# bulk salt prices.



## lawnkale (Dec 4, 2008)

i switched to bulk salt about 5 years ago and have been at .26 to .30 per lb ever since. For some reason this year i have been getting my ass kick on the bid table. Very loyal customers have show me some bids from local competors at .14 to .22 per lb. am i the only one that thinks this is cheap?? any thoughts out there.


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## snocrete (Feb 28, 2009)

lawnkale;809999 said:


> i switched to bulk salt about 5 years ago and have been at .26 to .30 per lb ever since. For some reason this year i have been getting my ass kick on the bid table. Very loyal customers have show me some bids from local competors at .14 to .22 per lb. am i the only one that thinks this is cheap?? any thoughts out there.


You bid by the pound?.....Only bid by the ton around here. So from your figures your at $600/ton for material and spreading?


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

No bidding by the pound here. Only per ap or per ton.

At .14 per pound you're at $280.00 per tonne!! (for all you Canadians)

You're not even in the game around here.


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## lawnkale (Dec 4, 2008)

TCLA;810109 said:


> No bidding by the pound here. Only per ap or per ton.
> 
> At .14 per pound you're at $280.00 per tonne!! (for all you Canadians)
> 
> You're not even in the game around here.


i'm at 600 per ton. but other companies are between 280-320 per ton. I just wondering what to do. dont want to lose the work but can i do it that cheap???


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## lawnkale (Dec 4, 2008)

snocrete;810099 said:


> You bid by the pound?.....Only bid by the ton around here. So from your figures your at $600/ton for material and spreading?


yes $600.00/ Is that cheap?? other companies are cutting my legs off below $300.00/ ton


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

lawnkale;810156 said:


> i'm at 600 per ton. but other companies are between 280-320 per ton. I just wondering what to do. dont want to lose the work but can i do it that cheap???


I have a hard time believing you're paying even $100.00 per ton for your bulk. You can't make money spreading it for $180-220 per ton?!?!


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

lawnkale;810156 said:


> i'm at 600 per ton. but other companies are between 280-320 per ton. I just wondering what to do. dont want to lose the work but can i do it that cheap???


Criminy, at $280 you would be out of work by me. Even last year paying the long dollar.

Great if you can get it, but you won't be spreading much at that rate.


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## RLM (Jan 12, 2006)

Last year I had a good customer send out for other quotes. He show me one the guy was still quoting @ $ 100/ton...for treated salt applied. I was paying around $ 110/ton delivered in a flowboy (37 ton loads). Tell me you think he was putting down a ton vs billing ton. If your at $ 600/ton, your getting beat because your honest. Peronally, I very rarely if ever quote by the ton, I almost always quote either season or visit. Property owners are finally catching on they've been getting screwed on quanties, I'm seeing it in some proposals now used to be a seasonal price for plowing/shoveling the material applied at per bag, per ton, now just one price all inclusive. It's about time.


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

RLM;810423 said:


> Last year I had a good customer send out for other quotes. He show me one the guy was still quoting @ $ 100/ton...for treated salt applied. I was paying around $ 110/ton delivered in a flowboy (37 ton loads). Tell me you think he was putting down a ton vs billing ton. If your at $ 600/ton, your getting beat because your honest. Peronally, I very rarely if ever quote by the ton, I almost always quote either season or visit. Property owners are finally catching on they've been getting screwed on quanties, I'm seeing it in some proposals now used to be a seasonal price for plowing/shoveling the material applied at per bag, per ton, now just one price all inclusive. It's about time.


I absolutely hate bidding per hour, per ton, per pound, per bag.

How bout, we bid what we need, that'll be your fixed price, and if the work isnt fast enough, or the lots/sidewalks clean enough, fire us. (that never happens) but at least you know what you're going to pay going in.


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## snocrete (Feb 28, 2009)

Its amazing, but bids are coming in at anywhere from $115 - $250/ton material & spreading aroung here. I bid a small commercial job the other day that was close to another little one I got, and quoted $200/ton just to get a little extra work plowing and got laughed at. Guy told me he had 2 other bids and they were both under $130/ton :realmad:. You can only imagine what their plowing prices were like, if the salt prices were what they were......To top it all off, one of these bidders is supposed to be one of the bigger "elite" snow removal companies in the area


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

snocrete;810716 said:


> Its amazing, but bids are coming in at anywhere from $115 - $250/ton material & spreading aroung here. I bid a small commercial job the other day that was close to another little one I got, and quoted $200/ton just to get a little extra work plowing and got laughed at. Guy told me he had 2 other bids and they were both under $130/ton :realmad:. You can only imagine what their plowing prices were like, if the salt prices were what they were......To top it all off, one of these bidders is supposed to be one of the bigger "elite" snow removal companies in the area


Time for per app prices as stated above.

I've started to make the switch finally.

Problem with per ton pricing is if someone wants to go to your state's Weights and Measures dept, you will be in heap big trouble.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

snocrete;810716 said:


> Its amazing, but bids are coming in at anywhere from $115 - $250/ton material & spreading aroung here. I bid a small commercial job the other day that was close to another little one I got, and quoted $200/ton just to get a little extra work plowing and got laughed at. Guy told me he had 2 other bids and they were both under $130/ton :realmad:. You can only imagine what their plowing prices were like, if the salt prices were what they were......To top it all off, one of these bidders is supposed to be one of the bigger "elite" snow removal companies in the area


What is the cost of salt running in your area?


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## Neige (Jan 29, 2008)

For all you bulk salt users charging per ton:
Do you have a scale in your truck?
If not, have you calibrated your salter, and you know how much it spreads per minute?
Unless you load your salter with X amount and then spread it all at your client, how do you know how much you spread? Its just as Mark O pointed out, if someone wants to go to your state's Weights and Measures dept, you will be in heap big trouble.

I load my salter with 4 - 5 tons, and may hit 12 accounts. The account is either salt included, or per application price, regardless they get what is needed, without guessing how much I put down. (by the way my salter is calibrated, and I know approximately much much I spread per account each time.)
Just this past Monday I give a price to a 20,000 sq ft lot. The owner asks me how much per ton of salt application. I ask why, and he tells me he has 2 other prices and they charge $180 a ton, and that's what they will put down each time. I give him a price of $120 per application. He then asks me how much I will put down, and I explain what is needed, on average anywhere between 400-800 lbs. I explain 1 ton is way over kill, bad for the environment, and how will he know he got 1 ton of salt? I was $800 more for the plowing, and he signed right away with me. He told me he trusted my judgment.
I am not saying per ton pricing is bad, just that you should be able to prove how much you put down. My bigger concern with per ton pricing is guys spreading way to much salt, they see this as a way to increase revenue regardless of what it does to the environment. Hey if I spread 4 tons instead of two, more payup right. I know I will not be popular with this post, but it needs to be said.

Paul


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Neige;810834 said:


> For all you bulk salt users charging per ton:
> Do you have a scale in your truck?
> If not, have you calibrated your salter, and you know how much it spreads per minute?
> Unless you load your salter with X amount and then spread it all at your client, how do you know how much you spread? Its just as Mark O pointed out, if someone wants to go to your state's Weights and Measures dept, you will be in heap big trouble.
> ...


You'll always be popular to me Paul.


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## lawnkale (Dec 4, 2008)

Neige;810834 said:


> For all you bulk salt users charging per ton:
> Do you have a scale in your truck?
> If not, have you calibrated your salter, and you know how much it spreads per minute?
> Unless you load your salter with X amount and then spread it all at your client, how do you know how much you spread? Its just as Mark O pointed out, if someone wants to go to your state's Weights and Measures dept, you will be in heap big trouble.
> ...


Neige, i agree totally 90% of my bids are per time bids. I feel it equals out little more this time little less next. I asked the property manager the same question. He might be cheaper per ton, but how much salt are they billing you for. ive been plowing the property for 5 years and every time i billed 1800 lbs. I stated they might be billing you for twice the amount and put down half that amount. How do you really know!!! so lets talk everyone to bid flat rate.


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## Daddyworbucks (Oct 11, 2014)

Right on I've never priced by ton. Salt prices change during the season for service providers. So bid for what the job needs and you'll not end up losing in the long run.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

7 years old. Thread sailed off a loooooong time ago.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Daddyworbucks said:


> Right on I've never priced by ton. Salt prices change during the season for service providers. So bid for what the job needs and you'll not end up losing in the long run.


Watt???


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## Daddyworbucks (Oct 11, 2014)

True it’s an old thread but archival threads hold lots of useful info.


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