Make sure you tell him that you will give him 2 cords not 10%. The percentage does not sound like much but 2 cord does not sound so bad.
If you want to remain friends i'd let him find some one else to do his ''work'' Let him pay some one else to move the wood, trees, limbs tops, etc. What if you get hurt?
Working backwards for me. I have 7 full cords in log form delivered for 700.00. So 21 cords (3 trucks) = 2100 A css cord here is 250. If I bought 20 cords. 5000.00 So that’s 2900 or 145 a cord I’m paying myself to work it. If I really got after it, I could get 3 cords a day done. Call it 10 dollars for fuel and oil. I’m paying myself 145x3-10=425 day to css. Delivered to my yard. So you have to figure if you can out hustle me making 425 a day driving there cutting, loading splitting and stacking plus his wood he wants CSS. 3 cords are going to cost you about 425 bucks in labor to give him. And you are going to be working your butt off to beat me. (I know I’d be having to get after it!) I hate getting into “deals” with friends, neighbors, or family. I really try to avoid it due to past problems real or perceived and brought up later. It’s either a one way “give it to me or you” or straight cash price agreed on. I let someone else place their value on what they think their stuff is worth. I then say no or yes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Cutting down the trees and dealing with the bucking and tops for free is bad enough. Required to give him split wood...and possibly stack it??? I'd be out at that point. They name one way streets after guys like that. I wouldn't rush into any commitments. Have him call a few tree service companies and let him see what they give him "in return", then he'll be calling and begging you to do it, without him getting anything other than a free job, which is plenty by itself. .
^^^^^This If his option is to pay 'professionals' to prep the land for construction, you're working for 'free' as it is. Maybe hold out for him to sweeten the deal by asking you to bend over too.
My opinion is you are doing him a favor by making trees go away where he is building a pond. I might give him 10% if you are feeling generous....but none at all wouldn't be out of line. Your a fixing a problem for him and shouldn't have to "pay" to do so. Like you said, there are other trees out there...making firewood is hard enough...don't work any harder than you have to.
If I don't take these trees, he is either going to let them stand, die and fall in the water, or he will have them push them down and he'll make a brushpile for fish. These are in a spot that it if they stay, it's fine. But they will die. The pond is largely built. I want the trees. I guess I am not on the same page as many of you because, like some here, I am always on the lookout for trees to scrounge! Here they are all in one spot with easy access and they are gorgeous trees and a number of big, straight hickory, which I rarely come across. I think 90/10 is good with me.
I must have misunderstood.... I thought he could get all the wood except for what he and the owner work out (couple cords or whatever) and he doesn't have to deal with the brush since it will be fish habitat in the pond.
What matters here is what's good with you, not any of us. We're not doing the work. If it's worth it to you then by all means go get it! Just please be safe & send pictures!
It really is amazing just how many people think that live standing trees are worth their weight in gold. I remember a guy we did carpentry work for that owned an asphalt reclaiming company asked us to look at a job for him. Basically he wanted a bunch of scrub trees removed (mostly softwood), stumps pulled, and rough graded around his 1 acre or so pond so he could mow it. I looked at it with my brother and we went to his office. Told him we'd give him call with the price. He looked at us with a puzzled look, and said "how much do you think you'd give?" I couldn't believe it. Literally could not. I said, wait...you think we're going to pay you? He said, yeah, those trees have log dollar value. I literally laughed out loud and said... A. They're scrub softwood pecker poles B. You're nuts C. Goodbye Big surprise, no one ended up taking his sweet deal. 15 years later and that pond has never changed. Some people are just clueless.
There is a difference between fish habitat and trash in a pond. I wouldn't want standing trees in danger of falling at an unpredictable time in an unpredictable direction in my brand new pond, but to each their own. If you want the wood and you're good with 90/10 then go for it.
I don't (as a general rule) pay for wood...wood grows on trees... Those trees that carl has...NEED removed. They're "in the way" If i could drop the trees and take what i want, good. If carl wants payed, no way. I'd cut carl's portion into rounds but i don't think I'm going through all the work to split, his portion, unless he's a good neighbor or friend. (And then I'd split his portion after my portion is all at home, no stacking or hauling). If i made this deal, I'd cut and haul the (logs or) rounds out same day, every day. Don't give him a chance to take (or give away) your work. Otherwise Let him call a tree service or maybe a logger will come buy them. You're labor is the only part of this deal that has any "worth". You are trading "labor" for "wood." (Not to mention fuel for truck, saws and any equipment you use. These are expensive!)
I think it's a fairly common misconception. My own brother was donated two acres next to his. He was all excited, saying he was going to get some of the trees logged out. I asked why. He said "For money!" I said, "Bro, nobody will touch this. Are you serious? Two acres? There is no logger that will do this. It might have been tough to find anyone 40 years ago with only two acres but nowadays, no way will they move the equipment. There are no small loggers left." He saw the light.
You have it right. If I were to do anything with some limbs, it would be toss them into a pile for fish habitat right there where I am cutting. But I won't be tossing anything that I am not cutting and I won't toss it far! But mostly, if he wants brushpiles, he can do it. I certainly am not hauling it anywhere. Whoever said the trees dying on their own and falling is dangerous is correct. I had a friend killed by a tree falling on him that he never saw coming. If you're in a boat and a tree falls, you can't get out of the way, it is seriously dangerous. He is building this for him, yes, but also his family. I will mention this to him so I get plenty of trees!
Sounds a bit overly complicated to walk away feeling like you weren't taken advantage of. Do what you think is right, but since you wanted other's thoughts on it- might consider just telling this fellow you considered it & thanks but no thanks. Find out what tree service he uses and see if they'll drop some of the wood at your place. That's how I've been getting wood the last couple of years and it's been quite the relief.
