An Idiot's guide to Ancient Woodland management

[The avantgardener]

5 hours ago, Mark Bolam said:

Is that Al Ball mate?

Yeah mate.

[Mark Bolam]

He’s some character isn’t he?!!!

[The avantgardener]

Just now, Mark Bolam said:

He’s some character isn’t he?!!!

Yeah, he sure is.

[pelerin]

First post on here. This is an excellent thread and TVI you are doing some great work on a big scale.

 

We’ve got a small piece of coppice, mainly alder with some big veteran oaks, that we were lucky enough to buy recently. Nothing on this scale though, and not designated ASNW, but there’s a lot to take away from this thread, and this forum as a whole. Thanks everyone. 

 

My paid work includes looking after land for landowners and I’m reasonably familiar with Countryside Stewardship grants, the foibles of owners, and most of the time their obsession with shooting over woodland management. TVI you are very lucky to have an owner who can see beyond the next 1st October. 

 

One thing I wanted to note was about tax. I think it is mentioned some way back in this thread, but timber sold in the round at roadside should not attract income tax. Something to think about when you are selling processed firewood wholesale perhaps? In effect you are instantly losing 20% (40% if you are selling enough of it...) as a cost of sale. This really should be considered when calculating the price you are selling it for by the bag. 

 

I have seen dumpy bags of seasoned firewood advertised delivered for £115. That’s £95.83+VAT. (People do pay this much!). It’s worth an hour on a spreadsheet to work out your hourly equivalent rate for all that processing, and include the tax you pay HMRC! (By 31 January)

 

P

 

 

[Khriss]

40 minutes ago, pelerin said:

First post on here. This is an excellent thread and TVI you are doing some great work on a big scale.

 

We’ve got a small piece of coppice, mainly alder with some big veteran oaks, that we were lucky enough to buy recently. Nothing on this scale though, and not designated ASNW, but there’s a lot to take away from this thread, and this forum as a whole. Thanks everyone. 

 

My paid work includes looking after land for landowners and I’m reasonably familiar with Countryside Stewardship grants, the foibles of owners, and most of the time their obsession with shooting over woodland management. TVI you are very lucky to have an owner who can see beyond the next 1st October. 

 

One thing I wanted to note was about tax. I think it is mentioned some way back in this thread, but timber sold in the round at roadside should not attract income tax. Something to think about when you are selling processed firewood wholesale perhaps? In effect you are instantly losing 20% (40% if you are selling enough of it...) as a cost of sale. This really should be considered when calculating the price you are selling it for by the bag. 

 

I have seen dumpy bags of seasoned firewood advertised delivered for £115. That’s £95.83+VAT. (People do pay this much!). It’s worth an hour on a spreadsheet to work out your hourly equivalent rate for all that processing, and include the tax you pay HMRC! (By 31 January)

 

P

 

 

...I got asked for £40 fr a mini cooper boot load , off the Common ( they run a firewood business off it ) ... My laughter at the Shell garage down the road ( where I got same amount fr a tenner ) could be heard on the M25 K

Edited January 15, 2020 by Khriss
( In the fast lane - )

[openspaceman]

6 hours ago, pelerin said:

have seen dumpy bags of seasoned firewood advertised delivered for £115. That’s £95.83+VAT. (People do pay this much!).

Shouldn't it retail with 5% Vat or has something changed?

[pelerin]

6 hours ago, openspaceman said:

Shouldn't it retail with 5% Vat or has something changed?

Ok, and that means an even bigger markup from wholesale to retail price.

[openspaceman]

2 hours ago, pelerin said:

Ok, and that means an even bigger markup from wholesale to retail price.

What's your point?

 

People are free to charge what they like and customers are free to choose whether to buy as long as the product is properly described

[pelerin]

1 hour ago, openspaceman said:

What's your point?

 

People are free to charge what they like and customers are free to choose whether to buy as long as the product is properly described

The point is that the man getting his hands dirty isn’t getting the profit he should. Someone is making a big markup by simply hauling, storing for a year in a shed and selling. Taking income tax into account may mean it is more profitable to sell in the round, plus it could free up time for more specialist enterprises. 

[eggsarascal]

3 hours ago, pelerin said:

The point is that the man getting his hands dirty isn’t getting the profit he should. Someone is making a big markup by simply hauling, storing for a year in a shed and selling. Taking income tax into account may mean it is more profitable to sell in the round, plus it could free up time for more specialist enterprises. 

The man getting his hands dirty is getting the profit he wants. I would think TVI is smart enough to know what's best for his business and woodland.