First topic message reminder :

Well the hardest winter known in Bulgaria for quite some time is all but gone :Snow window:

Now that spring is here it may be time to share just how cold/ warm we were during the last winter period.

We use a wood burner for our Central heating supplying radiators all over the house and we have used well over 26 Cu Meters of logs at a cost of 1352 lev. Our house has never been below 20 degrees and at best was about 26. In fact our Bulgarian friends called the house a sauna.

In order to give people some idea of what to expect by way of bills can you inform the forum of what heating you use and what bills you have had to pay

Even though we have not seen March out yet, we are now starting use Hot water supplied from the solar panel. Not piping hot in the mornings but very very hot by mid afternoon.

Good for you Spantrout. I am not for one moment disputing anything you say. Its actually very interesting to read how other folks deal with the winter heating. Things have changed a lot since we came to live here years ago which is why I am now more Bulgarian than Brit albeit with some reservations.
Varnagirl we were very lucky to buy a property that actually had an indoor bathroom (of sorts) and could live with the old petchka although we did resort to hot water bottle, big cardigans and bedsocks! We just followed on with a newer kamina and radiators. Thankfully my partner loves wood and stone and finds the chopping and stacking therapeutic and something to do in the winter.

We are happy to be 'old school' and today had our winter wood delivery for next winter and more because we burnt all our stock. This is what 12 cubics looks like and it was 840levs. Lots of work for my hero! Don't worry - he does use a chainsaw.

For non cut wood that is a lot of money

Yes I'd agree tony, 70lv/cu is not cheap, 55lv is more realistic, and without wanting to be horrible, it looks like skanky wood too, if i buy wood usually i get lengths at least 30cm diameter, that looks like a pile of javelins!!!!!!

Yes it is a lot of money - 70lvs a cubic and this is definitely more than last year when it was 55lvs. However its a new year and maybe all prices will go up. It is NOT skanky wood either - it is legitimately stamped and what we (and other villagers) buy from the same man every year and we need the different sizes of logs for the fire. We have no problems whatsoever with the wood or the chopping. People we know pay a lot more for pre-cut wood. Anyway, I'm not arguing the point because we are satisfied and I am sorry I posted the pic to help others know what the amount looks like because there have been comments when people were worried that they got the amount paid for. Last time I try to help. Thank you Spantrout you seem to be trying to prove a point every time I post. Each to their own.

.....and another thing - its not all javelins - its a mix but unfortunately I didn't think anyone would comment on the type of wood. Most of it is logs but I should have posed the wood for the photo maybe. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Oldun I'm not jumping on you, to clarify "
skanky"
for you, all I meant was I dislike very much "
thin"
logs ie diameter of less then 15cm, because they are a pain in the arse to split and don't (in my opinion) season very well, yet all I can see in your photo is thin logs, that's what I meant by skanky, I wasn't implying there was anything wrong with the wood. (if it burns it burns)

As for price, you may well be proved correct but I know people in my village that have bought wood already this year and have paid 55lv/cu (which includes delivery @ 5lv/cu), so I stand by my comments on price.

Oh dear - sorry everyone I made a big mistake. Last night when we were talking about the wood, which is now neatly piled in 3 huge heaps a la Bulgarian style, my partner said it was 16 cubics and not 12. I don't know where I thought the 12 came from. Senior moment I guess. Which makes the price 52.50levs. Much more reasonable. Our neighbours (always nosey) said the wood is very good and its dry. I will resist the temptation to post a pic of our wood now its stacked even though it shows that most of it is the regulation size logs.
I must mention that you can now see how labour intensive a woodburner is and I am fortunate that not only do we have a good village wood supplier but I also have a very good partner to chop it.

oldun wrote:

Oh dear - sorry everyone I made a big mistake. Last night when we were talking about the wood, which is now neatly piled in 3 huge heaps a la Bulgarian style, my partner said it was 16 cubics and not 12. I don't know where I thought the 12 came from. Senior moment I guess. Which makes the price 52.50levs. Much more reasonable. Our neighbours (always nosey) said the wood is very good and its dry. I will resist the temptation to post a pic of our wood now its stacked even though it shows that most of it is the regulation size logs.
I must mention that you can now see how labour intensive a woodburner is and I am fortunate that not only do we have a good village wood supplier but I also have a very good partner to chop it.

So pleased to hear that there is more wood than first thought. Would hate to hear that you were being ripped off when you are clearly part of the community.

Hi Oldun, given you were quick to accuse me of jumping down your throat yesterday, it appears now for the 2nd time the info on your original post was incorrect. People respond to what's posted (ie written in black and white before them) so plz check YOUR facts before accusing someone else of trying to prove a point, when indeed all that was being pointed out was that (on both occasions) you had paid too much for something (that you had written as fact and later accepted was incorrect).

Apology accepted,

Spantrout.

OooooooooooooooH Had my wrist well and truly slapped there. So sorry everyone but thanks for the karmas that 2 kinder folks have given me. I won't do it again spantrout promise! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

and a merry xmas to you too.

I think when it comes to buying logs its a case of where you are and who you know? for instance our first year we paid 80lv but once we had settled and got to know people around us we soon learned where to go and what to pay and to even barter so on average now we pay 50/60lv. Not to sure how much we spent this year on heating because I always keep the logs topped up all year so they never run out.