Fees to charge

[Drake the sawyer]

For those that have a portable sawmill, what do you charge per BDFT. If the have a load of logs for me to mill into lumber

[Arkyrick]

I lean towards Magic Mans method I charge $40. per hr. for any amount of logs cut, I do have a 1 hr. minimum. Also my sawmill is stationary to my dismay, I miss out on a lot of portable business.
Larger Mills in my area send work my way because they don't like to mess with smaller jobs. Most folks around here are poorer than a church mouse and come to me. I'm just an old 1 man operation and I'm satisfied with what I make.
Arkyrick

[WV Sawmiller]

Drake,

    I charge $.30/bf if they stack and $.35/bf if I have to stack. Need to re-think my stacking rate. Finished a job last week where I stacked and stickered for $.35. Was not enough. Small logs and 1" boards. Finished as agreed but next time if I sticker will be extra charge as really slowed me down. Bad part was it was 45 miles away. Took me 9 days to finish that job. Next time if small short logs like that may drop back to my hourly rate ($60/hr).

    Some jobs are just not going to be big money jobs but you have to finish what you start as promised or your credibility is shot. Much of this work is word of mouth and you can't afford a bad rep.

[Chuck White]

For those that have a portable sawmill, what do you charge per BDFT. If the have a load of logs for me to mill into lumber

You'll find that the fee for sawing is sometimes significantly different from one region to another.

For instance I've seen fees posted here on the forum that range from $150.00-$320.00 per thousand board feet, so $.15-.32 per bf.

[ncsawyer]

i charge $250 per mbdft period if its less than 4/4 it is counted as 4/4 other than that it is billed as what it is doesnt matter if its 2x4 or 12x12. i have a 1000 bd ft minimum if portable other than that it is by the bdft. 
a tree only has so much value in it. if you are not careful you saw bill will be more than the finished lumber cost just to go buy it. the only way to make money custom sawing is to saw good lumber fast  if its not good you wont have any work if its not fast you wont have any money ;)

I have a very similar fee structure.  I charge $250/thousand or $65 per hour with a 1,000bdft min.  I have some folks tell me that they think $250/bdft is too low, but with a good set up, it is very profitable for me and advantageous for the customer.  With good logs and a good set up $250/bdft equals about $100 per hour. 

In my area, I agree that you can't charge more for sawing pine framing than the customer can go buy it for.  In order to maintain a profitable sawing relationship, both you and the customer need to benefit from the relationship.   

[edkemper]

First, keep in mind I am retired and have no desire to go into business again. Most of you have a profit need. I personally bought my mill to mill lumber for my own log house build. At 64, I'm uninterested in starting another business. I hope I am permanently retired, God willing. I've fired up my mill for a couple of people that have stopped by and needed a small amount of work. Since I'm just learning to mill, I've done three small "jobs" for donations to the disabled vets here in town.

I've always found that money between neighbors frequently leads to problems. My property is 45 miles out of town where I have a house until I build. Only about 6 neighbors in a couple mile radius.

On the other hand, my immediate neighbor (at my property) is a logger. A man who has become a fast friend. He also wants to add a porch, a barn and build a small home on his property for his son. He has plenty of heavy equipment, trucks and a wealth of practical knowledge.

Plus there always seems to be a few left over logs on his jobs (at least a trailer load). Plus he'll be on the lookout for strange and special logs to bring home or have me pick up. Did I mention how nice it is to be able to go to sight, have logs loaded on my trailer and just driving home and parking. Then when my neighbor gets home, he comes over with his self loader and unloads my trailer.

Over the last couple of years, we've settled into me taking care of his lumber needs and him keeping my small but enlarging log deck stocked. I'm talking about a lot more stock than is needed for his needs. Plus the last cuts were for 4"x18"x16'6" for his lowboy trailer bed. So I get to cut some interesting and very heavy pieces.

I'm clearing a lot of my overgrown property. So other than cutting live edge cants (fence posts) from the thousands of small pine on my place, I see no immediate end in sight to my lumber needs. I look forward to seeing my log deck continue to grow.

I really like my luck in being able to trade logs with lumber with friends instead of exchanging paper.

Keep me in logs and I'm will willing to cut just about anything my neighbor wants. He'll run into logs of types I'll probably never be able to find anywhere else on my own. I have a win/win relationship for now.

I figured out prices to charge customers, and the ability to manipulate the end prices in a spread sheet, but have since decided not to look for customers and just cut my own needs as well as the needs of my neighbors.

[Arkyrick]

I retired a year ago and a typical day on my sawmill consists of me sawing a couple of logs in the morning going back into the house and trying to catch the old lady before I run out of breath! It depends on if she wants to be caught ;D I then may take a nap. After I get up I go back out to the mill and saw another 1 or 2 logs. Like I said I charge $40. per hr and sometimes trade customers 50/50 for logs I cut for them, I keep half of the lumber I cut. It works pretty good for most that have logs but no money. Heck I would even trade sawing logs for a good cow or dog or an ATV!

[WV Sawmiller]

Arkyrick,

   I am in total agreement with sawing on barter system if the customer has something I need, can use or want. I usually do not saw on shares but would for walnut or locust or such if the situation arose. I have plenty of my own timber to thin to sell or for my own use and don't generally need the logs  but each of us here on the forum has their own unique needs and desires.

   I don't need the income to make a living but I do expect my sawing to pay for itself and generate a little mad money. I charge more than some of my neighbors with small stationary mills but I am faster and will travel to their site.

[woodmills1]

I saw only by the hour. For new or one timers $70, and repeats are at $60.  No blade or set up charges when sawing at my location unless metal is hit.  I start the hourly from my house for customer locations.  That said, the last job on Friday and Sat. this week was just under 3000 bd ft pine 1 and 2by, and it cost him average of 16 cents, with him tailing all of the cut time.  I have many repeat customers, however at least 2 of them have gone on to buy a woodmizer. ;D

[Magicman]

We satisfy and cater to the market that we serve.  I just answered a call from a potential customer that is ~200 miles away.  There are closer sawmills to him, much closer, but we set a sawing date.   ;)

Even with ~$300 travel tacked to the sawing, the customer has to get value for his $$$ or it is no deal.  For example, if we saw 2Mbf of ERC for a total cost of ~$1000, that is a bargain for him. 

[woodmills1]

Here in southern NH, close to Ma., I have a wide range of customers, from affluent, to pay check to paycheck.  They all appreciate the uncomplicated way I do business.   Most of the better off tip me over the amount on the bill and many of the rest are happy with the well cut amount of wood from their logs.  Then some say things like, gee the last time I did this with someone else I thought I had more wood, or when so and so cut for me, I said, is this lumber really from my logs?

[dean herring]

X2 outer rondacker . Around here about .30/bf.
If cutting 5/8"x6" cedar boards  how do you figure bf?

[4x4American]

X2 outer rondacker . Around here about .30/bf.
If cutting 5/8"x6" cedar boards  how do you figure bf?

That's 2.5 bdft if its an 8' piece

To figger it, 5/8= .625 x 6 x 8 = 30/12= 2.5

[beenthere]

dean

If cutting 5/8"x6" cedar boards  how do you figure bf?

Usually thickness less than 4/4 is figured as 4/4 (or the surface measure). Would be 4 bdft.

[Chuck White]

Beenthere X2

That's what I've always been told, and that's what I do!   ;)

[Kbeitz]

dean

If cutting 5/8"x6" cedar boards  how do you figure bf?

Usually thickness less than 4/4 is figured as 4/4 (or the surface measure). Would be 4 bdft.

Ok.... I'm new at this....

Why ???

[Kbeitz]

Dont know why I got a double post and I dont see a way to delete it...

(Took care of it for you.  Admin). 

[Banjo picker]

Can't help you with your double post, but the reason for figuring the cost that way is because it cost just as much to make a 5/8 cut as it does a one inch cut.  Easier to do that than have a floating price that goes up for thin stuff.  I haven't done much thin, but everyone has understood when you take the time to explain it to them....ahead of time....Banjo

[Kbeitz]

Can't help you with your double post, but the reason for figuring the cost that way is because it cost just as much to make a 5/8 cut as it does a one inch cut.  Easier to do that than have a floating price that goes up for thin stuff.  I haven't done much thin, but everyone has understood when you take the time to explain it to them....ahead of time....Banjo

Thanks...

[Magicman]

Kbeitz,  Just curious, why did you feel the need to quote what Banjo said just to say -thanks- ?

[Kbeitz]

Sorry....
I'm not feeling very good at all.
Not thinking ....

Think I'm comming down with something...