What's a fair price by the cord to skid wood?

logman81 · October 29, 2013, 06:17:26 PM

A guy I worked for in the past is offering up some sub contracting work to me. He has a firewood lot that he needs to cut. He is offering $50 per cord to cut skid and pile it is this a fair price?

mad murdock · October 29, 2013, 06:24:46 PM

I would say it would depend on the job, i.e. how much do I think I could do in an average day on that particular job in that particular timber, subtract my expenses for a day of work, (fuel, wear and tear, and maintenance), and subtract that from the total, and see if I have money left, and how much. That is how I would figure it. In good wood, I used to be able to do 1 sometimes 2 truckloads a day, 10-20 cds x 50/cd=500-1,000/day minus expenses. might not be too bad. Cost to move in/out figured in as well. good luck with it.

stumpjumper83 · October 29, 2013, 06:40:43 PM

if he offered you $50 per full cord to cut and skid, that would be aprox 350 per load which is on the cheap side but doable if your on good ground.

Ed_K · October 29, 2013, 06:41:56 PM

i'm doing a 20 cord job now at $50. per cord. If your cutting big wood,not 4" dbh and it's a short skid it's worth it. Oh, and don't contract to do field edges ;D :( don't ask why i know.I'd do it again for $150. cord or $2500.an ac :D .

logman81 · October 29, 2013, 08:07:52 PM

Thanks guess I'll check out the job first and go from there.

shortlogger · October 29, 2013, 10:40:14 PM

I only get 50 a cord delivered for pine shaving wood here in Arkansas

rfm7fxfox · October 30, 2013, 04:48:42 PM

Log trucks only haul about 7 cord, not 10 so the 350 a load you'd be making is a more reasonable number than 500 a load. IMO that's not horrible but maybe you could ask for a little more but on the other hand if you're only cutting pole wood you should be able to cut and skid more than one load a day. Even at 2 loads a day that's 700 minus expenses which shouldn't be all that much depending on your equipment that's not a bad day and you really shouldnt have to hussel to get 2 loads. If you're trucking the wood he needs to pay additional pay for trucking. Shoot for 4 loads a day, that's not bad money!

rfm7fxfox · October 30, 2013, 04:56:41 PM

And before people go crazy about the 4 loads a day suggesting, it was a playful joke! Any who I would love to get a couple firewood only jobs, 2 loads a day at 50 a cord isn't bad money, and 2 loads cut and skid a day should be do able fairly easy, I cut and skid logs and firewood and have no problem pulling a load of firewood a day on top of about 4-5000 ft of logs a day..what's everyone usually pay/make to cut and skid log trees by the thousand? I hear different numbers from everyone I talk to...

rfm7fxfox · October 30, 2013, 04:58:30 PM

Let me re-phrase. What's the going rate to cut and skid (chainsaw and skidder) saw logs and firewood by the thousand?

Shotgun · October 30, 2013, 05:03:57 PM

The state and the general location makes a difference. Your provided question is too general. You need to be more specific. There are a lot of differences geographically.

Norm

rfm7fxfox · October 30, 2013, 05:27:01 PM

I'm from CT I'm sorry I diddnt include that.

Ed_K · October 30, 2013, 06:31:38 PM

I'm getting $100. for short skids and good wood,and $150. for longer (1/4 mi) skids,and to be detetmined if it's real steep.

rfm7fxfox · October 30, 2013, 07:23:50 PM

We usually get between 120-130

fuzzybear · October 30, 2013, 07:56:22 PM

I'm getting $100 cord in 8' length. And 5 cord days are not hard if you have big trees. For me that equates to about 12 trees per day. On average by myself, I can cut and drag 3 cords.
That's with frozen ground and good skid trails. Right now Mother Nature is taking her time with winter. Now I am in no way complaining.....but winter is about 1 month late here. Right now I'm lucky to pull 1.5, and I have to work for that.
The joys of swamp logging. ;D
FB

mad murdock · October 30, 2013, 08:09:31 PM

Quote from: fuzzybear on October 30, 2013, 07:56:22 PM
I'm getting $100 cord in 8' length. And 5 cord days are not hard if you have big trees. For me that equates to about 12 trees per day. On average by myself, I can cut and drag 3 cords.
That's with frozen ground and good skid trails. Right now Mother Nature is taking her time with winter. Now I am in no way complaining.....but winter is about 1 month late here. Right now I'm lucky to pull 1.5, and I have to work for that.
The joys of swamp logging. ;D
FB

FB, I thought that is what the muskeg or FMC tracked skidders was for (swamp logging in the bogs). It'll harden up real soon

lynde37avery · October 30, 2013, 09:05:04 PM

I say 50/cord that's $100/ thousand feet.sounds like a fine deal. if ya can manage 4 cord a day or so, that's 200 in your pocket after some gas and diesel. I can easily do 4+ cord a day. I burn about 3 or 4 gallons of diesel and a teaspoon or w/e of 2 cycle. unless your skidding a long ways and whatnot. I wouldn't think you can get too much for the job or the contractor himself wont make a good nuff cut.

Rick Alger · October 31, 2013, 09:59:13 AM

The last cut-and-skid contract I had was $140 per thousand for logs and $18 a ton ( +/- $45/cord) for pulp.
This was in NH in an environmentally sensitive area. A forester took care of snowplowing, maintaining roads and marketing the wood.

logman81 · October 31, 2013, 05:45:27 PM

Good info thanks, I'm meeting with the guy on Sunday to look it over I'm going to try to get the $50 per cord and a little wood to so I can sell some to my customers. Will see what happens!

bill m · October 31, 2013, 05:56:35 PM

My rates start at $150/M to cut and skid sawlogs and all firewood is mine to do with as I please. I'm in western Ma.

logman81 · November 01, 2013, 08:01:39 PM

Sounds fair bill m

Corley5 · November 01, 2013, 08:13:50 PM

45 to 50 dollars per cord or 90 to 100 bucks mbft here for saw timber. I was offered work a couple months ago that paid 50 bucks per cord and I could do what ever I wanted with the pulp. I turned it down as I've got lots of work lined up.

logman81 · November 02, 2013, 07:32:01 AM

So 50 is a pretty fair offer then.

John Mc · November 03, 2013, 06:26:47 AM

This may not be a direct comparison, and I'm not exactly out in your part of the country, but it may provide a reference. I suppose you could back into what a competitive price for skidding services would be by taking your local log length prices and subtracting the going rate for firewood stumpage (which can vary depending on how convenient the access is).

I've seen log length firewood sell for around $100 per cord on the landing around here (but that includes the wood itself, not just the skidding services). I've also seen Log Length firewood sold delivered locally (a seven cord load) for a bit over $100 per cord.
Both are getting more popular around here for folks who would like to process some of their own firewood, but don't have either the time, equipment, or skills (or don't have access to a woodlot) to do the felling and skidding.