DIYbanter - View Single Post - Linear Ft. Vs Board Ft at Lumber Yard.. did I get ripped off?

(Larry Bud) wrote in message . com...

Larry, where are you in SE mich? I'm in West Bloomfield and get all
our hardwood from Armstrong Millworks on in Highland on Highland Rd
(248) 887-1037.

They are a great family owned business with some of the friendliest
people you could ever meet. their selection is superior to any i've
found in southern michigan. their prices are great. they also offer
milling services if you are not set up to do it yourself. they get
next to nothing to mill the rough lumber for you. My shop has
everything to surface our lumber, but i have them do it most of the
time now because they do in 1o minutes what takes me a couple hours
and might cost be $12 to surface 100bf or so. it may be a long way
for you, but give it a try sometime, you wont be disappointed.

You could also try general hardwood. it's down your way but the
people that work there will treat you like a second class citizen, you
dont get to pick your own boards, they have a $300 minimum order, and
you have to call your order in ahead of time (usually a full day).

i get to Armstong once or twice a week. if you ever need something
small and dont want to drive, shoot me an email. i could probably
pick it up for you and meet you half way between w bloomfield and
detroit.

finally, in answer to your actual question, these guys are fair to a
fault. i stopped checking there measurments years ago. they always
adjust footage if you pull a board that has a section that wont be
useable

-sean

Went to a new lumber yard (for me) that quoted me $6.20/bd ft over the
phone for Cherry. I picked out 4 boards, the guy meausured them,
wrote down the sizes which I handed to the clerks. After he gave me
the total, I questioned the total because it didn't quite seem right
to me. He again said $6.20/bd ft. Not having my calculator handy, I
accepted it...

Well, it turned out I was robbed of about $14 on what should have been
$103 order (I paid $117 + tax).

These guys were still 1/2 price of other ripoff lumber yards in the
Detroit Area (I went to Public Lumber Co on 7-Mile and I-75, FWIW) so
I would probably go back there, unless of course, this was a total con
job.

What would you do and what's typical practice?