prices.

[chestnut]

It also depends on how much you've got tied up in machinery, if you've spent a few grand on a firewood processor obviously your going to want to see a quicker return on it than someone like me who uses a chainsaw and an axe, both of which stand me at nothing as I already had them, firewood for me is extra winter cash flow when my other works quiet, if I was on all out firewood for a living with thousands tied up in equipment then I'd probably be selling in the £80-100 bracket but it also depends on your local market, round here at that price I'd have been having a very quiet winter so far

 

 

i agree - if you don't have to buy timber in - don't have the overheads of rent or such and don't have to see a quick return because of expensive equipment - i see no reason to be greedy

 

we just log as we go - all year round - we only use a chainsaw and axe (or splitting maul) - we own the land and all the timber - we are debt free - stress free - and enjoy the lifestyle

[windfall]

i agree - if you don't have to buy timber in - don't have the overheads of rent or such and don't have to see a quick return because of expensive equipment - i see no reason to be greedy

 

we just log as we go - all year round - we only use a chainsaw and axe (or splitting maul) - we own the land and all the timber - we are debt free - stress free - and enjoy the lifestyle

 

Couldnt agree more, there is nothing wrong with having low overheads and a small operation. Only have an issue with the axe as the splitting tool but my back is not the best...

 

I am also buying in most of my timber but the price i am paying still makes the business viable. I am able to sell nearly seasoned (25-30%) Macrocarpa at £55 m3 inc free Local Delivery ie within 10miles and make £35 per m3 sold which takes me 1.5 hours to prepare and deliver. I am doing this for the lifestyle change so i am happy with £35 for 1 and half hours work. Sure as hell beats running a recruitment company!

 

Unfortunately i only have 10m3 left to sell for this year, its very tempting to honour my current orders this week and stick the price up to £75 or £80 and see what i can sell!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

[Dave Martin]

Its ok criticising people who sell cheaper than you, but it all depends on where you get your wood from and what your main business is.

 

If you just sell firewood thus have to buy in timber then its actually YOU that is out of step with price and charging to much vs. someone who firewood is a mere small sideline and means of disposing of arisings from there main business activity as saleable product.

 

loosely stacked/piled, “seasoned” hardwood logs for £80 to £100 per 1m3 is a joke necessitated by buying wood to convert in the first place

 

WRONG ... even if you get your wood for free the labour and storage involved to make a quality product warrants £100 a cube ..... in my humble opinion

[robbo 110]

WRONG ... even if you get your wood for free the labour and storage involved to make a quality product warrants £100 a cube ..... in my humble opinion

 

bang on the mark there dave!! a product that you generally handle twice, sometimes more, store undercover for up to 6 months, then deliver to the customers door....... £100 per cubic metre is realistically not a huge amount of money

[gensetsteve]

If the market and demand is there to sell for £80-£100 why do you need to be a hero and sell for less. I can understand some guilt when you tip to a family getting by on 20k a year but after driving 2 miles up someones drive and 3/4 mile round the back of the house tipping next to 2 brand new Range rovers. Do u still feel u should only earn £10 an hour.

[18 stoner]

If the market and demand is there to sell for £80-£100 why do you need to be a hero and sell for less. I can understand some guilt when you tip to a family getting by on 20k a year but after driving 2 miles up someones drive and 3/4 mile round the back of the house tipping next to 2 brand new Range rovers. Do u still feel u should only earn £10 an hour.

 

:thumbup:

[Frank]

 

The biggest problem I feel is guys selling cheap firewood that's not sustainable. For example all of my firewood sold either loose to customers or to large merchants is FSC...

 

Can you explain this please mate??? I dont get what you mean.

[robbo 110]

Can you explain this please mate??? I dont get what you mean.

 

im not sure either.. i read it as forestry commision supplied, as in managed woodland, which in all fairness, is another matter for a governing body that the industry clearly needs!!

[davetaz]

Going back to the original post, I've just paid £50/T delivered plus VAT for oak thinnings (nice diameters and straight mind). My supplier had several hundred tonnes of the stuff and it flew out!

None of my customers question paying £100/cube for seasoned hardwood delivered to their house. I've shifted about 100 cube so far this winter and reckon could probably shift another 100 cube if I had it - this is only my second winter selling firewood.

 

As for the debate about where you source your timber from and hence it's retail price as fire wood, if people didn't buy timber in to process and relied on "free stuff" there would be huge shortages.

 

It is all about a supply of fuel at the end of the day and not just a lifestyle choice for supliers or customers. Gas, coal, oil and electricity increase all the time, so should firewood. I guess you have to accept that there are some people happy to sell it relatively cheaply, if I can't get £100/cube I'd give up - and there would be lots of people with no logs to burn on their £1000 log burner!

[Frank]

I was under the impression FSC was actually to do with Rain forests.

 

Also the UK only harvests about 40% (8 million tonnes) of its sustainable yield each year. The guys selling cheap aren't even a speck on the landscape.