Just got a call from a regular customer of mine. He had 3 roughly 18in oaks cut from his property. They are laying beside his driveway already bucked to stove length. He wants a price for me to split and stack it. Not sure how to quote him. By the hour? That's easy. By the total amount? No clue what to charge. Any opinions welcomed
Price for splitting wood
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mark cline
Minister of Fire
Z33
Burning Hunk
Thats a heck of a deal if he is providing the splitter, the gas and maintenance... Would you come do mine next, I'll even throw in beer!
mark cline
Minister of Fire
Z33
Burning Hunk
Finishing up the last of an oatmeal stout I picked up last week. Winter is the only time I can drink the heavy beers so I try and take full advantage of it.
Back on topic I think my bottom dollar is 30 an hour if I am providing the equipment and stacking it. Once you take a way gas to get there, gas to run the splitter, and gas to get home 20 an hour doesnt leave much meat on the bone.
claydogg84
Minister of Fire
Try to consider what Home Depot or another rental place would charge to just rent the splitter - $60 or so for 4 hours at least. Add on top what you deserve to be paid and I would say at least $30/$35 an hour with a 4 hour minimum.
Ram 1500 with an axe...
Minister of Fire
I pay a softball instructor $100 an hour for my kids, so you better up the anti up a bit....gas and a splitter and travel is your overhead, factor it all in. Make a list and let us know what you come up with...... I've had 3 different people ask me if I was selling wood this week, I said no, but i have no idea what I would sell it for.....
claydogg84
Minister of Fire
Ram 1500 with an axe...
Minister of Fire
It is splitting firewood. $20.00 an hr is more than fair. Much more than that is just greedy.
Don't take much brain or brawn, and its a workout you're getting paid for.
Let the owner pay for everything, and you supply the labor, make a few bucks, and call it a day.
Don't take much brain or brawn, and its a workout you're getting paid for.
Let the owner pay for everything, and you supply the labor, make a few bucks, and call it a day.
Teach softball and forget about splitting that wood. 
How is that greedy? He is doing manual labor for $20 an hour. I would not take my stuff out of the barn for a little $20 an hour. Between gas and my time, that would not be worth it at all.
$20.00 an hr ain't exactly chump change. If the owner is paying for the gas and everything else, and he is just showing up to split the wood, it is a fair price.
It is splitting wood, not like it take much effort.
This is the exact reason illegal alien labor is so prevalent in this country.
The greed factor i this country is exactly why the economy is in the crapper. Yes, much worse in banking and corporate sector, but becoming much worse further down the chain.
I know a lot of people that would be happy to make $20.00 an hr. Especially to do something as simple as split wood.
Back in the 80s it paid about $8.00 an hr.
Don't take much brain or brawn to split wood.
Leave your stuff in the barn, and make nothing if that suites you. There are plenty of high school and college kids, and other folks looking for work, that would be glad to do such an easy job for $20.00 an hr.
BTW, if you read it, he did state the wood is bucked and laying next to the guys driveway, can get much easier than that.
It is splitting wood, not like it take much effort.
This is the exact reason illegal alien labor is so prevalent in this country.
The greed factor i this country is exactly why the economy is in the crapper. Yes, much worse in banking and corporate sector, but becoming much worse further down the chain.
I know a lot of people that would be happy to make $20.00 an hr. Especially to do something as simple as split wood.
Back in the 80s it paid about $8.00 an hr.
Don't take much brain or brawn to split wood.
Leave your stuff in the barn, and make nothing if that suites you. There are plenty of high school and college kids, and other folks looking for work, that would be glad to do such an easy job for $20.00 an hr.
BTW, if you read it, he did state the wood is bucked and laying next to the guys driveway, can get much easier than that.
But the stack is down the steps, round the corner and along the alley behind the house ! !
I would charge a $50 equipment fee( for gas etc) . If its more than say 15ish miles from you up the price accordingly. and then go with 20-25$ an hour on top of that. 2 good size oaks is probably about a cord plus or minus a bit, so really he is paying anywhere from 100-150 for a cord which is a good price.
The value in firewood is the labor. Felling and bucking and transporting is about a 1/3 of the labor. So in this case transport is out since its already on site. Figure he has $50 worthof labor in it already, so his total end cost will be 150-200 if you want to look at it that way.
Depending on where you live you could go up a little.
The value in firewood is the labor. Felling and bucking and transporting is about a 1/3 of the labor. So in this case transport is out since its already on site. Figure he has $50 worthof labor in it already, so his total end cost will be 150-200 if you want to look at it that way.
Depending on where you live you could go up a little.
claydogg84
Minister of Fire
I was under the impression that he was bringing his equipment to split as well. If it's just splitting/stacking with the homeowners stuff, then yes, I would do it for $20/$25.
The plot thickens. Wen over and talked to the guy and took a gander. The logs are deff beside the drive but are in diff locations. I told him that I will simply charge him $40 for the trip(including splitter) and then my normal rate that I charge for lawn maint which is $39.50 hourly. Oh and the tree company chipped all of the tops from the trees.
Light in the Dark
Feeling the Heat
He has some sort of crazy new age fireplace. I explained to him about not burning the wood for atleast 18 months and he took me to his walk out basement where there are 2 of the sharpest looking wood stacks I've ever seen. Wood is labeled as to when it was cut and stacked. Even has 2 de humidifiers going. Kinda obsessive IMO. Guy is stupid wealthy.
claydogg84
Minister of Fire
Andy S.
Feeling the Heat
That is an excellent point. The guy probably could get rid of the wood for free with a CL ad so that's not an issue. I'd look into covering the cost of the equipment and the trip and doing the work in exchange for half the wood.
I agree with your first statement.
But disagree that felling, bucking & transporting is only 1/3 of the labor.
He gave his price, so guess he is set.
Ram 1500 with an axe...
Minister of Fire
Yes he gave his price $40 an hour plus rental is fair...... That $20 an hour just couldn't cut it unless you really need the work......
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