# Bidding HOA with Several Driveways



## beastmode5 (Dec 30, 2018)

Have plowed individual residential driveways over the last few years and have charged a flat per push fee. I‘ve now been asked to bid a whole community with 40+ driveways and community road. Was usually averaging $35-$45 dollars a driveway. I’m assuming they’d automatically throw my bid out if i try to price each individual drive at $45 and am in and out of a driveway in 5-10 minutes. I was thinking the best way to price this in not a flat rate per driveway but by how long it would take to plow all driveways and roadways and tack on profit with keeping my overhead in mind. Don’t want to sell myself short or eliminate myself in the door. Any feedback would truly be appreciated!


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

How long is the road ?
What is the average yearly snowfall ?
do you need to salt the road ?
how far apart are the driveways ?
Do you have to shovel any sidewalks ?
With all of your expenses included what does it cost you to operate your truck, per-hour?
And just asking for a friend, but do you have a back up truck ?


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## beastmode5 (Dec 30, 2018)

Hydromaster said:


> How long is the road ?
> What is the average yearly snowfall ?
> do you need to salt the road ?
> how far apart are the driveways ?
> ...


Not too concerned with the road.Yes there will be shoveling involved along with salting. This is a private community so all homes are within seconds from one another. 45" of snowfall avg. I guess my main concern is scaring them away by pricing each driveway at my standard rate. I don't think that's possible given that there are so many driveways close to one another. I'm more thinking this will be based on time and what we try to avg. an hour per truck and what we avg. an hour per shoveler. Yes we have back up trucks and plows. Learned this the hard way two seasons ago. Looking for the most common or practical way of pricing the driveways. Thanks!


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

Right, 

So how many drives can you clear in a hr?
+ shoveling , plowing the road and salt is a commodity. 

it’s all about “time” and how much you need to make an hour to make a profit.

As I have no idea what your costs are or how much your profit margin is. 
I cannot answer your question without a lot more info. you have the answer. 

A Proficient operator with the right equipment and you’re clearing so many drives an hour, you would probably be charging around $10 - $15 a drive.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

You need to be doing drives quicker than 5-10 minutes per drive, and your driveway clearers, aren’t your sidewalk clearers.
Btw try selling them a seasonal price, not a per push price


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## beastmode5 (Dec 30, 2018)

BossPlow2010 said:


> You need to be doing drives quicker than 5-10 minutes per drive, and your driveway clearers, aren't your sidewalk clearers.
> Btw try selling them a seasonal price, not a per push price


Wow i thought 5-10 minutes on a drive was extremely efficient. Although I've seen videos of people finishing driveways in 2-3 minutes. I'm with you on the seasonals!


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

beastmode5 said:


> Wow i thought 5-10 minutes on a drive was extremely efficient. Although I've seen videos of people finishing driveways in 2-3 minutes. I'm with you on the seasonals!


How long are these driveways that are taking 5-10 minutes?

If I could charge $35-45 per time I could retire.


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Maybe a layout of the condo community would help. 
Is the snow going off to the side of each driveway, or are you pushing it to another area?
I've done these in the past and some required all the snow to be pushed down the main drive to be stacked. 
There's been several discussions on this. Maybe do a search.


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

beastmode5 said:


> I was thinking the best way to price this in not a flat rate per driveway but by how long it would take to plow all driveways and roadways and tack on profit......


You forgot to ask one of the most important questions when you met with them. How does the potential client want it priced? All inclusive? Seasonal with salt apps billed separately? Per push, per inch, per event? If they've been getting apples and you give them an orange they won't know what to do with it, or how to compare your price with your competitions price.


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

Luther said:


> You forgot to ask one of the most important questions when you met with them. How does the potential client want it priced? All inclusive? Seasonal with salt apps billed separately? Per push, per inch, per event? If they've been getting apples and you give them an orange they won't know what to do with it, or how to compare your price with your competitions price.


We dont ask, we just quote it both ways and let them decide.


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## plow4beer (Nov 16, 2016)

Luther said:


> You forgot to ask one of the most important questions when you met with them. How does the potential client want it priced? All inclusive? Seasonal with salt apps billed separately? Per push, per inch, per event? If they've been getting apples and you give them an orange they won't know what to do with it, or how to compare your price with your competitions price.





LapeerLandscape said:


> We dont ask, we just quote it both ways and let them decide.


Depending on what kind of work I'm dealing with, sometimes I don't give options..it's my way or get someone else...but I agree with Luther, you need to ask that question regardless.


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## plow4beer (Nov 16, 2016)

beastmode5 said:


> Have plowed individual residential driveways over the last few years and have charged a flat per push fee. I've now been asked to bid a whole community with 40+ driveways and community road. Was usually averaging $35-$45 dollars a driveway. I'm assuming they'd automatically throw my bid out if i try to price each individual drive at $45 and am in and out of a driveway in 5-10 minutes. I was thinking the best way to price this in not a flat rate per driveway but by how long it would take to plow all driveways and roadways and tack on profit with keeping my overhead in mind. Don't want to sell myself short or eliminate myself in the door. Any feedback would truly be appreciated!


I've worked with multiple HOA's, similar to what your describing. Anymore, I won't do them unless it's a seasonal price...I would recommend salt be a per app price or include it in your seasonal price...just depends on the situation.


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## grahambros (Aug 28, 2020)

You just need to do some quick math; 
at your 5-10 min estimate per drive (average of 7.5 mins per) multiplied by 40 units = 300 mins or 5 hours, just for the drives. @ $120 per hr (just an example rate for one guy, one truck) = $600 per push, plus the cost to do the roads and sidewalks.
We would need to know the size of the drives; because for you to think you'll average 7.5 mins per drive is very high in my opinion. We do a 20 unit HOA with one truck and one shoveler (rides in the same truck and walks house to house once on site) in about an hour. 
That's approx. 2 - 2.5 mins per drive, plus time for the roads.


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