These are the answers I'm going with buZZsaw BRAD . I have never failed to be greatly rewarded when doing something for the right reason. Not always money, but always rewarded. Tell him to pay you what it's worth to him & make a friend. If he stiffs you, you're not obligated to go back.
buZZsaw BRAD Not much time here either, but I know what I would do. My neighbors see my wood and know they can help themselves, but are to ask first so I can tell them what areas are ready to burn. One person did take me up on it for a few years when his wife was sick, maybe a cord or so a year. Not a big deal and I am blessed with a great supply of wood (yes I work for it), but happy to help others out plus helps make it harder for them to get upset about my wood piles. Do what you think is right and don't look back.
They are "casual" neighbors billb3. Waving, hellos, occasional conversation, but i think that is the extent of it. My friend knows i do chain saw work for pay so does recommend me for this work. It'd be one thing if the wood was sitting and the neighbor didnt want it or a small portion of it. The neighbor has a small stove in the basement so he burns. Its an average middle class neighborhood. They own a second house in Vermont
The homeowner wanted 12" lengths for his stove. Logs in the pics were his cuttings. He had a Stihl ms250 chain saw, chaps and a maul so he was able to do the work, was experienced. If i recall he said his wife didnt want him doing the work.
With that info, my gut feeling is to charge 1/2 the market price of all the wood you cut and split! That would be the money you would have gotten if you had undertaken the job for halvsies and then sold your half to pay for your labor. BUT, you have greatly hamstrung yourself by not having an agreement before doing the work. I guess if I was you, I would make him a very good deal in the name of neighborliness, then move on!
By not having an agreement with him first you walked out on thin ice. Just ask him what is fair. Also elderly people base things on the past. A fair price could still put him off. When I was a kid I shoveled snow for the better part of the day for a 100+ year old lady. When I was done she gave me something like $1.75. said that the extra quarter was because I did a extra good job.
Maybe an itemized bill, showing 5 gallons of gas, a new chain and one meal at a burger joint. That’s a $75-$100 value, and the neighbor can equate it more to a tangible cost of doing the job. The burger meal is the cost of the labor. All depends on how good a friend/neighbor he is- if he’s on a fixed income that’s more than fair, if he is pretty well set up maybe ask for a steak dinner instead of a burger. Either way, sounds like on this particular job you weren’t doing it “for the money.”
I tend to agree with ironpony. Thinking you should have asked what it would be worth to him, dollar wise for you to do it.
I charged the guy $200 GrJfer Everything from the photos was cut and split. He stacked and cleaned up. Took me 4-5 hours and i was going full steam. My friend referred me with the intent of it being a paying job. The guy didnt flinch at the price and was very pleased as was his wife.
Sounds like you'r both happy, that's the name of the game. You earned your 200 bucks , no doubt about that.
