What can a tree service do with wood and chips?

Every removal makes wood waste, and disposal costs money. Handled well, that waste can turn into a small income stream or at least a lower cost.

Chips are the easiest. Many customers want mulch, and chips can be delivered to a property for free or for a fee. Chips can also be left at the job. Check that the chips are safe for the purpose, because some material, such as diseased wood, may need to go elsewhere.

Logs and firewood take more work. Splitting, drying, stacking and delivering take time, so work out whether the sale price covers your labor and equipment. Seasoned firewood sells better than green wood, and drying takes months. Firewood rules differ by place, and some areas restrict moving wood to slow the spread of pests. Check your state and local rules.

Disposal is the fallback. Dump fees, fuel and drive time add up, so include them in your estimate. A yard or mill that takes logs may reduce your cost.

Tell the customer in the quote what happens to the wood. Some homeowners want to keep the firewood. Others want everything gone.

Use our calculators for firewood revenue, chip volume and disposal cost, with your own figures.