Big Portable Job

[boonesyard]

Hi All, it's been awhile. 

Been a little crazy, retired my municipal construction company last year, still dealing with that. Found out it's easier starting a company (22 yrs ago) than it is shutting one down. Very excited about being able to spend my time with the sawmill and our wood products business. Although, after a year away from full-time work I have no idea how I had time to do it all.

99% of our sawing is stationary at our site. I've done a couple portable jobs in the past, not a lot. Got a call from a guy about 3 hrs away, just had 16 acres of virgin white oak and ash logged, looks like very nice stuff. About 150 10'-12' logs, approx. 23,000 bf. 

I'm thinking hard about taking it on. He has help and support equipment. Wouldn't be a bad pay-day if everything goes according to plan. I usually charge by the hr. because my custom jobs are typically small and not very clean but this would be by the bf. Not sure how long it'll take, guess I'll know when it's done.

Thoughts??

[WV Sawmiller]

   Good luck. Just figure your expenses carefully and charge accordingly.

    If it is a new customer you might want daily pay days so you don't get into a dispute or left hanging at the end of the job. 

    My problem with distant jobs is if there is a break down I end up eating the travel costs so be sure to think about that and take every reasonable spare part you think you might need and the tools to fix the problem.

    In any case you will learns some lessons - what worked well, what didn't and what to do different next time.

[Magicman]

When I was a few years younger, I gladly took such jobs and always made $$$.

Cover your bases such as travel/setup, return trips after the weekend, lodging etc, & payday at noon Friday to give you traveling time going home.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Price it so you want to do it. No one benefits if you don't.

[boonesyard]

How much you all charge by the bf on a larger project such as this? Region, log quality, help, support equipment are all variables that affect efficiency,  but I'm generally between $.40-.50/bf 

[Magicman]

I charge the same sawing rate, but I know going in that it will be more predictable and steady sawing for the entire job which means more $$. 

Sadly I just declined a job this week that would have been very profitable.  ~60 miles away and probably 15-16Mbf.  I would have never declined that job a couple of years ago.

[WV Sawmiller]

How much you all charge by the bf on a larger project such as this? Region, log quality, help, support equipment are all variables that affect efficiency,  but I'm generally between $.40-.50/bf

I'm in a low cost area and charge $.35/bf and a daily milage fee of $1/mile one way. I charge $30 per blade for damage from metal. etc. 

My hourly rate is $70/hr and I use the run meter for the timer - I don't shut the mill off between logs if sawing hourly. I do very few hourly jobs. 

My bf rate is actual scaled rate at the end of the job. Anything under 1" thick is billed as one inch.

I go over all these rates/terms with the customer and make sure they agree and understand  before I ever start a job.

[Magicman]

My rates differ greatly from Howard's above.  My bf rate is $.45bf, $2 per mile one way for travel & setup, $45 per metal damaged blades, and $125 per hour.  I very seldom saw hourly but when I do my hourly rate includes all time that I am on the job whether sawing, cant hooking a log, or distracted/discussing the sawing with the customer.  That time will generally be for a 7-9 hour day.  My "sandbox" job was a good example of hourly rate where I was sawing timbers.  It mattered not whether I was measuring and chainsawing logs to length, wire brushing the embedded sand from the bark, sawing, directing how the timbers would be stickered, or waiting for the borrowed sky track or skidsteer to be returned so I could go back to work.  Those days generally ran 9-10 hours per day.  I was in a commercial situation where the entire workforce was paid hourly, me included.