Hi,
I am trying to figure out the economics of having white cedar delivered. I have used a supplier in NE Vermont for projects when I am there, but my normal residence is in eastern MA. The guys in VT will deliver a truck load for me at roughly $1.10/bf for white cedar. (this is direct from the sawmill), but it is about $600 for the delivery (220 miles away). I recently bought some cedar 2×6 locally at a lumber yard on Cape Cod and the charge was about $2.80/bf. So the simple math would say that if I order more than about 350 bf, I will end up breaking even.
Anyone have any thoughts on this topic? Do the prices quoted for the cedar and delivery sound reasonable on either end? I have lots of projects in mind, but I don’t know exactly how much of what type I will end up needing, so I don’t have an exact list to place the long distance order. I could “over-order” and end up keeping stock on hand, but that seems extreme. Or I could make up a detailed list, but I will certainly end up running out of something and not be in a position to place another $600 delivery order.
btw, the wood is for various projects at a new house (actually a very old house), and would end up being used over time.
Thanks
Alec
Replies
It's do-able...
When I built my cedar pool fence, which is about 400' of 6' tall fence...true 2" square pickets with true 2" by 5" top rails and 2" by 6" bottom rails...my material costs were through the roof from the yards down here in CT.
Ordering from the sawmill was about a quarter of what I'd have paid locally.
I ordered from a sawmill up in Canada. Liberty something. They sent everything down in the back of a tractor trailer. I Ordered about 15% extra, figuring it'd either be culled and used as firewood, or if in good shape I'd use it for additional fencing elsewhere in the yard, or for some other project.
For your situation, yeah, you need to do a gut check or sorts. If it's close to a break-even proposal, then it might just be safer to order locally. But it's really only you who can figure out what you need now and what you may or may not need later. If the econiomics make sense though, ordering a delivery straight from the sawmill is a valid proposal.
Do consider the shape of the wood you'll be getting, will it be rough lumber from the sawmill and S4S from the lumberyard? Make sure you make and apples-to-apples comparison.
Check out pricing at Highland Hardwoods near Exeter, NH. It is closer to you now