FRIDAY · BORING-BUSINESS UPGRADE · NO. 042
Your tree isn't junk.
It's $1,200 of black walnut.
Homeowners spend $400–$3,000 to remove a mature tree they assume is worthless. The truth: a healthy walnut, white oak, or cherry can be worth thousands in board feet — and the right portable sawmill will pay you to take it.
Free · 30-second AI valuation · No signup required
The flip
Old way
You pay the arborist to haul your tree to the landfill
- 3 quotes. Each one a few thousand dollars.
- Tree gets chipped, mulched, or burned.
- Lumber worth $1,000–$5,000 ends up as wood chips.
- You feel taken.
Plankworth way
The mill pays you. Then hauls it free.
- Snap one photo. AI valuates in 30 seconds.
- If it's salvage-grade, we route to vetted mills in 50 miles.
- You get cash offers within 48 hours.
- Mill removes the tree at no charge. You keep the difference.
How Plankworth works
Snap & valuate
Upload one tree photo. AI identifies species, estimates board feet, gives a defensible value range based on current retail lumber prices.
Mills bid
If your wood is saw-quality, we ping vetted portable-sawmill operators in your area. You get cash offers within 48 hours.
Get paid · free haul
Pick the offer you like. The mill removes the tree at no cost and pays you for the wood. We take a small commission from them, not you.
FOR PORTABLE SAWMILLS & ARBORISTS
Steady inbound. Vetted leads. Pay-when-you-close.
Pick your tier. Cancel anytime. The Scout tier is free forever.
Scout
Free
- Email alerts for new leads
- Basic public mill profile
- 15% transaction fee on closed deals
Most chosen
Pro
$49 /mo
- Priority routing in your zip codes
- 10% transaction fee (vs 15%)
- Payout dashboard + invoicing
- Verified-mill badge
Mill
$149 /mo
- Everything in Pro
- Multi-state coverage
- First-look on premium logs (walnut, quartersawn oak)
- 5% transaction fee
- Dedicated success manager
Common questions
Is the AI valuation accurate enough to trust?
Treat it as a defensible range, not a final offer. The AI uses the Doyle log rule, current retail board-foot pricing, and visible cues (species, bark, trunk condition). The final price is set by the mill after on-site inspection. We've found AI estimates land within ±20% of mill offers in most cases.
What trees are actually valuable?
The big winners: black walnut, white oak (especially quartersawn), cherry, sugar maple. Diameter matters — under ~18" DBH, most mills will pass. Hollow trunks, heavy lean, embedded metal (fencing, nails) reduce or eliminate value.
How do I know the mill won't damage my property?
Every mill in our network is verified to carry $1M general liability insurance and provides references. We mediate any disputes. You sign nothing until you accept an offer in writing.
What if my tree isn't valuable?
Most aren't, and we'll tell you that straight up. The AI valuation is still useful — it gives you leverage to negotiate the standard tree-removal quote (cite that the wood will be chipped, ask them to factor the chips' resale into their price).
Where does Plankworth operate?
The AI valuator works everywhere. The mill marketplace starts in OH, IN, PA, MI, IL, NY, and WA — these have the densest portable-sawmill networks. Other states coming as we onboard mills.
Get notified when a mill in your area is buying.
Drop your email. We'll only ping you when a buyer is actively looking for your species and ZIP. No newsletters. No spam. No daily emails.