# Menards



## ALLABOUTSNOW (Sep 26, 2008)

Is any one doing any of the Menards in Chicagoland?


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## Advantage (Nov 7, 2007)

I'm not in Chicago, but wanted to say stay away. They must be the cheapest company I have ever seen. They actually want you to use their salt and load it by hand. haha


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

ALLABOUTSNOW;1098217 said:


> Is any one doing any of the Menards in Chicagoland?


I have them all....Whats Your Question...


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## Lunarlandscape (Jan 21, 2008)

I placed a bid for Mount Prospect, Morton Grove and the warehouse in Skokie. They wanted an hourly bid price, and like mentioned above, they want you to use their salt. I heard through the grapevine that the low came in at 55.00 per hour? Crazy!!


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## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

I use to plow the local store here. It is true, they make you use salt right off the skids out of the lumberyard. I always charged them my salting price per hour to cut open and load 3 skids in my dump truck, then continued to charge them to spread the salt, as well as drive time to and from the store back to my shop. I tried to explain to them that I can provide the salt and spread it cheaper than they could even provide it in bags, but they have their own way of doing things.I finally lost the account when a couple farmers came in and under bid me using tractors, cheaper then I was getting for pick-up trucks.


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## Willis Concrete (Jan 9, 2009)

*oregon,ohio*

people are bidding the one in oregon at like $13,000-$15,000 or i think 75 an hr. not worth it. and like they are saying. thay want you to use there salt thats in bags F-that some scab can have it. and when there equipment brakes they wont have any money to fix it. and they want you to use a percent of what you are bidding it at for in store credit.


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## bullettooth81 (Sep 22, 2009)

I've worked with Menards on supplying other items. They are VERY cheap. All they see is the bottom line. Be careful!


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## mws399LAWN (Oct 26, 2009)

and if any of you have read the contract they with hold 15% till april 15, and they also have in contract that you have to sweep the lot after the season is over at your expense.

THEY ARE A BIG JOKE


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## bullettooth81 (Sep 22, 2009)

What is it with this business? Why are people so eager to plow/salt for nothing?


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## Willis Concrete (Jan 9, 2009)

bullettooth81;1099266 said:


> What is it with this business? Why are people so eager to plow/salt for nothing?


so they can look like they are makeing money by working but in the long run they are loseing and hurting others. i think everyone should just jack there price up. even the scabs


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

If I was a guy with a couple oftrucks I'd plow a menards for $75 per hour. The salting is a joke, who wants to salt for $75 per hour when u can be making $250-300 per hour with your own salt. The problem with our local menards is it went for less that $50 per hour


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

The problem is these lots should be done with a loader not pick up trucks. The store I bid on in the past was 12 acres including the lumber yard.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

I lost a Menards contract as a sub last season, 3 stores. I would have had to do it for $45 an hour with V's, less for straights. Don't know what the original contract was for, but I assume about $10 difference. And yes on using their salt, makes for a big pain in the ass.


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## Italiano67 (Feb 16, 2005)

And every year someone plows and salts them. Why should they pay more when someone is always willing to do them cheap?


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## motoxguy (Oct 17, 2010)

well if anything it is a good laugh, last year we plowed a lot right in front of the menards and got to watch possibly the most inexperienced company attempt to plow the lot with 2 jeeps with what i'm guessing had 7ft blades at best and then when the 12" storm came with they couldn't even push the snow to the designated area where it was supposed to go lol. Shortly after that the store manager came out and begged us to come in and stack all the snow with our loader since this company didn't own one or have the capabilities to get one. All for the title of saying I do one of the larger lots in the area.


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

Superior L & L;1099796 said:


> If I was a guy with a couple oftrucks I'd plow a menards for $75 per hour. The salting is a joke, who wants to salt for $75 per hour when u can be making $250-300 per hour with your own salt.


You make more $$$ than that salting...seeing you don't pay for your salt.


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## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

Italiano67;1099899 said:


> And every year someone plows and salts them. Why should they pay more when someone is always willing to do them cheap?


And unfortunately, I don\'t see this changing.

Low level of entry and what is thought to be a low level of knowledge\\expertise needed to do the work.


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## Italiano67 (Feb 16, 2005)

Exactly. you nailed it.


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

TCLA;1100158 said:


> You make more $$$ than that salting...seeing you don't pay for your salt.


Superior....Anything You would like to share with the Class?????...


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## Kollen Parsons (Oct 21, 2010)

I've been to corporate!

They are very "budget conscious"! Most of the newer stores have heated slabs at the entries and will maintain the walks. Some do ask for a rate to remove roof snow. Some want the entire lot cleared.....others want you to push to a single or multiple piles, depends on the site and manager. SALT....It is true! The back/lumber lots must be done during store hours which means having trucks staged around store hours. This can also mean additional trips. You need to work around the materials in the yards as well. The material arrangements and "cleanliness" vary from store to store. It is a part of your relationship with the manager(s) to figure it out. Their corporate has looked at multiple packages...etc. They, in our area, tend to let each store manager pick thier vendors, with a blessing of course.

Summer work is the same.....use thier fert......check in/out at the desk......give them a "budget conscious" price! 

Decide up front if this fits your business model. Don't go in expecting huge $$$$!! However, it does help pay the bills.

Compete Fairly....Bid Fairly......Work Hard! 

Just don't give it away!!!!


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## plowatnight (Mar 10, 2010)

Had a similar situation here in Rochester. My buddy took over Dads business when the cancer struck (I already had my own outfit). Dad did mowing and fert. at Menards for over 10 yrs no ??s asked. then last year they got bids and offered for him to keep the work (For half what he had been doing it for) Neat huh?


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## JD657757 (Aug 8, 2008)

I talked to the managers at the stores in Hanover Park IL, and West Chicago IL. They said they had a company doing it for 50.00 an hour. They also said the same company was charging 40.00 an hour for salting.


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## plowatnight (Mar 10, 2010)

Who was it on here that said " I can go bankrupt without getting out of bed"


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

Spending to much money on Pauly's nascar effort. Lot of good that's doing sitting in 23rd.


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## 02DURAMAX (Dec 27, 2006)

JD657757;1100762 said:


> I talked to the managers at the stores in Hanover Park IL, and West Chicago IL. They said they had a company doing it for 50.00 an hour. They also said the same company was charging 40.00 an hour for salting.


Funny! Both menards asked me for a bid on maintenance and plowing!!!:laughing: Beuke had them last year....now its richard & Son...


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## JD657757 (Aug 8, 2008)

I think Beuke only had the one in Westchicago. My brother works at the one in Hanover Park and said a companu called All About Snow did it. My brother was a cart pusher at the time. He said they made his job even more difficult. LOL. i


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## JayD2 (Sep 3, 2009)

Menards........You guys need to read the post on here "has anyone played bidding games like these....


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## JD657757 (Aug 8, 2008)

JayD2;1105292 said:


> Menards........You guys need to read the post on here "has anyone played bidding games like these....


You are in the wrong thread. This one is titled MENARDS!!!


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## Italiano67 (Feb 16, 2005)

UM I think he knows what thread he is in. He is saying that doing a Menards is basically like playing the bidding game. Who wants to do it the cheapest wins.


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## HLS Wholesale (Dec 10, 2002)

One of the managers told me just yesterday that Tovars is getting about 30 stores this year. Not all the stores, but most of them. Says corporate is encouraging them to go with Tovars, though they do have the ability to go elsewhere if a good reason is given.


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

Didn't realize Tovar would work on the cheap like that.


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

I bid on a couple Menards last year....to their spec. When I found out what they were awarded for I was disappointed that I wasted the time to bid. Then when I saw how they were actually done (not to spec) I was just as thrilled.


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## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

TCLA;1105384 said:


> Didn\'t realize Tovar would work on the cheap like that.


From what I\'ve heard, it isn\'t too surprising.


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## NoFearDeere (Nov 7, 2005)

We mowed the local Menards this season about a mile from my house. And they called for a plow bid last week. Use there salt? Yeah right. And the biggest laugh was..." Would you be interested in plowing and salting for IN STORE CREDIT? " Um, goodbye. Tards :laughing:


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## yardsmith (Jan 3, 2000)

NoFearDeere;1105608 said:


> We mowed the local Menards this season about a mile from my house. And they called for a plow bid last week. Use there salt? Yeah right. And the biggest laugh was..." Would you be interested in plowing and salting for IN STORE CREDIT? " Um, goodbye. Tards :laughing:


OMG.
If they actually had the balls to insult me with a question like that, the gloves would come off & I'd tell them EXACTLY what to do with their store


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