On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:49:02 -0500, Steve Turner wrote:
Any and all suggestions are welcome.
Hopefully you're in Austin, TX, and buying more than 4 posts or these
recommendations won't make any sense.

I'm guessing you've already checked with these places...

http://www.austinwholesaledecking.com/cedar.htm
http://www.texaswoods.com/lumber.shtml


This is not exactly what you are looking for but maybe you can call them
for a recommendation. Definitely cheaper but a different product. Only a
few hours away so if the orders large enough or you can find another
contractor to coop shipping with it could be cost effective.

http://auldcedaryard.com/price_list.html
Many others available around TX.

Unfortunately with gas prices, shipping costs have made long distance
purchasing less of an option and red cedar is readily available in TX.
You appear to be along a standard rail route and train shipping has
always been the cheapest but you need a large order to make it cost
effective. Many places to choose from if you shipped it in.

http://www.lumbermax.com/products.html
http://www.soundcedar.com/lumber/posts/grades.php
Too many more to list since this probably isn't an option. You'd be
better off finding another contractor or shop already shipping in to
trust quality of product and combine your order to their standard orders.

I buy my birds eye maple this way. Rail shipped in on top of a local
shops large quarterly exotic lumber order. After everything it's less
than half the price of anything I can find local given the amount I
purchase each time. They pay a flat rate per rail car so they try to fill
with local contractors orders to offset shipping costs. Even rail
shipping has been going up with gas price increases so this is becoming
less of a deal but local pricing of all product shipped in is going up
too so it's still slightly cheaper by rail than local. Offset by costs of
transporting from their shop to my storage.


If you decide to look outside the box you might try to change the type of
wood to "exotics" boat shipped into Houston. I can get product shipped in
by boat cheaper than local. However as with rail you need to purchase or
coop for a full container to make it cost effective. I tagged on to a
contractor friend's shipment when he brought in a huge order of Ipe and
other South American exotics. As long as you don't exceed the weight the
container is the same price for shipping empty or full. It only really
makes sense if you're buying large quantities, near a port or can tag
onto another local companies order.

Don't forget to try and coop locally. Find a few other contractors and
purchase a truckload locally at wholesale. Should save at least 20%-40%.
Have them bundle and wrap each order separately so there's no fighting
and cherry picking of quality when the order arrives. Largest order gets
the drop site and everybody else picks up from there.