Fire wood

[Amanda2776]

Hi, we are fairly new to this and just want opinions on fire wood. We have a fireplace outside and fireplace inside. We currently set up both and supply the firewood for the stay at no charge. My question is are we doing the right thing or should we be charging for the wood. We are depleting our supply at a fast pace, which is a concern for the future. The indoor fireplace only gets used a few months per year but outdoor is all year round. We are in QLD Australia, so outdoor fireplace are a must.

[Helen3]

Most hosts just provide a starter kit and then advise guests on where to go for top up supplies @Amanda2776 

[Lorna170]

@Amanda2776   What is the cost of the wood being used per guest booking?  We provide wood for burning in our outdoor fire pit, and most of our guests will have at least one fire during their stay.  We do have 20+ years of cost records, so I can determine what our annual wood cost will be and how it will be reflected in our bottom line. 

We do not charge a separate fee for wood use or our hot tub as we have found that guests will claim that they are not interested and about 50% will use those things anyway.  We have averaged those expenses and raised our nightly rate accordingly.  We are careful to not price ourselves out of the local market, but we have found that our higher rate has not deterred guests from booking.

Rather than adding a separate wood fee, you may be able to adjust your nightly rate by a few dollars to account for this expense.  

[Keisha-Dawn0]

We live in the Appalachian mountains in Virginia, USA. There is an abundance of wood here, so we do not charge. However, if your resources are depleting, we agree with Lorna. Offset the cost by raising the nightly fee to cover the cost, while staying competitive in the market. We were Airbnb guests for 9 years before becoming hosts, and it's a deterrent to see so many add-on fees (cleaning, pets, firewood). Marketing tactic is to have all fees embedded in the price, and say "firewood included". Hope this helps! 

[Jill1148]

We do not provide firewood nor starter kits. We direct them where they can purchase this.  We don’t have a large area to store firewood and the provider won’t stack it on our deck so it’s a lot of work.  I have put in the listing that the firewood that is there is not for use.  

[Kirsten441]

I provide free wood, we are very seasonal in seattle so it's only nice 3 months out of the year. That said, I have considered it now with the new services feature and how much I see firewood being sold for at the store lol. 

[Bhumika]

That’s awesome @Kirsten441  that you provide free firewood! At your listing, can guests use the firewood indoors (like in a fireplace or wood stove), or is it mainly for outdoor use, such as a fire pit?

[Jan16380]

Hi Amanda!

I also have both indoor and outdoor fireplaces and provide some firewood for guests. If they use more than what’s set out for their stay, we offer additional wood bundles for a small fee. I’ve seen this approach at other rentals too — it seems to be a pretty common practice.

By the way, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting your beautiful country and even got to swim the Great Barrier Reef — a once-in-a-lifetime dream come true!

I would love to have you come and visit me in Colorado!

[Bhumika]

Hi @Jan16380 , thanks for sharing your approach! How do you guests react to the additional fee for getting wood bundles? 

Your insights might be helpful for host @Amanda2776 in case she decides to charge guests for extra fire wood. Thank you!

[Jan16359]

We don't supply firewood. One less thing on our list, leaving us to concentrate on more impactful things. We let people know they need to bring thier own. In practice, we, or guests, often leave some so guests have that, but it's not guaranteed. It's commonly available at most local stores.

[Jennifer62]

Hi Amanda

I would see if there is a Facebook group for people in your part of Australia to get feedback on this. There are so many variables and you really want to be able to mirror what other successful hosts offer. 

I wouldn't try to charge for wood, I would try a. limit what is available on site per guest b. raise my prices a bit to off set the price. 

We have a kiva fireplace (big Santa Fe accent feature, most guests expect). There aren't a lot of places our guests are going to be able to pick up their own wood. We set up the indoor wood rack, put another pile on the porch so it stays dry and direct them to that. 

[Lali2]

Hey, welcome to hosting, I think  u are doing amazing thing , if you can afford you can offer wood for free, guests adore extras, if not starting kit will be absolutely fine as well

[Jane4364]

You are doing a fantastic job and if it were me I would carry on as you are. It is a fabulous point of difference. 🙂

[Kent76]

Some great replies here. I would supply a starter kit including a starter log per stay. If guests want more direct them to the nearest place to purchase.  Others have brought up a great point with not being able to store much so they just direct to the nearest location to purchase. I think that is fine, just set expectations in the listing accordiningly 🙂

[Kevin3806 · Accepted solution]

Hey Amanda 
Great question it’s awesome that you’re offering both indoor and outdoor fireplaces, especially in QLD where the outdoor one is definitely a standout feature year-round.

If the fireplaces are a key amenity that guests consistently mention or enjoy, I’d recommend keeping them included (at least for now), especially the outdoor one. It helps create a cozy, memorable atmosphere and can really set your property apart.

That said, it totally makes sense to be thinking about cost and sustainability, especially if your firewood supply is draining quickly. You could consider
-Testing it for a full year to better understand guest usage patterns and how fast you’re going through your supply.
-Sourcing cheaper or bulk firewood locally (some hosts partner with local suppliers or even add a small wood shed guests can use from).
-Adding a fair-use note in your listing or limiting free firewood to a set amount per night/stay, and offering more for a small fee if guests want extra.

Also keep in mind there’s always a liability angle with fireplaces, especially indoor ones. Make sure you have clear safety instructions, good ventilation, and that your insurance covers fire-related damages. In short: if it’s one of your “wow” features, try to keep it included but look at optimizing cost and use. Then reevaluate in a year with some solid data.

Hope that helps! 🙂 

Kevin