Timber forwarding and winching costs

[Root and branch sw]

Hi.  Was just wondering what the current rates are per tonne forwarding.  

Plus rates for winching 2 man and tractor set up. 

This is all for first thinning.  Not clear fell. 

I'm running a alpine tractor and 6 tonne trailer and I can't see how the money adds up. 

All advice given would be greatly appreciated.  

I assume prices would be plus vat unless stated. 

 

Edited January 23, 2018 by Root and branch sw
Forgot to add vat

[Khriss]

Cos a good winch man wont smash yr woodland up ! K

[gdh]

We were paying £32 a ton to have oak winched and stacked a couple of hundred meters away. That's on steep banks.

We're just starting to do a bit ourselves and it's looking around £35. Most people where we are are similar. 

 

That's thinning not clearfell and plus vat. 

Edited January 23, 2018 by gdh

[Root and branch sw]

The timber we are extracting is Sitka & Douglas. So £35 i reckon is very high. 

£12 per tonne on the landing is what I've been told I assume plus vat. 

Distance hauled  ~600 yards 

So if a lorry loads was pulled this would equate to £300 plus vat ? ? ? 

Does this sound right? 

[gdh]

I haven't got much experience with softwood to be honest, did our first bit the other week. It was only about 50 tons on nice ground but it worked out about £20 a ton so I can't see it paying on our small scale (tree shear/excavator, forwarding trailer and winch when needed).

 

One way to get a rough extraction cost is just take off transport and standing cost from the final price. 

 

Eg oak is about £60 a ton delivered in, minus £10 transport, minus £15 for standing timber makes £35 about right. 

 

Edit: The problem with softwood costs is your competing with harvesters that will do 100ton an hour so even if you find a small site with cheap wood it's difficult to justify it. 

Edited January 23, 2018 by gdh

[Gray git]

I hope that isn't felling as well or really isn't worth it as no way can a 2 man team fell, sned, winch, crosscut then forward a wagon load a day with compact machines at that rate I'd need to be hitting 2 wagon load a day to start making it worth while.
What gdh says sounds more realistic.

[Root and branch sw]

This is where it all gets difficult.  

I got called into extraction of felled timber as a sub contractor. Environment agency had felled the all over the shop. So I winched it all into piles now accessible to the tractor.  Now got to load and haul and stack on landing. So I'm just a middle man really call in to tidy someone else's mess. 

[gdh]

Sorry, I should be clear I'm including felling in those costs, not sure if that's what you meant. 

[Root and branch sw]

No just winch and haul stack. 

[Root and branch sw]

Training refreshing for them. Make a mess and run.