Here is a picture of the wood that I paid a total of $165. The stacks are double deep except for the end one. Looks to be about 2.5 to 3 cords. I used my ryobi to bring a few down to the size I wanted, but most were good to go. Last season I paid $175 per cord, and it wasnt oak :-( Live and learn
06-07 heating season wood pricing.
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It wasn't stolen, but I got to talking to the guy and he is basically an out of work truck driver with a wife and kids. He gets the wood for free and sells it cheap, which is why he is out about now. I almost said to him why don't you hold onto it and sell it in the winter for $200+ per cord, but I'm not that stupid.
What can ya say... sometimes you get lucky. I felt bad for the guy, but I'm not rich either and wasn't about to say " hey this wood is too cheap, here's $500".
What can ya say... sometimes you get lucky. I felt bad for the guy, but I'm not rich either and wasn't about to say " hey this wood is too cheap, here's $500".
Paul,
You did well...He gave you the figure..you put the cash on the barrelhead..your smart for thinking ahead..
You did well...He gave you the figure..you put the cash on the barrelhead..your smart for thinking ahead..
No offense taken. Unfortunately with gas at $3.25 a gallon and my property taxes just increased, and groceries increasing, and a pay freeze at my job for the past year and basically everything going up faster than I can earn money to pay for these things, I don't have an "extra $100" to throw at anybody. Capitalism is what is keeping me stretched thin, and it feels good to be on the winning end of it for once...
That may be but I didn't live in the past so i cant compare, and I don't live in someone elses shoes, so I can compare that either. What I can compare is that things have gotten alot more expensive for ME, and to volunteer to pay more than asking price doesn't make much sense.
Ford and GM fell on hard times, so should I offer them more money than their asking price for one of their cars?
Ford and GM fell on hard times, so should I offer them more money than their asking price for one of their cars?
First off, I didn't do a bad thing by paying his asking price. So piss off with your shallow comments like that. And nowhere did I say he was ignorant, or unsophisicated. If thats the way you view people who deal in firewood, then you've just insulted alot of people on this forum- so thats on you.
Secondly, every poster to this thread said to "stock up all I can" and "buy it and sell it later". You're the only one making it look like the devil's work was commited.
Secondly, every poster to this thread said to "stock up all I can" and "buy it and sell it later". You're the only one making it look like the devil's work was commited.
People do things for all manner of reasons, and if the wood's worth $165 to him and $165 to you, everyone's happy.
All depends on his cost structure. He can certainly pick up a paper and see what wood is going for. But if he's happy selling at $165, I'd funnel all the business I could to him. He's happier and the other people pbuying wood are happier.
Steve
All depends on his cost structure. He can certainly pick up a paper and see what wood is going for. But if he's happy selling at $165, I'd funnel all the business I could to him. He's happier and the other people pbuying wood are happier.
Steve
Harley
Minister of Fire
Paul - I don't think you did anything wrong there.
Gideon, I think Paul mentioned that the man got the wood for free..... why "should" he be getting market price as compared to someone who may be cutting from their own, or leased lot, and who makes their living at it? I don't know the whole scenario, but maybe the guy knows the market and is looking for quick cash.... maybe he can't hold on to his inventory long enough to get market price. Maybe he's not reporting his income to unemployment, and doing this under the table and still collecting unemployment benefits (a very BAD thing in my book).
To me, it looks like a typical "willing buyer/willing seller" scenario. No harm, no foul.
Gideon, I think Paul mentioned that the man got the wood for free..... why "should" he be getting market price as compared to someone who may be cutting from their own, or leased lot, and who makes their living at it? I don't know the whole scenario, but maybe the guy knows the market and is looking for quick cash.... maybe he can't hold on to his inventory long enough to get market price. Maybe he's not reporting his income to unemployment, and doing this under the table and still collecting unemployment benefits (a very BAD thing in my book).
To me, it looks like a typical "willing buyer/willing seller" scenario. No harm, no foul.
When I was looking for wood a couple weeks ago, I looked in the local classifieds under firewood. I found the cheapest price per cord(like most people would do) in my delivery area and I called and worked out delivery.
The first load was there when I got home one day, so I said "ok he's starting to deliver it". The next day same thing- second delivery. That is when I started stacking it. The third delivery was when I caught him there, and thats the first time I had talked to him since the phone order I had placed with him.
After all was said done and paid for is when we were shooting the wind and he told me a little about him. He said "I have more if you want it". I had most of it stacked over the last couple days and I actually turned down his offer. I let him leave with his pride rather than trying to offer a handout after learning he was unemployed.
So don't accuse me of "hunting down poor unsophisicated, uneducated" people and taking advantage of them. Don't pass judgement if you dont know the details.
The first load was there when I got home one day, so I said "ok he's starting to deliver it". The next day same thing- second delivery. That is when I started stacking it. The third delivery was when I caught him there, and thats the first time I had talked to him since the phone order I had placed with him.
After all was said done and paid for is when we were shooting the wind and he told me a little about him. He said "I have more if you want it". I had most of it stacked over the last couple days and I actually turned down his offer. I let him leave with his pride rather than trying to offer a handout after learning he was unemployed.
So don't accuse me of "hunting down poor unsophisicated, uneducated" people and taking advantage of them. Don't pass judgement if you dont know the details.
Eric Johnson
Mod Emeritus
It's kind of like our "felling the hung up tree" discussion in the other thread, Gideon. Hard to give good advice without knowing all the facts.
Maybe this guy is so sophisticated that he's trying to undercut his competitors and buy market share. If Ford or GM tried that they'd wind up in court on antitrust charges, and rightly so.
If, on the other hand, this guy's dumb enough to produce a product for less than cost then he doesn't deserve to be in business and propping him up with a handout will only delay the inevitable. I don't believe in a "dog-eat-dog" world exactly, but people (like me) with no business sense shouldn't be in business. And the quicker they figure that out, the better it is for everyone.
Maybe this guy is so sophisticated that he's trying to undercut his competitors and buy market share. If Ford or GM tried that they'd wind up in court on antitrust charges, and rightly so.
If, on the other hand, this guy's dumb enough to produce a product for less than cost then he doesn't deserve to be in business and propping him up with a handout will only delay the inevitable. I don't believe in a "dog-eat-dog" world exactly, but people (like me) with no business sense shouldn't be in business. And the quicker they figure that out, the better it is for everyone.
martel
Member
- Feb 9, 2006
- 213
to bring it back to the original quesiton. I have 2.5 cord split and stacked on my own. I decided since it is my first season burning I would order one more cord to be certain I get through the winter (okay, pretty certain). I bought one more cord from Craig's list split, seasoned (split and stacked since fall 2005!) of mostly oak, no limbs delivered for $140.
That is about normal for around here, but as he is the only one who would guarantee a timespan that it has been really drying (under ventilated hard cover) I took him up on the offer. I am in Western Pennsylvania. Also should note- his price advertised was lower, but I am a bit of a drive for him. Any 'burghers should check him out.
That is about normal for around here, but as he is the only one who would guarantee a timespan that it has been really drying (under ventilated hard cover) I took him up on the offer. I am in Western Pennsylvania. Also should note- his price advertised was lower, but I am a bit of a drive for him. Any 'burghers should check him out.
Marty
Feeling the Heat
martel
Member
- Feb 9, 2006
- 213
Marty said:
Sure is marty. i asked many questions concerning the wood and it sounds good. He is charging $140 due to the drive to and from Beaver Falls, a decent hike and, I think a fair price if he comes through with wood as described.
I'll PM you later tonight and give you the final run down, ie quality, dryness etc. I think he has plenty left.
and for the sake of this community perhaps this thread should be locked down... its getting a hotter in here than the ash can. mo?
wow, this sound like arguments i've had with my mother! if i want to sell my car to someone for fifty dollars and they buy it with real money then we both got what we wanted. i don't feel that it makes a difference if the guy is: out of work, has kids, is unsophisiticated or any other detail. he asked a price and he got paid that price. the particulars of his situation shouldn't make any difference in the matter.
Maybe the wood's hot...
And the FMV thing is a little iffy. Where's that come from? I've been buying wood for years from a guy who sells for about 65% of the newspaper rate. He cuts wood for furniture makers, some of it isn't good enough, and he's left with a bunch of nice wood - beech, ash, oak, maple, occasionally some hickory or walnut. He split it with a splitter he's long paid off, loads it the bobcat he owns for the main business, into the truck he owns for the main business, and delivers it. $95/cord plus diesel for the truck. And usually delivers extra.
How long does it take to split a cord of decent wood with a good splitter? 2-3 hours? for 2 guys? So $15-$20/hr splitting wood. Not bad work if you can get it. So does that mean he should charge the FMV of 150/cord, because he can or because he's undercutting the competition? And he doesn't advertise, just word of mouth and repeat business.
Steve
And the FMV thing is a little iffy. Where's that come from? I've been buying wood for years from a guy who sells for about 65% of the newspaper rate. He cuts wood for furniture makers, some of it isn't good enough, and he's left with a bunch of nice wood - beech, ash, oak, maple, occasionally some hickory or walnut. He split it with a splitter he's long paid off, loads it the bobcat he owns for the main business, into the truck he owns for the main business, and delivers it. $95/cord plus diesel for the truck. And usually delivers extra.
How long does it take to split a cord of decent wood with a good splitter? 2-3 hours? for 2 guys? So $15-$20/hr splitting wood. Not bad work if you can get it. So does that mean he should charge the FMV of 150/cord, because he can or because he's undercutting the competition? And he doesn't advertise, just word of mouth and repeat business.
Steve
Harley
Minister of Fire
Harley wrote that it looks like a “typical” buyer seller interaction.
Really? 1/3 or less of the FMV?
I’d call that atypical. I’d call that reason to be alarmed.
That's not what I wrote - the key word in there that you missed was "willing". Not to beat a dead horse, but the guy took out an ad in a newspaper, and had a much lower price... Hey, if I didn't heat with wood, and got a lot of it for free, you can bet that I would unload it pretty cheap to 1) make a quick buck if I needed to, and 2) to get it out of my yard.
I have to think the guy knew what he was doing, and I don't think it is anything to be alarmed about.
Really? 1/3 or less of the FMV?
I’d call that atypical. I’d call that reason to be alarmed.
That's not what I wrote - the key word in there that you missed was "willing". Not to beat a dead horse, but the guy took out an ad in a newspaper, and had a much lower price... Hey, if I didn't heat with wood, and got a lot of it for free, you can bet that I would unload it pretty cheap to 1) make a quick buck if I needed to, and 2) to get it out of my yard.
I have to think the guy knew what he was doing, and I don't think it is anything to be alarmed about.
Sandor
Minister of Fire
BTW, I was in Asheville, NC last week and noticed hardwood for 100-125 cord delivered and stacked. About 4 different ads.
A big difference from the crowded eastern seaboard.
A big difference from the crowded eastern seaboard.
Gideon said:
How do you think I found out he was unemployed???
And theres no need for me to rally support, I already have the majority of it on this thread.
Roospike
New Member
Forget him , he likes to stur up chit on this board . He (Gideon) is not worth the effort.paulgp602 said:
Eric Johnson
Mod Emeritus
I think the heat's got everyone a little on edge.
I'm going to go hoist a cold one and toast free wood.
I'm going to go hoist a cold one and toast free wood.
rudysmallfry
Minister of Fire
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