Ready-seasoned wood?

[peejay]

After much thought (I shall probably post another topic) I've decided that moving to another house with a new mortgage in a significantly better environment with MUCH more space both inside & out is worth far more to me/us mentally than a mortgage paid off on the current place which I was looking to do by end of next year.

So, offer accepted on new place and it has a lovely multi-fuel burner which they apparently use all through winter.

They currently have, probably, a couple of seasons worth of already-dried wood but we haven't discussed yet what's included/excluded etc. so no idea if they'll leave it (or some of it) so I was wondering, how expensive is it to buy already-seasoned firewood, i.e. stuff I'd be able to burn this winter?

They shared how they volunteer locally with woods management which, for a days effort they get a (car) boot full of freshly felled wood in return so I shall join something similar when we're moved, but will need/want a supply in the meantime so, having never had a log-burner I've never had to look into it.

Is it silly expensive? (I guess anything will be in comparison to free but need to start somewhere!)

[korolev]

The obvious answer is to offer to buy the existing wood from them, saves them having to move it. Or better still, say you want it included in the purchase, they can only say no.

[Arzosah]

Moving can be overwhelming, for you and your seller! They might be very glad to know that they don't need to move it, or just want a token payment. Sounds like there's a good volunteer group and a good environment where you're moving to, it's great that you're going for it.

[Nurseandy]

We rely on a wood burner for all our heating (and have done for the last 15 years). Kiln dried ready to burn wood is stupid expensive. As others have said - offer to buy the existing pile (moving it would be a heap of hassle for the seller anyway) then as you're planning, get in with the conservation group to start getting a supply in.
Cut & store undercover nowish and it'll be ok for this winter, excellent for next.

[jansman]

What Nurseandy said! If you have a wood burner, then you will develop the senses of an urban fox. You will hear chainsaws, when others cannot, you will carry a tarpaulin in your car for roadside finds.

I rarely buy wood, very rarely. Mine is all scrounged, found and donated. I have to add that our ( multi fuel) stoves are our primary heat source, so we use a lot of wood, as well as coal. It is out there when you start looking though.

[peejay]

Thanks all for the most sensible suggestions - I think my brain is too frazzled at the moment for some of them to have even occurred to me!

I did hope that they'd leave at least some behind, I know they don't have a new property to purchase so yes, at the right time, I may well offer to save them the effort of having to shift it all

[grenfell]

I'm not a million miles away from you ( south staffs) and the cheapest I've seen around here is about £80 for a builders sack of dry hardwood logs although whether that's actually kiln dry or just air dried I'm not sure. My cousin sells logs and his are air dried and around that price so I would assume kiln dried are more expensive. It certainly seems so looking on tinterweb as the princes I see on there are well into triple figures. Like jansman I don't buy logs . Never have , but then I'm a joiner by trade so always had access to offcuts and not averse to skip diving either. My work now encompasses some tree work nowadays so I still have access to logs. There is some wood I won't burn. Treated stuff, painted wood and the like partly because of the fumes but also because I use the ashes on the garden.

[peejay]

Wow, I certainly won't be spending that sort of money for that sort of return so thanks for the heads-up!

The community group I was referring to probably isn't a million miles away from you either, Moira/Donnisthorpe I believe.

[Arzosah]

People round here pick up big fallen branches after storms, and shops put used pallets outside their premises with a sign saying Please Take. I bet there's a lot of sources locally that will work for you.

[grenfell]

Wow, I certainly won't be spending that sort of money for that sort of return so thanks for the heads-up!

The community group I was referring to probably isn't a million miles away from you either, Moira/Donnisthorpe I believe.

Not a million miles although not quite on the doorstep for a community group. I'm not far from Lichfield.