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Mr Good Wood

Mr Good Wood

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2010
Messages
97
Location
Toledo, Ohio
I have a bunch of tree tops in the woods that need cut/ split and I was wondering what one would pay per cord to have guys go in with their own saws and splitter and gas and cut and pile up, not stack just pile at each top so I can load with skid steer. What would be the rate per cord assuming that i want to resell for money (going price per cord is 150-175)?
 
jimbojango

jimbojango

ArboristSite Guru
Joined
Nov 26, 2010
Messages
605
Location
Mayfield, Kansas
I have a bunch of tree tops in the woods that need cut/ split and I was wondering what one would pay per cord to have guys go in with their own saws and splitter and gas and cut and pile up, not stack just pile at each top so I can load with skid steer. What would be the rate per cord assuming that i want to resell for money (going price per cord is 150-175)?

pay them $200 per cord. If you want to make any money doing firewood you gotta do it yourself it seems :(
 
59Ford

59Ford

ArboristSite Lurker
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
19
Location
Vashon, WA
I do this exact thing and charge $25/hr, feel like it should be more like $35 but I live in a small area.
Reason for not going by cord is some people have the wood already cut into rounds and other people have a huge cluster fu(k of trees and branches that need to be cut up and cleared before I can even think about getting out the splitter. Also had people who don't even want it split and just want all the debris in a burn pile.
I don't get a lot of calls for this but do get a fair amount. I really don't think you'd make much of a profit hiring someone to split your wood, remember your not only paying his labor but also paying to rent his equipment and have it brought to your property.
 
ropensaddle

ropensaddle

Feel Lucky
Joined
Feb 12, 2007
Messages
22,259
Location
Hot Springs Arkansas
I have a bunch of tree tops in the woods that need cut/ split and I was wondering what one would pay per cord to have guys go in with their own saws and splitter and gas and cut and pile up, not stack just pile at each top so I can load with skid steer. What would be the rate per cord assuming that i want to resell for money (going price per cord is 150-175)?

I have thought about doing something like that but really wood has zero value. It is the labor to produce firewood that is the cost per cord. I think the only true fair thing here would be to have them cut and pile your brush and they get the wood or sell it to you. You would sort of be asking for too much imo otherwise. I might would consider a 1000 cords whole sale priced and left on site brush piled for 125 per cord if in slow period. It would have to be enough cords to come out of it making profit!
 
TMFARM 2009

TMFARM 2009

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Messages
1,078
Location
ohio
here in ohio you'd be doing good to get someone to do that. if you do get someone they will want at least half the wood... maybe even 75/25 split. good luck...you might consider hiring some kids to split by hand and do the cutting yourself.
 
branchbuzzer

branchbuzzer

Undiagnosed
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
1,903
Location
Carter Co, TN
I do that occasionally, but usually only for known customers so there are fewer "surprises" and I know what to expect. I usually price it at 50% of the going rate for seasoned hardwood ( if it was more than that, there would be no incentive to pay for it rather than delivered firewood ). So, that's $75 per cord stacked, they take care of the brush, a little extra if it's difficult to split or hard to retrieve.
 
tuneshop

tuneshop

ArboristSite Lurker
Joined
Dec 9, 2009
Messages
20
Location
mcalester.ok
I own a ranch,and usually get my firewood from downed trees.(weather, disease, bulldozer etc..) Many times I have paid to have a tree "worked up". I usually offer going price for firewood, less what I figure delivery is worth. I haven't been turned down often.

If the wood is not in a flood area I have them stack it so we can agree on how much is there.
 
fordss

fordss

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2010
Messages
59
Location
lancaster,pa
I had a guy with a bunch of tops and standing dead he would drag them with a tractor to a trail then I would cut it up and I got to keep every other pc. that I cut I just had to stack his in a pile. He split it himself later. It was a good deal.
 
indiansprings

indiansprings

Firewood Purveyor
Joined
Dec 15, 2008
Messages
4,009
Location
SW Missouri
Wish I was closer, we'd do it for 80-90 a cord and trade it out in wood.
Since wood in our area brings so little it would actually be close to being more profitable for us. Just hire you a guy and pay him 9.00 an hour and furnish a saw, mix and oil for him. Chunk/cut it up and pile it, stack the limbs so they can be burned unless you have a tractor to push them up in piles. A good worker can easily cut 5 to 7 cords a day if all he has to do is cut and pile. He can't be a lazy bum to get it accomplished he would have to be a worker, in good weather, this is the kind of production we get. It would pay to buy your own splitter and follow him around and split his piles or when he gets done cutting start him splitting. You might have to go through one or two guys to get a worker, but if you feed them well, treat them well and pay on time with a little xtra for when they really bust their azz they'll stay hooked. With this economy it's not hard to find workers. You can always pay them based on production as well, so what they make is based on how productive they are. I know one guy that does it this way and he's had to pay his guy a little over a 100.00 a day based on 20.00 a cord for cutting and piling.
 
Locust Cutter

Locust Cutter

Sawing for Sanity
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
3,295
Location
South-Central KS
Wish I was closer, we'd do it for 80-90 a cord and trade it out in wood.
Since wood in our area brings so little it would actually be close to being more profitable for us. Just hire you a guy and pay him 9.00 an hour and furnish a saw, mix and oil for him. Chunk/cut it up and pile it, stack the limbs so they can be burned unless you have a tractor to push them up in piles. A good worker can easily cut 5 to 7 cords a day if all he has to do is cut and pile. He can't be a lazy bum to get it accomplished he would have to be a worker, in good weather, this is the kind of production we get. It would pay to buy your own splitter and follow him around and split his piles or when he gets done cutting start him splitting. You might have to go through one or two guys to get a worker, but if you feed them well, treat them well and pay on time with a little xtra for when they really bust their azz they'll stay hooked. With this economy it's not hard to find workers. You can always pay them based on production as well, so what they make is based on how productive they are. I know one guy that does it this way and he's had to pay his guy a little over a 100.00 a day based on 20.00 a cord for cutting and piling.

I'm on the other end of this deal: I'm cutting on three different ranches and 1 farm, cutting for myself and my customers. The wood is mine, but as compensation, if they want any wood/fence built/cattle worked/wheat cut/etc, then I do whatever I can to help them. The place I do most of my cutting, the guy doesn't want a lot of wood but there's always a cured cord+ of OAK off his land waiting for him in a barn should he want any. He gets what he needs and I get what I need. Not to mention the ability to get out, play with my toys and have something concrete to show for my efforts at the end of the day,... (my day job is computer work for the Air Nat'l Guard). My day job pays better, but I wouldn't trade working (at least part-time) with my hands. Not until The day I can't anymore,...
 
indiansprings

indiansprings

Firewood Purveyor
Joined
Dec 15, 2008
Messages
4,009
Location
SW Missouri
That's how we normally operate locust, we clean up their places after they have them logged for the wood. Thanks for your service in the Guard. I spent four years active and 16 in the Army Nat'l Guard. Boy has the active Army/Air Force etc, opinion and attitude changed toward the Guard or what since these last two wars, your not a bastard child anymore or a weekend warrior. Guard units have been full mission capable and served with distinction.
 
Locust Cutter

Locust Cutter

Sawing for Sanity
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
3,295
Location
South-Central KS
That's how we normally operate locust, we clean up their places after they have them logged for the wood. Thanks for your service in the Guard. I spent four years active and 16 in the Army Nat'l Guard. Boy has the active Army/Air Force etc, opinion and attitude changed toward the Guard or what since these last two wars, your not a bastard child anymore or a weekend warrior. Guard units have been full mission capable and served with distinction.

Amen (not to hijack the thread)! Plus I'm an AGR and trying to explain that to some active-duty folks (or civilian folks for hat matter) can be quite interesting... LOL Thanks for doing your time before me!
 

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