Found out why I had such a hard time finding a wood supplier in the beginning

Turns out a lot of people in this area claim they want 10-15 cords to try and get a discount. They do this knowing that no one can deliver that much wood at one time and the quantity is enough to get the smaller suppliers to cut a deal. They get the supplier to drop off a load or two (or however many they need) at the discounted price and then "change their mind" and no longer want the rest of the wood.

 

Contracts. Protects both parties.

 

Interesting twist. Does make sense though.

 

I'm booked ahead 2-6 weeks year round. No need for discounts. No need for scammers.
Have had it happen though in the early years doing biz.

 

If people would work as hard at their jobs as they do screwing people over, this world would be a much better place.

 

I always try to get a good deal. In my nature to dicker the price.
Knowing that , I figure most like/try to get a good deal.

Betting the ones who undercut you for the promise
of 10 + cords (then cancel after getting 2 cord)
only get a good deal from the wood sellers 1 time,
& end up paying a premium price the next time they buy wood.
The word among sellers probably gets around.

Selling firewood is a tough way to get rich.
Now, other heat sources are so much easier to use.
It's an easy business to make a few $$bucks, so price under cutting will always go on.
All you need is a strong back, truck , saw & maul.
Been that way for hundreds of years. (from selling wood to steam boats on the Mississippi)

Now those who need wood have to pay the going price, or buy high dollar oil.
If burning wood, my guess is most do it for economic reasons. So they are always looking for good deals.

For us here, the going price is the work we put into it.,
& most of us get enjoyment from processing wood & the hard work involved. Proving we must be nuts LOL

 

Bought 13 cords from the supplier this year. Still trying to get several years ahead. But last winter screwed me.

 

Do you have Natural Gas? It keeps getting cheaper and cheaper here thanks to fracking. The commodity price is down 44% in 5 years. I must assume it is the same in your area. I don't think I could justify buying wood vs. the price of gas.

 

No natural gas for my area.

By next winter all the insulation will be done and the VC stoves will be out of here (replaced with either two more 30NCs or some Blaze Kings) and I will be putting some of the budget back into oil to see what the insulation has done when it comes to oil burning.

 

Same here. Buy 1/8 cord or 10 its the same price. I get a decent "discount" for log truck loads, but I buy several hundred cords a year.

Natural gas is up there in price.
I can heat my house on around $750-$850 worth of wood (retail price) where gas would be around $1200.

 

I get hardwood at $150 a cord and pine at $50 a cord.

For the year, heating with wood costs me about $1500. With oil, it is 5,200-5,900 at $3.50 a gallon.

 

I remember growing up and working on a farm that sold hay in square bales over the summer. Bailed about 40,000 per summer, crew of about 7 high schoolers. Guy I worked for had shortest fuse I have ever seen. He would sell hay straight from field and we would load The mow right off wagons if close enough for delivery. Put 1200 bales in a farm called Misty Meadows. Once the Mow was full, owner came out and wanted to cut the bale price 25 cents. Boss took a lighter and lit a handful of hay and said it would be the agreed upon price or he would have to rename the farm Smokey Hollow. original price was paid. And he would have burned that barn down for sure if it wasn't.

 

Natural gas might be cheaper commodity wise but my utility just keeps jacking prices- Thanks EPA

 

It would be great if we all had NG or another fuel as cheap as NG, but no, only electricity and comm lines are piped down our street. We have water wells and wood stoves.

If I had to pay full price for wood I might be a pellet head and if I had NG available I would likely have an NG stove, those things are nice.

I just bought 5 cords of logs and the price was not cheaper due to quantity.

 

I dont think its the EPA / nationwide as our utilities here in Taxachusetts have been steadily lowering the gas rates year after year after year. Im on gas.... Last winter our cost ran about 1.25 for the first 50 therms each month (covers hot water and a little more) and then around a $1 a therm above that. Ends up averaging about 1.10 a therm for my winter bill.

Considering the relative efficiencies of my stove and gas boiler i calculated the break even price as about $200 per full cord of well seasoned hardwood.

So... it still can make sense to burn wood if you are on gas but you have to be scoring a lot of cheap wood and not investing a lot of time/effort. I only burn part time for that very reason.

 

Long term, I'm thinking about doing a pellet add-on to my boiler.

Right now wood, even delivered, is still the far cheaper solution.

 

Wood free, my labor- ain't payin for a gym membership, tools - boy's gots to have toys, Utility bills at 1/3 to 1/4 of acquaintances for 1/2 the year - priceless What I haven't paid in late fall through early spring in utility bills over the past 15 years has more than offset my saws,splitter,stoves, chains , general maitenance & fuel. My trucks and trailers don't count as I'd have them anyway for my business. I just get more use out of them. I do not sell wood as a side line. I doubt that I have sold more than 2 cord in 15 years ,although I have given away a few.

 

I get plenty of cutomers with natural gas and still use wood. I have it at home.

When I was running gas heat only it ran me around $1500 that year. This year they raised the price 48%, so it would be more like $2200.

With wood heat for the house, I burn about 3-3.5 cords. My gas is about $600 (adjusted to that 48% raise) a year (kitchen stove, dryer, water heater, garage heat).

My break even point is about $450 a cord. Plus I keep the house warmer with wood.

 

Seems like a lot of people these days are more concerned with getting the quick scam deal rather than establishing a long term solid reputation.
Unfortunately this attitude transcends firewood.