# Commercial Bid



## samk (Jul 29, 2005)

My first big commercial bid. 4 sides aprox 57ft by 300ft walkways 5ft by 600ft. I am charging 1" to 4" 600.00 4" to 8" 900.00 8" to 12" 1200.00. do not know what add after 12" Salting will be 300.00 thats roads and walkways. am I beeing cheap. am i light on the price of salting? any feed back would be great. This job is in the northeast it that helps.
Thanks


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

What would you charge for exactly 4" or 8"? How are you determining depth given that there will be different depths at different locations on the same site? In what time period are you measuring? For instance, what if it snows for four days straight and there is a total accumulation of 60"? What about less than inch?

As far as pricing- If you're happy with it, go for it.


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## T-MAN (Jan 9, 2001)

samk said:


> My first big commercial bid. 4 sides aprox 57ft by 300ft
> Thanks


Is that feet or yards ? If its feet thats about 1/3 of an acre , should take about a half hour to push thats being generous + your drive time. So even if you bill for one hour what is your hourly rate ? 
Sidewalks one shoveler 3 hours, again what do you bill for a laborer ?
Maybe a half ton for salt that is heavy as well. Probally closer to a 1/4 ton
Walkways around 4 bags of calcium. 
Todd


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

I took that as being 57' x 300' on each side so times four which would be 68,400 sq ft or just over 1 1/2 acres. I saw the sidewalks being 5' x 600' so I figured it had sidewalks on two sides. So, I suppose if it was 57' x 300' on two sides, then it would only be 3/4 acre. Or maybe 57' x 300' all sides combined.

And people wonder why we ask so many questions instead of just answering.


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## T-MAN (Jan 9, 2001)

I see what you mean Mick maybe SamK could just give us the square feet.
That would help alot.
Todd


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## samk (Jul 29, 2005)

sorry about that i was rushing out one i wrote this. first billing will be for a 24hr period so if it snow 4 days that would be four storms billed. the numbers are feet so plowing wise its about 68000 sq ft. Depth will be what ever is reported for the town.


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## LwnmwrMan22 (Jan 20, 2005)

samk said:


> sorry about that i was rushing out one i wrote this. first billing will be for a 24hr period so if it snow 4 days that would be four storms billed. the numbers are feet so plowing wise its about 68000 sq ft. *Depth will be what ever is reported for the town*.


Unless you're plowing the site that is doing the reporting for the town, your lot had better be within about a mile of that site.

I've had it where it didn't snow at all at my house, but within 3 miles there was 2" of snow.

Last year we had a snow storm, and there were no flurries where I live, but 10 miles away they had 12+" of snow.

As far as your pricing, $600 for 1 1/2 acres sounds like decent money.


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## T-MAN (Jan 9, 2001)

68000sf 1.56 acres

figure 1.5 to 2 hours plowing time at your hourly rate. That may be lil high for time I have not seen the lot. Could be low also.
3 hours one laborer shoveling for side walks
About a ton of salt for the lot, thats heavy as well
3-4 bags of calcium for the walkways

Plug in your numbers and your profit and run with it.
Honestly though I think 600 bones is awfully high, I could be wrong.

Todd


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

Todd, I was thinking $600 would be high, too, until I started figuring it out. But keep in mind I have no experience with this type of work.

Two hours plowing at $125/hr = $250
One shoveler for 3 hours at $30/hr = $90
One half ton salt (sorry, a ton seems too much) = $100
Three bags of calcium at $30/bag (pure guess) = $90

Total $530

I may very well be low on some stuff and maybe a low on the amount of salt so I'd say estimate a little higher.


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## samk (Jul 29, 2005)

Thats 600.00 for the plowing an additional 300 for the salting and calcium. The lot is a little tricky theres a docking bay and the snow all has to go to the same place and its not easy to get it all there(thats where the extra time comes in) plus there maybe cars there so I have to plow around them as well.. May need a bobcat a few times that i have to pay for if we have a big winter.
Breakdown
3hrs plowing @ 150.00 hr=450.00
3hrs [email protected] 55hr= 115.00
Total is 565.00 round up to 600.00 for stuff that may happen
Salt and calcium will be added 300.00 
Do you think the pay tier is alright the additional 300.00 and 600.00 for more snow. I know i need to work the inches out but does the money sound ok?
I dont think i am that far off. could be wrong though I normally do res driveways. Thanks for the input keep it coming


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

Sam, like I said, I really have no idea. But when I read your reply I was eating a piece of candy and nearly choked. I think I need to move.


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## BreyerConstruct (Aug 17, 2004)

Mick said:


> Sam, like I said, I really have no idea. But when I read your reply I was eating a piece of candy and nearly choked. I think I need to move.


If you move to a pricier area, you might be able to afford choke-free candy.

~Matt


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## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

Pricing is a tough thing to help with as price varies from area to area. I know here that we would not get those kinds of numbers. Your sidewalks are $165 not $115(just helping) and to get $55/hr. for sidewalks would be fantastic. I have just priced a commerical job with 9 locations and the sidewalks will take longer then the plowing but they are close. I am thinking that if I bring a guy with me and he does the sidewalks while I plow I might get $30/hr. But as I said before location is important. I try to have my salt price and plow price almost equal. We will salt twice as much as we plow. I don't think $300 is enough to go out on 1/2" and salt all the parking areas and walkways. If these lots are hard to plow are you using a straight blade or something that has sides or wings or a Blizzard?


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## samk (Jul 29, 2005)

lol Mick like i said i could be off thats why I need some input.


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## samk (Jul 29, 2005)

cet using 7 and 1/2 foot fisher and an 8 foot fisher straight blades. came up with 55 and hour because thats what we get for landscaping or least thats how i bid everything usually comes out to be more I live just north of Boston so the area does pay well.


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## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

It might be a good idea to look into pro-wings for one of the plows. It would help you to take the snow around corners. It also helps when winroeing as less snow will fall off the leading edge. I would not charge less just because you have the wings but you would save yourself time and in the end make more money. We make more then $30/hr. when landscaping also but I think that the investment in landscaping is a lot more then sidewalks. Charge what your area demands. If $55 is the rate then charge it.


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## T-MAN (Jan 9, 2001)

Sam I honestly still think you may be high here.
Its been my experience in business (competitive bidding) rounding up to much will cost you alot of work. Regardless what business it is.

If you were refered or they called you then you may be okay. If you can sell them on quality service (and provide it !) then you may be okay as well.
If you approached them for an rfp or they are shopping price then I think you may be high.

2 hours should be pretty close for 1.5 acres of lower efficency plowing. 
Do you really think it will take an extra hour to move all the snow ? This is a good situation were a v-blade (better yet an 810) will sell the job, (because your more efficient, and still profitable you can charge less.) Meaning you can move all the snow to were it needs to go way faster then a straight, charge less and make more faster.
This also applies to the walkways. I forget what they were called but those snowplow shovels speed up production as well for up to 3" of snow. I have not tried one, but I have watched many laborers use them and on one inch they clear a lot of walkways fast, way above the average rates.

Salt Mick is right a ton is heavy so figure a half for most occurences. This is still heavy so dont panic on that.

The only thing then really is hourly rates, and if that is what you guys get for real then plug in your numbers. 

Our area would be about 600 for plowing, walks, and salt. 

Todd


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## samk (Jul 29, 2005)

T-Man thanks for the input good stuff. It was a referall for the landscaping so I have that contract and they are very happy with the maintenence. I might lower a tad. What price we talking for the 810?


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## T-MAN (Jan 9, 2001)

810 is around 5200 out the door installed here. I am purchasing an Erie Special from Jerre's Service in Erie for 5600
Todd


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## SnowGuy73 (Apr 7, 2003)

LwnmwrMan22 said:


> Unless you're plowing the site that is doing the reporting for the town, your lot had better be within about a mile of that site.
> 
> I've had it where it didn't snow at all at my house, but within 3 miles there was 2" of snow.
> 
> ...


I agree, sounds good to me..


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