Price to clear fell 3ha of 100 year old broadleaf woodland

[Etractor]

Hello all,

 

I am a self employed hedge layer in the south east and In the last couple of years I have provided a hedge coppicing service using my 3 ton digger and TMK 200 tree shear. 
 

With the coppicing being very popular I have been approached by a land owner (who I assume thinks I do forestry work) to manage and clear fell his “coppice”. This consists of a flat and medium density 20ha woodland of mainly hornbeam, ash, silver birch and oak all around 100 years old. He wants to manage 3ha this year and more in the years to come and this job has been signed off by the forestry commission. 
 

I have worked in forestry before on clear fell sites and have plenty of experience with a chainsaw and felling, but this will be my first forestry job of my own ( I have let the owner know this)
 

my question is… what would be a typical way to charge and how much?

 

hourly, daily, per acre ££
 

He has said he can deal with the selling of the wood or I can and to factor that into the cost. 
 

I have also got an 8 ton digger with shear and grab. 
 

the plan is to clear fell the site and leave some nice looking trees here and there. Remove the brash and burn and extract the wood to a decent roadside access. 
 

Any thoughts are appreciated. 
 

Thanks 

Edited 4 hours ago by Etractor

[Mark Bolam]

Distance to roadside and ground conditions will be massive factors.

 

Many experienced forestry lads on here will be able to help.

Hourly or daily rate won’t run, he hasn’t a clue what you can do.

[monkeybusiness]

Do it on a tonnage rate, extracted and stacked at roadside. Work out how many tonnes you think you could comfortably do in a day from the hardest/furthest part of the job, work out your day rate and do some maths to see what you need to charge. You’ll have good days and bad days, but it’s the fairest way for both parties. 

[slack ma girdle]

A 8 tonne digger with grab will handle all the timber, and be able to sort it. How will you get it to trackside for lorry uplift?

What it is the quality of the timber like? Saw logs will get you the biggest return, but until they are felled you wont know the quality.

Extraction distance is the killer, Monkeybusiness's point about working from the furthest point is a good one.

Do you have access to reliable cutters that can work to your spec.

Do you have financial reserves to last a couple  of months before the money starts to come in.