pricing for sawing

[jimparamedic]

Whats the going rates for sawing by the foot or the thousand have not been sawing for about a year and was asked to saw some mixed logs. And stickers what kind of prices.

[Chuck White]

You'll find that the prices vary, depending on what part of the country you're in.

I regularly see prices quoted anywhere from 15¢-32¢ per board foot or $150.00 - $320.00 per 1,000 board feet!

Of course now with the economy the way it is, with gas around $4.00/gallon and people just trying to make ends meet!

[BBTom]

I charge $0.30/bdft if they bring the logs to me.  $60/hr with a $200 minimum if I go to the logs.  Some of the Amish mills will do it for less, but they don't get the same quality I do. Many of them are now up to $0.35/bdft for custom sawing.

Time for me to raise the price, I have been charging the same thing for 10 years now.

[Tom the Sawyer]

Most of my customers say I don't charge enough, even though I did raise prices a couple of months ago due to fuel costs.  That's fine with me, I prefer a client who will return, or refer, over getting a few dollars more.

Currently at .40 p/bf for 4/4, progressively down to .24 p/bf for 12/4 or thicker.  Specialty milling, shorts, less than 10" logs are billed at $50 per hour.  Travel, blade damage, other fees detailed on my website.

[Backwater]

I get 350.00 / tbf on river recovered pine and cypress.

[Kansas]

Tom, we were getting .45 a bd foot straight through,except bad logs or unusual cutting applications such as slab or something, and we got 80 an hour. That included us providing offbearer. Don't remember what kind of mill you have so the hourly charge you have might be fine. But don't be afraid to charge the .45. I know the secretary has given out your name to several people being we aren't custom cutting anymore. They kind of expect it.

[Tom the Sawyer]

My mill is a 2007 Timberking B-20.  I'm a one man operation, I only saw while the client is there and I've never had one who could stand still and just watch.  Most have friends or family on hand, helping with stacking, their equipment, etc.  I keep a supply of goggles, dust masks, markers, tapes and even gloves in the truck.

I involve them in the decision process as much as possible and they all seem to appreciate and enjoy it.  If they've never had anything sawn before, I explain what I am doing and why.  I've never had a disinterested client but as my business grows perhaps I'll run into some.

I suspect a big influence on my pricing method was my 20+ years as a client before becoming a sawyer.  I am sure a flat BF rate would be a lot easier to figure, as would doing everything by the hour but I feel the structure I'm using is more equitable.  I do keep track of board feet even when I am sawing by the hour and, as I gain experience, it looks like I probably will raise my rate to $60 per hour at the first of the year.

Thanks for any referrals you sent my way.   I think one has contacted me but if you are close to them I might be too far, depending on where they're from.

Tom

[Log-ic]

Common practice in Europe is to charge per hour, which includes the operator and the machine hire only.  Customers must assist with 1 or two people at least.  If they don't, or if they are inefficient, it will take longer and it will cost more..  I also charge a fixed contribution for sharpening per day (35€) and travel expenses @ 0,60€/km.  Destroyed bands are also charged.   Sawmilling itself is charged at 65€ per hour for green logs, 70€ per hour for dry logs or resawing.  The clock counts as from the machine is detached from the hitch, until it is hooked-on again after the job, minus the lunch break.  Charging by Bf (or cubic metre for us) is rather uncommon because you never know what kind of cuts the customer will ask.  In adition you need to measure and keep track of every log.   For public services, or for customer who explicitely ask for I raise a quotation.  Obviously charging by Bf or M3 is only better for the customer because at the end it doesn't matter how long the job will take.

[jimparamedic]

Thanks all thats what I needed. I was thinking 225-250 so I was in the ballpark

[Magicman]

Your "ballpark" is consistent with our saw prices.  You can even find cheaper/higher rates, but I am in the ballpark.

[woodmills1]

I am at $70 per hour on all stuff
sawing
log pick up
planing
moulding
picking my...
and now yes sanding


sawing adds blade charge if needed
sanding adds paper charge if needed
hit metal on any price goes up

[Grizzly_B]

I'm really new at this.  My first attempt at buying a sawmill ended up in failure and then a couple of days later I had rather severe neck surgery so I was bed-ridden. My wife worked a great deal on a used Baker 3638D with a 38 HP Kubota Diesel but she has it locked up in a shed until I can heal (probably 7 more weeks or more). I don't know which is more misery... the healing process or knowing you have this wonderful sawmill just sitting there gathering dust (not sawdust).

Well... what I was curious about is what you would charge for stickers.  I already have a number of people wanting me to saw logs for them.  They want their wood air dried so I'm already looking for a good moisture meter (any suggestions?). So while I am stacking, I will add the stickers. A couple of my customers have their own sheds so I thought of delivering the lumber with stickers.  So what do I charge for stickers... what is the best material... what is the best size and should I offer to buy the stickers back when they are done with the lumber?

Later, I was wanting to build my own solar kiln. Do y'all get much demand for one?

So far I find the sawmill section of your forum to be the best so far. I have already learned a lot from you guys. Thanks!

I'm looking forward to reading even more (especially now that my movement is highly restricted)... The Grizz 

[Ianab]

Welcome to the forum Griz_B

I think your Wife sounds like a "keeper", for not only for getting you a decent sawmill, but also keeping you away from it while you heal  

As for the stickers, I cut mine 1"X1", just to keep things simple.

I don't saw commercially, but as for charging, a 4ft 1x1 is 1/3 of a Bd/ft. If you were going to sell your air dried wood for $1 a bd ft, then 30 or 40 cent a sticker is reasonable. Pretty much anything can be used to make stickers. Knotty stuff tends to break when cut into such small boards though, so you need to something pretty clear. It's a good use for short logs or edgings though.

I'm usually cutting Cedar or Cypress, so we saw stickers as we are going as those species are OK on green stickers.

Ian

[Kansas]

We started out with a solar kiln. They do a wonderful job keeping degrade down. Only problem is it takes some patience. Weather can be a real factor, especially winters in Kansas. But they do work well.
We use a low cost pin moisture meter we bought from Timberking. Far as I know, they still sell them. They are listed on the left side of the page.
We cut stickers out of a light colored wood so as to cut down on sticker stain. We usually use cottonwood or basswood in this area. We cut ours on the 1 inch mark and keep them a little wider, about 1 1/4 inches wide. That should yield about a 7/8 thick sticker. 1 inch would work just fine-you can cut them out of the edgings. Usually outside boards have less knots, which is helpful. We use 4 ft long stickers. I am not sure what you would charge for them. But you need to charge something; they take time to cut, and it takes a bunch of them.

We also try to use green stickers on darker woods. Green stickers seem to want to sticker stain more. Once they are dry on the first batch, then they can be reused on the lighter woods.

[Magicman]

Welcome Grizzly_B, to the Forestry Forum.  Where in Louisiana?

I just saw stickers as I edge flitches.  No charge.   As I am sawing, I weed out cull lumber that I will not scale and is free to the customer.  It goes in the "cull pile".  At the end of the job, if more stickers are needed, then the culls get sawed into stickers.  No charge.

If still more stickers are needed, then the customer has to sacrifice some of his lumber to be sawed into 1" stickers.  That lumber has already been scaled, so I do get paid for it.

I simply do not get hung up on trying to get paid for every move I make.  Providing stickers and not charging for cull lumber promotes good will.  That in turn improves your reputation and insures repeat customers.  Word of mouth is your best advertiser.

I have a Wagner "pinless" moisture meter that I bought from Wood-Mizer.

I wish you a speedy recovery with the neck.   

[wwsjr]

Like MM I do not charge for stickers and poly banding. I saw by the BF, don't want to be on clock if I want to take a break. I run a few flitches on mill or put a 3"X3" block on edger then run 1 1/4" stickers. Cut to length with chainsaw.  I never flat stack lumber, all is stickered and banded as it comes off the mill. The boards are stacked on "Bibby" designed sawhorses in packs of about 500BF. I am determined to only handle boards one time by hand from log to trailer. Customers often comment that they are well pleased when they see the neat stickered stack ready to go. Banded lumber is much easier to load on trailers with side rails with FEL. If the customer does not pickup for a few days, with stickers there is less mildew forming on boards.  My methods must work as I keep about 3 to 4 weeks of logs on the yard with both new and repeat customers. I do not saw very much on the road anymore, customers bring logs to me. Word of mouth works for me.

[Grizzly_B]

Ian, Kansas, MagicMan, WWSJR... Thanks... Y'all were great to respond so quickly.  Because of my "condition" one of
the few things I am allowe to do is get on the computer but only for short periods of time.

I've thought over what y'all have said and talked to a couple of my friends who also own mills and I now have

develloped a game plan.  I may be way off in left field but at least it's something I can put to ink and let others
pick it apart. PLEASE feel free to criticize and make suggestions.

Here goes:

For stationary work, people will bring logs to me, I will make standard cuts and charge $.30 bd ft until I gain more
experience and then slightly increase my rate. I will stack the wood with stickers as a courtesy to the customer and
request that the customer return the stickers to me.

For work where I tow the mill to a location, I will charge $ 60.00 per hour with a 3 hour minimum. Again, I will
make standard cuts. I will stack the wood with stickers as a courtesy to the customer and request that the customer
return the stickers to me.

Any irregular cuts or special woods would be a negotiated price.

Should I hit a rock, nail or other debris that damages a blade, the customer will be charged for the repair or
replacement (including shipping) of the blade.

Customers will be welcome to assist with offloading and stacking boards. The customer benefits from watching his
boards first-hand come off the mill and can make suggestions on-the-fly. I'll benefit by having some help.

I already have a number of trusted customers waiting for me to get healed.  Although I've never done any sawmilling
before, I have done business with them before and I already have a reputation with these people as being
conscientious, trustworthy, hard working and always keeping their best interests in mind.  While I cannot work, they
are already felling a number of logs for me to "practice" on so by the time I get to their "good" logs, I'll already have some experience under my belt.

Ian... my wife sends you a big hug about you callin her a "keeper" (actually... she is a "keeper" and pretty too!).  Right now, she's trying to find me a nice forklift and I haven't cut the first board yet.

MagicMan... ever since the mess in my back, I swap back and forth betweem the house in Shreveport and my
father-in-laws farm in Elm Grove.

also I really love your quote:

Never allow your "need" to make money exceed your "desire" to provide quality service....

Well... my "Keeper" is just a fussin.  She can always tell when I'm in pain so I gotta go lie down. I hope Y'all don't mind me picking your brain from time-to-time. It's been a pleasure... Thanks... The Grizz