# Salt prices



## MC5LawnservicesLLC (Nov 20, 2018)

How do you handle the fluctuations in salt pricing? I don’t want to get burned. But customers are getting upset when I tell them salt prices have doubled in our area


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

MC5LawnservicesLLC said:


> How do you handle the fluctuations in salt pricing? I don't want to get burned. But customers are getting upset when I tell them salt prices have doubled in our area


We tell them to do there own research and check with other companies. Were all paying close to the same.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

MC5LawnservicesLLC said:


> How do you handle the fluctuations in salt pricing? I don't want to get burned. But customers are getting upset when I tell them salt prices have doubled in our area


Your costs have doubled (potentially)
That doesn't mean their costs has to double.
The increase on salt prices didn't happen yesterday, it's S&D....


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## MC5LawnservicesLLC (Nov 20, 2018)

LapeerLandscape said:


> We tell them to do there own research and check with other companies. Were all paying close to the same.


Ok thanks


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## cjames808 (Dec 18, 2015)

This was known early this summer. Next time plan ahead with adjusted pricing right away. And prices are now over double from last season for bulk here in wi. 

Bagged seems unaffected, for now. 

Do you sell by the ton or application?


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## fireside (Mar 1, 2008)

I have a fair market value clause as of nov 1. Any increase in pricing above that are subject to surcharges. I did use it al few years ago when half way thur the season we ran out of salt in CT. Pricing went from 54 to 150 per ton it was all over the news. I did get one complaint so I offered to show them the bill from oct to February. instant problem solved


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

The labor, overhead etc is going to be the same, the material costs change...

So in theory if you are 1/3 material, 1/3 labor/OH and 1/3 profit.
for easy numbers 100, 100 and 100
NOW with doubled material prices its 200,100, 100
Not 200.200,200.

Make sure you still have your mark up on material.
So in the first example if you had a 20% material markup, thats 120, 100, 100 so the price is 320.
Now with more expensive material, its 240, 100, 100 so the price is 440.00


again the numbers are not REAL costs just the place holders for the affect of material costs on pricing theory.


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

Salt prices in my area have been stable for as long as I can remember .Checked last week and straight salt was 58$ ton treated around 88$ ton. If your concerned lock in your salt pricing pre season and price jobs accordingly or add language to your contracts to help mitigate risks.


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## crazedtodo (Nov 22, 2018)

I am interested to find some salt in the Kansas City area for around $80 a ton


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## The Snow Punishers (Sep 30, 2018)

Damn I am buying salt in the wrong packaging lmao by the ton is the way to go...


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

leigh said:


> Salt prices in my area have been stable for as long as I can remember .Checked last week and straight salt was 58$ ton treated around 88$ ton. If your concerned lock in your salt pricing pre season and price jobs accordingly or add language to your contracts to help mitigate risks.


You would make out good shipping it here...salt yards are selling it for $195/ton Cdn


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## crazedtodo (Nov 22, 2018)

Where in Kansas can I get Salt?


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## marksland31 (Dec 2, 2007)

Damm we need to find out where they are getting there salt from and ship into michigan.
People are buying bardges overseas and train containers.
I am ordering semi trucks of bag salt before them prices go up or run out


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## marksland31 (Dec 2, 2007)

It was good idea to check before sending out contracts and always put in contracts salt prices can change at any given time.
Our prices went up about 1/3 .
150 per ton installed in the past is now 225 per ton installed.
Tpendagast is exactly right on target.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

crazedtodo said:


> Where in Kansas can I get Salt?


kansas salt...


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

Mr.Markus said:


> You would make out good shipping it here...salt yards are selling it for $195/ton Cdn


 Retail here is 120 -140. I guess I could hijack the barge and head over to the great lakes,have to see if my gps works on a boat ! I'm 15 min from Gateway terminal in New Haven so its lower priced because of shipping. Price doesn't matter if its stable and everybody has access at the same price. Its those price spikes that will sink you.


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

With no snow lately or in the near future has anyone checked the price of salt. Just looked on Craiglist and its all over the place from $95. to $160. I think a couple more weeks like this and the price will drop. Yesterday our salt supplier called and ask if we wanted another load trying to get rid of it. A month ago he said he wasnt sure if we could even get more.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

LapeerLandscape said:


> With no snow lately or in the near future has anyone checked the price of salt. Just looked on Craiglist and its all over the place from $95. to $160. I think a couple more weeks like this and the price will drop. Yesterday our salt supplier called and ask if we wanted another load trying to get rid of it. A month ago he said he wasnt sure if we could even get more.


There's a guy with a pony tail on here that was trying to sell some salt the other day I believe, I'll have to find the post.

On the flip side, Winter doesn't start until tomorrow and we've gotten storms well into April...
But dedcon did say it was over the other day...


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

I haven't seen it come down in price yet. It is still early like BossPlow says. Technically it's not winter yet, so there's still plenty of time to get our normal 6 or so weeks of winter work in. Skating by with very little December snow doesn't help with the per-push and per-app sites. It can start anytime now.


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

Depends on where on the continent the snow is 
We’ve been getting hit in Alaska 
Salt reserves are out 
Guess where they rail car it in from?
Yeap
The lower 48
Mainly Utah from what I understand but it can come from other locations in the Midwest,
So just because you’re not getting winter weather doesn’t mean some other schmo isn’t buying it out from under your nose... 
wait! It was here a minute ago! Where did it go? 
Salt mines are in a few places 
Salt gets used everywhere.

Someone somewhere is chewing through salt.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

tpendagast said:


> Someone somewhere is chewing through salt.


That would be wayne county. They salt the frost and fog....


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Luther said:


> It can start anytime now.


Disagreed...


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## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Disagreed...


X 2


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## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Disagreed...


I think when he doesn't see me on a consistent basis he gets sad


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## cjames808 (Dec 18, 2015)

We have been cold called from two local paving companies with salt domes. “Do you need any salt?” Offering cash deals. They can eat it. 

Maybe first December with no winter billing for us. Go figure we dont have any large seasonal contracts just a few. 

It’s 44 degs so just another month of tree work...


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## jonniesmooth (Dec 5, 2008)

cjames808 said:


> We have been cold called from two local paving companies with salt domes. "Do you need any salt?" Offering cash deals. They can eat it.
> 
> Maybe first December with no winter billing for us. Go figure we dont have any large seasonal contracts just a few.
> 
> It's 44 degs so just another month of tree work...


We were out 4 times in Nov. Twice for 2"+, twice for +/- 1". I billed the month early, on the 27th, sure enough we had to go out on the 29th, so I'll bill that with our 1 +/- 1" from Dec. ( So far) forecast says maybe something on Saturday and next Thursday. But we'll see .


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## Ne1 (Jan 15, 2007)

We were notified by the salt mine two weeks ago they are not releasing any more product to commercial contractors for the foreseeable future. The state, city, and municipality's are taking everything.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Ne1 said:


> We were notified by the salt mine two weeks ago they are not releasing any more product to commercial contractors for the foreseeable future. The state, city, and municipality's are taking everything.


They never released any to contractors here and will not be. At least Compass isn't.


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/for/d/3000-tons-rock-salt/6777804312.html


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

I hope all these greedy sob salt brokers get a tree the size of a California redwood broken off in their arse when the winter goes to hell and doesn’t snow.


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## fireside (Mar 1, 2008)

I have a question what where you guys paying for salt before? I hear so much talk of price. Overall around here 65 to 110 straight salt is not bad. I buy bulk loads so I’m paying less than that for magic.


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## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

EWSplow said:


> https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/for/d/3000-tons-rock-salt/6777804312.html


Brown disguised as good salt


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Is your salt that thin? That crap is like powder


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## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

JMHConstruction said:


> Is your salt that thin? That crap is like powder


A lot of fines


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Defcon 5 said:


> Brown disguised as good salt


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

JMHConstruction said:


> Is your salt that thin? That crap is like powder


Sometimes...this year, yes. The Moroccan brown is pretty fine.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Sometimes...this year, yes. The Moroccan brown is pretty fine.


I love Morocan salt, just had some the other night. Paired nicely with belly dancers...
https://g.co/kgs/9c1agT


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## cjames808 (Dec 18, 2015)

Our salt is brown (imported) and white (from somewhere). The melting power is so diverse!


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

cjames808 said:


> Our salt is brown (imported) and white (from somewhere). The melting power is so diverse!


Egypt


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

cjames808 said:


> Our salt is brown (imported) and white (from somewhere). The melting power is so diverse!


You mixed brown (Egyptian) with white? Or is that the way it came?


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## cjames808 (Dec 18, 2015)

We loaded with brown early on and used a bunch and got re-filled with white. Now it’s mulatta salt. 

I should have waited cause we like the Morton blue and couldn’t get it until now. Whatever. We have some salt to sell/use like everyone else.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

BossPlow2010 said:


> Egypt


Moroccan is brown also.


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

From what I’ve read and seen salt is salt 

The purity of what you’re using matters as far as “melting power”

If your salt is 100% pure with no water content (technically impossible) it would have more melting power than an equal amount of salt that was 90% pure with 10% water content, 

A grain of salt in its self is no more salty or less so than another, but bulk salt can range its its purity and water content.
If it chunks up easily and gets hard there’s a lot of water content.

One of the reasons why brine works well is the variety of conditions is removed... ie its salinity and purity are known and constant 

You can make a bad batch of brine for sure, but that’s your fault or your suppliers for not testing it right. 

Also technically/in theory brine uses less salt to do the same job so your salt supply will stretch farther if you’re using brine rather than solid.
I’m not sure I’m 100% sold on that truth, yet.
Jury is still out 
But that’s what the “experts say”


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## Ajlawn1 (Aug 20, 2009)

tpendagast said:


> Also technically/in theory brine uses less salt to do the same job so your salt supply will stretch farther if you're using brine rather than solid.
> I'm not sure I'm 100% sold on that truth, yet.
> Jury is still out
> But that's what the "experts say"


Who? Experts that sell brine spraying units...


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

tpendagast said:


> From what I've read and seen salt is salt
> 
> The purity of what you're using matters as far as "melting power"
> 
> ...


 Hmmm..


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## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

Beg to differ there - moisture plays a huge part but particle size is a big deal too. This Morracan Mud Egyptian Crap is almost powdery, not enough big stuff in there for longevity.


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## cjames808 (Dec 18, 2015)

framer1901 said:


> Beg to differ there - moisture plays a huge part but particle size is a big deal too. This Morracan Mud Egyptian Crap is almost powdery, not enough big stuff in there for longevity.


Agreed. Works quick but almost no residual. Clumps on our spinners when real damp out. But not bad. Easy to see when applied. Enhanced visual metering.


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

cjames808 said:


> We loaded with brown early on and used a bunch and got re-filled with white. Now it's mulatta salt.
> 
> I should have waited cause we like the Morton blue and couldn't get it until now. Whatever. We have some salt to sell/use like everyone else.


The morton blue isn't blue, its a pinkish color. they wouldn't sell to you until now?


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

tpendagast said:


> From what I've read and seen salt is salt
> 
> The purity of what you're using matters as far as "melting power"
> 
> ...


Experts ignore the limitations of brine as well. Of which there are several.

PS Been experimenting and using liquids since 2001...does that qualify me as an expert?


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## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Experts ignore the limitations of brine as well. Of which there are several.
> 
> PS Been experimenting and using liquids since 2001...does that qualify me as an expert?


Expert....No....Afficiando ....Yes


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## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

framer1901 said:


> Beg to differ there - moisture plays a huge part but particle size is a big deal too. This Morracan Mud Egyptian Crap is almost powdery, not enough big stuff in there for longevity.


That's Eggzakly what my wife complains about me...Not Enough big stuff and Longevity


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Experts ignore the limitations of brine as well. Of which there are several.
> 
> PS Been experimenting and using liquids since 2001...does that qualify me as an expert?


I Saudi wasn't entirely sold on the idea of it

Only been doing liquid 4 years 
It's like that picture of the Big Mac (that's actually promised)
How come my kool aid I bought never does what's promised /looks like the picture?

Granular salt is 100% (for arguements sake) salt 
Brine is 23% salt 
So when I add either to a whole bunch of frozen water and dilution happens I need a whole lot more of that liquid than they "claim" 
Which takes a whole lot longer to apply than the right amount of granular salt.

Am I tracking? 
Because that's my experience with it (so far)

FWIW pre wetted salt seems to work the best/fastest

Solids seems to have superior residual To liquid

All the liquid "calculators" seem to ignore the increase of labor/time required to preapply, apply, reapply .... reapply... reapply liquid vs simply applying solid/granular salt.

My previous experience has always been with magic treated salt piles and spreading with a standard truck mounted salt spreader (since 2001)

I didn't start liquid apps until 2014


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

tpendagast said:


> I Saudi wasn't entirely sold on the idea of it
> 
> Only been doing liquid 4 years
> It's like that picture of the Big Mac (that's actually promised)
> ...


 Very astute and reasonable observations.Thumbs Up I'm not really sure why you had to mention your nationality though!


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

Mark Oomkes said:


> ...does that qualify me as an expert?


On everything?


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

LapeerLandscape said:


> On everything?


Well?


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Well?


I think so but the guy that bought the Meyer plow might disagree.


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Experts ignore the limitations of brine as well. Of which there are several.
> 
> PS Been experimenting and using liquids since 2001...does that qualify me as an expert?


Everyone knows it takes 40 years to become an expert.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)




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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

EWSplow said:


> Everyone knows it takes 40 years to become an expert.


34 years doesnt quite get it.


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

Ok guys, if you don't have anything constructive to add please refrain from commenting .Back on topic please. (practicing for a moderating gig)


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Practicing your saltiness, you might say.


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

leigh said:


> Very astute and reasonable observations.Thumbs Up I'm not really sure why you had to mention your nationality though!


It's siri 
She thinks us Irishmen come from the Middle East apparently 
Keeps changing random stuff after I type it, not sure why

Editing anything on a smart phone on this website is terrible 
Mobile version is just bad.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

tpendagast said:


> It's siri
> She thinks us Irishmen come from the Middle East apparently
> Keeps changing random stuff after I type it, not sure why
> 
> ...


I find it easier in landscape view when editing, otherwise my cursor thing types in the middle of the paragraph


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

BossPlow2010 said:


> I find it easier in landscape view when editing, otherwise my cursor thing types in the middle of the paragraph


If I quote something I can't scroll to what I need

Maybe I'll try landscape view

Very hard to type that way though 
I pretty much type with one thumb at 35 words a minute.
Turn it to the side and it becomes hunt n peck 
Guess I'm left thumb challenged


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

leigh said:


> Ok guys, if you don't have anything constructive to add please refrain from commenting .Back on topic please. (practicing for a moderating gig)


Needing some extra xmas cash?


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