# Need help bidding commercial



## Hms maintenance (Feb 2, 2018)

Hey guys, I have a 17 unit HOA and need some help. Below is an Ariel view. Thanks!

https://ibb.co/gO1xYm


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## JustJeff (Sep 9, 2009)

Why are you bidding on a commercial property halfway through the season? That question in itself is a big one. Where is the property located (State, town)? What are your triggers, 1", 2"? Are you salting the property as well? Are there walks that need to be shoveled and salted as well? Is this a seasonal bid, or per push? What equipment will be used?


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## Hms maintenance (Feb 2, 2018)

This will be for next season. It's in Minnesota ( the cities). I plan to do a seasonal contract with walks and salt included.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

Hms maintenance said:


> This will be for next season. It's in Minnesota ( the cities). I plan to do a seasonal contract with walks and salt included.


Needing help is pretty vague, what do you need help with?


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## Hms maintenance (Feb 2, 2018)

I need help bidding. Forgot to put that in there


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

Hms maintenance said:


> I need help bidding. Forgot to put that in there


Again that's too vague. 
Bidding is a process and includes many factors, are you saying you need help with the entire process?


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)




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## UksMrB (Dec 7, 2017)

175 to salt per trip 
60 plow per push


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Hms maintenance said:


> I need help bidding. Forgot to put that in there


Boss is trying to get your snowfall average etc,


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## Hms maintenance (Feb 2, 2018)

Avg 11 snowfalls over 2 inches per year 

So far this season I've been out about 6 times (including a 12 inch storm)


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

UksMrB said:


> 175 to salt per trip
> 60 plow per push


Hahahhaha :laughing: 
Thanks for the laugh


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## AllHands (Dec 16, 2015)

I was going to say the same thing boss, thats laughable. You have 17 units of the HOA? your plowing and salting the roadway as well as the driveways/parking spaces? any sidewalks? are you responsible for removing the snow when you cant stack it anymore? you doing this with a truck or machine? need alot more info, but even without any information you should still get $20 per unit per push without salt. and id say that would be a bare minimum. but i would bid it higher then that


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## Hms maintenance (Feb 2, 2018)

All hands, 17 total homes. Plowing blowing and salting driveways, front walks, main streets. There's alot of places to stack snow so I won't have to relocate it.

They want a seasonal bid and we get an average of 1 1 plowable snowfalls a year


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Hms maintenance said:


> All hands, 17 total homes. Plowing blowing and salting driveways, front walks, main streets. There's alot of places to stack snow so I won't have to relocate it.
> 
> They want a seasonal bid and we get an average of 1 1 plowable snowfalls a year


Not for nothing but I don't think you understand average snowfall. The bidding part is easy. 10 year average is what you need to know. Forget how many plow events your going by. Do some research maybe with a link or post your region. You will get much better responses to your question, No body can give you a competitive bid because our pricing may be low or high. Don't know what your market can stand, unless there in your region.

However you can get some fundamentals where you can place a bid. Good Luck.


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## Hms maintenance (Feb 2, 2018)

I'm in st paul mn. Here's a link to snowfall records in minnesota. For some reason it only goes up to 2011

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/climate/twin_cities/snow_event_counts.html


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Hms maintenance said:


> I'm in st paul mn. Here's a link to snowfall records in minnesota. For some reason it only goes up to 2011
> 
> http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/climate/twin_cities/snow_event_counts.html


Little outdated but it's a start. I did not see a trigger, When you going in. 1,2,3''?


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

What equipment do you plan on using? You got a spreader, Do you have storage for bulk? Got insurance client is asking for?


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## TKLAWN (Jan 20, 2008)

$1,200 a month x7 all inclusive.
+ abag of chili cheese Fritos, just because.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

TKLAWN said:


> $1,200 a month x7 all inclusive.
> + abag of chili cheese Fritos, just because.


I'll take it, Frito's are delish.


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

JustJeff said:


> Why are you bidding on a commercial property halfway through the season? That question in itself is a big one. Where is the property located (State, town)? What are your triggers, 1", 2"? Are you salting the property as well? Are there walks that need to be shoveled and salted as well? Is this a seasonal bid, or per push? What equipment will be used?


We have a few contracts that "reup" In January.
They follow the calendar and not the season
Guess it makes sense for them. I guess.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

tpendagast said:


> We have a few contracts that "reup" In January.
> They follow the calendar and not the season
> Guess it makes sense for them. I guess.


He's putting a bid for next season, Two contractors per winter season? Someone would have to take care of Oct, Nov, Dec. Then another guy comes in Jan to April, No thanks no one would admit to damage.


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

FredG said:


> He's putting a bid for next season, Two contractors per winter season? Someone would have to take care of Oct, Nov, Dec. Then another guy comes in Jan to April, No thanks no one would admit to damage.


Yea
I hear ya
There's more than one that do it that way. 
We've kept them for years so it's the same contractor, in this case.
But they do bid mid season, methodically.

I know he's bidding for next year, was just chiming in... there are some reasons contracts do bid mid season, maybe not a good reason.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Have you ever plowed before? If so, you should know your overhead and job costs.

Don't over think it. Figure out how long it will take you to complete the property, then do the math on the numbers for what it will cost YOU to do the property (I would figure out one number for plowing, and one number for salting). Add your profit, maybe a little wiggle room, and you have your per plow price. Now take your average plowable storms, and figure out how many times a season on average you will be plowing. Same for salting, but will probably be more times than plowing. Multiply your salt price and average trips per season, then do the same for plowing. Then add them together to get your final season price.

This is how I'd do it, but I'm just a lonely subcontractor, and and none of my personal contracts are seasonal.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

tpendagast said:


> Yea
> I hear ya
> There's more than one that do it that way.
> We've kept them for years so it's the same contractor, in this case.
> ...


Lots of good reasons ...they aren't all bad. Property changed hands, contractor sucked, sticker shock with previous guy for per push Dec.
I pick up stuff all season if they are interested in my service. To balk because of the timing is stupid IMO.


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## snowman55 (Nov 20, 2007)

That will go for $500 a month.
I won't be bidding


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

JMHConstruction said:


> Have you ever plowed before? If so, you should know your overhead and job costs.
> 
> Don't over think it. Figure out how long it will take you to complete the property, then do the math on the numbers for what it will cost YOU to do the property (I would figure out one number for plowing, and one number for salting). Add your profit, maybe a little wiggle room, and you have your per plow price. Now take your average plowable storms, and figure out how many times a season on average you will be plowing. Same for salting, but will probably be more times than plowing. Multiply your salt price and average trips per season, then do the same for plowing. Then add them together to get your final season price.
> 
> This is how I'd do it, but I'm just a lonely subcontractor, and and none of my personal contracts are seasonal.


That's the way, From what I could see 15 events would put him safe and 5 or 6 extra salt events.


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

Mr.Markus said:


> Lots of good reasons ...they aren't all bad. Property changed hands, contractor sucked, sticker shock with previous guy for per push Dec.
> I pick up stuff all season if they are interested in my service. To balk because of the timing is stupid IMO.


I understand the mid season flag

Dumping crappy contractor means customer is prone to be price conscious (champagne tastes beer budget) 
Sticker shock like wise, customer is likely to be a headache for billing

And if the property changed hands, why put it out to bid now?
Just let current dude finish season.
I can see brining in your own trusted guy, but to bid it?
Strange.


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## wishfull (Nov 22, 2017)

We always wind up clearing sidewalks more often than our lots because our customers want walks spit polished and have a 2" trigger on the lots. So even a skiff of snow may mean you will be doing walks and may not even be considered a snow event. Freezing rain. All bidding is an educated guess so get the information you need and bid smart. No one else can really tell you what you need to be content with your pricing.


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

wishfull said:


> We always wind up clearing sidewalks more often than our lots because our customers want walks spit polished and have a 2" trigger on the lots. So even a skiff of snow may mean you will be doing walks and may not even be considered a snow event. Freezing rain. All bidding is an educated guess so get the information you need and bid smart. No one else can really tell you what you need to be content with your pricing.


Good pint on the walks thing. 
That can beat you up on a year full of trailing snow and ice storms, 
But depending on how payment is scheduled, not plowing can help offset doing the walls so many times. 
Walks and a push may be 100
Walks alone maybe 40
So three walk only call outs to one full event and you're not top upside down.
In which case , throw in an extra walk iteration for every three or four full events and you should be able to SWAG that issue.


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## Hms maintenance (Feb 2, 2018)

Thanks for all the replies guys. No I dobt have a spreader. I do have the necessary insurance.


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