Only if it worked in my favour completely would I give anything away.

 

[ozarktreeman]

I wouldn't call the guys with full page ads in the phone book. Most bigger companies are equipped to process there own firewood. I'd focus on the guys with small ads, guys that advertise in newspapers, etc.

Full page ads,excuse me get your phone book out I do run a full page ad,And on the back page coupons 2fer1.And I would gladly Give all my wood away.And do.Wood in apita.as far as processors my last 2 got deported.
But seriously a man with a full page ad I believe would be more apt to get the wood out the way so they can move on to the next gig.
I dont see what advertising dollars has to do with firewood.

 

[pdqdl]

I think that the full page ads were believed to be run by large companies that would not respond to personalized offers like "I'll take your wood for free". Certainly, the smaller ads go with smaller companies who might be more approachable.

My thoughts: big companies will have more trees to dispose of because they are doing more removals.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

But seriously a man with a full page ad I believe would be more apt to get the wood out the way so they can move on to the next gig.
I dont see what advertising dollars has to do with firewood.

I think that the full page ads were believed to be run by large companies that would not respond to personalized offers like "I'll take your wood for free". Certainly, the smaller ads go with smaller companies who might be more approachable.

My thoughts: big companies will have more trees to dispose of because they are doing more removals.

I think the bottom line is, you don't know until you call! So just call!

The worst they can do to you is call you names, hang up, and call in an air strike on your house!

 

[kevin bingham]

once I cut it and pick it up its mine. If you come pick it up for me its yours. Once I put any labor at all into moving it and cutting it, Im going to try and get my moneys worth out of it.

Sometimes on big jobs, I will call a guy with a big dump trailer who does a lot of firewood to take wood. He shows up on the jobsite with a saw and some help. It saves me labor and gets the job done faster. He keeps the wood.
Likewise when people drive by and ask for wood I will tell them to go ahead and load up as long as they dont get in the way and dont cause us more work. Usually in those cases its just a few pieces here and there.
But, No way am I going to drive somewhere and dump a load of valuable wood off somewhere. I have a hard time giving chips away for free although sometimes I have to.