price of timber

[druster]

Hi there, trying to price up a job for a greenhouse/summer room.
need approx a cubic metre of timber, needs to be hardwood so looking at meranti sapele utile idigbo. Does anyone have access to the current pricing on these per cube by any chance?
cheers,
Dru

 

[motownmartin]

Hi

A lot depends on thickness but generally from £1500 upwards, have a look here different woods at different thicknesses

 

[druster]

Mostly 2" and some 1.5" I found a site stewarts timber based in scotland saying around the £1200 mark but I'm sure delivery to somerset would be quite high

 

[druster]

I also just spoke to someone at oscar windebank in box, He gave me a price on iroko at £900 per cubic foot for inch and a half, wouldn't give a metre cubed price, This can't be right can it?

 

[motownmartin]

I also just spoke to someone at oscar windebank in box, He gave me a price on iroko at £900 per cubic foot for inch and a half, wouldn't give a metre cubed price, This can't be right can it?

He's having a laugh, I think it would cost around £900+vat a cubic meter from Whitmores, pm the stig, he works there and will be able to give you a price.

 

[druster]

Well thats what I thought too, he must be making a mistake because they are usually quite good on price for me, I have had a lot of european oak from there in the past and always got a good deal, just not so up to date with the other hardwood prices

 

[OPJ]

I agree about the quote from Windebanks - that's got to be per m³, surely?!! :shock:

If you were to go for sapele or iroko, you could also try Bristol City Timber. They also stock idigbo, though I haven't met many people who actually like using that one - apparently, it's quite "fluffy"... :?

Utile's supposed to be quite good. You could always go for oak. Windebanks is probably one of the best places to look. I find Yandles are dear for anything other than small orders and don't mention the R-word (...Robbins!!). :wink:

 

[Benchwayze]

Next to Oak, Western Red Cedar is the popular choice, for 'real' greenhouses in the UK. In fact I would say 80% of mid-pricerange models will be made from half-brick with cedarwood framing. That was my choice.

If you have settled on hardwood for durability, then you can save a lot of money by using cedarwood. That is decidedly durable and very little in the way of 'creepie-crawlies' goes anywhere near it.

SWIMBO decided she didn't want the garden cluttered with a greenhouse, so I gave up Fuchsias and used most of the cedarwood for doors and gates. My gate is as good as the day I hung it.

 

[John. B]

Looking at my local merchants book for sawn hardwood.(last years book probably gone up now) 'Blumsom Timber Centre'
Showing 50mm Sapele at £28.36 Per Cu ft
Meranti: 50mm £26.10 per Cu ft.
Cheapest on their list was Obeche at £19.47 Per Cu ft, (same width)
Gives you some idea.

John. B

 

[JonnyD]

The latest prices i have show meranti and sapele at about £950 per cubic metre Idigbo at about £750 and Utile at around £1050. All prices + VAT.

Worth paying a little bit extra for Utile in my opinion. Idigbo is very variable can be quite good but as already been said can be a bit fluffy. Meranti can be a bit variable as well but it is easier to get in longer lengths.

Western Red Cedar is more expensive than the hardwoods at my supplier. Have you considered douglas fir could be a good choice it is pretty much as durable as the hardwoods you are suggesting and is slightly cheaper.

Jon

 

[druster]

I think utile is probably what I will end up going for, I looked at western red cedar and am finding it more expensive, the client has stated he wants it to be hardwood and you know how people are unwilling to accept that some softwoods are as durable if not more so than some hardwoods, I was thinking douglas fir but it doesn't take a paint finish very well in my experience. It will need to be painted white as it is listed and is a replacement for an old victorian glasshouse.
I have got my answer now, the guy I spoke to at windebanks was clearly deluded and I have enough info to price the job, Btw I have worked out it needs 1.2 cubic metres of 2 inch without any addition in that for wastage!

 

[OPJ]

Sorry to go slightly off-topic, Druster, but would you happen to know where I might be able to find some Douglas Fir? I'm considering using it for my workbench sometime this year... I was gonna go with Scandinavian redwood but, I'd rather go "Native" if I can... I've decided beech may be a bit pricey for my first bench-build, though I'm sure whether Doug. Fir will actually work out cheaper or not! :roll: :wink:

 

[jasonB]

If its a listed structure you may well have to replace like with like depending on the listing grade, whats the old one made of?

Clear douglas fir can be more expensive than beech and it dents a lot easier so may be OK for bench legs but I would not use it for the top.

Jason

 

[John. B]

I made my bench from spruce except for the front edge which is of 3"x2" Beech, which does (if you'll pardon the pun) spruce the looks up quite a bit.
However, there are lots of holes and dents, but benches are mainly for working on, not just to look pretty in the corner.
Mine is still going strong after 18 years of use.

John. B

 

[druster]

The old structure isn't there any more, just some old photos from the 80s,
the old flashing and painted wall is in place so I don't think they could prove the material used in any way.

I have used douglas fir from windebanks in box, that is where I usually get timber from or use interesting timbers in emborough but that is usually for native hardwoods.