How to get wood from commercial sites?

[ckarotka]

There are multiple construction sited around my area that they are clearing land for. Big business not residential. How does one aquire wood from these sites. I've made the calls and was told "we'll call you back when you can come and cut safely" but I know what that means. Um let me file that number for you (dumpster food).

Anyone ever had them call you back, if not did you pursue and and get the wood?

 

[JoeyD]

I do that kind of work. Your best bet is to stop by and talk to someone on site. Explain your situation to them and ask what their favorite beverage might be or offer a couple of bucks to the fellas. Unless there is an anal general contractor on the site or one of the workers laid claim to the wood they should let you come in after hours to take what you want. I know if it were me or most of the guys I know a little scratch went a long way.

 

[SolarAndWood]

When you call the office find out who the site supervisor is and talk to them directly. BTW, if you tell the person in the office what you are looking for, you likely won't get the site supervisor's cell phone #. You can also try going onto the site and asking one of the workers.

 

[ChrisNJ]

I would think they would subcontract the wood removal job out to another business, I would think they are who you would want to talk to. I am in the midst of that as we speak, corporate park leased by the State Gov and the owner is hiring an out of state tree removal service, guy said he would drop the logs off at my house when I spoke to them last week, supposed to start tomorrow so we will see if I score.

 

[daveswoodhauler]

Gotta agree with the other posters.
I'm not a real outgoing person, but a quick talk at the site will be much better that a phone call.
I have a few sites that I run by 3 days a week....took me about 2 months to go up to crew on site and ask for the right person to talk to....one didn;t pan out as the GC was the owner of the property, and also a wood burner. The other site worked out well...not a huge haul, but about 1/2 cord of maple and some oak....my vote is just to walk up to the jobsite and find out who is "charles in charge" good luck....from a fellow scrounger!

 

[andybaker]

I'm always looking for new contacts. I talk to tree trimmers/cutters and see if they'll have any wood to get rid of. Some sell firewood, but a normal crew will cut 5 - 10 times what they can split each day. If you can find a way to help them save money and also not cost them money they will eventually come through. When they say be there - Be There. Don't leave a mess and don't get in the way or take up too much of their time. I have a bakery so a card for a couple dozen donuts helps too. This year I noticed that the woods across the highway from me were starting to be cleared. I found out who owned it what was going on. Make a long story short, I got all the dead trees (mostly Ash) around the property and grounds. I thought there was about 15 trees, turned out to be closer to 40 - 50. I've been giving permission to friends of mine and even getting some for others and still haven't got it all out of there. Might be too late to get the rest now. I know someone else that works for a tree crew and he told me they have so much wood on their lot they'll never get to it all. For $10 bucks a load I can go in there and cut whatever I want. Haven't had time to try that yet. I now another tree cutter that appreciates when I can come in behind him and clear out what I want and leave it not a mess. That will save him money, his crew doesn't have to handle it and now he trusts I'll do what needs to be done. Another guy lives close to me, and last year he cut some Ash down 'bout two blocks from my house. Way too much wood for him to handle, said I could have whatever they pushed out to the street. I got 5 big trailer loads that time. Needless to say now, I have no more room to store wood and I just found another site with hundreds of trees (mostly smaller) I could get, but what the heck can I do with all this? I think I've become a good scrounger over the years.

 

[Danno77]

one time I got a decent score (somebody else got a bigger better score from same site right before I got there).

Conversation went like this:
me: "what are you doing with the trees"
guy who looked like he was in charge (aka bossman): "hauling it away to dispose of it"
me: "can I have it?"
bossman: "Because of liability issues I can't tell you that you can"
me: "darn, well, what if you came to work and a lot of it was gone, would that be a bad thing?"
bossman: "well, I certainly wouldn't be sad to avoid disposal fees, but like I said, I can't tell you it's ok"
me: "ok, well, if it's missing tomorrow, it's not because you told me I could take it."

someone else must have had the same conversation with him because that night someone had bucked and neatly stacked a pretty large pile, but no-one was there, so i went at some untouched stuff and took it home. I wondered if "bossman" had been nice enough to get the wood ready for me, but as I drove to work the next day (before anybody was on that site) I noticed that it was all gone. I always stay away from piles of nicely sawn to consistent length wood, My wife says it's kinda like licking oreos and putting them back. It's like marking your territory....

 

[basswidow]

I get all my wood from sites like these.

The bulldozers lay the trees in a pile for the grinders.

If you ask the site supervisor - He'll usually say no due to the liability if you get hurt.

My spots were new housing communities, so I'd go on the weekends - when the workers weren't there and speak with the sales lady. She'd say " sure - help your self".

As long as you assure them that you won't sue if you hurt yourself and you won't cause any damage or leave a mess - they usually are happy to pay less for disposal.

I've got the guys to the point that when they clear the lot, they drag all the hardwoods to one spot that is easy access to my truck.

You've got to say thanks and give them something too - bring them donuts and coffee or a bag of bagels.

In Person is always best. Also - let them know the wood is just for you and your family and that you are not a commercial wood seller. Your appearance counts too. Don't show up all sweaty with saw dust and mud - lookin all scary. Go after work when you are clean cut.

 

[Spikem]

I do that kind of work. Your best bet is to stop by and talk to someone on site. Explain your situation to them and ask what their favorite beverage might be or offer a couple of bucks to the fellas. Unless there is an anal general contractor on the site or one of the workers laid claim to the wood they should let you come in after hours to take what you want. I know if it were me or most of the guys I know a little scratch went a long way.

What's an appropriate amount of grease? And is it best in monetary form or beverage form?

 

[billb3]

A lot of people SAY they want the wood, come out and cut a little, find it's too much work and then you've got trees in your way.
Or, if you give them 2 weeks, they're there on day 14 with a brand new saw from Home Depot that they can't start.

All the landscapers/arborist I know are always looking for someplace they don't have to pay tipping fees to dump pine.

 

[backpack09]

All the landscapers/arborist I know are always looking for someplace they don't have to pay tipping fees to dump pine.

Know any of them up Brockton way that could use a local dumping spot? The big guys around here wont even talk about pine...

 

[Spikem]

All the landscapers/arborist I know are always looking for someplace they don't have to pay tipping fees to dump pine.

Know any of them up Brockton way that could use a local dumping spot? The big guys around here wont even talk about pine...

I live in Middleboro and would love to be able to get quantities of pine. (Hardwoods also, but that's a pipedream.)

 

[JoeyD]

I do that kind of work. Your best bet is to stop by and talk to someone on site. Explain your situation to them and ask what their favorite beverage might be or offer a couple of bucks to the fellas. Unless there is an anal general contractor on the site or one of the workers laid claim to the wood they should let you come in after hours to take what you want. I know if it were me or most of the guys I know a little scratch went a long way.

What's an appropriate amount of grease? And is it best in monetary form or beverage form?

Mention both and see how they react. Most likely they can will just let you have it, other times they can't, every site is different. If someone offers me some cash I do make sure I go out of my way to make it easier for them, even if its less then 1 hours pay. But thats just me, I figure I'm already getting paid by the hour and its nothing off my back. I've turned down money from homeowners if they needed something and I thought they needed the money more then me. I'm not sure what the guys make a hour where you are but $20-$40 would do it for most guys.

 

[ckarotka]

Thanks Guys,

I've worked construction for about 13 years and the last four I've been a Paramedic. Getting wood from residential sites is no problem IF I get there in time which is a problem for me now. A-lot of the concrete and block guys sell FW over the winter and they are the first on site after the clearing. I just got a good score for Monday some large ash and maple, maybe 3-4 cord (maybe). We (another fellow wood burner and cutting partner) made some progress with the commercial site and are still waiting to hear back, friend of a friend kinda thing. This commercial site would yield 10 cord a piece if we get it and that's probably 5% of whats to come.
They already have the some logs limbed and stacked in a pile the size of my house waiting to be chipped, we are trying to move really fast now to get in and get out.

 

[mbcijim]

I am one of those commercial guys. I posted a thread on this a year ago or so with a bunch of tips. Search for it.
I agree with most of the posters here to talk to the guy in charge on site might go a long way.

 

[afblue]

I do that kind of work. Your best bet is to stop by and talk to someone on site. Explain your situation to them and ask what their favorite beverage might be or offer a couple of bucks to the fellas. Unless there is an anal general contractor on the site or one of the workers laid claim to the wood they should let you come in after hours to take what you want. I know if it were me or most of the guys I know a little scratch went a long way.

What's an appropriate amount of grease? And is it best in monetary form or beverage form?

Honestly I think in todays day in age, monetary compensation and beverage for adult consumption is not the best way to compensate. Usually the best thing is bring some coffee's or gift cards from the local area you know the guys eat at. Then its a kind gesture and they will be willing to work with you. If you give them money, the contractor puts in his pocket, the workers dont see a penny of it and if something was to happen it looks like he got "paid off" If its adult beverage (which I personally consume large quantities of) its liability again. People get fired for drinking on the job even if its after they clock out, not public image accepted today.

 

[EKLawton]

the last job i worked where we had to clear cut a gentleman got all the wood delivered for coffee for the week. ( 5 tri axle loads)

 

[prairiefire]

i helped clear a lot years ago and we were hired by the lot owner(he was acting as the contractor). some of the wood was sold by the lot owner to a mill the rest we cleared and sold as firewood. i was just a worker some felling and some splitting. don't know what my boss got paid for the job, but i know the lot owner made out o.k. every situation is different i guess. i wouldn't bother contacting an office i would go on site and talk to the guys. usually as long as your not going to hold up their progress they should be willing to work with you! then again cash or beer goes along way!! good luck

 

[ckarotka]

Thanks guys,

I made some other good scores latley so the commercial sites have moved to the back burner for a while. There is still a few that I will revisit here this week.