# Is my pricing about right?



## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

Hey guys, I've never asked about pricing before but i wanted to know from some who have a little more experience with a property like this as I havent personally bidded an apartment like this. We have plowed apartments before so i am not worried about having the means to do the job. I will give my price that i seem fit, just let me know how it is. Thanks

Seasonal contract
2" trigger
salt lot
Sidewalks cleared
Sidewalks salted

plowing at 2' trigger- I figure this would take about an hour and maybe 15 minutes to plow so my price per would be about 150 multiplied by 24 trips which would be $3,600

salting- I see this taking about a ton of salt. I pick up the salt for $97/ton so i would charge 194 per trip multiplied by 24 trips is $4,656

Sidewalks cleared- I say with a 2 stage honda these sidewalks are going to take at least 3 hours with one guy so i say $125 per time times 24 is $3,000

sidewalks salted- I say this would take about 10 bags of calcium. Around here a bag costs about $9 a bag and i will charge $18 a bag multiply that by 24 times is $4,320. 

The sidewalk stuff is where i am not quite positive on so some feedback on that would be nice.

Altogether, that will cost 15,576. I feel that this price is definitely not to low but maybe a bit high so let me know your thoughts on where you think it stands as far as too high or low


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

here is the picture of the property


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

JMO, Being in Rochester most are probably put 25 or more trips, I don't think your high. Would you not want to get your sidewalk time down some. Where you getting the salt Duke?


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Be careful they don't want anything under that 2'' trigger salted. Them apartment complex leave it out of the contract then want to cry about it. Big PITA.


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

Yeah I get my salt from duke. You're right about those sidewalks, he said they dont have them all done, just the areas that have to be done so it shouldnt be more than an hour. 

It is 1 inch trigger but lot salt is on call for when it is icy out which i am okay with as long as the contract states it right that it is on them. 

so my pricing now is 

1in plowing- $5,800

1in sidewalks- $3,500

sidewalk salt- $2,700

Lot salt- 190/ trip


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## Sawboy (Dec 18, 2005)

"Lot salt is on call". They're going to call you ALL the time if the "on call" is included with seasonal. They'll destroy your budget since in reality, it's free to then.


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

No by on call it is per trip.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Whats Dukes hrs for loading?


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

They're common hours are 3am-5pm. But they change it up a lot. They have a text service they give updates about. They extend there hours as needed


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

I can't imagine relying on someone to be open to load salt


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

John_DeereGreen said:


> I can't imagine relying on someone to be open to load salt


I wouldn't either, Some don't have the ability's to cover there minimum tonnage to get a good price or a facility to store.


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

For us we just haven't had the ability to have a place to store it. We used to just run tailgate spreaders on all the trucks and use bags but the amount we save on having just one spreader and how much cheaper a bulk ton is worth the little bit of headache. There real good over there so I don't worry. Plus they don't run out so I don't worry about having enough. They ran out one year and that was the last, they have a reserve pile big enough to fill the whole barn again plus some.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

snowplower1 said:


> For us we just haven't had the ability to have a place to store it. We used to just run tailgate spreaders on all the trucks and use bags but the amount we save on having just one spreader and how much cheaper a bulk ton is worth the little bit of headache. There real good over there so I don't worry. Plus they don't run out so I don't worry about having enough. They ran out one year and that was the last, they have a reserve pile big enough to fill the whole barn again plus some.


Don't worry about it just do what you got to do for now. Keep in mind you will have to find a old warehouse, loading dock etc up there you can get a piece of. That $20.00 + you will save on a ton of salt adds up. You can keep your equipment in there to. Don't have to be nothing special to store salt. You don't need heat and plumbing,


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## ponyboy (Dec 19, 2006)

Also calcium $19 a bag seems way low 
U don't include handling time to go buy to unload 
Prices are different but in my area we triple 
Last year I was 
$250 per ton of sale 
$35 per bag of calcium 
$45 shovel man hour 
And 2 inches to salt is too much you will use twice as much as u think 
Again my start wants to see black top 
So anything over 1 inch gets plowed then salted 
Just going by what I deal with you could be dead on correct


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

I remember the season Duke ran out. This is not likely with the reserve they have on site now.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

ponyboy said:


> Also calcium $19 a bag seems way low
> U don't include handling time to go buy to unload
> Prices are different but in my area we triple
> Last year I was
> ...


Your down by the city aren't you? I would assume you can draw a little more than us. A lot of these guys up here just charge 4 X minimum wage for a shovel man. Also most contractors don't guarantee blacktop showing just salt present. The walks I do just get salt like everything else. I think the OP is down to a 1 inch trigger after talking with Manager.


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

Correct, it is a 1in trigger to plow and he will allow salt as needed. It will be on him to decide as he will pay per trip. Our prices are definitely not able to be quite that high unless I want to lose every bid which I already lose quite a lot because I don't bid nearly as low as the majority of the contractors in my area. It sucks but we are comfortable with the contracts we have now so while I want to grow I want to be able to do it the right way. 

My hope is next year I buy a house with a lot of land and I will put up a big pole barn and figure something out for storing salt, mulch, rock etc.


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