Job Pricing

[Dennis]

I had a fellow approach me the other day about doing some storm clean-up on his property using my mule team. I have been working at getting a start with mule logging, so I thought this would be a great oppurtunity for me. I have done mechanized logging in the past but I never dealt with the buisness side of things. The landowner is wanting to give me a cut of whatever is harvestable, and that is where I am lost. What is going rate or percentage, or how is everyone else going about it? I know area has alot to do with pricing, I’m out of the north central part of Virginia. I am not really looking at making money on this, I just don’t want to burn myself. Would like to get the experience for the team and myself before I try to go all in as a buisness.

Thanks in advance

[john plowden]

Dennis – I’ll put my 2 cents in here –
First of all salvage work is not easy and very dangerous – trees are down in a jumble here and there and everywhere -mostly pulp some sawlogs and if you are lucky, veneer – brush and spring poles to beat the band – root balls …. not like choosing your tree and going to the stump – most of the wood is twisted and broken and not where you want it to be – so will require lots more time and patience – you’re stuck with what the market is paying – the landowner should pay you a decent rate as you are cleaning up his mess and helping to ensure the future health of the wood lot – cut or clean up what you can for a daily rate – and be safe –
John

[mitchmaine]

hi dennis,
i agree with john here. charge your man an hourly rate you feel good about and cut and pile the wood for him. if he wants it hauled off, charge him for that, too. then try and get some money for the wood. my guess is, after a good windstorm, hurricane for sure, wood isn’t going to be worth too much. good luck with your team. one good thing about working hourly is you can slow down and be safe. mitch

[Baystatetom]

Just in case you need three people to tell you the same thing, storm damage is dangerous, and slow. If you do it at all charge by the hour. Take it from the guy who spent three months on crutches from a busted up oak tree, make sure your insurance is paid up.
Tom

[Dennis]

Thanks for the feedback. I definitely agree with you on the dangers of storm damage. I haven’t had a chance to look at the property yet, luckily we just caught the edge of hurricane irene, so I don’t anticipate it looking like a war zone. I am planning on looking at it on Sunday after I get back from the draft animal days.

[Dennis]

I walked the property with the landowner yesterday, approximately 45 acres. I counted around 12 or so trees that fell, so hurricane irene didn’t really bother him much. It is a mature stand that has not been touched that I can tell, property owner has had the property since ’65. The more I talked the better it got for me, he now would like his stand improved upon and thinned out a little.

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