The end of firewood?

[oldwoodcutter]

If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

 

I first started selling logs from cordwood over 50 years ago,and i cant remember it ever being easy,even back then.

[gensetsteve]

I think some guys go to a firewood processor demonstration,where they have ideal processor sized wood and think WHOA that is money for old rope. They then buy a processor on finance ,a truck load or two of cordwood much of which is 18" and above in size. It is not long before that they realise that selling firewod is good for pocket money and not much else.

 

 

 

I think a similar thing happens with kindling machines. Dealer says 70 gas an hour earn at £1 ea profit = £70 an hour

or earn £320 from a tonne of timber

But they forget it takes nearly as long to cut to 6"

The machine and building maintenance, The waste clearing and disposal

Then you have to collect material, shrink wrap to pallet and finally load on lorry means its more like £15 an hour

[Logsnstuff]

one of the problems is people thinking you cant ask more than your competition, there are alot of people on here have said I cant ask £100 a bag coz joe bloggs down the road is selling for £50 and that's just nonsense, within 3 months of starting we put our prices at about 40% higher than everyone else's and we still got orders and the competition are upping their prices year on year and closing the gap on us.

 

I do wonder at the reluctance to shop the beer money guys, they undercut and make life very hard. my tolerance for them is exhausted and I will report any I find round my way now, just lucky most who post here are far enough away that they don't effect me.

[openspaceman]

I first started selling logs from cordwood over 50 years ago,and i cant remember it ever being easy,even back then.

 

I sold it 35 years ago but only ever used leftovers.

 

Eddy Stobart started out with logs before he found better ways to make money,

[Crazy Cutter]

Firewood is going through a classic boom and bust cycle. A boom caused by two hard winters and high oil price. The bust cos it's warm and we have so many people having a go but if you sell a excellent product sub 20% as their manual states you will sell. I sold out of hardwood in October and only have 75 split cube of soft left which goes out at 70 a cube no problem. Firewood is not easy work particularly the marketing.

The next worry on the horizon for us is shale gas because simply the government will subsidise it to the hilt.

Happy new year.

[doobin]

I do wonder at the reluctance to shop the beer money guys' date=' they undercut and make life very hard. my tolerance for them is exhausted and I will report any I find round my way now, just lucky most who post here are far enough away that they don't effect me.[/quote']

 

Report?? Who the hell are you, the log police? And report to whom? What laws are they breaking?

 

Just because you spent God knows how much on a truck and crane doesn't mean everyone has to. Therefore don't be surprised when someone 'undercuts' you by tipping the bag off. Or even, shock horror, handballing.

 

Someone needs a little lesson in the basics of economics. Or perhaps you'd rather move to China? I hear it's a level playing field there...

 

I bet you don't complain when Tescos offer your Irn Bru and deep fried Mars Bar at half price Or do you tell them to charge you the full whack?

Edited January 8, 2015 by doobin

[Logsnstuff]

Report?? Who the hell are you, the log police? And report to whom? What laws are they breaking?

 

Just because you spent God knows how much on a truck and crane doesn't mean everyone has to. Therefore don't be surprised when someone 'undercuts' you by tipping the bag off. Or even, shock horror, handballing.

 

Someone needs a little lesson in the basics of economics. Or perhaps you'd rather move to China? I hear it's a level playing field there...

 

I bet you don't complain when Tescos offer your Irn Bru and deep fried Mars Bar at half price Or do you tell them to charge you the full whack?

 

I'm talking about the people blatantly dodging tax and undercutting to put honest people out of business not because their price is a bit lower, from your indignation presumably you are one of them. why should I let them run a dodgy business and put me out of business. you have a legal obligation to report people not paying tax. what I spent on a delivery vehicle has nothing to do with it.

[doobin]

I'm talking about the people blatantly dodging tax and undercutting to put honest people out of business not because their price is a bit lower, from your indignation presumably you are one of them. why should I let them run a dodgy business and put me out of business. you have a legal obligation to report people not paying tax. what I spent on a delivery vehicle has nothing to do with it.

 

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ <- A selection of capital letters, should be all you need there. Please feel free to help yourself.

 

Legal obligation to report tax dodgers? An accountant might have, but we don't live in a police state just yet thankfully.

 

It works both ways. Yes, they might think they are smart selling a few logs for cash in the winter. I know when I worked on the farm the £40 for logs effectively doubled my days money. I suspect many on here started that way.

 

However, if someone with a 9-5 job is doing logs on the side for cash, they are unable to claim tax back for any gear they use.

 

Do you buy from eBay or Amazon? These are companies who undercut local businesses and dodge tax....

 

You need to get over yourself and realise that you are in a trade with exceptionally low entry barriers. These 'beer money merchants' are showing more entrepreneurial spirit than you currently. A man who seeks to succeed by dragging others down is the lowest form of a man. Crabs in a bucket, anyone?

[Mortimer Firewood]

I'm talking about the people blatantly dodging tax and undercutting to put honest people out of business not because their price is a bit lower, from your indignation presumably you are one of them. why should I let them run a dodgy business and put me out of business. you have a legal obligation to report people not paying tax. what I spent on a delivery vehicle has nothing to do with it.

 

Deal with your own business not others I run a straight business as I don't want the hassle if I thought I could get away with not giving the tax man 25% of my earnings I would.

 

Grassing , dobbing ,been a snake will get you no where. I for one am glad the cash in hand boys are there wanting a quick buck with there half cube of wet green oak for £80. When I turn up with a 1cube of ash beech and dead oak for£130asking for cheque or bacs payment it makes me look even better. Word spreads quickly that x is selling crap & y is selling the good stuff.

[Scotty38]

I'm talking about the people blatantly dodging tax

 

Not wanting to stoke the fire any more than it is already but how do you know they're not paying tax? I appreciate you may have a good idea and you may be right, but you don't know do you?