Whats a load?

[R5log]

Don't you cost in business rates?

[Big J]

Small business 100% rates relief

[Logsnstuff]

Small business 100% rates relief

 

almost none of our customers want tipped loads they want bags so we're £56k for a delivery vehicle a lot of places we deliver you couldn't access with crane in a trailer option,

normal forklift wont work on the sand and mud of our yard so 26k for telehandler

£36 a cube for cord (1.5m3 at £55 a ton) you gotta price on worst case scenario unless you want to risk selling at a loss not everyone has processors that can cut 18"+ so more realistically is 2 cube an hr if things go well.

 

tractor running processor is a tank of diesel every 2 days can't remember the volume. usually oldish tractors so a trip to workshop is generally £1k a time you can fix it yourself if your mechanically motivated or you can chop the big ugly stuff during these breakdowns. you also need enough profit to cover your expenses for the breakdowns the wages etc.

 

the rent is similar but we get no buildings so costs us £10k a polytunnel to get the land prepared and put it up.

 

in general your figures seem low to me I would like someone operating a similar size processor to give their opinion on them

Edited July 12, 2015 by Logsnstuff

[Wood wasp]

Secondly, once we've educated the customers to the above, we need to get them to buy the blasted firewood unseasoned. Any right thinking person looks after their own firewood needs and ensures that it's dry themselves. That way, there is no quibble regarding moisture content.

 

Finally, once the first two steps have been completed, we can drop prices. If prices are more affordable and more consistent, it becomes a fuel source, rather than a luxury item. £120 for a cube of firewood is nuts. You'd get that through a processor in 15 minutes for a maximum of a £30 raw material and labour cost. Where does the extra £90 come from?

 

 

Re buying unseasoned, best point made on thread. Not sure your cost structure is right though

[Logsnstuff]

Re buying unseasoned, best point made on thread. Not sure your cost structure is right though

 

pretty sure most of us have tried pushing unseasoned not just to get cash flow through the summer but also takes a bit of pressure of the delivery schedule in the winter, when you get 20 orders wanting next day on the 1st Oct it's a headache to get them delivered and we try to do next day not 5-7 although maybe if we were to take a week or a fortnight we would get earlier ordering.

[BARNSLEY BOB]

nonsense

 

most sensible comment here.

 

until you are doing and relying on firewood full-time the true costs and returns are not appreciated.

 

the have a go harrys still come and go as they realise what's involved.

 

also, do your homework matys, firewood across europe is approx £100/m3 plus.

its all on this interweb. look on their web sites.

[arboriculturist]

almost none of our customers want tipped loads they want bags so we're £56k for a delivery vehicle a lot of places we deliver you couldn't access with crane in a trailer option,

normal forklift wont work on the sand and mud of our yard so 26k for telehandler

£36 a cube for cord (1.5m3 at £55 a ton) you gotta price on worst case scenario unless you want to risk selling at a loss not everyone has processors that can cut 18"+ so more realistically is 2 cube an hr if things go well.

 

tractor running processor is a tank of diesel every 2 days can't remember the volume. usually oldish tractors so a trip to workshop is generally £1k a time you can fix it yourself if your mechanically motivated or you can chop the big ugly stuff during these breakdowns. you also need enough profit to cover your expenses for the breakdowns the wages etc.

 

the rent is similar but we get no buildings so costs us £10k a polytunnel to get the land prepared and put it up.

 

in general your figures seem low to me I would like someone operating a similar size processor to give their opinion on them

 

I can agree with several of these points as in general many underestimate the true cost of running a business.

 

However 26K on a telehandler rather than hardcore the yard seems uneconomic, plus working in the mud day in day out in winter can't be the way to go.

 

We do the housekeeping every few days, makes for efficiency and a pleasant working environment, Some would say its a waste of time of course.

 

I have converted all customers to having tipped loads; having a crane kills the truck carrying capacity and the margins you make with all the costs associated with using bags and the whole crane infrastructure, liability, training, certification etc.

 

In addition tipped loads is far better environmentally as that is what are industry should be promoting.

[Johny Walker]

Small business 100% rates relief

 

 

[Logsnstuff]

I can agree with several of these points as in general many underestimate the true cost of running a business.

 

However 26K on a telehandler rather than hardcore the yard seems uneconomic, plus working in the mud day in day out in winter can't be the way to go.

 

We do the housekeeping every few days, makes for efficiency and a pleasant working environment, Some would say its a waste of time of course.

 

I have converted all customers to having tipped loads; having a crane kills the truck carrying capacity and the margins you make with all the costs associated with using bags and the whole crane infrastructure, liability, training, certification etc.

 

In addition tipped loads is far better environmentally as that is what are industry should be promoting.

 

we haven't bought it yet just priced them,but everyone we have spoken to has told us do not buy a standard forklift as it won't work for us and hard-coring a rented yard seems bad idea to me they are about to start building 3500 houses around us and we could be kicked out anytime. we also intend to use telehandler in the wood for some of the big logs as there is 650 acres of mature woodland on the estate.

[Wood wasp]

pretty sure most of us have tried pushing unseasoned not just to get cash flow through the summer but also takes a bit of pressure of the delivery schedule in the winter, when you get 20 orders wanting next day on the 1st Oct it's a headache to get them delivered and we try to do next day not 5-7 although maybe if we were to take a week or a fortnight we would get earlier ordering.

 

 

Yes, has to be major change in attitude of the consumer. Not sure it will happen though.

 

Firewood is a labour intensive, expensive enterprise for a low margin product.