# Bidding Townhome HOA Driveways, walks, and private roads



## Dlandscaping (Aug 24, 2016)

I have been in the snowplowing business for a number of years now, handled some big lots. I got a call on a HOA Town home looking for a bid. I've done condo HOA but never done a Town Home association. Do you guys generally take the number of drives x a number then add in public walks, and private roads? For example if a HOA has 45 drives, 35 x $40.00= 1800.00 then add in the time for .5 mile of private roads, and 1 mile of public sidewalks? I am thinking of using a Skid with a pusher and couple now blowers, or a number of snow blowers and my trucks. Just trying to see what others do.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Whats the difference between the Condo and the townhouse parking area. You meaning separate drives instead of one big lot? The amount of drives would be helpful. 35 drives and 200 drives would require different equipment. The public road I would use a truck. Have you done a mile of walk with walk behind blowers before on one site and comfortable with the outcome?


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

What is your average snow and how many large snows do you get a year? Like Fred said, depending on the size and the different equipment you'll use can change the price per drive. A mile isn't bad for walks. We average about 40-50 minutes with a few inches per mile per man (down and back to clear a 3' walk). I don't think a skid with a pusher is the best option, but that's just me.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Let's see an aerial shot of the property in question. Without seeing it, we might as well throw darts blindfolded.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

JMHConstruction said:


> What is your average snow and how many large snows do you get a year? Like Fred said, depending on the size and the different equipment you'll use can change the price per drive. A mile isn't bad for walks. We average about 40-50 minutes with a few inches per mile per man (down and back to clear a 3' walk). I don't think a skid with a pusher is the best option, but that's just me.


We don't have any 3' walk here, 4' and 5'. I don't use walk behind blowers, 40-50 min. sounds like a pretty good performance in a mile of walk. Got to be making a little coin. I would not use a skid either. Thumbs Up


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

FredG said:


> We don't have any 3' walk here, 4' and 5'. I don't use walk behind blowers, 40-50 min. sounds like a pretty good performance in a mile of walk. Got to be making a little coin. I would not use a skid either. Thumbs Up


Maybe because not too many walk around here and the idiots on bikes use the middle of the road:realmad:, but the only place we see 4-5' walks are commercial.


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

With the info given I see a couple choices, Pickup with a V up front and back blade or a Skid with a Kage or SnowWolf Quadroplow for the driveways and road. The sidewalks a Snowrator or compact tractor with cab/blower for the walks. Have two guys dealing with walks going from the driveway to the homes.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Sorta depends on what he owns, The skid would work but I don't like getting stuffed in it and possible viability issues. I would be much more comfortable in a truck with V and a pull behind.


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

FredG said:


> Sorta depends on what he owns, The skid would work but I don't like getting stuffed in it and possible viability issues. I would be much more comfortable in a truck with V and a pull behind.


I agree..... That's why they're called options....
Since I don't have a skid the P/U front/back plow would be my choice and since I have a ATV with a plow I'd used that and a blower when needed.


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## Dlandscaping (Aug 24, 2016)

A condo association is set up more like an apartment building, multiple units in one or a couple buildings and one or a couple open parking lots. A town home association is each house has their own driveway. So for a town home association it would be like having 40 residential driveways all right next to each other. 

This bid is for 40 driveways and 3 private roads, and public walks ways. The driveways are not huge, which is nice, maybe 2 cars deep and 2 wide on average, some longer drives and some shorter drives. 

I am in the Chicago land area, so snowfall? some years like two years ago we got pounded, From January to March I was out plowing every weekend and once or twice during the week. This past winter I think I plowed 5 times from November to March. So it really varies but I plan on 12 to 15 plowable snows. 

I have a v-plow, straight blades, and a number of snow blowers. So with the equipment and man power I have, I could throw a number of guys out there to clear the drives and just use the trucks to clear the private roads. However I am debating of buying a skid steer for summer and winter use.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

I would invest in a back blade for the V blade truck, You should be able to handle it all with that besides the sidewalk. Man hours add up quickly. You say plan on 12 to 15 events. I would want 25 events if bidding seasonal. 2 to 3 man crew should be all you need. Honestly I see it as a 2 man job.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Cheapest option is adding a back blade to a truck. Personally, I would go against the grain and say to run a straight blade with wings and back blade truck there. You'll find pretty quickly with back blades that you don't use the front blade nearly as much. 

Personal opinion here, but I don't see a skid saving much time (no more than 10%) here compared to a back blade. If you want to save time on drives you need a tractor and inverted blower. 

Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Or


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

See above, then just use the v to scoop the snow into a pile.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

There is only one back blade made worth owning. Call Ebling and Son, and ask for Wade.


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## Dlandscaping (Aug 24, 2016)

I have never looked into a back blade. I will look into that as an option as well! Not too many contractors around here have those, but I think the idea makes a lot of sense. I would want 25 as well but generally we only get on average 10-15 plowable snows a year and get close to 20-25 salts in a season.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

The inverted mentioned above will be your best option. It will out perform the truck. If I was into drives this would be my choice. I would probably want at least 200 drives to make the investment. The pull behind will work tho.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

John_DeereGreen said:


> There is only one back blade made worth owning. Call Ebling and Son, and ask for Wade.


Oh, I don't know........that SnoKontrol says it will triple my production in 1/3 of the time.

Wouldn't that be like a 600% increase in productivity?

I wonder if this is verifiable. I need to look into one of these.

Weird thing is, it looks exactly like the SwingWing\B&B back blade.


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

The SnoKontrol does have a one-up on the Ebling. Their cylinders are located on the inside (truck side) of the plow. They are more protected. Ebling cylinders are on the outside of the plow. They can get damaged if you try to get cute tucking a pile of crusty snow, or when one backs into something.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

TCLA said:


> The SnoKontrol does have a one-up on the Ebling. Their cylinders are located on the inside (truck side) of the plow. They are more protected. Ebling cylinders are on the outside of the plow. They can get damaged if you try to get cute tucking a pile of crusty snow, or when one backs into something.


Good to see you were able to wade through the Russian mail order bride and grow light ads. Thumbs Up:laugh:

The only cylinders we've broken are from ripping the clevis apart or something of the like. Never broke one backing into a pile or more solid object. Popped a line or two, but not a cylinder.

What do I really know though, I'm a childish buffoon. :terribletowel::terribletowel::terribletowel:

It does sound like experience talking however. Maybe someone was distracted by the mail order bride or smoke...........:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

TCLA said:


> The SnoKontrol does have a one-up on the Ebling. Their cylinders are located on the inside (truck side) of the plow. They are more protected. Ebling cylinders are on the outside of the plow. They can get damaged if you try to get cute tucking a pile of crusty snow, or when one backs into something.


Have no experience with either or any back plow.... Having the cylinder on the back side of the blade protects them from being pelted with road slop when traveling from property to property. They'll also be easy to service as needed along with cleaning/washing down.


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Good to see you were able to wade through the Russian mail order bride and grow light ads. Thumbs Up:laugh:
> 
> The only cylinders we've broken are from ripping the clevis apart or something of the like. Never broke one backing into a pile or more solid object. Popped a line or two, but not a cylinder.
> 
> ...


Popping the lines seem to be a common occurrence. And keep a bag of sheer bolts with you at all times.

Yeah, I can barely see what I'm doing with all the add distractions. Seems to be sucking the air right out of the room. Get's me overwhelmed and makes me nervous. But I wouldn't call you a buffoon......


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Good to see you were able to wade through the Russian mail order bride and grow light ads. Thumbs Up:laugh:
> 
> The only cylinders we've broken are from ripping the clevis apart or something of the like. Never broke one backing into a pile or more solid object. Popped a line or two, but not a cylinder.
> 
> ...


We've popped a couple lines, but that's collateral damage of the shear bolt breaking and the cylinder getting wedged in between the moldboard supports before I learned to rotate them so the fittings are angled back slightly. We keep a bag of shear bolts, washers and nuts in each truck. Instead of using the nylock nuts, we just double nut the bolt.

The only thing I'd like to see Ebling do is a universal mount that doesn't require different length forks and moving them around to adjust width but I understand why this is difficult.


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