# Am I quoting too high?



## Dobber (Dec 8, 2009)

ok, i was out in the last snow storm trying to get some accounts and almost everyone i talked too told me that i was asking way too much or that they had a guy to do it for way less. but all the lots were covered in snow. there is a gas station by me that has a huge lot, pumps out front and back with a empty space behind it that needed plowing as well. im really horriable at guessing acreage, so bear with me on this please. i think it was about 3 acres. the best i could do is tell you it would take about 1.5-2 hours to do. i told him $ 100 and he told me he had a guy to do it for $40, but he couldnt get ahold of him. after a few more stops i went to a strip mall, about 0.5-1 hour of work, and i really wanted to make some $$$ so i told the guy $50 and he told me to do it for $15. when i told him no, he actually argued with me on it trying to make me do it for $15. i had half a mind to take it, go plow his car in and leave, but i was trying to be professional. what the heck am i charging too much? i mean i hear guys charging 35ish for residential drives so i figured i was being fair with my pricing? am i charging too much? and is there a good way to come up with a number or to you just eyeball it and say a number?

thanks guys

~Joe


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## show-n-go (Feb 5, 2009)

Sounds low to me..

I stopped at this place to eat after our forst session of plowing, there was about 4 inches on the ground, i asked the mgr if he had someone to do there lot since it was a mess, his answer was a ****** yes like he was mad that i asked about it. I figured they must not have the money to get it done on a 2 inch trigger. I saw a few like this and every one that i asked said we have someone and are not interested.. I was thinking how could you be happy when the storm has been over for hours and the only tracks in your lot are from cars..


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

No, I'd say way too low. Let other people go broke or work for that little. Don't get stuff just to say you plow. There's a lot of competition for commercial accounts. As a comparison, I quit plowing for health and other reasons, but I always averaged around $125/hr but mine were all driveways taking 5-10 minutes. Look around and keep handing out business cards this winter so you'll be learning for next winter.


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## KCsnowman (Jan 8, 2010)

Just let those places see what it costs when someone slips and falls!!!


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## AndyTblc (Dec 16, 2006)

No way would I work 1 hour for only $15, if I'm going to work for $15, it's going to be a 1 car wide by 2 car long, not a whole parking lot


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## DaySpring Services (Feb 1, 2005)

I'd be looking more in the $200-300 range for 2 hours of work. You'll probably use $15 worth of gas lol


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## KCsnowman (Jan 8, 2010)

$15 might get their doorways salted, thats it


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## toptech72 (Oct 7, 2008)

I found out a long time again that whatever price you give its going to be to high. If you offered to pay them for the ability to plow their lot they would say they know someone that offered them more. When i give someone a price and they tell me its to high i just smile hand them a business card and tell them to call me if they change thier mind. About 1/3rd of them call us back to do the job.


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## hydro_37 (Sep 10, 2006)

They were just seeing how low they could get you to do the work.
Bet their "guy" doesn't do it for that...if he ever showed up.....lol


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## snowfighter75 (Mar 10, 2007)

No! I'd say your not. They're just testing you. $30 just to drop the blade. 3 acres for a $100 is a little cheap, I'd go for $110 at least. All the best!


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## JDiepstra (Sep 15, 2008)

3 acres, 3 hours, $300. 

Honestly though there are not many 3 acre gas stations. 

It's supply and demand. Right now there are 50000000000000 guys with plows, and a lot of them are going crazy low just to feel like they are working.

What you have to do is sell them on the HIGHER LEVEL OF SERVICE you provide.


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## Dobber (Dec 8, 2009)

Yes I did try to do that, but it didnt take. like i said im horriable at eyeballing measurements. in retrospect i guess that you guys are right i was quoting low, but i was out with nothing else to do in the middle of a storm and for a one time thing its really not that bad i guess. 

AND i drove by today and they werent cleared from the last snow and getting dumped on as i passed
LOL
~Joe


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## the new boss 92 (Nov 29, 2008)

you jsut have to keep putting bids in and cheacking back, show proff of insurence and maybe snap a few pictures to show the quilty work that you do. you are on the rigt track with going about it. some guys might say your low balling though.


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## REAPER (Nov 23, 2004)

An American football field, 360 feet by 160 feet, is about 1.3 acres.

An acre is *about* the size of a football field without the endzones (the part behind the goal posts. Approximate but you can find one easily and stand there and think about it.


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## plowking15 (Jan 16, 2010)

I hear what your saying. I used to plow driveways for myself,one year the truck got old and it had some major breakdowns. Stopped doing that and took job with the local highway department as winter help to plow ,sand roads with the town vehicle. When I had my plow business ,other guys had regular jobs and plowed after work,it was a hobby and most had no insurance or their pleasure vehicle had a plow. Wonder if their insurance agent know they plowed? I couldn't compete with somebody of that mentality. plowking


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## plowinginma (Oct 22, 2005)

Mick;954488 said:


> , I quit plowing for health and other reasons


I hope all is well Mick.... Wish you a happy healthy New Year!!!


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## bob00 (Sep 8, 2009)

some pepole lowball just because they like plowing but that is relly wrong

but stick to your price man don t go plowing just to work and break evean
i do residensial lot 300$ sesonal 2 inch triger about 12 to 15 event 2 car max if bigger if anything in the way , down or up hill i trow some number up and some flag down at 20$ for the same size i quoting any thing bigger at 125$/hr if they dont want my service just too bad for them

personaly i run a old truck so no truck payment and by keeping my price if my truck break i can affort calling some back up or paying extra to my mecanic to get it fix now

of cours some lowballer are in my way and do the same drive i do but for 140 sesonal and same price for a drive on a main street with a near 45 degree angle down hill toward a garage door with no place to put snow and 10$ on flag down 

and also some costumer are trying to test you and try to make you down

the most inportent thing in businisse is to make money with it
if it dosen work stop it and go in something else

i like more staying at home then going out plowing for nothing or plowing to loose


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

The cheapest I would go is as low as the average sub gets in your area . Around my area that's 60-80.00$ hr.


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

JDiepstra;955526 said:


> ... Right now there are 50000000000000 guys with plows.....


thats 50 Billion



REAPER;956141...a football field without the endzones (the part behind the goal posts. .....[/QUOTE said:


> :laughing:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## emerson (Dec 29, 2009)

You have happened upon the great truth of small business. If the sector is easy to get started in; there will be much competition and unsustainably low rates. Sectors that are expensive to get started in draw people with an understanding of the actual cost of doing sustainable business. If they have lots of resources, usually they are more likely to only do business in a way that actually makes them money in the long term. Most small time customers are cheap and haven't learned that cheap is ****. :realmad:



Dobber;954391 said:


> ok, i was out in the last snow storm trying to get some accounts and almost everyone i talked too told me that i was asking way too much or that they had a guy to do it for way less. but all the lots were covered in snow. there is a gas station by me that has a huge lot, pumps out front and back with a empty space behind it that needed plowing as well. im really horriable at guessing acreage, so bear with me on this please. i think it was about 3 acres. the best i could do is tell you it would take about 1.5-2 hours to do. i told him $ 100 and he told me he had a guy to do it for $40, but he couldnt get ahold of him. after a few more stops i went to a strip mall, about 0.5-1 hour of work, and i really wanted to make some $$$ so i told the guy $50 and he told me to do it for $15. when i told him no, he actually argued with me on it trying to make me do it for $15. i had half a mind to take it, go plow his car in and leave, but i was trying to be professional. what the heck am i charging too much? i mean i hear guys charging 35ish for residential drives so i figured i was being fair with my pricing? am i charging too much? and is there a good way to come up with a number or to you just eyeball it and say a number?
> 
> thanks guys
> 
> ~Joe


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## FisherVMan (Jan 5, 2010)

You need to be carefull with this charging; as alot of it is in your head........... the cheapies only have one thing to offer "price". I plow against a guy that has been at it for about 10 years, he himself does a fair job; but runs junk equipment, and it actually amazes me how patient people have been with them,as they are broke down about 50% of the time . Most of his customers that are now ours complained that his drivers did a lousy job, I think they were right. As they approached me over the years; I would always ask them what he was charging; and again because he runs junk, and has no insurance he was actually cheap .......... no question about it. 
We run nice stuff in tip top condition, and do extra for everyone, and they like it alot! However in EVERY case; as I picked these accounts up I have charged them MORE than he did so "Not One" of our customers ever switched to our sevice, because we were cheaper, it was always that they wanted better service . It is very easy to get into this mind set; that maybe you are charging to much; but that is almost never the case. How many RICH snowplow guys do you know plowing driveways???? Do you know any?? If you answered yes you do know one I will show you 500 that are not rich and some just barely makin it.................


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