I ordered a small pile of lumber from a local yard recently, I’ve worked with them allot before, never had an issue, so on this load I get 1 less 10 footer than I ordered, and one 12 footer that I didn’t order, okay they were short on 10 footers, but then they charge me for an extra 2 feet … I called, they say thats how its done, what’s the norm out there??
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hey wane -I wanted to be with you but how does anybody win?
I think 19 out of 20 would rather be 2 feet long than 10 feet short
I've seen it both ways. Generally, the overall cheaper yards would charge for the extra footages, whereas the overall more expensive yards would throw it in.
Andy Engel
Senior editor, Fine Woodworking magazine
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.
Other people can talk about how to expand the destiny of mankind. I just want to talk about how to fix a motorcycle. I think that what I have to say has more lasting value. --Robert M. Pirsig
None of this matters in geological time.
Ask them if that is how they treat their pro customers. Shipping a 12 when you are stocked out of 10s usually results in the yard eating the diff, not the customer.
No matter what they tell you about their pro customers, you should say that if they had called you to authorize the substitution and upcharge, you would pay. Since they didn't, you won't pay.
I am presuming you have established an account with them, and they have not gotten paid yet.
One of the things I like most (besides the great coffee) about the family owned lumber yards that I patronize in the Seattle area is that the yard man, who probably is the lowest paid employee in the business, is empowered to make things right on their own accord. If they are caught short on something a longer piece or higher grade is loaded on my truck and I am sent on my way. No questions asked, no paperwork, and I don't ever see a bill for it. As far as I can tell they treat everybody this way, I certainly am not a high volume customer.
They certainly don't get points for customer service. The only way it would have been worse is if they just plain shorted you.
jt8
"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
-- Ronald Reagan
The norm for me in NW OH is either/or. When I go to the small chain yard, the guys in the back usually will supply longer for an order of shorts. When the inventory shows up at the desk or in the case of a phone order shows inventory lacking on order length, they'll let me know and bill for the longer stock.
But for under a dollar on an order, who'd bother?
A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
If it was just one board... some enterprising yard worker couldn't wack off 2' and VIOLA! They had just enough to fill your order.
:)
jt8
"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first." -- Ronald Reagan
That would sure tick me off. I've never heard of a yard doing that around here.
I'd tell 'em to take that 12 footer and stick it where the sun don't shine.
consider yourself lucky.
for the cost of a 2 ft. 2x4
You learned you need to find another yard
That's a bargain!
Stephen
I suppose you could send the two foot back with you adjusted payment and a request to close your account.
There are no electrons! It is all made up. Don't believe it.
Electricity is made by GREENIES.
Thanks all, next time I won't budge, this happened about 3 weeks ago and it still burns me .. I have to do it diplomatically 'cause it's our only specialty wood shop in town, it was 2 X 10 select western red cedar, that goes for about 8.36 /ft up here!!!
Whoa! I thought we were talking about regular old framing lumber, or at least something we would call a stocked item.
Now, 2x10 select WRC is a completely different animal.
Is this a yard that is regularly stocking ANY lengths of 2x10 select WRC?
They owed you a phone call before they filled the order the way they did, but all those of us here that said, "my yard just gives me a 12 and bills for a 10," didn't know we were talking about something like this.
Breaktime is often like the NPR radio "Car Talk" show, where someone calls in and says, "my garage quoted $X to fix this and it sounds ridiculous!" Then the show continues while the two brothers coax all the facts out of the caller. It often takes quite a few funny exchanges to extract ALL of the information.
2 x 10 select, western red cedar?
You said "a small pile of lumber".
Items such as that, I approve prior to delivery, and thus would have found out about the footage issue before it showed up at the job.
Sounds like both you and the lumberyard need to work on communication skills.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Ouch. So it's not a SPF 2x4, but $17 worth of wood? My local yard would at least tell me they are out of the tens and can they sub a 12 for an upcharge? Not getting told about it is wrong. What the heck are you going to do with a 2' long piece of 2x10 WRC?
you can put it in your sweater drawer."the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function. one should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise."- f. scott fitzgerald
Wane, As a contractor sales rep, I would, and have in the past given the 2 feet free as a matter of course. The mistake is theres, they should have an adequate supply of common item like that around, if they dont, then its their problem. If they had told you before hand maybe I could understand, but springing it on you isnt right.
How much is "worked with them allot before"?
I work almost solely with my local yard.
I doubt they`d charge the extra two feet, but if they did, I`d pay it. They`ve more often then not given me the twelve at the cost of ten in the past. In fact, on a deck I did some years back they sent 14s instead of 12s because they weren`t happy with the quality of the 12 footers. Charged me for 12s without my being made aware of it.
Issues like this, I`ve made out on far more often then not.....pay for the extra two feet and figure out whether or not you generally get the treatment you desire. Cause Home Depot certainly aint gonna give it to you.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Probably 2-3 k per year (only go here for specialty stuff), last 3 or 4 years, thing is it's not like I was asking for a 9 footer and they gave me the next up standard length, although I have taken odd size pieces in the past and tried to work with them, I think I'll see tomorrow what the general concensous is, give them a call, and let them read this thread ..
Edited 11/9/2005 3:47 pm ET by wane
hey guys we all have our answers but let's get some perspective2 X 10" select red cedar is a specialty item - i would say 90% of the time I would have to get a purchase order from my fine local lumberyard and go pick it up at their supplier's warehouse and I'm in WRcedar country - and they will charge you for 9' if it is 9' 3" long and not at an index of 2' increments - that is a commodity ( and hardly renewable ) that you buy by the foot - if there are 3 bad feet on it and it's ten feet long you know they'll charge you for 7 goodthis was delivered to you / him - the yard man could have given you a more favorable response than the bureaucracy involved delivery set upwe are not talking framing materialthese are not exact parallels but if someone wants 5 /6ths of you do you give it away?that 1/2 gallon of primer you used on Ellen's house - she pays half plus 20% and you finance rest?you have to buy a pack of six stainless steel screws and the job requires two - who pays for the other four?this "world" has changed dramatically in the last 3 - 5 yrs and I'm hardly one for it but ALL are dotting their Is and crossing their ts
Edited 11/9/2005 4:39 pm ET by johnharkins
Not exactly the same thing Wane----
but I just pulled a folder from a job I am wrapping up----doing some work on a "faux log cabin" ( anybody ever have to by "log Cabin siding"?)
anyhow on 10-26 I picked up 80 ft. 1x6 RS. Cedar,10ft. 1x10 rs. Cedar and 180ft. 1x8 Rs. Cedar
asking for 12 footers( my favorite size)---yard man figures 180 ft. of 1x8 as 15 pieces. He only had 9 @12 footers---so he gave me 6 additional 14 footers. No additional cost
I didn't really think anything of it at the time----because virtually every place I deal with would have done exactly the same. ( this was NOT my usual yard BTW---just the closest one to this job--this job being a little out of my way)
Same job--- I needed 6 feet of " log cabin siding"----not a common material in my area----yard I got the cedar from doesn't carry it, yard in town I usually deal with doesn't carry it---BUT--- they call around for me---and refer me to a 3rd yard about 35 miles away from the yard I got the cedar from------ I drive there----I only need 6 feet---they cut 6 feet off of a 16 footer---no questions asked---happy to do it.
I would have happily paid for the entire 16 footer---I was just happy to locate the stuff----and I would have thrown away the 10 feet I didn't need because it is Highly unlikely I am EVER gonna need log cabin siding again.
Best wishes, Stephen
I often special-order stuff like that cedar you got--siding, clear 2x cedar and VG fir, etc.--and I always specify the lengths I want. About 1/3 of the time I get some longer sticks--a few 18s instead of 16s or something like that--and I usually get a few pieces with flaws too. I get billed for every foot that is shipped. It is just not possible to get the perfect load of expensive lumber sight unseen. I live in a place where I HAVE to order it in or spend an entire day travelling to the source, so I live with it and have learned to account for some extra lumber cost in my pricing to customers.
Sounds normal to me...
3 months ago I ordered a few framing packages - after bidding them out first. Ended up ordering from my favorite yard. When I got the bills one was about $2500 more than I expected. I said $sh!+ - there goes that budget... Then I took a close look at all line items... On second page there is a box of H-clips for around $2500!!!!! I faxed it back to my salesmen... No response. Then I took the bill down there. Told him that not only was I not paying $2500 for the box of H-clips, but I thought he should give me the box just for my trouble... He says yeah -- OK... It never happend, although the price was adjusted to $7 - or whatever it was...
Wane,
On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate the overall service of this local yard as compared with their competition?
I would think if you're happy with them then you should eat it and keep it in mind for next time.
Like Mike Smith, I'm focusing on buiding relationships with my suppliers. When I find a good one I view the relationship as a whole and how I benefit from my total experience with them.
Our lumber and millwork supplier has some great prices on millwork (just out of curiousity, can anbody else get WM376 casing for $.30/LF?) but there framing lumber and sheathing is a little more expensive. But I still try to buy as much as I can from them because they deliver great service, fair prices, and are just enjoyable to work with. When a situation arises in a successful relationship, more often than not you will find that both parties give a little to make the solution easier.
Jon Blakemore
RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
Ok, speaking of good suppliers - any suggestions for good suppliers in Michigan Metro Detroit/Southfield/Canton areas?Thanks,Julian Tracy
check with Fingerly Lumber/Ann Arbor. They come down to Toledo, so sure they'd head east to the motor.
Good selection, good quality, price not low.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
I would be glad that they sent me enough wood and expect to pay for what I got. If I wasn't happy with that I could always send the 12 footer back. But why would I do that when I am likely to be 20 feet short anyway?
A pro would not sweat something like this. There are enough problems on a job without going out of your way to look for one more.
You will probably find a use for that extra wood. It reminds me of a job where we cut 200 6'-6" studs to support a structural slab. After the slab was poured we had a large pile of 2x4's that we had no use for. One month later the homeowner asked me what we had done with that pile of lumber, had we taken it home? We told her that we couldn't tell her exactly where it went but that every stick of that wood was somewhere in her house. I was just as amazed as she was.
Yards charge for what they deliver.
I guess they could have kept the 2' offcut but who owuld buy it?