How Can I Tell?

[LLigetfa]

I read another forum where one guy rakes up all the bark and litter around his wood stacks and bags it. He then calls and insists his wood guy come pick up the trash bags and replace it with good wood.

There are only a couple of guys around here that deliver wood. You don't quibble on price and don't dare pull out a measure tape. Get a bad reputation and nobody will deal with you. When I first moved to this small town, I wasn't accustomed to contractors dictating how they wanted to do things and I got a reputation where I couldn't get calls returned and they wouldn't even quote. Got to where I was not even allowed to talk to them and my wife had to do the smooth talking. She now talks to my wood guy and I dare not complain or else he might not deliver to me at all.

 

[gyrfalcon]

I read another forum where one guy rakes up all the bark and litter around his wood stacks and bags it. He then calls and insists his wood guy come pick up the trash bags and replace it with good wood.

There are only a couple of guys around here that deliver wood. You don't quibble on price and don't dare pull out a measure tape. Get a bad reputation and nobody will deal with you. When I first moved to this small town, I wasn't accustomed to contractors dictating how they wanted to do things and I got a reputation where I couldn't get calls returned and they wouldn't even quote. Got to where I was not even allowed to talk to them and my wife had to do the smooth talking. She now talks to my wood guy and I dare not complain or else he might not deliver to me at all.

Pretty much the same in my very small town here, but it goes both ways. Folks who don't deal straight with their customers quickly develop a reputation and nobody will do business with them anymore. Don't know about where you are, but here people have always treated each other fairly since we're all basically neighbors. If a newcomer treats people with suspicion and mistrust right off the bat, nobody wants to bother with them. I actually offended a couple of different workmen when I first moved here by trying to give them part of the money for the job up front. Can't even get the guy who plows my drive to send me a bill once in a while. He just waves me off and says he'll catch up with me at some point, which he eventually does.

From the beginning, I've only dealt with people recommended to me by others locally. I don't quibble, I trust and respect them. That trust has been repaid with equal trust, friendship and willingness to go out of their way to help me out. And I've never been ripped off.

 

[LLigetfa]

When I moved here from a much larger city the first people I PO'd were the realtors. There were so many long real estate chains that needed either a first-time buyer or someone from out of town to break. For those that don't understand chains, it's when a chain of 4 or 5 house purchases are each contigent on the buyer selling their home first. Most chains are trade-ups and not usually the entry price of first-time buyers. Anyway, I was floored with the ridiculous prices here so I decided to build rather than buy. When I was sub'ing out some of the work, the local contractors would get insulted if I asked for references or insisted on a written contract. Their idea of a quote was to send you the bill after they did the work.

 

[SpeakEasy]

I would let it slide. No point alienating a supplier before you have some good alternates.

I think you're prolly right. When I stop to think about it, 5% of the price I paid is only $14. Fourteen dollars worth of punky wood is not worth quibbling about.

I should prolly send him a Christmas card instead, out of appreciation for being able to actually GET some seasoned wood!

-Speak

 

[CrawfordCentury]

I read another forum where one guy rakes up all the bark and litter around his wood stacks and bags it. He then calls and insists his wood guy come pick up the trash bags and replace it with good wood.

Wow. If I got this call, I'd tell him don't call again. And give him the name of another dealer friend as a practical joke. (Sending a dozen pizzas with extra anchovies COD to his house got old).

I'm pretty small scale, selling only to existing customers and thise that are refered to me. My prices are pretty much in line with the going rate, but I usually sell the cord equivalent of a bakers dozen. Free kindling, too. As much as I love stacking, I don't include that in the delivery price.

 

[Valhalla]

Always agree on quality and price up front! Then
there will be minimal disappontment.

If you fully discuss a contractor or supplier's products
or services, make the details known up front! Get full
agreement from all parties.

Refer back to a statement or ad from the supplier. For
example: "seasoned hardwood firewood," "complete installation,"
or "100% satisfaction."

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Forget the moisture meter. You don't have enough wood to pick and choose, and you'd just make yerself crazy.

Before I wou;ld advise you whether or not to burn construction scraps I'd wanna know more about what you're burning in.

 

[billb3]

5% with cherry is pretty darned good, from my experience.
If it's like the cherry here he must have thrown quite a bit away while cutting.
I have a hard time doing that.

 

[Hunderliggur]

I have a LOT of logs from clearing 2 acres to build my house and animal paddocks. Most of it hast been sitting in piles from June 2007 in 5 foot logs (mostly smaller diameter 4 - 8 inches) and piles of timber logs (16+ feet, 12 - 24 inches diameter). I cut and split one cord of the logs and the moister is about 25%. I have a stack of the smaller stuff cut but not split. I plan on splitter tomorrow (I cleared the 18 inches of snow of the covering tarp today). We will see what the moisture of the smaller wood is. It seemed reasonably dry while cutting it, and surprisingly not rotted at all.