Thread: what do Ppl Charge for Contract Milling

Two years ago I was charged $60 per hour for a mix of slabbing and boards,but that was a mates rate and it included me supplying food and drink and doing the cleanup.

The relatively small amount of slabbing I have done for others (ie they supplied the logs) has been on the basis of equal share, or 1/3 (quarter sawn pieces to them) and 2/3 (rest of the stuff) to me. It can get tricky though, eg when you start cutting up a log and its not worth continuing and they want you to, or sorting through a set of slabs from a log and there is one good slab and the rest is firewood etc. Best to have all the arrangements sorted before you start.

The bloke i bought my mill off used to charge $120 per hr & they had to supply a bloke to tail out .
he only charged by the mill hour & had done a few jobs by the stories he told.
i have only just started but have sold a few slabs & boards so im happy
even if i just cut wood for myself then sell my mill im way in front.

Current rate if I can pick the logs up and do them in the yard is $200 per log cubic meter for swingblade sawing, while slabbing depends on the timber. Any breakages, such as saw tips, are also charged to the customer. Works out to around $500 per finished cube. The price will drop on larger orders and for better quality logs. I don't do mobile much these days, simply because the operation is so much more efficient in the yard and it is easier to take the crane truck and pick up the log than to pull down and reinstate the mill. Oh yeah, Mr Costello needs his "Generally Screwed Tax" as well.

On the subject of part payment in milled timber, it depends a great deal on the species and the quality.

it dose depend on a lot of factors.

• log size
• log type
• mill type
• sawing type (threw and threw, quater, slab)
• location
• access

i would charge on a per job basis.

have a look at the location log and what they want done and give them a quote. including breakdown, defect etc clause.

as for timber as payment that depends entierly on the operator wether they have a use for it.

hope this helps

Originally Posted by salty72

As per title, just curious what the going rate ppl charge to Mill Logs etc..
Do you consider log splitting (ie customer gets a board you get a board) as a method of payment ?

Is slabbing charged at a different rate to cutting 4x4 etc...

hi i charge $130.00 for the first hour then $70.00 p/h for blade work or slabbing. Any damage to blades or chains is paid for by the customer

I quoted on a straight forward job of slabbing some Stringybark at $80 per hour and didnt get the job yet. I figure it is worth at least that much or more. I took a free slab off to show what the job would be like and never heard again. Probably a bit cheap if anything but its not my main income stream. Would have also collected some off cuts for myself to turn while i was there.

There is a fixed sawmill up here in north queensland who will saw your logs, if you deliver them for $275.00 per log cube. This includes G.S.T and you have to pick up your sawn timber.
I run a Lucas Mill for Log Dog Enterprises and charge $275.00 per log cube including G.S.T. if they drop logs off in my yard and have to quote accordingly for away from home jobs. I have cut for my mates @ $150/log cube in the past but with the increases in living prices I stand firm with $275.00/Log Cube.
We are very experienced operators and offer a high quality service.