Is Firewood a dieing trade?

[SteveMenhenitt]

Essentially I'm looking to possibly go back in the firewood trade along other things, my father done it and earnt a living off it so did my grandfather. My father packed it in when I was too young to join him but we kept all the gear, nothing fancy but got the job done. Now the issue is alot of houses around me are going electric heating route and having fireplaces ripped out (especially the council houses as thats what happened to us) would you say its worth doing or no? Obviously competing against the lads that kept going would be a challenge but I would be hoping that my last name might bring a few customers because of the good name my father had then hopefully build from there. Another issue is I dont have a kiln is it really that important or have people decided not to think for themselves when judging if a log is too wet to burn now as we never had issues with it before.  Sorry for the long post and thanks to anyone that answers. I think I already know what the answer will be.

[Oldfeller]

how do you earn a living currently?

[GarethM]

Get out not in personally.

[petercb]

Woodsure was the final nail in the coffin for me. Hard work for not much money and customer loyalty not there any more.

[Sviatoslav Tulin]

I’m 100% sure it will work just don’t expect immediate results, more and more people fitting stoves in AA HOUSES, heat pumps not as cheap to run as was promised and most AA buildings is not AA at all at least there in Ireland, so unless government make it absolutely illegal firewood will be in demand!

[Steven P]

It will be like any business, is there a local market? Some areas loads of log burners going in, and like you say, some areas the fireplaces are being ripped out. Housing associations and councils will be removing open fires. New developments will be adding them as a feature, but how much demand that will drive for their Christmas day fire I am not so sure. How many local companies will you be competing with?

 

Round here the coal man does his log deliveries for about half the year, see him on the main road 2 or 3 times a day. In the summer he has diversified to other stuff and has a good summer holiday. Think you'll need to consider summer work too.

 

Kiln dried adds a premium, the wood sure and ready to burn don't demand one but it adds a certain proof of the wood being dry - can't just sell bulk loads of logs so easily for the customer to finish off - so it is easier.

 

I don't know what you have going on at the moment but personally it is a tricky market to jump into and make a living out of unless you have facilities and a back up income to rely on till the customers remember your name - for example yard space and a van would be useful to have rather than diving in with a few thousands in assets and no business yet.

 

A lot of people buy their logs in from overseas - almost as viable as home grown and processed without the hassle, then all they become is a delivery service.

[openspaceman]

2 hours ago, SteveMenhenitt said:

Now the issue is alot of houses around me are going electric heating route and having fireplaces ripped out

It's difficult to say how its going to go, people getting heat pumps may well still have a stove for the very cold days, I logged up some ash for a baronet in this position.

 

People like me who heat with wood do so because they cut for themselves rather than buy it in.

2 hours ago, SteveMenhenitt said:

 

 

Obviously competing against the lads that kept going would be a challenge but I would be hoping that my last name might bring a few customers because of the good name my father had then hopefully build from there.

 

Not much chance of that you have to build up your own goodwill and customers come and go.

2 hours ago, SteveMenhenitt said:

 

Another issue is I dont have a kiln is it really that important 

I think dryness is an issue but I guess most wood is air dried, what yo will need is space and time plus the ability to build up a stock.

 

In my village one log merchant gave up with the coming of woodsure and another stopped logs and went for biomass. 

 

ps I used to do business with a woodman with your name some 30 years ago

Edited Tuesday at 10:08 by openspaceman
post script

[Steven P]

10 minutes ago, openspaceman said:

I think dryness is an issue but I guess most wood is air dried, what yo will need is space and time plus the ability to build up a stock.

 

You -could- throw logs through a kiln for about an hour and they are 'kiln dried'... like you say, it is dryness that counts - air dry them will do the same job, need more yard space but no expense of a kiln. Repeat customers will be the indicator if you have them dry enough - too wet, no repeat customers.

[Muddy42]

Personally

4 hours ago, SteveMenhenitt said:

Essentially I'm looking to possibly go back in the firewood trade along other things, my father done it and earnt a living off it so did my grandfather. My father packed it in when I was too young to join him but we kept all the gear, nothing fancy but got the job done. Now the issue is alot of houses around me are going electric heating route and having fireplaces ripped out (especially the council houses as thats what happened to us) would you say its worth doing or no? Obviously competing against the lads that kept going would be a challenge but I would be hoping that my last name might bring a few customers because of the good name my father had then hopefully build from there. Another issue is I dont have a kiln is it really that important or have people decided not to think for themselves when judging if a log is too wet to burn now as we never had issues with it before.  Sorry for the long post and thanks to anyone that answers. I think I already know what the answer will be.

 

What gear did your father have?  Personally I wouldn't think it was a viable business now without a tractor/ forwarder, large log processor, a loader and room to dry >1000 crates (some of it can be outside, some under cover.

[Johnsond]

3 hours ago, Steven P said:

A lot of people buy their logs in from overseas

And coal