How much do the FC pay for cutting work?

[Larch Dark]

How much does the Forestry Commission pay for cutting work? Is it piecework or hourly?

 

Anyone with experience doing this please say the location as well, cheers

[Ross Turner]

It's rare for the FC or Forestry England to have hand cutters.
Some Timber contractors normally pay by the cube for felling etc but others may pay day rate if you are dealing with oversized or roadside trees.

[MattyF]

As Ross said ... directly for the fc tendering for contracts its cut throat and from personal experience it’s not worth the hassle with the paper work unless you have other ideas !!

[oldwoodcutter]

If you prefer to work for peanuts hand cut on fc work.
If you want to put you talents to more profitable use , hand cut to commercial clients on your own jobs on your own terms [emoji106]

[steve collins]

I read somewhere few years back on their own website they pay £150( not sure if vat was included on top) for a experienced hand cutter, so up to medium tree and first aid, Problem is they moan like hell if you charge this even though the website states the above!!!

[Spruce Pirate]

Depends on where you are.

 

FCS are now Scottish Forestry or Forestry & Land Scotland, not sure exactly what they're calling themselves, but they're still basically the same organisation.  Almost all cutting work with FCS is now on a multi-supplier framework agreement so it depends on who you're working for as to what you'll get as well as what level of skill and experience you bring to it.  Our rates with them are pretty healthy, although there's still room for improvement in some areas.

 

Unfortunately the days of being able to rock up to the forest office and pick up a bit of cutting work locally are now long gone so if you're looking for cutting work with the Forestry, certainly in Scotland, you'll need to find out which contractors are on their agreements and get in touch with them.

[drinksloe]

I'd 2nd wot SP said above, all out on the new nightmare tendering system.

 

I know a couple off lads that used to work full time exclusively for FC doing all new roadsides and brashing inspection racks or mountain bike tracks etc

1 lad has had the contract for the same district for years if not decades not sure if he got back in this time.

 

In this area most FC harvesting work is subbed out or wood bought standing so the contractors will just pay the boys the usual rates as they would elsewhere.

 

Don't think the local district has a single cutter left despite the amount of bodies Inthe office, far too many chiefs and no Indians.

Really wonder how they justify the staffing levels esp when woods not managed that we'll in first place compared to other landowners

[The avantgardener]

11 minutes ago, drinksloe said:

Don't think the local district has a single cutter left despite the amount of bodies Inthe office, far too many chiefs and no Indians

That’s why the FC hasn’t made a profit in three decades.

[roseyweb]

I thought the Fc does all standing sales now and no in house harvesting?

i maybe wrong just pub talk 

[MattyF]

That’s why the FC hasn’t made a profit in three decades.

Depends on the forest though , keilder makes a profit but always has done ,they would have to be doing something very wrong for it not too but then nearly all the harvesting is subbed out , I don’t think they have any hand cutters just crafts men who do the odd bits but won’t be on the main harvesting sites.