I guess I "got took"

[SnapCracklePop]

FWIW, I'm a 68-year-old woman...

Last year, I had a number of 8-foot oak logs in my back yard and no equipment to deal with them. Also no woodstove at the time... A neighbor's son-in-law was using a chainsaw one day, so I asked him if he'd like to saw my logs into rounds and take what he thought was fair.

I think that was my first mistake.

He showed up with a buddy who had a log splitter, and they went to work for the next couple of days. I helped for part of the time, but not all. Each one of them carted off a very full, large pickup load of splits. They left me some splits and a lot of slabs in a big sloppy pile.

Fast-forward to today; I now have a wood burner in the basement (not yet installed; chimney liner is on back order). And I have acquired an electric 5-ton log splitter and an 18" electric Craftsman chain saw. I'm working up the stuff they left me, plus some other oak and maple that I've had lying around for several years.

I am in pretty good shape for winter with the oak I'm working on, plus a cord of beautiful bone-dry locust that I found on Craig's List ($150, plus $15 for gas; they made three trips and stacked it all).

But I can't shake the feeling that I was an idiot about sharing the oak with those guys. I'm thinking I should have gotten half of it, not a poor-quality third.

Never had a place to vent about this until now. What do you guys think?

Nancy

 

[Danno77]

That's a tough call. "Fair" is VERY subjective. For some people it's fair to totally get rid of the wood and not have to pay anyone to do it for them. For a woodburner, though, they might expect half of it. You didn't have a stove at the time, did you make it clear that you would be getting one? I'd think that it seems fair to give you 1/3. You provided the tree, second guy provided the saw, the third provided the splitter. without any one of you the job wouldn't have been done.

 

[kabbott]

I guess it depends on your perspective. I have never had to buy firewood, I have always cut my own and scrounged for it. As you may or may not know it IS a lot of work
and I personally would not cut, split and stack the wood for half of it, my time is worth to much to give half of it back. I think 1/3 seems fair, now if they took all the
"good stuff" and left you a bunch of garbage that is a bit different.

 

[geoffm24]

Most of the value in a $150-$200 cord of wood is in the work and not the wood. I'd put the value a cord of wood in log form at $30-$50 dollars. A cord of wood that is bucked up into rounds is worth $75.

If you had no wood stove and they possibly thought they were leaving you fire pit wood then leaving you a 1/3 was more then fair. I'd say 1/4 of a cord would be about right.

I think you will find out how much work goes into turning a tree into firewood very quickly. Most full time wood burners that burn 24/7 go threw 4-8 Cords of wood per year depending on the wood and the location. Night and weekend burners use around 2-3 cords. If you start to process, cut, split, haul, store, stack etc this kind of wood you will see why the work costs so much. You will also see that a nice chainsaw and 22 ton splitter make the work much easier but they cost $1,700-$2,000 to aquire and maintain.

 

[ballibeg]

oops double post

 

[ballibeg]

I often have friends offering to help me with 'wood' in return for a share.

I work on,

1 quarter is mine for my time.
1 quarter is mine for my gear (saw, trailer etc).
1 quarter is mine for they are my trees.

1 quarter is for them.

Its generous to equate their time and my time on an equal setting. Often I'm 'teaching' how to shift wood, stack etc. But hey, I'm a generous guy!

Dave

 

[RNLA]

I have been doing wood for lots of years. I have had to purchase logs, cut rounds, split wood Etc. I would say that some times it works out and some times you take a hit. Some of my experience has been bad but with wood it always is give and take. This is probably not a bad place to start, even if they took advantage of you. I guess what I'm saying is I've had worse so do not be discouraged...

 

[SnapCracklePop]

Thanks for your input, friends. I'm more inclined to think my 1/3 was about right (even though it was the "junky stuff").

 

[johnsopi]

At the time the wood was worthless to you so they did you a favor by removing it. Logs are not firewood, they are yardwaste untill they are cut and spilt.

 

[Danno77]

Thanks for your input, friends. I'm more inclined to think my 1/3 was about right (even though it was the "junky stuff").

well, now that we got that out of the way, maybe start a thread about your stove and pending install. We love that sort of thing around here.

 

[SnapCracklePop]

"well, now that we got that out of the way, maybe start a thread about your stove and pending install. We love that sort of thing around here. "

Oh, wow, that could be some story. It's gonna be me on the roof and a girlfriend in her 70s down in the basement. Liner is 6" and flue is 7" square. No cleanout at bottom, just right angle into basement.

Stove is a Pleasant Hearth 1800 sq ft. House is a modular about 1200 sq ft. not including basement...

The Pleasant Hearth occupies a spot previously occupied by (1) a stove that burned rice coal, which was wonderfully warm but dirty, (2) a stove that burned kerosene, which was wonderfully warm, but with kero no longer available at 80 cents a gallon...

Liner is to be shipped Oct. 28, and nights are cold here in the Roofgarden of Pennsylvania... I am ready for fire.

 

[Jags]

It's gonna be me on the roof and a girlfriend in her 70s down in the basement.

Way to step up to the plate. Now for the obvious - you all be careful up there. We want to hear about a successful install, not an ambulance ride.

 

[geoxman]

If I lived in Pennsylvania I would not be worried about any wood! You have an abundance of anthracite all around you and it is cheap where you live

 

[geoffm24]

"well, now that we got that out of the way, maybe start a thread about your stove and pending install. We love that sort of thing around here. "

Oh, wow, that could be some story. It's gonna be me on the roof and a girlfriend in her 70s down in the basement. Liner is 6" and flue is 7" square. No cleanout at bottom, just right angle into basement.

Stove is a Pleasant Hearth 1800 sq ft. House is a modular about 1200 sq ft. not including basement...

The Pleasant Hearth occupies a spot previously occupied by (1) a stove that burned rice coal, which was wonderfully warm but dirty, (2) a stove that burned kerosene, which was wonderfully warm, but with kero no longer available at 80 cents a gallon...

Liner is to be shipped Oct. 28, and nights are cold here in the Roofgarden of Pennsylvania... I am ready for fire.

I'll warn you now installing a liner is a big job. It took two pros almost 4 hours to do our install which included sweeping the chimney first (highly recommended), running the 21' liner, installing the chimney caps, removing the flue plate, vaccuming, cutting metal, attaching it to the stove, and painting the stove pipe black. Do I think my 69 year old mother could have done this install? Absolutley not. Was it worth the $300-$400 bucks to have a pro do the job? Absolutley.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

FWIW, I'm a 68-year-old woman...

Last year, I had a number of 8-foot oak logs in my back yard and no equipment to deal with them. Also no woodstove at the time... A neighbor's son-in-law was using a chainsaw one day, so I asked him if he'd like to saw my logs into rounds and take what he thought was fair.

I think that was my first mistake.

He showed up with a buddy who had a log splitter, and they went to work for the next couple of days. I helped for part of the time, but not all. Each one of them carted off a very full, large pickup load of splits. They left me some splits and a lot of slabs in a big sloppy pile.

Fast-forward to today; I now have a wood burner in the basement (not yet installed; chimney liner is on back order). And I have acquired an electric 5-ton log splitter and an 18" electric Craftsman chain saw. I'm working up the stuff they left me, plus some other oak and maple that I've had lying around for several years.

I am in pretty good shape for winter with the oak I'm working on, plus a cord of beautiful bone-dry locust that I found on Craig's List ($150, plus $15 for gas; they made three trips and stacked it all).

But I can't shake the feeling that I was an idiot about sharing the oak with those guys. I'm thinking I should have gotten half of it, not a poor-quality third.

Never had a place to vent about this until now. What do you guys think?

Nancy

Welcome to the forum Nancy.


Well, I can relate to the age at least but can also relate to having someone cut on your property. First, last year you probably just wanted it cut and cleaned up. But it does sound as if they took advantage of you. However, you were out there helping and that was the time to do something about him bringing a buddy. But it is past and nothing to do about it now so it is best forgotten. If you can't change a situation, all you can do is change your attitude about that situation.

btw, I had someone come in to cut and we agreed that he received 2/3 with my third being cut to size, split and taken to where it was to be stacked. This arrangement is very common and is also used for many farm rentals.


Good luck on the new stove install. I hope it all works out well for you.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Sell the Oak for logs next time and make a swap for firewood.

Hopefully you didn't let them punks in your house "can I use your bathroom Mrs.?" cause one of um may get drunked up one night and decide to come back and steal you jewelery!

 

[smokinj]

I would fire up my equipment unless I was keeping all of it....Not greedy its just a lot of work and money in the equipment. (But I would have told you up front)

 

[chumby]

A country third.

I went through this on the other end a few years ago. A coworker had a large tree that a professional had dropped and bucked for him. I needed wood and he needed the area cleaned out so he could landscape for his son's upcoming engagement party. I asked him multiple times (at least once with a witness) if he wanted any split for him and he said no. So I hand split and hauled away about two cords. Two weeks later at work he gets all mad at me about how I didn't leave him anything and I should know about the rule of thirds. The guy sitting next to him reminded him that I had asked and he said he didn't want any. Being a good guy, I also knew he needed to refinish a deck so I took over my pressure washer the following weekend and cleaned both of his decks for him. He thought the second one would have to be torn down but it came back to life. His wife wanted me to also stain both decks and build some new stairs to help her elderly mom better transition to the lawn...that's when I figured out where the grief over the thirds came. He later wrote me a check for the psi washing...

Anyhow, had the deal been a third for them I still would have done it. Had it been 50/50 I would have let the wood sit.

 

[firefighterjake]

A country third.

I went through this on the other end a few years ago. A coworker had a large tree that a professional had dropped and bucked for him. I needed wood and he needed the area cleaned out so he could landscape for his son's upcoming engagement party. I asked him multiple times (at least once with a witness) if he wanted any split for him and he said no. So I hand split and hauled away about two cords. Two weeks later at work he gets all mad at me about how I didn't leave him anything and I should know about the rule of thirds. The guy sitting next to him reminded him that I had asked and he said he didn't want any. Being a good guy, I also knew he needed to refinish a deck so I took over my pressure washer the following weekend and cleaned both of his decks for him. He thought the second one would have to be torn down but it came back to life. His wife wanted me to also stain both decks and build some new stairs to help her elderly mom better transition to the lawn...that's when I figured out where the grief over the thirds came. He later wrote me a check for the psi washing...

Anyhow, had the deal been a third for them I still would have done it. Had it been 50/50 I would have let the wood sit.

Sounds more to me like this guy is a taker . . . to me you did the right thing by offering to leave wood . . . and then went out of your way to make things better by helping out with a service . . . and yet it sounds as though even this act of going above and beyond what was expected is not enough to the co-worker and his wife. Me . . . I would say enough is enough . . . and not take or receive anything else from them. You were in the right . . . and actually went above the "call of duty."

 

[SnapCracklePop]

[/quote]

"I'll warn you now installing a liner is a big job. It took two pros almost 4 hours to do our install which included sweeping the chimney first (highly recommended), running the 21' liner, installing the chimney caps, removing the flue plate, vaccuming, cutting metal, attaching it to the stove, and painting the stove pipe black. Do I think my 69 year old mother could have done this install? Absolutley not. Was it worth the $300-$400 bucks to have a pro do the job? Absolutley."[/quote]


I know it will be a big job, but I'm going to try it anyway. I have six years' experience with Habitat for Humanity; I could build a house from the ground up, and have done so with all-woman crews... I watched videos of liner installs on the 'net and it looks do-able. If it proves to be too much, I'll call in the Mounties.

Earlier this year, I almost bought a used Quadrafire from a chimney sweep for $800. He quoted me $2400 to install it and the liner. I am spending around $600 for the liner, so his installation must have come in at $1000. That kinda ouches me.

So, if I can do it, I'll have about $700 in the stove and $600 in the liner/insulation; total $1300. On a fixed income, that looks pretty good to me. And I should get 1/3 on a tax credit, as I understand it. My helper, by the way, will work for Coors Light and a steak.

Stay tuned for the further Perils of Pauline (er, Nancy)...

 

[Shari]

PCS,

You might want to look into a 'liner puller' - would make the job a lot easier.

Me? Had pros do our install. Heights and I don't necessarily get along all that well....

Shari

 

[geoffm24]

"I'll warn you now installing a liner is a big job. It took two pros almost 4 hours to do our install which included sweeping the chimney first (highly recommended), running the 21' liner, installing the chimney caps, removing the flue plate, vaccuming, cutting metal, attaching it to the stove, and painting the stove pipe black. Do I think my 69 year old mother could have done this install? Absolutley not. Was it worth the $300-$400 bucks to have a pro do the job? Absolutley."[/quote]


I know it will be a big job, but I'm going to try it anyway. I have six years' experience with Habitat for Humanity; I could build a house from the ground up, and have done so with all-woman crews... I watched videos of liner installs on the 'net and it looks do-able. If it proves to be too much, I'll call in the Mounties.

Earlier this year, I almost bought a used Quadrafire from a chimney sweep for $800. He quoted me $2400 to install it and the liner. I am spending around $600 for the liner, so his installation must have come in at $1000. That kinda ouches me.

So, if I can do it, I'll have about $700 in the stove and $600 in the liner/insulation; total $1300. On a fixed income, that looks pretty good to me. And I should get 1/3 on a tax credit, as I understand it. My helper, by the way, will work for Coors Light and a steak.

Stay tuned for the further Perils of Pauline (er, Nancy)...[/quote]

I just paid $1,200 for my 21" liner install which included 2 caps on top of the chimney for the flues, liner, install, removing flue gate and fitting metal around the liner to seal off the bottom, removing two big piece of blue stone from the top of the chimney, full chimney sweep and hooking it all up to the new stove. The materials cost about $800 and the sweep and labor were a little less then $400. When you factor in the 30% tax credit the install labor cost me $280.

 

[DiscoInferno]

I've been on both ends of the "fair" debate. Before I started splitting I had a guy buck and split some of the trees from clearing our MI property in exchange for a 2/3 share (for him). We agreed on the figure up front, and everyone was happy. A few years ago a neighbor offered me some wood (rounds) in exchange for my splitting some for her; I made the mistake of not getting her to be very explicit about how much she wanted to keep. So after I've loosely loaded my truck with rounds and tightly stacked her share, she comes back and says her husband (who I never saw) thinks I'm taking too much. I told her that after splitting and stacking my pile wouldn't be so impressive, but I unloaded some rounds anyway, split and stacked them. Then I left, but she sent me a nasty email saying I still took too much. So I dumped a bunch more splits in her driveway, and added her to my spam folder. Now I don't do trades, it's free or nothing.