I saw an interesting question someone had asked on a FB group and figured I'd ask this group. What do people charge per hour to travel and split other people's wood? So you'd bring your equipment to their house and process the wood for them. Saw. splitter, safety gear, etc. Interested in seeing the responses
Some of the questions/thoughts I had were: *Is it better to charge per job instead of hourly? Seems many would say you should have done X task in less time/been quicker. *Would the average person doing this work charge the hourly rate for the time to setup the tools, truck, trailer, etc. and the time it took to get to the jobsite? *Could this be more profitable than selling split wood? No worrying about moisture content, no delivery of wood, could get away with a smaller vehicle if not hauling or towing the wood (only would need to tow a small splitter), no storing all the wood on your own property, etc.
Good question; too many variables imo. $30/hour comes to mind. I have a Super Split, so if the wood can be picked up manually, they might get their money's worth. I also have a hydraulic with a log lift and 4-way; if the 4-way can be used, production will increase; but knotty wood, elm, gum, etc., will not allow a 4-way to be used. Having a helper will increase production too. I split a lot by myself in the past; when a friend started helping me it seemed like 2 people can do 3 times the work in the same amount of time. Is the land owner willing to help? If this is more profitable than selling wood, then the land owner is better off buying wood. I have never done what you are asking. If somebody asked me to, I wouldn't do it, I would process their wood and charge them per cord, just like a normal firewood sale. Of course, it would have to be stacked in order to know how much is there. I would give a slight discount for not having to load and unload the wood.
For me personally, considering the price of gas for my truck to drive there, and to run my equipment, as well as all the hard work involved, I can't see charging less than $50-$60 per hour cash. I think I'd calculate in my head how long it'd take (including setup and drive time) and give them a set price for the whole job. No arguing over how long it should or shouldn't have taken, how much was done per hour, breaks taken, or what you made per hour. The only way I'd do it hourly is if there were too many unpredictable variables to accurately guess a set price. I know when we did construction most people seemed to accept a set price or per sq. ft. price better than an hourly price. Took potential arguments out of the equation. Set prices make it easier to ask for partial payment upfront, to avoid getting burned. Set prices also benefit you if you're fast. The job is worth X. Why should guy A who takes twice as long, make twice as much as guy B? Telling them $450 for the job, sounds better than telling them $75/hr. and taking 6 hours.
Depends. They may have access to free logs or rounds, but no way to split it or desire to personally split it. I know if I'm splitting from rounds my Super Splitter can do a full cord an hour if no stacking or moving the splits is required. I've had people consistently tell me I'm full of poop. (Not here). I'm not saying its what I accomplish always, but with average size rounds its easily do-able, and I've done it multiple, multiple times in the past. Even if you could do a cord every 2 hours, that's 4 cords in an 8 hour day. At your $30/hour that's $240/4 cords or $60/cord. Their area may charge $200, $225, even $250 a cord for split wood delivered to them. Its still cheaper to hire you if they have access to free or very cheap logs or rounds.
Yes, good points, Sir. You'd be better off to have a set price. A guy getting paid by the hour has no motivation to get the job done quickly. I once hired a lady to clean my (very small) house. I knew her, so I left her in the house and figured I'd pay her later. I drove by after a couple of hours, and her car was still there, so I ran some more errands, and her car was STILL there. I went shopping and came back & after 8 hours, she was still there. I then went inside and she was "just finishing up". She wanted to charge me for 8 hours work. Nope. But, if you had to set an hourly rate, you'd have to be in the $50-60/hr range.
It doesn't really depend; if it costs the land owner more to pay me, or you, by the hour (for whatever rate), than it does to buy wood, then the land owner is better off buying wood. $30/hour may not be enough in some instances, and may be too much in others; too many variables. I just pulled that number out of a hat. Cutting, splitting, and stacking 4 cords of wood in a day, by myself, is ambitious. I may not be worth$10/hr, lol.
I don't do much of it because there isn't a large demand and I can't get my big splitter easily (or at all) in some people's back yards where they have the wood. But when I do it, I charge by the job and I aim to clear $100 an hour.
Funny you should post this. Last night got a call from some folks in Steilacoom asking for a bid to split a downed tree up. Where they got my name I'll never know. I actually decided to look at the job. I think that, if I tip toward doing the job, I will quote a total price, not hourly. I agree with the hourly rate of $50-60 stated above for man and machine. This seems a good place to start!
Back about 10 years ago, when business was drying up for me and I needed some coin, I advertised this service. I had the splitter and saws and I would come to you and cut, split and/or stack (depending on what you needed done) for $25/hour. I got exactly zero takers on that advertising. Log/tree length was selling for around $80 per cord then, and split green and dumped was in the $150 to $200 per cord range, so I could save folks a little money and labor time. I'd do it for double that now, and no stacking whatsoever. Cut, split and pile it up.
For comparison sake, how much do you guys that sell split wood figure you make per cord after buying log length, delivery costs, helpers, etc.? Also, how many full cords can you process from log length per hour or per 8 hour day? I could still easily see this being just as profitable, and requiring less land, less equipment, less help, etc.
You bring up a good point about not stacking. If somebody were to pay one of us to cut and split, it would be a waste of money to pay us to stack also, they could likely do that themselves. It would be up to them to determine if it was worth it or not when they figure out the cost/cord. I could get a lot more wood split if I didn't have to stack; therefore, worth more imo.
It is a hobby for me. No way I am humping wood for an 8 hour day, the only time that might happen is at a Charity Cut, but normally there is a lot of help at those. I don't have the endurance to bust my hump cutting and splitting for 8 hours anymore, especially in the heat. If you could find somebody to pay you by the hour, I agree, it could be just as profitable, if not more. It has to be good for the customer too. It seems like a fine line as whether to pay somebody a strong hourly rate, or just by firewood already processed.
I’d be in the 100$ hour range to go to someone’s house and cut and split no stacking. If a person was truly in need and willing to help that would be different. I’m a mechanic by trade people are constantly thinking I’ll tinker on their car for a 6 pack. Lol, no.
Since I don’t buy log length (tree service wood instead) and it varies all over the place on size and difficulty, I can’t give an exact amount per hour or day. After briefly figuring some numbers in my head from last year though I ended up clearing close to $180 per cord…I think. I’m basing that off what percent of total sales from a few years ago was profit and as I mentioned, that varies
No sir, I have built a skill set and tool collection. That has to be taken into account. If I am to take a job it will be done in a professional and timely manner and I charge accordingly.
Precisely why I would not take beer for payment. I’d gladly enjoy a few with the customer after the job is done tho.
