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specialty beam pricing

Started by Reclaimed, June 08, 2009, 07:51:03 AM

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Reclaimed

I have a customer that would like to have some specialty beams milled but I am not quite sure how to price them. He wants them 8 x 8 x 25' - 35' with 1 edge left in the rough. As far as I can figure there is about 50 - 60 of these beams. Also he would like some of them to be milled on two sides only. He plans to stack them into a log / timber house.
The logs are already on site and the site is relatively flat. He plans to offer both the tractor and his own manpower to get the job done. I am also looking at some additional side lumber for the interior trim package.
All pricing that I have found has been several years old and know the markets are not great just want to give a fair price for both of us.

Reclaimed

Bibbyman

I think I'd have to figure out some hourly or daily rate.  Going will be slow to make good centered beams and deal with all the lumber that comes off.

Does this guy have a clue what it's going to cost him?  Some people think that building rustic will be cheap. 

Do you have a mill that can handle the long stuff?
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

John Bartley

I don't charge by the foot or by the piece and I never have problems calculating what to charge. My rate is $60/hour with a two hour minimum and I require that the log owner has some way to get the logs to the mill and supply help for off-bearing.

cheers

John
Kioti DK35HSE w/loader & forks
Champion 25hp band mill, 20' bed
Stihl MS361
Stihl 026

SamB


isawlogs


On work like this , go with an hourly rate , it is slow going and if he scratches his ba...  head and keeps you from sawing while he is figuring shi- stuff out .. its his coin he is playing with not yours .
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

Bibbyman

Oh yea,  lets say you saw by the hour or day.  When will you get paid?  I wouldn't want to get too many hours into something like this before I got paid. 
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

moonhill

The bulk of my product is heavy timber, I can saw more BF in timber than boards in a day.  As others have mentioned it is all in the material handling, the fork lift is a primary machine, I also use rollers and a timber cart, an excavator is used for the long stock I can't handle getting out of the building due to the length being longer than the building is wide.  If it is new to you charge by the hour and once you have a better grasp you can convert to BF.  I feel charging by the BF is a fair way to go for both parties, if I feel sluggish the owner doesn't bay extra, at the same time if I need to push for more I get more, piece meal.  There is always exceptions on either end of the spectrum, small logs to large, it's the ones in the middle that are reliable. 

Tim
This is a test, please stand by...

Reclaimed

Well I gave the client a number and as expected he went shopping. He tells me he found someone to mill the approximently 110 beams for $60 hr. and can get it done in 5 days. Live and learn. Guess I overshot his imaginary number. As far as I can see, the other mill will be running about .18 to .23 a bdft. Seems pretty low and hard to compete with. Or am I out of the normand alittle over priced?

Reclaimed

John Bartley

How much did you quote?

cheers

John
Kioti DK35HSE w/loader & forks
Champion 25hp band mill, 20' bed
Stihl MS361
Stihl 026

thecfarm

I would fret about it.There is always someone that will do the job cheaper,maybe not better mind you,but cheaper.The only time I have been involved with a job that is bid on was the excavating for our house.We paid more than what others paid,but no horror story and when he was done,the place looked great.No piles of rocks,or dirt in a corner,no place that looked unfinished,no dips.Came out real nice.You get what you pay for sometimes.I would always charge by the hour.People mean well.They say they will help and others will be there and it's kinda level and so on and so on.Than when you get there,their friends did not have time today,they have to go with the wife somewheres,the logs are all over the place,the tractor they have there has no bucket to move the logs with.By the hour it's their money,by the bf you are in a mess.You have to make money.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Reclaimed

I quoted .48 bdft for the due to several factors.
1) The job contains 30+ beams over 26'
2)All milling was to be done on his site thus no shipping costs for him.
3)I priced by the bdft because I am relatively new and I figured at an hourly rate some learning curve might get a little high priced for him.

I also understand the in todays great economy ;D :-\ :D :o that people a shopping for the best rate and not always the best product. Some folks will do anything to get a job on site even if it means buying the job.

Reclaimed

metalspinner

I'm not sure I understand #2 in your above points.

I would follow up with him at a later date to see how the job turned out.  Just a friendly "How did it go?  Maybe I can help you in the future" kind of conversation.

Do you know the other miller?  Follow up with him, too.  With their two perspectives on the job, you may have a better idea on the comparison of your rates to the other guy.
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

Peakebrook

You may be lucky, because he may never be happy with the final result no matter who does it. 

On long beams, it is difficult to not mark the rough side you want to save when turning the  log.  A lot more labor to turn them with cant hooks.
WM LT40SH with Cat 51, JD 210, JD 280, JD 450G, Cat 311

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