Why is there no money in firewood?

[tommer9]

tommer, we prep all are f/w on site ready for the proseccor when we get bk to the yard its all ready ,im getting paid to prep it @ the job ,doesnt take any longer

 

I see what you mean- I just got totally fed up with tight arsed gits whingeing about the cost of wood, so knocked it on the head. I now either leave it, or collect it all up and get a firewood merchant in twice a year to take the lot. Theres more money in it that way i reckon...or at least the same but with no stress etc.

[Kev Stephenson]

I can cross cut and split 2 loads in an easy day, this sells for the same price as I charge for a days tree work. I only use the arisings from my tree work so doing logs means I can earn a wage on wet days.

 

It is labour intensive but there is money in it, not buckets full but enough to pay a presentable wage or at least prevent the weather denting the wage we make from tree work.

[MattyF]

I think most importantly though the general public have grasped the fact timber is worth something 4 years ago my timber stack was huge and growing out of control ! It's now barely any a third of what it was unyet I'm taking more trees down than ever!, any thing I bring back now I give to my land lord I rent my workshop off and it heats his and his parents house keeping the rent down! Or I sell it for 30 quid a load uncut to the masses who want cheap timber.. That's more profitable for me any how

[easy-lift guy]

tommer 9 is correct. Firewood production for me in SW Florida is seasonal at best and it only takes a few warm winters to loose customers enough for it to no longer be profitable.

I hated to tell the customers i had that i had retired but for the most part they understood.

elg

[gensetsteve]

If you can get the timber from the trade free or cheap its ok. If you buy cord in it will be very difficult although with gas going up 25% this week I am thinking £125 a cubic meter. I have always said if you can find someone more expensive than me let me know and I will beat it. I know a few people that have done logs for 30 years that gave up last year.

[Dave Martin]

One of the main problems with the firewood trade is the fly by night amateurs who think wow I can get x for a bag of wood which they sell dirty wet and unseasoned and misrepresent the quantity. I saw a hand written sign yesterday `Logs £35 a ton bag` I wonder how big that bag must be to contain a ton of seasoned wood.

[Mark Bolam]

Now we're getting there Dave....

[Billy68]

£1000 gas bill? I'd take a hack-saw to the pipe if that happened in our house! Ours is about £120 a year, and that's to cook with and heat the hot water and occasional (twice a year) use of the gas central heating. The rest of the heating comes from a Dursley Heat Yorkshire Stove room-heater which heats all the open plan downstairs and the two upstairs bedrooms through the chimney (thermal store). Only room that is cold is the downstairs bathroom and its only the wife that complains!

 

There IS money to be made from firewood. I have a processor and buy in cordwood, process and sell for £50 a dumpy bag - note I sell by volume, NOT weight. I charge extra for hardwood and offer a stacking service as well. I don't sell fully seasoned, but I am honest about this which I think is the only thing that's important. I teach my customers to buy during the summer, stack and then use in the winter - ie season their own timber just like everyone in scandanavia. Saves me having to store timber and tie up both money and space for 2 years.

 

What type of wood burns best? Free wood!

[Paulfreebury]

Is there a way of turning wood chips into burning blocks ? I've seen a briquette maker for old news paper it's only a press can the same be done with chips?

[Paulfreebury]

If not it was my idea first!