Author Topic: fee for felling, bucking in place (Read 7170 times)

Gunny · « **on:** September 21, 2005, 07:25:16 AM »

I was offered a job that might be right up my alley and wonder what the going rate is--if there is one--for felling, bucking, and topping timber these days. No cinching, skidding, brushing (other than that needed to getthe logs bucked from the bole. Mostly upland hardwoods (no yard trees) but a little Hemlock and WP. I could almost work at my own pace, too (which is dictated by how my back feels most days). The job was offered because the fellow who's been doing it ruins about 50% of the #1s by splitting them (guess he's never heard of bore-cutting?). Is $100.00/mature tree too much to ask?

BTW: I doubt that I've lost "the touch" since I've been dropping a few here and there ever since we sold the tree farm. Just can't get that out of my system!

DonE911 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 21, 2005, 07:47:51 AM »

I just started doing this. Most have been yard tree's, but clear of hitt'n anything. I'm charging $100 and I get whatever I want from the tree and leave the mess where it hit the ground. Anything over 24" I'm going to charge $150, but I haven't done one of those yet.

Your in a different boat as to the tree's your cutting, but the fee sounds fine to me.

Jeff · « **Reply #2 on:** September 21, 2005, 08:40:50 AM »

In a woodland setting? Sounds like way to much to me.

hardwood · « **Reply #3 on:** September 21, 2005, 08:55:40 AM »

Giving a price on a job I can't see is dangerous business but $100 a tree sounds very high. I recently looked at a job where that would not have been out of line but it wasn't a typical woodland setting.

For such jobs, I calculate the time it will take do the average tree multiplied by my hourly rate to arrive at a per tree price.

DonE911 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 21, 2005, 09:29:45 AM »

What would be considered a typical woodland setting?? I've looked at a few that are on a small ( overall ) property that a logger wont do becuase of size or whatever. There may be a house on the property, but the tree's are an acre or more away from the home site.

Most of the calls have been right around the yard, but a few have not been.

One of the owners told me she called some logging companies and they would not do her small acerage ( about 4 acres ) and although the tree services would the cost would be more that her house. She stated she didn't want any machines on the place bigger than a small tractor anyway. I think she realy just wanted to be able to see thru the woods

Where does a small job like that fit into the logging industry?? or does it at all? I know this simi woodland work is diff than taking down a yard tree where $100 is significantly less than a typical tree service charge.

Just looking for opinions here.

Kirk_Allen · « **Reply #5 on:** September 21, 2005, 09:51:07 AM »

I recently felled 40 trees for a local farmer who could not do it himself. I charged $60 an hour, which is my mill rate and I had them all felled in 5 hours. He is bucking them and hauling his own logs to a mill. Told him if he is wanting to sell the logs dont bring them to me as I have more than I know what to do with now.

Jeff · « **Reply #6 on:** September 21, 2005, 09:58:11 AM »

Sounds like Gunny is talking about cutting in a logging operation, not in a tree removal scenario. Deduct 100 bucks from the value of a tree just to lay it down and limb it? Thats what I am looking at. If these are all "situation" trees, then certainly, costs go up dramatically, but I can guarantee, any of the cutters I know, in a woods setting, would be making thousands a day.

I just paid $50 to have 7 12-16" dbh red pine, dropped, limbed topped and skidded to the landing where I could get to them. Granted I got impatient and we went and skidded half of them ourselves, but thats what I paid. If they had been bigger, say 20 inch, what one might consider a more mature size for red pine, I can't imagine paying $700 to have them dropped.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #7 on:** September 21, 2005, 10:01:06 AM »

I guess I must not understand the setting your in. If your talking about harvesting 20 " plus trees than $100 is a little high. The work must be real slow and difficult to get that kind of money. Usually rates in that setting are based on cords ($50 - $60 per cord) for skidder, or m^3 ($15-25 per m^3) for a buncher. You run and maintain your own equipment.

Just shootin in the dark

Jeff · « **Reply #8 on:** September 21, 2005, 10:07:55 AM »

Donk, thats pretty close to what mine translated to. I figured around 700 bf in those 7 trees I had cut.

Gunny · « **Reply #9 on:** September 21, 2005, 10:39:40 AM »

Thanks for the input, guys. Maybe I need to guesstimate my time per tree--most are over 24" dbh--and use some simple aritmetic to arrive at an hourly rate that can be translated (for the farmer) into a per-tree rate which we can agree upon. It's pretty apparent that whatever the last guy got paid was certainly equal to his lack of skills (I've seen his work).

As always, it's my pleasure to consider all your replies. Merci.

beenthere · « **Reply #10 on:** September 21, 2005, 11:08:01 AM »

And if you split a tree, will you just not charge for cutting that tree down?

GlennCz · « **Reply #11 on:** September 21, 2005, 11:19:43 AM »

somehow this question is just not right? $100/tree to cut it down and buck it? Not even skid it? Luckily I haven't hired you to do my job because my logger and I aren't even getting $100/ tree on average at the mill. If you are asking how much to charge per hour, that is one thing, what do you need for you time and what is going rate for similar work etc. But if you are charging per tree, then conversation can't even start until we find out what is worth of each tree? I am cutting alot of nice big soft maples down and I am luckily to get $100 for the but log for the nice ones. Muich less after that. Now if these are $1500 cherry veneer trees, then maybe $100 is a good price, depending on your skills in getting the wood safely to the ground.

now maybe this isn't even a timber job whatsoever, just a tree removal job, with worries about houses to hit, grass, etc etc, lots of stuff to ruin with cutting down a tree. But in a woodland setting? I don't understand the question.

DonE911 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 21, 2005, 11:43:06 AM »

I think... for what I'm doing .... I would have to consider it a tree service.... even if the tree isn't right in the yard.

the only people I am talking to, are looking to get rid of the tree's and not looking to get paid for the tree's they have grown. I get paid to take the tree down, but the only mill it's going to is mine, so I guess I'm really getting an hourly rate and not a board foot rate or whatever.

Gunny · « **Reply #13 on:** September 21, 2005, 03:46:19 PM »

Sounds like--from Kirk (and he didn't buck them) and Don's replies--that I'm not too far from where they charge already. Kirk hit a little under $80.00/tree on that job of his and Don (who even gets to keep the logs!)seems to be somewhere in that area, too. Huzzah for you guys!

I'll see what the "negotiations" bring. I'd even work a barter since the kiln will always be ready for good solid lumber as the days go by. And KD lumber is as good as a FRN any day of the week.

Thanks again, all.

Jeff · « **Reply #14 on:** September 21, 2005, 03:50:07 PM »

Gunny, might want to do the math again on that one.

Kirk charged about $7.50 a tree.

60 bucks times 5 hours 300 bucks divided by 40 trees

DonE911 is still talking tree service type charges and keeps the logs because they are tree removal not logging.

DonE911 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 21, 2005, 03:53:19 PM »

Gunny.... again I'm not really logging here.... I guess I'm the alternative to a tree service for those that don't need a logger. The people want the tree's to disappear ... not sell them.

timberjack240 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 21, 2005, 04:18:48 PM »

yea i think i agree with jeff thats sound way to high. no offense but i doubt i pay anbody 100 bucks a load just to cut and trim. i know i wouldnt pay 100 per tree cause around here you wouldnt be makin any money. now if you were cuttin trees that leaned over power lines or houses or major roadways yea i can see that but not for a reagular woods setting. thats just my two cents worth

Ron Scott · « **Reply #17 on:** September 21, 2005, 07:59:35 PM »

Most hand cutters "logging"general forest trees are paid by the cord or 1000 board feet (MBF) . The common rate for just cutting has been $10.00/ -$15.00/cord or $20.00 - $25.00/MBF.

Cutting and skidding rates have been $40.00 - $50.00/MBF though one is now paying $55.00/MBF due to higher fuel costs, travel distances etc.

A per tree example for just hand cutting@ $20.00/MBF might be:

Cut 3 sawlog size trees @ 350 board feet/tree average = 1.050 MBF
1.050 MBF x $20.00/MBF = $21.00
$21.00/3 tree = $7.00/tree

Ed_K · « **Reply #18 on:** September 21, 2005, 09:09:38 PM »

If I'm just dropping trees for view or to get them on the ground for the land owner, then I charge $35.00 per hr.
The logging job I'm on now, its cut & skid, 1/2 mile skid, $115 per mbf.

Gunny · « **Reply #19 on:** September 22, 2005, 10:56:18 AM »

Jeff:

Thanks for getting my decimal point in the right place! (Must've fallen on my head again just before doing that math in my noggin.) Thanks all for the input and it's nice to see a decent range within which to work.

Best to all, of course.

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Author Topic: fee for felling, bucking in place (Read 7170 times)

Kirk_Allen

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