A few questions for you smart folks....

[blackdoggy]

I put in a ad in the local paper today for wood and it reads, firewood for sale mixed hardwoods, split & dried, $55 a load delivered within 10 miles of ------ Rd or $35 you pickup. Now my first question is do you think offering wood for $35 a load if they show up here is a good deal? Second question would offering once a week or month deals to the elderly for $5 to $10 off of there load if it's delivered? Final question do you think any one would be interested in helping me get two or three massive logs (20+ inch) out and split in exchange for two full cords of wood, lunch and gas?

 

[HUSKYMAN]

My question is what is a "load". Is it a wheelbarrow load, a Ford Ranger pickup load, a full size Chevy pickup 8' bed load?

 

[yooperman]

I wouldn't and Don't give deals to anyone. They're the only ones that benefit not you. They are going to pay somebody for fuel/heat and nobody else is going to give them a break. Charge everyboby (even friends) the same and be timely, curteous, and fair. You won't have any problem getting/keeping customers. Remember don't give it away it takes to much work to make firewood.

 

[ktm rider]

I would strictly sell it by they cord or half cord. If it is by the Load for $35, Iwill be up with my 7X14 dump trailer tomorrow.

 

[blackdoggy]

In this neck of the woods a load usually means a full size pickup truck load. Any smart asses that show up with a large tandem trailer or truck will be offered the chance to get a load for $35 provided they follow me down town to get a full load of wood for me and bring it to my house. Otherwise they can go back on down the road with there empty trailer.
Oh and I don't charge my one friend for his wood because thats where I dispose of my chunks of nasty that I can't split and are to large for my stove not to mention the fact he lets me use his splitter.

 

[cjcocn]

While I am sure that you would quickly set someone straight regarding the definition of a "load," I would still clarify it in the ad. Further, there is a likelihood that you will get some folks that, while they somewhat agree to the definition of a load, will try to heap their pickup truck beds as high as is possible, even if that means using a rack on their box (like a boat rack - basically a back rack that has an identical rack at the back of the truck - I use one to haul canoes or long pieces of lumber, pipes, etc.)

Also, those once-a-month deals for the elderly, at least around here, would have every able-bodied soul over "just picking up a load for my grandparents." If there is a way to ensure that the wood is actually for the elderly - great, otherwise I would just leave that deal unsaid and charge the elderly less anytime that they bought wood.

Price is regional. Around here either price would be too good to be true and you would have all the business for as long as your wood lasted.

If I was closer I'd be there already to help you move that wood as I'd rather be doing that then sitting in an office. Good luck with finding someone - should be doable as that sounds like a good deal to me.

.... aw :censored:, you said smart people.

Oh well, It's typed already.

 

[ktm rider]

I was just pulling your leg dude. I think most of us here understand what you mean by "A Load" but you can bet your butt that someone would eventually call you on it and be a real A-hole about you not being specific and try to take advantage...

FYI, I'm not sure about your area, but around here a cord goes for $125.

 

[blackdoggy]

You figure here most people sell only "load" which goes for for around $50-$60. As for idiots trying to overload there trucks here it wont fly I will load your truck to the top rail and thats it. The main reason for this early sale is because I need a new saw I had a accident with the baby Stihl and now it needs to be replaced or I can spend the $100+ for a new rear hand grip. I much rather try to get a new saw than fix the old one since Stihl wants a small fortune for there parts.

 

[cmetalbend]

If you contact your state's dept. of agriculture I think you will find it is only legal to sell wood by the pound or percentage of a cord. No load fulls allowed! No face cords, etc.

This sounds weird here in kansas. I don't know of any laws covering how wood is sold, weighed or measured. Interesting

 

[cabinman]

Dam it do,do

You figure here most people sell only "load" which goes for for around $50-$60. As for idiots trying to overload there trucks here it wont fly I will load your truck to the top rail and thats it. The main reason for this early sale is because I need a new saw I had a accident with the baby Stihl and now it needs to be replaced or I can spend the $100+ for a new rear hand grip. I much rather try to get a new saw than fix the old one since Stihl wants a small fortune for there parts.

I just paid the 800.00,to plate my volvo /Dump train , and now, U are coppin out,.......

 

[blackdoggy]

Well no one in this county I don't think has ever heard of that regulation (not that they would follow it).

 

[habanero]

This sounds weird here in kansas. I don't know of any laws covering how wood is sold, weighed or measured. Interesting

I understand what you're talking about. I just moved out here to Ohio from Kansas this summer and it is quite different out here in terms of people burning wood. I lived in Manhattan, KS, and I bet at least in my general neighborhood maybe only 10% of the people burned wood versus out here in my area probably 80% of the people burn wood. So, the sale of firewood is a much bigger deal here. I had never heard of Kansas having a law regulating the sale of firewood either, but that doesn't mean they don't have one.

 

[Zodiac45]

This sounds weird here in kansas. I don't know of any laws covering how wood is sold, weighed or measured. Interesting

First off I would definately quantify a "load". If it's a pickup truck full then call it a half cord and charge whatever they get for a half cord in your neighborhood. Up here in Maine, it's $200 (a cord) for cut /split/seasoned.

There's no doubt about that wood sales legislation. It's been on the books for 200 years around these parts and it was done for exactly the reasons people were spouting about. My load versus yours, etc.. I'm not sure it's been used recently but then again wood is always sold by weight or cord here.

 

[Zodiac45]

. I lived in Manhattan, KS, and I bet at least in my general neighborhood maybe only 10% of the people burned wood versus out here in my area probably 80% of the people burn wood. So, the sale of firewood is a much bigger deal here. QUOTE]

And it's only gonna get bigger boys and girls. We've had a dramatic amount of people "changing over or going back" to wood heat. Oil and petro products are never going back too the Pre Bush era so I can say with absolute assurance that not only will wood become more popular, it will rise in price too. This year it's up $10 a cord too $100 for tree length/3 cord minimum. Also getting really hard to get any free stuff if you don't have good connections.

 

[Engineeredlawns]

Would my 5' x 8' trailer be considered a load. If I came and filled it up 3', that is a cord. What would you charge for that? It might be worth the trip.

 

[Marc]

Load vs. cord/weight thing... the way I see it is, if you're trying to grow/maintain a business, the last thing you want to do is start off on bad terms with your customers before even meeting them. Even if all your competitors advertise by the load, if you sell by the cord or % of a cord, it affords you a competitive advantage, and reduces the chance you'll have an argument with someone you want to do business with. Seems to make sense to me.

 

[2FatGuys]

Oh really???

Treeco - Blackdoggy may be right in selling by the "truckload".

If you read further in the link that you provided on the VA DOF website, it says: "If the buyer visually inspects a truckload of wood and agrees to a selling price for that load, the term "truckload" may be used. A standard pick-up truck usually holds about two-thirds of a cord."

 

[blackdoggy]

Ouch!

I just sold off three loads in three days and I have another two loads going out Monday. I have done this so far with out my own truck and the one guy that came here showed me where to get TONS of wood for next to NOTHING I can go in there and get my loads for either A. One twelve pack B. A ten dollar bill or C. For FREE (once I get to know the guy). The real kicker is the same day the ad for my wood came out in the paper the damn truck quit on me :censored: so it's in the shop and I might not have it back for a week or more .

 

[ktm rider]

I just sold off three loads in three days and I have another two loads going out Monday. I have done this so far with out my own truck and the one guy that came here showed me where to get TONS of wood for next to NOTHING I can go in there and get my loads for either A. One twelve pack B. A ten dollar bill or C. For FREE (once I get to know the guy). The real kicker is the same day the ad for my wood came out in the paper the damn truck quit on me :censored: so it's in the shop and I might not have it back for a week or more .

Excellent ! Good to hear things are working out for you. ( except for your truck) I would grab as much as that free wood as you can before others find out about it also.

 

[blackdoggy]

Other people steal wood from this guy's field but he has so much he really is not that worried about it except for when some one cuts up his good timber tree's. Then he gets really really pissed but he usually burn the piles once they get too big and sells the good logs for timber. I am gonna be grabbing once I get the truck back at least two loads a day every two or three day a week.