Goodbye yard tree, hello firewood. What a deal!

[midwestcoast]

Okay, I was working from home today, just minding my own business when I get a knock on the door. It's a guy from a tree service & he says they're working in the neighborhood & do I want any work done. So I say maybe & show him the tree in the photos that's in my front yard (and needs to come down as you can see).
He starts out showing me quotes for other trees they've taken down ($1500-2,200ish), I say nothing. He mentions he could give me a good deal. I just ask him about the crew, where they're working... He starts talking himself down from $1200. I mention my neighbor wants a couple taken down in his yard & we were gonna go in on a deal, but he's not around... Price is under $1000 now. I tell him I'd take all the wood if they'd chip the brush & grind the stump. He takes himself down to $800. I waffle some more, now it's $700. I ask if they'll be around tomorrow, I could think about it. No, they're just around today. I'm silent again for an uncomfortable length of time. $500 he says. Sold!!

 

[smokinj]

500 cake walk...Just saying one big limb at a time. oh silver!

 

[Cate68]

Nice negotiating! Sad to lose that tree from your yard, though...by the looks of those roots, it's definitely not long from a goner.

 

[midwestcoast]

The crew & equipment show up about 2 hours later & start hacking away. These guys are real cowboys. No PPE at all, the guy in the bucket with an MS200T leaning way out all over the place moving fast and raining limbs down while the kids on the ground are running around grabbing brush for the (huge) chipper & dodging falling limbs... 2 limbs are dropped on the truck, but no damage & they just laugh. Then another groundy fires up an ms460 & starts bucking. It was limbed in about 20 mins flat.
The bucket guy fires up another MS460 (28" bar?) and proceeds to cut the stump way over his head for some reason. Then the base cut which he mostly did 1 handed, neat & pretty quick.
Finally they pull this stump grinder (didn't know they made'em that big) over & 5mins later the stump is gone.
Fast, cheap, dangerous and rather carefree, but they're insured at least & have serious equipment.

Not only did I keep most of the wood from this tree, but I invited them to empty their grapple truck in my front yard (it was nearly full) so I also got something like 5 cord?? of Mulberry and Elm to boot. Thats worth the $500 right there.
They were in and out in about an hour! I forked over the cash & provided cold Gatorade for the crew. Everyone's happy
I already had 2011/12 wood stacked, so now I'm good for about the next 3 winters. Got some work to do though. I'll post pics of the log pile in the yard tomorrow.
1 happy guy.

 

[midwestcoast]

500 cake walk...Just saying one big limb at a time. oh silver!

Ha, I shoulda held out for $450! lol

 

[midwestcoast]

Nice negotiating! Sad to lose that tree from your yard, though...by the looks of those roots, it's definitely not long from a goner.

Heck this guy was half way through the negotiation before I even started. I learned from watching my boss that silence is the most powerful tool in negotiation. Keep quiet & see if they'll negotiate against themselves. Wish they were all that easy

 

[midwestcoast]

500 cake walk...Just saying one big limb at a time. oh silver!

Wires on 2 sides (tight) house on the third and another tree on the 4'th means bucket truck or climber was the only way. Cakewalk for these guys though, for sure.

 

[smokinj]

500 cake walk...Just saying one big limb at a time. oh silver!

Ha, I shoulda held out for $450! lol

Dont know, I would have done it for free...lol you clean it all up! I would not have use a bucket truck either but from I bucket service company I see the point. I would have just droped one limb at a time. Then the trunk and I think you know whats up next...lol

 

[Thistle]

500 cake walk...Just saying one big limb at a time. oh silver!

Ha, I shoulda held out for $450! lol

Dude even I'm not that cheap!! :lol: He got a helluva deal,plus kept the wood too! Cost me $1500 to drop this MASSIVE 2/3rds dead American Elm in front yard & 2 live smaller ones in June '06.I could keep everything if I wanted,with not much space in backyard & no more hydraulic splitter (sold it to brother 6 months earlier),I didnt keep anything over 18" diameter.Still ended up with about 8 truckloads total.They chipped up everything under 2" like I asked & left the smaller logs 6'-8' long for me to work up later on.That big Elm was only about 45' tall,but had 3 trunks & spread about 60' wide,across neighbor's yard too & out over the main street.

 

[Danno77]

he cut it that high because that big ole tree would have either tipped the truck or toasted the grapple.

That is just about the sweetest deal I've heard in a while. wish my neighbors would have some trees down. I'm tired of waiting on Jay to come take this black walnut tree down for milling.

 

[smokinj]

500 cake walk...Just saying one big limb at a time. oh silver!

Ha, I shoulda held out for $450! lol

Dude even I'm not that cheap!! :lol: He got a helluva deal,plus kept the wood too! Cost me $1500 to drop this MASSIVE 2/3rds dead American Elm in front yard & 2 live smaller ones in June '06.I could keep everything if I wanted,with not much space in backyard & no more hydraulic splitter (sold it to brother 6 months earlier),I didnt keep anything over 18" diameter.Still ended up with about 8 truckloads total.They chipped up everything under 2" like I asked & left the smaller logs 6'-8' long for me to work up later on.That big Elm was only about 45' tall,but had 3 trunks & spread about 60' wide,across neighbor's yard too & out over the main street.

If you had something good to mill I would make the drive! This is why I get all the good wood aroud here and share with anyone who needs it.....Keeps me cutting and everyone burning and I get a little greate milling wood from time to time. (not always but have to heat to)

 

[Jutt77]

Fast, cheap, dangerous and rather carefree

Is she available?!


J/k, I'm married now but seriously,good job on that deal Midwest

 

[mainstation]

You did get a great $$ deal, stump ground as well, plus cleanup, Good work. Now no worries about that thing crushing your house on those windy days. Plant another tree there this spring.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Congratulations midwestcoast. I'd call that a great deal for sure. To top it off, you now have some great firewood.

Those stump chippers are really nice. Makes short work of the stump for sure.

 

[midwestcoast]

Danno, I guess that is why they cut the trunlk so high, personally I'd rather have dropped it & sectioned it up on the ground, but I don't do this every day...

You got it Mainstation, let the Southwind blow now! We do plan on planting another tree there this spring. I'd like something with nice spring flowers that won't get too tall & get into the power lines all the time. Don't need shade here south of the house. Right now I'm thinking Dogwood or some kind of apple... fruit-bearing would be nice, not sure what would like the very sandy soil here?

Anyway, I don't know about my 5 cordish guess for the wood I have on-hand now. I asked the eldest Service guy what he thought it was "3-4 cord?" He said more, so now I guess 5. I'm no good at that. Anyone care to estimate based on pics? The last 2 pics are the same pile.

 

[SolarAndWood]

I asked the eldest Service guy what he thought it was "3-4 cord?" He said more, so now I guess 5. I'm no good at that. Anyone care to estimate based on pics?

I think the eldest service guy measures in Michigan/NY cords.

 

[Kenster]

I think that turned out to be a good deal all around. You made a killer deal on getting a bad tree removed, kept a ton of firewood, got a lot of extra wood on top of that.
The Tree Service Co. probably was paying that crew for the whole day anyway so all it cost them was fuel and a little wear and tear on the equipment but they picked up an extra $500 for the day.

Win/Win.

Now, we want to see the final outcome of this score once it's all split and stacked.

 

[bogydave]

I asked the eldest Service guy what he thought it was "3-4 cord?" He said more, so now I guess 5. I'm no good at that. Anyone care to estimate based on pics?

I think the eldest service guy measures in Michigan/NY cords.

Smart move, it was coming down anyway, glad it came down that way.
Nice pile of wood. Lots of good BTUs in a few years.
Got it cut & split yet?

300 cubic feet when stacked & seasoned, is my guess
Maybe should ask: how many cubic feet?
Ricks, faces & cords mean same/different things in same/different areas. Cubic feet when stacked, may be a better standard.

 

[Kenster]

Ricks, faces & cords mean same/different things in same/different areas. Cubic feet when stacked, may be a better standard.

The definition of "cord" should not vary depending on where you live. At least not for anyone who is a member of this website. We should all know better. A cord is a cord is a cord. 128 cubic feet. Period. But the term is sort of archaic. Think how much easier it would be to buy and sell wood if the price is quoted in cubic feet. $1.50 per cubic foot comes out to $192 for a cord. Want a pickup bed full? Say your bed is 52 cubic feet if level to the side walls. At $1.50 per cu foot? That'll be $78 please.

 

[midwestcoast]

So concensus is that the total is much less than 5 cord. After doing some cutting & hauling rounds to the back with a wheelbarrow I was thinking the same. I got maybe 1rd of it moved. Only had enough gas mixed for 2 tank fulls in the Husky 359. Was kinda fun & this desk jockey knows to take it a step at a time. I am not dissapointed to see that I have a bit less work left to do than I thought. Mrs. Midwestcoast is so far being a sport about the state of the front yard, but history shows that will wear off in a few days.
Oh and I think I'm continueing my silly good luck on getting Elm thats splits O.K. I almost turned down the Elm logs, but since they were pretty straight and knot free, I took'em knowing that not all Elm is made equal. So far the few rounds I've tried split O.K with the Fiskars.

 

[billb3]

Ricks, faces & cords mean same/different things in same/different areas. Cubic feet when stacked, may be a better standard.

The definition of "cord" should not vary depending on where you live. .

A one pound can of coffee shouldn't be 13.75 ounces, either.

 

[Kenster]

Ricks, faces & cords mean same/different things in same/different areas. Cubic feet when stacked, may be a better standard.

The definition of "cord" should not vary depending on where you live. .

A one pound can of coffee shouldn't be 13.75 ounces, either.

Well, it's not a pound, is it? It's just a can of coffee. It is, however, an attempt to rip off the buyers who aren't paying attention.
Sort of like the 12 ounce package of Bacon that looks like a pound.
And great big potato chip bags that are 75% air.

Notice how toilet paper rolls were getting smaller and smaller? Now they come out with the original size and call it "Super Jumbo" size and charge double for it.

One of these days they'll sell packs of ten eggs and try to tell us it's a dozen.

 

[bogydave]

Ricks, faces & cords mean same/different things in same/different areas. Cubic feet when stacked, may be a better standard.

The definition of "cord" should not vary depending on where you live. .

A one pound can of coffee shouldn't be 13.75 ounces, either.

Well, it's not a pound, is it? It's just a can of coffee. It is, however, an attempt to rip off the buyers who aren't paying attention.
Sort of like the 12 ounce package of Bacon that looks like a pound.
And great big potato chip bags that are 75% air.

Notice how toilet paper rolls were getting smaller and smaller? Now they come out with the original size and call it "Super Jumbo" size and charge double for it.

One of these days they'll sell packs of ten eggs and try to tell us it's a dozen.

Less "Oreos" in a pack for higher price too.
When they mess with my 12oz bottles of MGD, they will be over the line.
Just who is they??
Don't care how anyone measures wood unless selling it to me. Since I get my own, I'll call a cord 128 cubic feet, & a Rick or face cord "firewood".
But if in an area that uses other measurement standards, I'd use those measurement when buying, & I'd measure it in my stacks as 128 cubic feet as a cord to calculate the price
I'd let anyone, who wants to, call it what they want. If they are looking that close, they are looking to buy, but not for sale, too much work to sell it.
I'd Never get what I think it's worth. A cord saves me more $$ than I could get by selling it.

How did this post get to toilet paper, oreos & MGD anyway? :lol:

Great stack of fire wood you got. Lots of BTUs to burn in a few years. Good job!
you deserve an MGD! (or 2)