# What are you charging for ice melts?



## obrionusa (Dec 1, 2008)

Just wondering what everyone is charging for ice melt? I use a three blend -5* ice melt. It cost me $8.40 per 50# and I charge $60-65.00 per bag used. I only have one Dr. office that uses one bag and a bank that uses three bags. Is this competitive for the surrounding Indianapolis area? Clearing sidewalks of snow is additional.


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## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

Are you hand placing each individual piece? With a tailgate spreader I only get 16 dollars per bag spread. If you can get it go for it, but don't be surprised if this is the only year you get it.


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## mustangmike45 (Nov 17, 2005)

60-65.00 per bag I pay around 6.00 per bag and feel like I am making a good profit at 12.50 per bag spread. But hey if they pay it, more power to you!


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## Snowaway (Sep 10, 2008)

obrionusa;658219 said:


> Just wondering what everyone is charging for ice melt? I use a three blend -5* ice melt. It cost me $8.40 per 50# and I charge $60-65.00 per bag used. I only have one Dr. office that uses one bag and a bank that uses three bags. Is this competitive for the surrounding Indianapolis area? Clearing sidewalks of snow is additional.


 How much coverage do you get out of a bag of ice melt ?


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## NoFearDeere (Nov 7, 2005)

Holy S**T!! We charge $15.00 per 50lbs. applied.


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## highlander316 (Oct 18, 2006)

$5.50 cost per bag. Applied at $17/bag, with a 2 bag minimum (even if I don't use that much, still charged at $34, spreaders aren't cheap).


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## plownoob (Aug 14, 2008)

I multiply my cost by 2.5 to 3.75 for bagged...


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## snowman55 (Nov 20, 2007)

wow!!! I charge $2 a pound applied for ice melt, and have for several years. if a site requires 100s of pounds I will cut them a break at $1.50. I am not talking about rock salt for drive ways but ice melt on walks. I have to buy it (cost $.20 per lbs.), store it, load it into a truck, plow a lot, put my boots back on, open the bag, spread it on walk, but the empty bag back in the truck, fill out a work order to get paid, put the empty bag in the dumpster at the end of plowing, pay the garbage service to dispose of it, and then bill it out. typical commercial I do takes 20 - 100 lbs per service. I sometimes think I don't charge enough for all the hassle. don't give your hard work away. a commercial co is saving money at these rates vs having a maintenance guy do it union wages. and he's not gonna be there at 2 am to get it done.


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## terrapro (Oct 21, 2006)

it will range from $16 a bag for rock salt at $.20 per lb to $25+ per bag for specialty ice melter at $.50per lb.


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## Dailylc (Feb 12, 2006)

I'm in the southern part of the state where we average 14" of snow per year and I charge .55 lb. for rock salt and .75 lb for ice melt.plus a $35 truck charge. Maybe I need to up my rates some more.

James


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## c.t. lawn care (Feb 27, 2003)

I am in Avon, and i have a couple on the west side of indy. I have been charging $25 per 50lb bag plus addtional for clearing sidwalks.


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

obrionusa;658219 said:


> Just wondering what everyone is charging for ice melt? I use a three blend -5* ice melt. It cost me $8.40 per 50# and I charge $60-65.00 per bag used. I only have one Dr. office that uses one bag and a bank that uses three bags. Is this competitive for the surrounding Indianapolis area? Clearing sidewalks of snow is additional.


they would laugh at me if i charged that much....they would take their butt down to wal mart and buy 3 bags of Roadrunner for $6.50 a bag and do it themselves....at $65 per bag you are clearing$170 in about 5-6 minutes...keep up the good work and good pricing though!!!!


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## JDiepstra (Sep 15, 2008)

3x whatever the bag costs


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## vwovw (Jan 26, 2007)

$0.45 a pound for salt.


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## obrionusa (Dec 1, 2008)

The price I charge includes trip charge. Sounds like everyone is bouncing around from .40 lb - $1.50lb
I have been out three times this year on ice melt and only had enough snow to shovel once.


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## GreenAcresFert (Sep 28, 2007)

Sounds like I need to move to were you guys live. I have a hard time believing nobody isn't lowballing you at $65 a bag and $2 a pound...give me a break, I get low balled at $20 a bag. Store it, load it, throw it means nothing around here. $2 a bag sounds like a joke.


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## ejherron (Nov 12, 2008)

I am getting $20 per 50lb bag of rock salt. My jobs are all within 20 miles and this price includes my travel time.


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## Ipushsnow (Oct 29, 2007)

Here is the question I have for the guys that are getting so much for salt. So lets say you plow a 30,000 square foot lot that takes a little less than an hour, and I know everything varies by region but lets say on average you are looking to get $100 per hour, so you bill that customer $100.00. A lot that size requires around 500 pounds of salt, I know this from experience because we do 4 lots that are that size. 

So a $100 plow job, and $250 (at $25 per bag) for salting it? How the fuc* do you justify that to your customers? I mean I really want to know, because I will do it. WOW that is unbelievable!!!


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

Ipushsnow;661870 said:


> Here is the question I have for the guys that are getting so much for salt. So lets say you plow a 30,000 square foot lot that takes a little less than an hour, and I know everything varies by region but lets say on average you are looking to get $100 per hour, so you bill that customer $100.00. A lot that size requires around 500 pounds of salt, I know this from experience because we do 4 lots that are that size.
> 
> So a $100 plow job, and $250 (at $25 per bag) for salting it? How the fuc* do you justify that to your customers? I mean I really want to know, because I will do it. WOW that is unbelievable!!!


x2 at $250 on 33,000 sf i would probably put my customer out of business.....


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## plowtime1 (Nov 1, 2007)

Question...why are we using bagged salt and not bulk?


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## Turbodiesel (Aug 5, 2008)

obrionusa;658219 said:


> Just wondering what everyone is charging for ice melt? I use a three blend -5* ice melt. It cost me $8.40 per 50# and I charge $60-65.00 per bag used. I only have one Dr. office that uses one bag and a bank that uses three bags. Is this competitive for the surrounding Indianapolis area? Clearing sidewalks of snow is additional.


i wish i could charge that. imagine your profit if you use BULK!!!!! 3x


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## snowman55 (Nov 20, 2007)

we are talking about ice melt applied on walkways not rock salt on drives. again you have to get paid for your hard work. I spent thousands of dollars to inventory i/m I need to recoup those costs and make a profit to make it worth while my costumers understand that and has not been and issue.


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## Bossman 92 (Sep 27, 2006)

Almost all of my walks that we do are smaller ones. Most use 1/2 of a 50 lb bag or less, and they range anywhere from $20 to $25. Not too bad considering it only takes 2 or 3 mins. 

Bossman


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## snowman55 (Nov 20, 2007)

thats not bad $1/lb but its not 2-3 minutes. remember you had to buy it, load it in your truck,park your truck, spread it, dispose of the bag, and bill the service then wait to get paid. how long were you out the money you spent on the ice melt before you get paid? do you offer interest free loans?


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## Bossman 92 (Sep 27, 2006)

When I said 2 to 3 minutes, I was refering to the time it took to spread the material. I understand the additional costs of business, and after I deduct material, labor and disposal I am still making over $200 an hour. Not bad considering my hourly rate to plow is less than that. 


Bossman


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## Turbodiesel (Aug 5, 2008)

snowman55;662757 said:


> we are talking about ice melt applied on walkways not rock salt on drives. again you have to get paid for your hard work. I spent thousands of dollars to inventory i/m I need to recoup those costs and make a profit to make it worth while my costumers understand that and has not been and issue.


Rock Salt melts ice , therefore it would be considered " ice melt"
Try to be more detailed talking " ice melt".

Calcium Chloride Liquid
Magnesium Chloride Liquid
Calcium Chloride pellet / flake 
Magnesium Chloride pellet / flake 
Potassium Chloride
Urea Spray 
rock salt w/ wo/ Magic


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## snowman55 (Nov 20, 2007)

sorry turbo but the threat started by asking pricing for treating sidewalks. so i thought it was understood that we wernt talking about bulk rock salt.


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