Pricing my drying services using vacuum kiln

[Mesquite cutter]

Wow, so many answers.  So what is a good price to pay per board foot for vacuum kiln dried services?

[Stephen1]

Hello, looking at all kiln options, idry still performing well? Do you have to hand stack loads?

I have no problems with the IDRY kiln. 
Yes some one has to hand stack loads, customer, you, employees, unless the wood fairy stacks it for you.  :laugh: 
You will need a forklift to be efficient  in kiln drying for customers.
I have yet to have a load for the kiln show up stacked and stickered that I can just fork in. 

[Mesquite cutter]

I was quoted $3 per board foot for services using a vacuum kiln.  Would that be a reasonable amount to pay?   

[Stephen1]

I was quoted $3 per board foot for services using a vacuum kiln.  Would that be a reasonable 

My question is What moisture content will they bring it down to?
What type of moisture meter are they using? Surface or probe or both .
No sense paying to have partially dry, make sure they will dry to 6-8% in the core if it is 6/4 and larger. 
What is the moisture content of the wood now?

[Mesquite cutter]

I was quoted $3 per board foot for services using a vacuum kiln.  Would that be a reasonable

My question is What moisture content will they bring it down to?
What type of moisture meter are they using? Surface or probe or both .
No sense paying to have partially dry, make sure they will dry to 6-8% in the core if it is 6/4 and larger.
What is the moisture content of the wood now?

The MC varies on different slabs.  The slabs are Mesquite, Pecan, Live Oak and Texas Ebony.  My Live Oak slabs have been slabbed for about two years now.  

[boonesyard]

Price/bf will vary depending on your moisture, species and thickness. Most kiln operators would not charge the same bf price if they were drying 4/4 pine at 20% starting moisture vs 8/4 white oak at 20% starting moisture. The oak would take 3-4 times as long. There are too many variables to quote a hard $/bf. 

As an example of a variable rate, we charge $.10/bf/day, so depending on all the above variables it might end up being $.40 to $2.50/bf. If it is all the same species, thickness, has been air dried to 20% and is all about the same moisture, we can usually estimate what it is going to take. 

[Stephen1]

I tell wood workers to bring the wood 3 months before you need it. If you showed up with all that wood at one time you would be coming back to get it at different times. I store like species of wood until I get enough to make a bundle to go in the kiln. IE:walnut, oak, 1 group. 
Maple, birch, ash , 1 group, soft wood another group. 
I might have it wrong, here as I am not looking at my charts 
Certain woods dry similar and as such I can dry them at the same speeds.