Tornado's have done a brutal job in my area & left a ton of blow-downs everywhere. I've been thinking about cutting, stacking, & putting away about 10-12 cords of this Oak & other hardwood that's just laying about.
Considering the idea of selling it during the Nov-Feb months coming up. Many of the city folks in Birmingham own fireplaces...and buy their wood from Lowes, Home Depot & Convince Stores.
The way I'm figuring it I may be able to knock a decent part time hustle, selling by the truckload delivered or pick-up at the house. I do have enough room for about 10-12 cords.
Just trying to do the dollars & cents portion of it, ya know? Will my cost of cutting, splitting, and stacking & delivering be worth my "blood sweat & tears?" Hmm...as my Grandpa used to say; I'm still studying on it. :P
The only thing is that firewood sales down here are extra competitive...and I routinely see guys advertising they will deliver & stack for $65-100 a truck load...mostly green and fresh off the stump! ::)
Just a little something on the side kinda...my wife suggested making up some fliers & targeting our neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods specifically...hmm.
I sure don't need 10-12 cords just chilling in my back yard gathering critters & cobwebs that's for sure!
Any thoughts, wisdom, or ideas?
Hope all is well with you guys and you're having big fun.
Later,
Reg
If you have the time and energy I think you should try it. Do a few cord while advertising at a profitable price and see what happens. Don't get locked in to any price for larger amounts until you have done some and know what your overhead will be.
Give it a try cant hurt. I sell wood here in the winter but we are a lot colder than you guys after last years gas price hike I may not have enough this winter
That is pretty much what I do. Try to cut 10 to 12 cord a year. Sell about half, and the rest goes to family and friends and "friends of friends in need". Its a great work out and the money I make I use for "fun" money. While it didn't pay for the trip to Hawaii back in April, it paid for most of the organized activities we did, (snorkling, Luau, rafting). So I would say "Go For It". The other thing to keep in mind is that your best "advertising" is word of mouth. So let your friends and family know you are looking to sell a few cords of wood. Make your sales based on Quality and Service, not price.
I have found that getting in with certain groups and professions is a great way to go also. I haven't "advertised" in years. Currently, most of my wood is sold to people connected with law enforcement. As you can imagine, they watch each other's backs, so when you treat them well and give good value, they pass that message along to their buddies. Educators have also been a great referral source for me.
Hope this helps, good luck.
Dave
Quote from: ReggieT on June 22, 2014, 11:52:35 PM
Tornado's have done a brutal job in my area & left a ton of blow-downs everywhere. I've been thinking about cutting, stacking, & putting away about 10-12 cords of this Oak & other hardwood that's just laying about.
Considering the idea of selling it during the Nov-Feb months coming up. Many of the city folks in Birmingham own fireplaces...and buy their wood from Lowes, Home Depot & Convince Stores.
The way I'm figuring it I may be able to knock a decent part time hustle, selling by the truckload delivered or pick-up at the house. I do have enough room for about 10-12 cords.
Just trying to do the dollars & cents portion of it, ya know? Will my cost of cutting, splitting, and stacking & delivering be worth my "blood sweat & tears?" Hmm...as my Grandpa used to say; I'm still studying on it. :P
The only thing is that firewood sales down here are extra competitive...and I routinely see guys advertising they will deliver & stack for $65-100 a truck load...mostly green and fresh off the stump! ::)
Just a little something on the side kinda...my wife suggested making up some fliers & targeting our neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods specifically...hmm.
I sure don't need 10-12 cords just chilling in my back yard gathering critters & cobwebs that's for sure!
Any thoughts, wisdom, or ideas?
Hope all is well with you guys and you're having big fun.
Later,
Reg
You have dry wood at right price for your area. When you treat your customers right with dry wood your business will grow proble more than you want. The firewood business has so many shady wood sellers. the wood they sell is either wet or not a rank or some soft wood. I make a very good living off firewood. I didn't get this way in one day
AWESOME ADVICE GUYS!
QuoteI didn't get this way in one day
Likewise. As with quality firewood, a viable firewood business doesn't just happen. It takes time and planning.
Work up your inventory in the name of physical/mental therapy, sit on it while the sun/wind adds value, and sell it to the right people at the right time.
Position yourself to sell a quality product when that product is needed, rather than competing in a glutted market with the over-leveraged.
Quote from: North River Energy on June 25, 2014, 10:27:51 PM
QuoteI didn't get this way in one day
Likewise. As with quality firewood, a viable firewood business doesn't just happen. It takes time and planning.
Work up your inventory in the name of physical/mental therapy, sit on it while the sun/wind adds value, and sell it to the right people at the right time.
Position yourself to sell a quality product when that product is needed, rather than competing in a glutted market with the over-leveraged.
BRAVO! 8)
Do you have actual access to the logs or do you just know that there is a lot of it out there? You have to have the raw materials to produce a product. Likely a lot of others have their eyes on the same downed trees, so market may not be that great if there is a glut of wood to be had.
I do bundled firewood less work at $2.50 a bundle whole sale I get $250.00 out of a rank. If you sell bulk firewood you get about $50.00 a truck load. I do one rank a day in bundles. It is July now yesterday I delivered 300 bundles and I am behind because I was sick for a few days. So that put me behind. The only time I sell bulk firewood if I get logs free and easy excess to them. I only sell Ash bundles. I can take a green Ash log split it this morning put it in my kiln next morning split a piece to make sure it's dry put my meter on it 14 to 17 percent ready to burn but green Ash will burn. My customers love Ash not much ash's no pop crackle and pop little old 70 year old lady can pick a bundle up. Later
You are talking oak & selling "Dried" wood this fall. That doesn't work. Even being in Alabama, expect it to take 2 years for oak to cure.
Those folks selling green wood by the pick-up load may not be a dumb as it initially seems. If they are able to cut, split, & deliver without having to unload, stack, let cure, re-load, then deliver, they have saved a lot of labor.
How much more do your think you will get? Will it be worth the extra work?
I don't sell firewood & really have no desire to. I'm a hoarder!
Quote from: Oliver1655 on July 05, 2014, 06:12:10 PM
You are talking oak & selling "Dried" wood this fall. That doesn't work. Even being in Alabama, expect it to take 2 years for oak to cure.
Those folks selling green wood by the pick-up load may not be a dumb as it initially seems. If they are able to cut, split, & deliver without having to unload, stack, let cure, re-load, then deliver, they have saved a lot of labor.
How much more do your think you will get? Will it be worth the extra work?
I don't sell firewood & really have no desire to. I'm a hoarder!
Good observation...my Oak unless it's red oak has never taken 2 yrs to dry...but I do have access to multiple "hot houses" to expedite the process. I can sit on what I'm cutting now...I have quite a stockpile from 2-3 seasons ago sitting on ready.
Quote from: LeeB on June 30, 2014, 01:45:33 AM
Do you have actual access to the logs or do you just know that there is a lot of it out there? You have to have the raw materials to produce a product. Likely a lot of others have their eyes on the same downed trees, so market may not be that great if there is a glut of wood to be had.
I have actual access...i.e. legal permission to the dead & downed tree's not to mention a ton of standing.
As I stated...strictly part time...I'm not financially destitute or close to it...since I enjoy the woods and cutting as I do...thought I would make some a couple of dollars from it...
Quote from: ReggieT on June 24, 2014, 07:53:51 PM
AWESOME ADVICE GUYS!
I have friend in Atlanta he said bundle firewood sell like hot cakes on a cold morning