# Ballpark on this job



## J.R. Services (Aug 15, 2009)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=cearfoss+pike+hagerstown+md&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=32.80241,86.396484&ie=UTF8&ll=39.681694,-77.756231&spn=0.007778,0.021093&t=h&z=16

Can anybody give me a ballpark ont his job? Its the driveway before you get to salem church rd and the building is shaped like an L with a line in the middle of it. I already gave a price and want to see how close I am. I have the measurements for the parking lots if that would help. Thanks


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## J.R. Services (Aug 15, 2009)

Bump.......


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Sorry man, I can't figure out which one it is. If you do some searching on the site, you will quickly realize that pricing is very localized. You said driveway, but then mentioned parking areas. Is this residential or a commercial. For a guy in Maine to give you pricing might be foolish. Fewer storms per year usually means higher prices.

You should put the street address in. It will help pinpoint the property.


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## salopez (Apr 11, 2004)

Do you have any measurements for us? We are willing to help but you need to help us help you.


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## J.R. Services (Aug 15, 2009)

Address: 13321 Cearfoss Pike Hagerstown, MD 21740-1614
Each parking lot (4) is approx 50x300
Thanks for the replies


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

$1-$5,000 per push.

$.50-$500 for salt


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

You must mean the school? On the same side as the church and storage buildings? The parking lots are about 1 1/2 acres total. Should take you less than two hours, depending on the truck/plow. Looks like the road is about 800 feet. The road might take 10 minutes to make two up, two down. I would allow two hours to be safe. Depending on the hourly rate down there could be anywhere from $200 to $400 per push.


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## J.R. Services (Aug 15, 2009)

The going per hour rate is around $125-$150 including salt. At first I gave $350 for first removal of each storm and $300 per each subsequent one, but later gave an hourly rate. This was my first snow bid, didn't think I was that far off?


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

J.R. Services;815170 said:


> The going per hour rate is around $125-$150 including salt.


What does that mean? You plow for two hours, then put down almost a ton of salt in 15 minutes for $250? Ouch.



J.R. Services;815170 said:


> At first I gave $350 for first removal of each storm and $300 per each subsequent one, but later gave an hourly rate. This was my first snow bid, didn't think I was that far off?


You new guys get throw a fit when we get grumpy. Then you pull a stunt like this.:realmad:

If you gave an hourly price, why does it matter what we come up with for an estimate? If you gave a fixed price, there might be value to us helping, but not now.

To top it all off, you never told us what your hourly bid was.....

Can I send you a bill for my time trying to figure out where the building was because you couldn't clearly identify/explain where it is?


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## J.R. Services (Aug 15, 2009)

To start, I did not through a fit. I also through out a flat rate first and then just recently started asking around for an hourly rate. And i'm also not sure if they wanted a flat rate or an hourly. Sorry if I offended anyone or wasted your time. I'm just trying to figure things out
Sorry forgot to mention I'm using a standard cab 1988 F-250 7.3l 5spd with a 7.5' Meyer Plow and a meyer s1075p spreader. I gave 500 for the spreader, good deal?
So looking at 220-230 w/ salt? or charge .40/lb salt extra?


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

J.R. Services;815170 said:


> The going per hour rate is around $125-$150 including salt. ?


Including supplying salt:eck: I can dump $150 worth of salt in fifteen minutes


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## cj7plowing (Feb 7, 2009)

I think that you are going to be kicking yourself. as a couple others stated unless you are buy salt in major bulk you will dump over $100 worth of salt there easy. you arent going to be making much if you are charging hourly. 2 hours of plowing for under 300 bucks plus salt? that lot would be an easy 500 to 600 up to 5" here. 

Do yourself a favor and bid either flat rate for small parking lots and drive ways and per inch plus salt for the bigger ones. Its usually a flate rate up to 4" to 5" the plus every inch over. 

you cant plow for 2 hours and make $100 bucks if you do, you wont be in the buisness very long. Not when you own the company, that pay would be fine for driver but not when you have insurance, overhead, wear and tear on the truck,plow and salter.

Not to sound harsh but you will be a one year wonder


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## J.R. Services (Aug 15, 2009)

so my first flat rate estimate of $350 for first removal upto 3" plus $300 per each removal of up to 3" after that plus .40/lb salt is better?


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## cj7plowing (Feb 7, 2009)

yes and you will have to come up with a rate per inch over. I bet you will go thru over 200 of salt easy. This way you will never get hurt on the price and once you find the best way to plow the lot it will go faster and there for you make more money. you have to remember salting is a service on top of the snow plowing you are providing and not all customers want it, but most commercial places will require it.


for instance I have a parking lot that is a 100ftx100ft it gets sunlight for maybe 3 to 4 hours a day and they want to see blacktop. On a couple occasions it has started snowing in the morning and carried thru the day and by the time all the cars leave at night it is 1/2 compacted even with my heavy plows I can get it up. I have had occasions where I had to dump 300 pounds of rock salt and 100 pound of calcium chloride or mag, so the lot would be clear. Now when I have put that much down is charge for the material at retail and a flat rate for spreading. so I can show them that more than rock salt was needed to clean the lot.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

J.R. Services;815364 said:


> so my first flat rate estimate of $350 for first removal upto 3" plus $300 per each removal of up to 3" after that plus .40/lb salt is better?


Oh $800/ton for salt is a great price, just a little unrealistic.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

2COR517;815308 said:


> What does that mean? You plow for two hours, then put down almost a ton of salt in 15 minutes for $250? Ouch.
> 
> You new guys get throw a fit when we get grumpy. Then you pull a stunt like this.:realmad:
> 
> ...


Why do you think I gave him the figures I did?

Not even worth bothering with this question, it's ridiculous no matter how you look at it.


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## salopez (Apr 11, 2004)

PM me if you want some more local information.

keep your salt prices seperate from plowing, so you don't get screwed in an ice storm.

you have to watch out for hagerstown lowballers...maybe they come down myway and leave good contracts in hagerstown who knows!


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## Scott's (Aug 9, 2008)

Mark Oomkes;815074 said:


> $1-$5,000 per push.
> 
> $.50-$500 for salt


You hit it on the head, great job.


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