Ash plantation fell and extract price question

[arbwork]

we have been asked to clear a number of Ash plantations around the 1 ha area plot size, pole stage say up to 500mm dia at base and have suggested prices iro £30.00 per m3 @ 65% of stack measure, distance of extraction is varied from 200 meters to 1 kilometre , 3 meter length although 2.5 was last years spec. 2 inch top upwards, I already know smaller poles are not financially viable! but still cutting them,  sites are in north Buckinghamshire.  pricing is based on hand fell and cut to length, getting  3 lengths from trunk before getting into brushy tops,

Edited June 14, 2020 by arbwork

[ESS]

Its  a competitive rate, although I would be looking at a little more for longer extraction.

If brash is to stack for recovery it would need to be higher rate.

The key to these jobs is having efficient cutters that are able to produce reasonable outputs, assuming they are on day rate. The conversion rate of hourly cost per cu/m varies a lot between cutters. The fairest way is piece for cutters , providing you have a squad that can gel together.

[arbwork]

ok thanks for reply, I have heard of cutters @ 25/30 m3 to fell and cut to length hence my post above, would you consider 25 m3 for above as to little?

[ESS]

3 minutes ago, arbwork said:

ok thanks for reply, I have heard of cutters @ 25/30 m3 to fell and cut to length hence my post above, would you consider 25 m3 for above as to little?

Forwarding would be in the £5-7 per TONNE range, so you could work it back from there. Cost of cutting is very much dependent on the amount of outside trees that need clicking in, but £18 + per Tonne should cut it and leave the cutters a decent return, providing they don't have to stack everything,..perhaps just flick the tips back over alongside.

Your figures suggest you would be working on around £30/tonne.

[Mr. Ed]

Do you mind a naïve question from an incomer to this world?

Is the business model that you charge for the felling and stacking and the landowner sells the wood? Or has someone already bought the timber standing and you're working for him?

And is all that timber headed for firewood now, or is there a market for sawlogs with this ash glut going on?

I'm old enough not to be embarrassed by asking stupid questions . . .

 

[Vedhoggar]

 

4 hours ago, Mr. Ed said:

Do you mind a naïve question from an incomer to this world?

Is the business model that you charge for the felling and stacking and the landowner sells the wood? Or has someone already bought the timber standing and you're working for him?

And is all that timber headed for firewood now, or is there a market for sawlogs with this ash glut going on?

I'm old enough not to be embarrassed by asking stupid questions . . .

 

Can be all of those things mentioned and the value of firewood has increased significantly in recently years.

Edited June 15, 2020 by Vedhoggar