There is no single Australian price that every firewood seller should charge. Your workable price depends on what you sell, how you measure it, the time and equipment needed to prepare it, your storage losses, the delivery job and the margin your business needs.
The safest starting point is not a competitor’s headline price. It is a repeatable worksheet that shows your real cost per sellable unit. You can then compare that figure with your local market, explain the offer clearly and review it when conditions change.
This guide gives firewood sellers a practical way to do that without guessing a national rate or promising that one price will suit every load.
Quick answer: how much should you sell firewood for?
Set a price that:
- covers the real cost of acquiring or producing the wood;
- pays for cutting, splitting, handling, drying and storage;
- includes labour, equipment and business overhead;
- accounts for waste and unsellable material;
- treats delivery as a real job rather than a free afterthought;
- leaves a deliberate profit amount; and
- is clear enough for a buyer to understand what is included.
The result will differ between sellers. A pickup bag, a stacked cubic-metre order and a delivered load with difficult access are not the same product or service.
Start with the unit you actually sell
A useful price begins with a clearly defined sellable unit. If the unit changes from one listing to the next, your cost calculation and the buyer’s comparison both become unreliable.
Write down:
- the quantity or load format;
- whether the firewood is loose, stacked, bagged or otherwise presented;
- the timber type or mix, where known;
- whether it is split, in rounds, or includes kindling;
- the typical piece-size range;
- the dryness or storage description you can support;
- whether the price is for pickup or includes delivery; and
- any handling or access service included in the offer.
If you need to compare common quantity descriptions first, use the Firewood Fetch guide to cubic metres, tonnes, bags and ute loads. Keep the final listing specific and check the measurement rules that apply to your business before making quantity claims.
Seller pricing worksheet
Complete one worksheet for each product or load format. Do not use one average across every bag, bulk load and delivery route unless the underlying costs are genuinely similar.
| Worksheet line | What to include | Your figure |
|---|---|---|
| Firewood input | Purchase cost, stumpage or other legitimate acquisition cost for the batch | $_____ |
| Cutting and splitting | Fuel, consumables, maintenance allocation and processing time | $_____ |
| Drying and storage | Yard or shed cost, handling, covers, pallets and storage time | $_____ |
| Packaging | Bags, cages, straps, labels or other packing materials | $_____ |
| Loading and handling | Labour and equipment used to move, load and prepare the order | $_____ |
| Labour | Paid staff time and a realistic allowance for the owner’s working time | $_____ |
| Equipment allocation | A reasonable share of saw, splitter, loader, trailer and safety-equipment costs | $_____ |
| Business overhead | Insurance, administration, bookkeeping, phone, website and other relevant overhead | $_____ |
| Expected waste | Bark, offcuts, undersized pieces, contamination or material that cannot be sold as listed | $_____ |
| Tax treatment | GST or other tax treatment that applies to your business; confirm with an adviser | $_____ |
| Total batch cost | Add the relevant product costs above | $_____ |
| Sellable units in the batch | Count only the units that meet the promised listing description | _____ units |
| Cost per sellable unit | Total batch cost divided by sellable units | $_____ |
| Profit amount per unit | The deliberate amount added above cost for the base product | $_____ |
| Pickup price per unit | Cost per sellable unit plus the chosen profit amount | $_____ |
| Delivery amount | Calculate separately for the route or delivery zone below | $_____ |
| Buyer-facing total | The amount the buyer will pay for the stated product and included service | $_____ |
The worksheet is a decision tool, not a legal or accounting record. Have your bookkeeper or accountant confirm which costs, taxes and allocations belong in your calculation.
Count the work that happens before a buyer sees the listing
Sellers often remember the wood and fuel but forget the time around them. Firewood may need to be sourced, cut, split, moved, stacked, checked, rehandled, photographed, listed, loaded and reconciled after an order.
Include the work that is necessary to produce the sellable unit, even when the owner performs it. Treating owner time as free can make a busy operation look profitable while the actual return for the hours worked remains unclear.
Equipment also has a cost beyond today’s fuel. Maintenance, blades, chains, repairs and replacement all support the product. The worksheet does not need to become complicated, but it should include a consistent allocation rather than ignoring those costs entirely.
Allow for drying, storage and waste
A batch entering the yard is not always the same as the quantity eventually sold. Handling can produce bark, chips, short pieces and other material that does not match the advertised product. Poor storage can also create extra work or reduce the amount that is ready to sell.
Record the sellable yield after those losses, not just the quantity that arrived. If the yield changes materially between batches, update the worksheet instead of relying on an old average.
Be equally careful with sourcing and quality descriptions. Use accurate, supportable wording and review the Firewood Fetch guide to responsible firewood sourcing before making environmental, collection or legality claims.
Price delivery as a separate job
Delivery can turn a workable pickup price into an unprofitable order if the route, time and unloading work are not counted.
For each delivery zone or quoted route, consider:
- travel distance and expected driving time;
- fuel and vehicle running costs;
- loading and unloading time;
- whether a second person or extra equipment is required;
- access limitations, carrying distance or waiting time;
- the likelihood of an empty return trip; and
- any service that is included, such as a specific unloading point.
A flat delivery amount can be simple for buyers, but only use one if it still covers the routes included in that zone. Otherwise, state that delivery is quoted from the location and order details before purchase. Do not promote a low product price and reveal an unavoidable fee only at the end.
The ACCC’s price-display guidance says businesses must communicate clear and accurate prices and display the minimum total price including taxes and unavoidable or pre-selected extra fees. If you are unsure how that applies to variable delivery, surcharges or your checkout process, get professional advice.
Compare the market without copying it
Once you know your cost floor, compare similar local offers. Look for genuine like-for-like differences:
- quantity and how it is described;
- pickup versus delivered price;
- timber type or mixed load;
- split size and product preparation;
- dryness or storage description;
- packaging and handling;
- delivery area and access service; and
- how clearly the seller explains the offer.
The Australian Government’s pricing guide recommends using competitor prices as a guide rather than copying them exactly, while making sure your own price covers your costs and reflects the product’s value.
A competitor may have different input costs, equipment, delivery density, overhead or product quality. Matching a visible price without understanding those differences can lock in a loss. On the other hand, a higher price needs clear buyer-facing reasons rather than vague premium claims.
For the buyer’s side of the comparison, review what changes firewood prices in Australia. It shows the details buyers may use to decide whether two offers are truly comparable.
Turn the worksheet into a clear listing
The buyer does not need to see your internal costs, but they do need to understand the offer. A practical listing can follow this structure:
- Product: [timber type or mix, where known]
- Quantity: [defined unit or load format]
- Preparation: [split, rounds, kindling or mix]
- Piece size: [typical range]
- Condition: [accurate dryness or storage description]
- Pickup price: [$_____]
- Delivery: [included zone, separate quoted amount, or pickup only]
- Unloading/access: [what is included and what information is needed]
- Availability: [current and supportable wording]
- Order step: [how the buyer confirms quantity, location and total]
The broader guide on how to sell firewood online in Australia explains the full listing and enquiry workflow. The supplier listing checklist can help you check photos, quantity, delivery and trust details before the listing goes live.
When should you review the price?
Review the worksheet when a cost or service changes materially, not only when another seller changes a headline price.
Useful review triggers include:
- a new timber input or acquisition cost;
- a change in sellable yield;
- higher fuel or maintenance costs;
- extra processing or storage time;
- a different bag, cage or load format;
- a new delivery zone or route pattern;
- a change in staffing or labour time;
- a revised tax treatment confirmed by your adviser; or
- repeated buyer confusion about what the price includes.
Keep the date of each worksheet version. A short pricing history makes it easier to explain why a figure changed and to avoid switching between inconsistent old quotes.
Common seller pricing mistakes
| Mistake | Better approach |
|---|---|
| Copying the cheapest visible listing | Calculate your own cost floor, then compare like with like |
| Treating owner labour as free | Include a realistic allowance for working time |
| Pricing from the batch that arrived | Divide by the units that are actually sellable as described |
| Hiding delivery until late in the enquiry | Explain how delivery is included or quoted before purchase |
| Using one price for unlike bags, loads and routes | Complete a separate worksheet where the cost structure differs |
| Calling the offer “cheapest” or “best value” without evidence | Describe quantity, preparation, service and total clearly |
| Leaving an old price live after costs change | Date the worksheet and set review triggers |
| Promising dryness, species or sourcing details you cannot verify | Use specific, supportable descriptions only |
How Firewood Fetch fits into the seller workflow
Firewood Fetch provides a marketplace pathway for suppliers to present clearer buyer-facing details. Before you begin a listing, prepare the product unit, pickup or delivery terms, current availability and the total the buyer should expect.
Visit the Sell Firewood page for the supplier pathway, or use List Your Firewood Business when your listing details are ready. You can also return to the Firewood Fetch guide library for more buyer and supplier guidance.
Final takeaway
The question is not simply “how much can I sell firewood for?” A better question is: “What price covers this clearly defined product, the work required to supply it, the delivery service promised and a deliberate profit amount?”
Use the worksheet, keep delivery visible, compare only similar offers and update the calculation when the operation changes. That produces a price you can explain and review without relying on an invented national rate.