# School snowblowing bid



## LawnsInOrder (Dec 10, 2009)

Hey all, I am very familiar and comfortable with pricing plowing but I got a quick question here for you. I took a look at a local school today who is looking for bids for snowblowing all their walkways this winter since their current "plow guy" is refusing to do it. I measured it all out and it is just under 1,200 ft of 4 ft wide paths with 14 doorways to shovel out around. I plan on buying a good 48" blower if they accept my bid. The question I have is how long you think this will take? I know my costs but never done a snowblowing job before. Of course it will depend on the amount of snow but let's say for a 6" snowfall.....any ideas? Thanks so much.

Jason


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## Brant'sLawnCare (Jun 29, 2007)

LawnsInOrder;1094265 said:


> Hey all, I am very familiar and comfortable with pricing plowing but I got a quick question here for you. I took a look at a local school today who is looking for bids for snowblowing all their walkways this winter since their current "plow guy" is refusing to do it. I measured it all out and it is just under 1,200 ft of 4 ft wide paths with 14 doorways to shovel out around. I plan on buying a good 48" blower if they accept my bid. The question I have is how long you think this will take? I know my costs but never done a snowblowing job before. Of course it will depend on the amount of snow but let's say for a 6" snowfall.....any ideas? Thanks so much.
> 
> Jason


Well probably around 2 hours during a mid sized storm to clear with a walk behind blower. Remember that you are going to be bidding against guys that can do it quicker than you will be able to. Shoveling should take roughly an hour, depending on how big, ect.


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## Advantage (Nov 7, 2007)

A heads up. In my experience school districts are very cheap.


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

jason, why wouldn't you just stay in your warm truck and plow instead of wasting your time with a blowing bid? i'd think you could make just as much plowing and be warmer also. just my 2 cents good luck!


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

LawnsInOrder;1094265 said:


> .... their current "plow guy" is refusing to do it....
> 
> Jason


Where the heck does a janitor from Maine get off "refusing" to run a snowblower? Has he not been watching the news?

Is he Union?


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## LawnsInOrder (Dec 10, 2009)

thanks for the replies...it's not the janitor, they are in a contract with a plowing company who does not want to give them a price for shoveling or blowing. Thanks, brantslawncare, I was figuring on around 3 hrs altogether and shooting around $250 for 6" or less and upstepping from there. Salt and sand of course will be separate. Yes, schools USUALLY try to go for cheap but this is a private school with a fair amount of money and they have been looking for 3 weeks for some help and are ready to line someone up. I will let you know if I get it.

Jason


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Gotcha. I don't have to do ANY shoveling on my school contracts.


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## lawnlandscape (Oct 8, 2009)

1 hour max with my 2010 Grasshopper 721D w/ 48" Snowblower attachment. 

From the info you gave, I would bid this @ $114.00 a visit. I don't think a company doing it with a walk behind snow blower could beat companys that are set up for doing sidewalks fast as we are. $250 is really really high. Also, you bidding 3 hours of work with a walk behind snow blower @ $250!!??? Thats $83.33 per hour.... Thats much higher then my plowing rate!! Your never going to get it at $250 (or anywhere close to that)


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## LawnsInOrder (Dec 10, 2009)

lawnlandscape;1095028 said:


> 1 hour max with my 2010 Grasshopper 721D w/ 48" Snowblower attachment.
> 
> From the info you gave, I would bid this @ $114.00 a visit. I don't think a company doing it with a walk behind snow blower could beat companys that are set up for doing sidewalks fast as we are. $250 is really really high. Also, you bidding 3 hours of work with a walk behind snow blower @ $250!!??? Thats $83.33 per hour.... Thats much higher then my plowing rate!! Your never going to get it at $250 (or anywhere close to that)


I agree that I am not setup like some others might be, but there is only one other company around here with snowblower attachments like yours and they are not interested (must be too busy already). With all due respect, our markets differ a lot if $83/hr is "much higher" than your plow rate. I've got to make it worth the time that I would lose if I were plowing. I know it's a higher rate, but I really not sure if I want it. We'll see when I let them know on Monday =).


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## LawnsInOrder (Dec 10, 2009)

Oh ya, LawnLandscape, I love your setup. That would work perfectly for this job!! =) AND looks like fun


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## lawnlandscape (Oct 8, 2009)

LawnsInOrder;1095056 said:


> Oh ya, LawnLandscape, I love your setup. That would work perfectly for this job!! =) AND looks like fun


Its not fun... lol. There is a cover you can buy for it with a heater but it costs $1,800, and I just dont wan't to spend almost 2 grand on that. Its extremely cold, because your just sitting there and if its light and fluffy stuff, your getting it all blown back at you sometimes.

Personally, I never even use it unless its at my personal home after our other snow removal is complete. But I feel bad for the employee that does. lol


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## LawnsInOrder (Dec 10, 2009)

Okay, I got the contract with the following steps: 2"-6" $200, 7"-12" $240, 13"-18" $275, 19"-24" $310 and anything more than 24" at $350. We'll see how long it takes me...hoping closer to 2.5 hrs for a usual storm. Thanks for the input, everyone.


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## TPC Services (Dec 15, 2005)

lawnlandscape;1095028 said:


> 1 hour max with my 2010 Grasshopper 721D w/ 48" Snowblower attachment.
> 
> From the info you gave, I would bid this @ $114.00 a visit. I don't think a company doing it with a walk behind snow blower could beat companys that are set up for doing sidewalks fast as we are. $250 is really really high. Also, you bidding 3 hours of work with a walk behind snow blower @ $250!!??? Thats $83.33 per hour.... Thats much higher then my plowing rate!! Your never going to get it at $250 (or anywhere close to that)


He's still a little high for my area but that's my market, I would love to see u use that machine right up to the door of the buildings without shoveling out around the door. he also said he's got to shovel away from the doors 14 of them an salting of the sdwk , if you're doing that much side walk for $114 more power to you, but a lot of other people on here wouldn't. that's more like around $200 need to make a little profit off it, otherwise it doesn't make since to wake up at 1am in the morning to -20 wind chill an go do it!!. Hope that Grass hooper has a heated cab!! (LOL) don't know what you are charging for that machine but it has to cost more to maintain then a little walk behind snow blower but each there own I guess!!


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## lawnlandscape (Oct 8, 2009)

TPC Services;1102697 said:


> He's still a little high for my area but that's my market, I would love to see u use that machine right up to the door of the buildings without shoveling out around the door. he also said he's got to shovel away from the doors 14 of them an salting of the sdwk , if you're doing that much side walk for $114 more power to you, but a lot of other people on here wouldn't. that's more like around $200 need to make a little profit off it, otherwise it doesn't make since to wake up at 1am in the morning to -20 wind chill an go do it!!. Hope that Grass hooper has a heated cab!! (LOL) don't know what you are charging for that machine but it has to cost more to maintain then a little walk behind snow blower but each there own I guess!!


That would not take more then an hour to do everything.. the sidewalk and the shoveling in front of the doors. I would feel guilty bidding more then $114 per hour. Other people would do it for LESS then that, because I lose sidewalk bids every week.


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## TPC Services (Dec 15, 2005)

everone is losing bids this year your not the only one guy!! but you still need to make a little on top of cost of operating and trying to grow a little to. like I said as long as your happy with what your making a hr so be it!!


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## lawnlandscape (Oct 8, 2009)

TPC Services;1102789 said:


> everone is losing bids this year your not the only one guy!! but you still need to make a little on top of cost of operating and trying to grow a little to. like I said as long as your happy with what your making a hr so be it!!


... Not talking about just this year.... but whatever.


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## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

LawnsInOrder;1102680 said:


> Okay, I got the contract with the following steps: 2"-6" $200, 7"-12" $240, 13"-18" $275, 19"-24" $310 and anything more than 24" at $350. We'll see how long it takes me...hoping closer to 2.5 hrs for a usual storm. Thanks for the input, everyone.


Glad you got the job. I think you will be kicking yourself if you get a 10-12" storm with drifting, don't know if you figured that into the accumulation total or not. You will have double the snow and only make $40.00 more? See how it goes the first season and then re-evaluate for next season.


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## lawnlandscape (Oct 8, 2009)

WIPensFan;1102877 said:


> Glad you got the job. I think you will be kicking yourself if you get a 10-12" storm with drifting, don't know if you figured that into the accumulation total or not. You will have double the snow and only make $40.00 more? See how it goes the first season and then re-evaluate for next season.


I completely missed that he said he got the job. I'm speechless..... Why would they pay so much for that.


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## LawnsInOrder (Dec 10, 2009)

WIPensFan;1102877 said:


> Glad you got the job. I think you will be kicking yourself if you get a 10-12" storm with drifting, don't know if you figured that into the accumulation total or not. You will have double the snow and only make $40.00 more? See how it goes the first season and then re-evaluate for next season.


Thanks...I still have to meet with the Director to go over some final details this week. You have a good point - maybe I should discuss the drifting issue with him a bit. I'll just have to see how this winter shakes out.

All the best!!

Jason


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## leon (Nov 18, 2008)

*snow*



LawnsInOrder;1094265 said:


> Hey all, I am very familiar and comfortable with pricing plowing but I got a quick question here for you. I took a look at a local school today who is looking for bids for snowblowing all their walkways this winter since their current "plow guy" is refusing to do it. I measured it all out and it is just under 1,200 ft of 4 ft wide paths with 14 doorways to shovel out around. I plan on buying a good 48" blower if they accept my bid. The question I have is how long you think this will take? I know my costs but never done a snowblowing job before. Of course it will depend on the amount of snow but let's say for a 6" snowfall.....any ideas? Thanks so much.
> 
> Jason


Save your money and sanity and purchase a BCS 2 wheel tractor,

The single stage snow blower is available in 24 and 28 inch widths and the twin stage units are 28 and 32 inches wide the BCS/Berta 2 stage snow blowers will remove 35 percent more snow in volume than the single stage unit of the same width.

The www.earthtools.com web page has a very good description of the BCS tractor and the implements available and they ship nation wide.

The BCS will allow you to use other attachments like a sulky to ride behind the blower and a flail mower to mow lawns with.


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## J.R. Services (Aug 15, 2009)

A four wheeler with a plow would be the quickest in my opinopn, but you couldnt let more than 6" go at a time and have a place to roll it


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## TPC Services (Dec 15, 2005)

Good to hear you got it!!


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## lawnlandscape (Oct 8, 2009)

J.R. Services;1107966 said:


> A four wheeler with a plow would be the quickest in my opinopn, but you couldnt let more than 6" go at a time and have a place to roll it


plow plow plow plow plow plow plow plow plow plow plow

No... A blower would work better for this. Mid-season you would have no where to put it. To many people on this site are to obsessed over plows.


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## leon (Nov 18, 2008)

*private school side walks*

I neglected to add that you would be able to use a mowing sulky to ride behind the BCS blowers and not get tired from the cold too.

The mowing sulky hooks up close to the tractor and allows easy turning and backing up.

:waving:


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## 2005_Sierra (Aug 7, 2009)

lawnlandscape;1109030 said:


> plow plow plow plow plow plow plow plow plow plow plow
> 
> No... A blower would work better for this. Mid-season you would have no where to put it. *To many people on this site are to obsessed over plows.*


 HMMM I wonder why that is????? OH it may have something to do with this being called http://www.plowsite.com/


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## MSS Mow (Mar 19, 2006)

LawnsInOrder;1094265 said:


> Hey all, I am very familiar and comfortable with pricing plowing but I got a quick question here for you. I took a look at a local school today who is looking for bids for snowblowing all their walkways this winter since their current "plow guy" is refusing to do it. I measured it all out and it is just under 1,200 ft of 4 ft wide paths with 14 doorways to shovel out around. I plan on buying a good 48" blower if they accept my bid. The question I have is how long you think this will take? I know my costs but never done a snowblowing job before. Of course it will depend on the amount of snow but let's say for a 6" snowfall.....any ideas? Thanks so much.
> 
> Jason


What part of Maine are you in?? It's similar here, as there are not many who will shovel/blow walks. A school that I take care of hires the shoveling to another guy with a 4 wheeler/plow who does a good job, and gets paid well for it too. Most schools though in this area do it in-house with their janitorial staff.


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## lawnlandscape (Oct 8, 2009)

2005_Sierra;1110355 said:


> HMMM I wonder why that is????? OH it may have something to do with this being called http://www.plowsite.com/


Are you really that dumb? :laughing: Obviously this website is for all aspects of snow removal. My company name has the word landscape in it but I obviously do snow removal. By your logic, all the services I offer should be listed in my company name.. right?


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## LawnsInOrder (Dec 10, 2009)

MSS Mow;1110388 said:


> What part of Maine are you in?? It's similar here, as there are not many who will shovel/blow walks. A school that I take care of hires the shoveling to another guy with a 4 wheeler/plow who does a good job, and gets paid well for it too. Most schools though in this area do it in-house with their janitorial staff.


MSS Mow, I'm in Blue Hill - over near Ellsworth/Bar Harbor area. Just as an update I broke my snowblower on the FIRST storm!:yow!: I fixed it back up today, but looking in the Uncle Henrys for a decent tractor with a blower on front. Those Case tractors are decent and very rugged. The school was very happy with it and I'm happy with the contract. You get much snow yet?


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## MSS Mow (Mar 19, 2006)

LawnsInOrder;1143897 said:


> MSS Mow, I'm in Blue Hill - over near Ellsworth/Bar Harbor area. Just as an update I broke my snowblower on the FIRST storm!:yow!: I fixed it back up today, but looking in the Uncle Henrys for a decent tractor with a blower on front. Those Case tractors are decent and very rugged. The school was very happy with it and I'm happy with the contract. You get much snow yet?


We got hammered on Monday with heavy wet snow. This was our first significant snowfall of the season. I'm sure we get pretty similar amounts of snow as I'm not that far from you (in the Machias area).


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## LawnsInOrder (Dec 10, 2009)

Ya, got like 5 inches...it was a b*** too because the ground was still sooo soft!! Oh well, spring cleanups in the making..haha..


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