Selling Firewood

[Hodge]

that is the problem most people dont understand that it can cost over £20 a tonne to get it back to the yard. then it getting it on the floor in the first place that before you process and takes kit to do it eficently as well so if you count you time in to the equation then be carefull as it is very tight margens for proffit. i would agree with hodge on this matter

 

I paid £40 per tonne last march for 26 tonne, it cost me £13 + vat for haulage. So that's just over £55 a tonne in my yard, then it needs processing into logs and storing for a year, to process the lot may take me a week with my processor.

[NI Tree]

i am lucky in some ways as i can £30-35+vat per tonne + 20 for transport for someone to buy and get it to there yard but it costs me about £20 per tonne get to the road side

 

then add the cost of processing is over £10/m3 it does not leave you much

[StephF]

I have worked hard to build up the firewood business, as tree surgery in Northumbeland winters is not much fun (or often possible!).

Costs as mentioned by 'Hodge' are going to continue to increase, if fuel prices etc rise and demand on firewood grows as it has done over past 4 years. I sell around 500 tonnes per year, and dont pay a tax bill, which goes to show how much profit there is in it! I employ 1 part timer, and 2 of us work at processing and delivering.

After investing in machines etc to 'mechanise' things, we spend a lot of the year just cutting logs, (which means you cant go out and earn,) it is definately not an easy life, or a way to get rich quick. There is no point building up 2-300 customers and then running out of logs, they just go somewhere else.

Buy in kiln dried wood from Lithuania rent a factory unit, buy a lorry with crane to load on log bags, and set up near a big town if you have the money to spend, it would be the easiest way to start.

[Kestral Hire]

I will give you loads of wood for free and deliver it if you have somewhere we can tip , i only live a stones throw from you ! give me a call on 07432645993 Matt @ Kestral demolition !

[Ty Korrigan]

Hey, selling firewood is not the right of kings...

I mean any-one can start an enterprise if they wish regardless of the competition, after all, thats the free market.

Plus you never know where life may take you, give it a go, you may never look back.

Ty

[gensetsteve]

Are you packing in the architectural work and doing the logs as a side line? If you are then fair enough but if the logs are a sideline what about log company's in your area? It's hard enough to make a living at the moment and the people decide to do it as a bit of extra income and end up taking work from people who are in that game:)

 

I am a generator engineer and I sell logs to top my income to feed the kids and pay the mortgage. I know a 3 generation log man and he repairs generators should I be getting upset

[Hodge]

I am a generator engineer and I sell logs to top my income to feed the kids and pay the mortgage. I know a 3 generation log man and he repairs generators should I be getting upset

 

I think it cancels it out he a log man and fixes gennies and your a gennie man that sells logs:) my point was that where I live people think Ahh selling logs is easy money, they don't invest in kit or timber and get a few trees off a farmer or something, I was having a bad week at that point mate.

[gensetsteve]

I think it cancels it out he a log man and fixes gennies and your a gennie man that sells logs:) my point was that where I live people think Ahh selling logs is easy money, they don't invest in kit or timber and get a few trees off a farmer or something, I was having a bad week at that point mate.

 

Logs are hard work and a fair investment which you dont see back for at least 9 months. I dont think people who pick up a bit of free timber really affect the bigger picture especially after November. Your quality logs will shine through especially if we have a hard winter next year

[APC]

I was considering getting into small-scale log sales, but have found that they are worth more to me through bartering; I swapped a bootload (and some homemade chilli jam and sloe gin) for a dog, and am in the process of getting a pair of battered Technics 1200's a full service and an entire new paintjob that would have cost several hundred in total. This is now what I'll use them for, swaps for services. Feels much better than exchanging money too.