# Large Apartment complex help !!



## silvetouch (Jul 29, 2004)

I just got this apartment complex and i've done big places before, but i think i would like some advice on this 1. The outside row of condos have short driveways (enough) for 1 car to park and a little bit of walking room. I think they are roughly 20' long and 24' wide. I put a yellow mark on the condos that have the drives. I was trying to see what the most efficient way to do them was. Here is my list of options i came up with for the driveways :
1. ATV w/ plow
2. bobcat 
3. just plow truck to push to the side of driveway
4. 45" snow blower.

Also, for the remainder of the property, what would you recommend for the # of trucks and how long would you estimate it taking? Most of our apartments, i try and have mostly V-Plows, but sometimes a straight plow might be in there too.

Thanks in advance for anyone's advice!!!


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## REAPER (Nov 23, 2004)

Back blade, pull into street/lot and have truck/plow push it off.


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## stackmaster (Nov 6, 2008)

silvetouch;859004 said:


> I just got this apartment complex and i've done big places before, but i think i would like some advice on this 1. The outside row of condos have short driveways (enough) for 1 car to park and a little bit of walking room. I think they are roughly 20' long and 24' wide. I put a yellow mark on the condos that have the drives. I was trying to see what the most efficient way to do them was. Here is my list of options i came up with for the driveways :
> 1. ATV w/ plow
> 2. bobcat
> 3. just plow truck to push to the side of driveway
> ...


Man, with a place that size I would be looking at a skid steer. Looks like it would be useful in many areas here. Do you have dedicated areas to pile snow?? Are you doing the walks as well??? How many employees do you have???


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## silvetouch (Jul 29, 2004)

stackmaster;859016 said:


> Man, with a place that size I would be looking at a skid steer. Looks like it would be useful in many areas here. Do you have dedicated areas to pile snow?? Are you doing the walks as well??? How many employees do you have???


i am trying to steer away from a skid steer ( if i can), because ours are already tied up on another lot and loading salt, so if i use a skid steer, i will either have to rent which is too much $$$, or sub to some1 else with a skid steer.which is significantly higher than any truck. 
As far as dedicated areas, basically they're are ok with just not blocking anyone in. 
And no walkways have to be done, maintenance does those.


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## silvetouch (Jul 29, 2004)

REAPER;859015 said:


> Back blade, pull into street/lot and have truck/plow push it off.


REAPER, that was my initial thought was pulling everything into the main street and pushing elsewhere. I think that would be fine unless we get a really major storm, because there such small drives.


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## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

That place is a maze! I'm going to give an opinion on this but realize I've never done a place like that. I do however know how larger companies in my area do them. Skidsteer!! I really believe for efficiency you have to bring at least 2. If I was going to try to do it I would bring 3 trucks and 2 skids. I would think it would take me 3-5 Hrs. based on snowfall amount. Pray you don't get anything over 7" or you'll be buried with nowhere to put snow.


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## silvetouch (Jul 29, 2004)

WIPensFan;859116 said:


> That place is a maze! I'm going to give an opinion on this but realize I've never done a place like that. I do however know how larger companies in my area do them. Skidsteer!! I really believe for efficiency you have to bring at least 2. If I was going to try to do it I would bring 3 trucks and 2 skids. I would think it would take me 3-5 Hrs. based on snowfall amount. Pray you don't get anything over 7" or you'll be buried with nowhere to put snow.


yeah, i have a good game plan down i think for the majority of the complex. I'm thinkin 3 or 4 trucks with V plows for 5" or less. I just don't know if i should tie up another truck backdragging those driveways or put a sidewalk crew on it with the 45" snowblower and atv w/ plow. i'm trying to avoid the skid steer unless we get a bigger storm and its absolutely necessary. They're not going to pay more for a skid steer being there unless its to move big mounds of snow.


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

silvetouch;859101 said:


> or sub to some1 else with a skid steer.which is significantly higher than any truck.





silvetouch;859289 said:


> i'm trying to avoid the skid steer unless we get a bigger storm and its absolutely necessary. They're not going to pay more for a skid steer being there unless its to move big mounds of snow.


Not true.......spend a little time looking.

You should not spend more $$ for a skid steer with an operator than a plow truck with an operator. Production wise a skid steer will not outperform a plow truck ~ plenty of guys out there willing to make a deal with you at the regular plow rate.


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## silvetouch (Jul 29, 2004)

TCLA;859312 said:


> Not true.......spend a little time looking.
> 
> You should not spend more $$ for a skid steer with an operator than a plow truck with an operator. Production wise a skid steer will not outperform a plow truck ~ plenty of guys out there willing to make a deal with you at the regular plow rate.


yeah used to think so, most guys i talked to wanted like 95 -100 an hour. There's no way to pay that on this account, especially being a seasonal contract. i don't know, i'm going back and forth on both the money of certain equipment, but also the efficiency of the different options as well.


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

silvetouch;859328 said:


> yeah used to think so, most guys i talked to wanted like 95 -100 an hour.


I don't mind repeating......spend a little more time looking, they're out there.

They will help tremendously in that place. Could be you have experience in apartment complexes, I don't know. However line yourself up with a couple skid steers cause if you end up here.................

View attachment **** Creek.bmp


at least you will have paddles.

Good luck to you.


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## JR Snow Removal (Jul 16, 2008)

[URL=http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&client=safari&q=richmond+mi&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Richmond,+Macomb,+Michigan&gl=us&ei=0Wj8StrWEoaMnQeDod2KBQ&ved=0CAoQ8gEwAA&t=k&ll=42.803847,-82.745129&spn=0.003778,0.006866&z=17&iwloc=A&output=embed]http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&client=safari&q=richmond+mi&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Richmond,+Macomb,+Michigan&gl=us&ei=0Wj8StrWEoaMnQeDod2KBQ&ved=0CAoQ8gEwAA&t=k&ll=42.803847,-82.745129&spn=0.003778,0.006866&z=17&iwloc=A&output=embed
View Larger Map[/URL]

We did this place with just trucks last year most of the time just 2 with straight bldes and sometimes 3 trucks. 3-5in took about 3-4 hours alot of back blading between each complex is a parking area with 4 garage doors on each side facing each other so we had to back blade them then push it straight back to the snow relief zone (if there wasn't any cars parked in it) The only time a loader was there was to haul snow when the piles got to big.


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## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

See, one thing your forgetting about, skidsteers were made for these places! They can work in tight areas and forward and reverse till the cows come home, without causing too much wear & tear on the machine. The pick-up however is being abused wether you think so or not. It was designed to drive forward and haul furniture. So when you say you can't afford a skidsteer on site, can you afford a new transmission every 2-3 Yrs.? Try to think ahead, maybe you'll actually save money in the long run.


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## JR Snow Removal (Jul 16, 2008)

JR Snow Removal;859375 said:


> We did this place with just trucks last year most of the time just 2 with straight bldes and sometimes 3 trucks. 3-5in took about 3-4 hours alot of back blading between each complex is a parking area with 4 garage doors on each side facing each other so we had to back blade them then push it straight back to the snow relief zone (if there wasn't any cars parked in it) The only time a loader was there was to haul snow when the piles got to big.


Now I see where your coming from my pic is not there anymore makes sense now. I was gonna say I have never seen or plowed the lot you posted!


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## silvetouch (Jul 29, 2004)

JR Snow Removal;859693 said:


> Now I see where your coming from my pic is not there anymore makes sense now. I was gonna say I have never seen or plowed the lot you posted!


yeah... just sent you another PM.... but yeah i was confused for minute.. but i see now that your picture wasn't there. i thought you were saying you plowed the place i am doing this year. i gotcha now though.


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## big acres (Nov 8, 2007)

I agree on the skid. If your concerned about price of subbing one, then assign a fixed amount of hours for the guy and specific areas or duties. Let him back drag the tightest stuff first and then the more open stuff until he hits the cap of hours and moves on to his other accounts... basically prepping the site for efficient truck work for you.

Sounds like you have the pushing well covered with trucks, but they can't compete with a skid for qaulity back-dragging heavy snow. Just my .02


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## lawnproslawncar (Dec 9, 2007)

I bet blowerman has the answer on here ;-] TV-140 with the good ole pronovost blower!...oh, and a truck or skid


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