Another Firewood buissness in Kent

[Liam Outdoors 89]

Hey guys & girls

 

Is it worth starting a firewood company in Kent, is it already over saturated.

 

I've been doing tree work for the last 4 months with a mixture of climbing & groundwork, I have enjoyed the climbing but the groundwork is very laborious. I am inexperienced and I still have lots to learn. But I like the thought of owning a small company. I'm not looking to make £100k's just between £20-30K a year. You can probably tell I have no experience of running a company and you'd be correct.

 

I live on a small holding and we already have a lot of storage space and will look in to building more canopy storage for seasoning wood.

 

BUT is it worth it? I see 'Logs for sale' signs everywhere and I keep thinking "is it actually worth getting in to?". I'd be happy to be more of a supplier if that were an option.

 

I'm based in North Kent, more specifically Rainham.

 

I've already spoken to a few tree surgery firms I've worked with (all 2/3 man teams) and they'd be happy to drop their wood where we are. But also want to drop their chip off at the same time. This is another revenue which I am looking in to but currently don't have the space for an artic lorry to turn around in but potentially reverse.

 

We are based about 10 minutes away from the Detling Tip Site, which would be the main competitor. But I have no interest on letting lots of different tree companies drop at our site, as that would start causing security concerns.

 

Any advice/help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Liam

[skyhuck]

If you think groundwork is laborious after 4 months, I think you will soon get fed up of cutting firewood.

[Khriss]

@Liam you will fit in round there, plenty of garages to sell to, salvage yr sawdust fr the horsey types too.  K

[Liam Outdoors 89]

7 minutes ago, skyhuck said:

If you think groundwork is laborious after 4 months, I think you will soon get fed up of cutting firewood.

Hey Skyhuck

 

Yeah I hear what ya saying, I've been cutting my own firewood from our woods for the last 18months. And I actually find enjoyable. I think its more to do with that I'm happy to spend my own time on my own business. But you raise a fair point and that's why I posted in a forum fist, before I start spending money on kit!

 

Liam

[skyhuck]

2 minutes ago, Scottish Cleaning Service said:

Understand what you are saying but the world's best aphrodisiac is money. Once he starts turning those logs into dosh then the laborious nature disappears and a big permanent smile appears. My snobbish father cracked up at my mum for taking in homeless in 1982, I had told my mum to accept the council contract. I even remember his words "These undesirables will have a detrimental effect on my hotel and on your head be it" My mum stood her ground and we were the only hotel in Paisley to take in homeless. My snobbish father hated them until after 3 months when he immediately began to smile at them and even talk to them. My mum told me why. Every 3 months the council would pay the bill, the first bill was over £37k. We milked that golden goose for 10 years and it made my father a millionaire. Once the recession came nearly every hotel in Paisley was taking in homeless or they would have gone bust. What I learnt from that was cycles and if you get in at the beginning you will make a fortune! fwiw  

How much firewood have you cut and sold?

[Stere]

Maybe there two approaches?

 

Smaller scale as mostly arb  waste logs but they often aren't suitable for processer

 

Or go big volume, large investment in machinary, & buy in loads nice straight cord that can be done with a processer etc.

 

Marketing is important also kiln drying etc

[Doug Tait]

39 minutes ago, Scottish Cleaning Service said:

Once he starts turning those logs into dosh then the laborious nature disappears and a big permanent smile appears.

I'm not following the logic here.

 

If the laborious nature of doing logs would disappear once money is earned, why would the laborious nature of groundwork not disappear with payment?

 

Anyway, never really felt that tree work was laborious myself, more often surprised by how much doing it makes me happy, and yes, even in the heat or cold and wet just dragging to a chipper I'm usually smiling inside.

 

 

[mixedangased]

1 hour ago, Liam Outdoors 89 said:

Hey Skyhuck

 

Yeah I hear what ya saying, I've been cutting my own firewood from our woods for the last 18months. And I actually find enjoyable. I think its more to do with that I'm happy to spend my own time on my own business. But you raise a fair point and that's why I posted in a forum fist, before I start spending money on kit!

 

Liam

Yeah but your only doing your own wait till you get loads of orders in to do ! Get tedious after a while even with a processor !

[eggsarascal]

I set up from scratch many years ago, there is money to be made but you'll work for it unless you've got the equipment to handle everything. I lasted four seasons before I jacked it and sold all my gear.

 

There are plenty of easier ways to make money.

[Liam Outdoors 89]

30 minutes ago, Doug Tait said:

I'm not following the logic here.

 

If the laborious nature of doing logs would disappear once money is earned, why would the laborious nature of groundwork not disappear with payment?

 

Anyway, never really felt that tree work was laborious myself, more often surprised by how much doing it makes me happy, and yes, even in the heat or cold and wet just dragging to a chipper I'm usually smiling inside.

 

 

Ooooooo Doug your'e right man!

There is more to this picture than just simply firewood. I think really I just want to start a company that I can do at home. As I have mentioned we live on a small holding (roughly just under 10 acres). I'm in the process of sorting it out it's been neglected for the best part of 10 years. It's one of the reasons why I got in to the Tree Care side of things to take the new things I've learnt and use them at home. I'd start my own tree surgery business, but in Kent there's already too many. So what I'm trying to establish is - Is the firewood business another over saturated industry-.

 

I'm not looking to make lots & lots of money just something that I'm actually invested in for my self, that can pay the bills save some for pension and have a little left over for holidays. And I do really enjoy working out side, even when it's pissing it down and -1 I do still have a laugh at work!