My neighbor had his property logged and they took about 50 trees, they were going to buy the tops from him but that fell through. Any way my neighbor is letting me cut the tops up for firewood and he wants some wood to, I am having to do all the work (cut, split, haul, and stack) what kind of deal should I be expecting, a 50/50 split on all the wood or 75/25 in my favor. any input is appreciated.
sharing "wood"
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smokinj
Addicted to ArboristSite
if he helps 50/50 if not I would move on there is free wood everywhere!
woodbooga
cords of mystic memory
Any other leads/irons in the fire? I'm assuming not and this is your only/best opportunity at the moment.
I think 50-50 is fair...but cut and delivered rounds that he splits and stacks. But I've got a few options and can afford to be a little selective at the moment.
A few years ago, I'd have jumped at the opportunity as presented - especially if close to home, as in your case.
You need to ask yourself, what's my time and labor worth? and what is the likelihood a deal better might come along?
I think 50-50 is fair...but cut and delivered rounds that he splits and stacks. But I've got a few options and can afford to be a little selective at the moment.
A few years ago, I'd have jumped at the opportunity as presented - especially if close to home, as in your case.
You need to ask yourself, what's my time and labor worth? and what is the likelihood a deal better might come along?
Ductape
Addicted to ArboristSite
The only time I've been offered wood on 'shares', it was I cut, buck and split on a 4 to 1 ratio. 1 cord for the landowner, for every 4 I made for myself. I never did end up actually doing the deal........ but I would if my supply gets real thin. For me........ I'm lazier than some, but I would not do 50/50. There is just too much work in it for 50/50...... afterall, its JUST free firewood.
I am going to try to work out a deal with him that we can both live with, just a few months ago he HAD me take down a bunch of Cherry Trees to get the lots ready for houses and I ended up with about 18 face cord all for me...There is a good chance that he may not even keep the firewood and he may just let me have it, but I want to be sure what the deal is just in case. He is a good old guy, he helps me out when I need help so I just want to keep everyone happy.
MJR
ArboristSite Guru
Just remember be nice, respectful, lessen to what is being said, take care of the needs of the other and just don’t think about your wood. If you do this you will be able to get back in much more easily in the future. Also, it is your neighbor so the whole town will find out all the dirty details. There is something to be said for taking for wood needs to the next town. Good luck.
If he helps split, load or stack then i would go 50/50 in a heartbeat. Free help/labor isnt something to bypass. Depending how well you know him and he isnt going to help with anything i would suggest taking your share and offer leaving a good pile cut up for him were the tops are cut or dont even bother cutting on his property at all.
Steve NW WI
Unwanted Riff Raff.
I'd say 80/20 if you do all the work, I've gone 50/50 where the labor and machinery is fairly evenly shared, 2/3-1/3 if I provided the equipment but had help with the labor. It's important to remember the cost of your equipment, which I realize you'd have anyway, but they don't and if they had to buy it would be their cost.
"Free" isn't always free, and if you give up some wood to keep a good relationship with this fellow, there is value in that as well.
Steve
"Free" isn't always free, and if you give up some wood to keep a good relationship with this fellow, there is value in that as well.
Steve
alderman
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'd be happy with 50/50
I wouldn't have any problem doing a 50/50 deal and would be glad to do it to help a neighbor out.
I wouldn't have any problem doing a 50/50 deal and would be glad to do it to help a neighbor out.
woodbooga
cords of mystic memory
Sounds like a good relationship that you should seek to advance.
Good people, living close by, willing to help out.
Perhaps taking the old gent up on his offer will make him think of the preceding phrase in regards to you.
clearance
Addicted to ArboristSite
jags
ArboristSite Guru
Yep, throw the question his direction. He may have no interest in a couple of cords sitting in his yard. Let him be the decider and then evaluate if it is fair to you.
Sounds like he would be a fair guy to deal with.
Sounds like he would be a fair guy to deal with.
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In general, a 50-50 deal for fully processing treetops to firewood stacks is not a good deal at all (too much work). But there is more to the story with you, meaning that you already have a good relationship and you already got 6 full cords from him free.
This gets me to thinking that you may want to process as much wood to reach a ratio that's to your liking.
6 cords already taken (free)
New 50-50 deal:
2 more cords for you
2 more cords for the landowner
Total wood processed:
8:2 = 4:1
Find the ratio that you like and stop there. Of course, if you goal is to assist a neighbor in need, process all you want for him.
This gets me to thinking that you may want to process as much wood to reach a ratio that's to your liking.
6 cords already taken (free)
New 50-50 deal:
2 more cords for you
2 more cords for the landowner
Total wood processed:
8:2 = 4:1
Find the ratio that you like and stop there. Of course, if you goal is to assist a neighbor in need, process all you want for him.
Austin1
Addicted to ArboristSite
+1 as the OP said his neighbor helps out allot too.Since he is your neighbor you probably know what kind of guy he is so the decision is yours. But it is my thought that no good deed goes UN paid,maybe I have just been lucky?
I did a 50/50 deal with a guy years ago. Windstorm laid down over a dozen big locusts. He needed someone to cut it up. Deal was I buck 'em and he does his own splitting. Was good both ways as far as I was concerned.
Then last fall, he stopped at the weekly breakfast and BS session in town and asked for some wood "remember that wood I gave you?". I told him that I could sell him some of my Willow but no locust. He left and seemed to be pissed. Guys at the table told my he is a known dipsh*t.
Harry K
Then last fall, he stopped at the weekly breakfast and BS session in town and asked for some wood "remember that wood I gave you?". I told him that I could sell him some of my Willow but no locust. He left and seemed to be pissed. Guys at the table told my he is a known dipsh*t.
Harry K
danrclem
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'd just talk to him and see what he had in mind. I wouldn't want to do a 50/50 but since he is your neighbor friend and has helped you out before it might not hurt to go a little out of the way.
avalancher
Arboristsite Raconteur
I have done a 50/50 deal several times in the past, but it was always a deal where they help with the processing and we used my equipement.I figured that the use of my equipement was more than enough fair trade for the wood that I took.
I wouldnt even consider for a minute a 50/50 deal where you do all the work and he gets half of the wood.Way too lopsided.
I wouldnt even consider for a minute a 50/50 deal where you do all the work and he gets half of the wood.Way too lopsided.
I will probably offer him the following deal (I get 2 face cords and he gets 1) unless he helps me with his excavator and dump truck (I will cut it, load the pcs into his bucket and dump into the dump truck, he then delivers to my house where I will finish) if he will do that it will save my back from trying to load the large pcs into a trailer and I will do a 50/50 split on the wood.
I do not really need the wood that bad as I have a supply of about 60 face cord all stacked and ready to burn, he thinks he will fire up his wood stove this winter so he is trying to get some wood around. I just like watching the pile grow..especially when it is so close to home..
I do not really need the wood that bad as I have a supply of about 60 face cord all stacked and ready to burn, he thinks he will fire up his wood stove this winter so he is trying to get some wood around. I just like watching the pile grow..especially when it is so close to home..
KsWoodsMan
Addicted to ArboristSite
Let me guess, after several years, he was wanting it back ?!? It might have been different if he had cut, split, hauled, stacked it at your place and you never got around to using it.
To the OP , 50/50 seems a bit slanted towards his sideif you are doing all the cutting, hauling and delivery. If he was there doing part of it, all the work would go faster and you both end up with more wood than one guy working alone or 2 guys working seperately. I have cut on shares (75/25) and been glad to get it. But for 50/50 I felt like I was getting shafted and the friendship suffered because of it. I did all the work and delivered his portion on the way out so it wasn't an extra trip but a lot of extra work. The words "When are you going to cut me some more wood I have somebody hot to buy it ?" was what did it in for me.
