# Salting Application Rates



## Troybaseball21 (Nov 3, 2006)

Just wondering how the best way to price salt applications are. I use bagged salt and get it for about $4.50 a bag. How much do I mark it up and how much should I charge just to lay it down. I think the most I've every used on a lot was 10bags, and that was a big lot. Bags are 40 or 50lb bags. Any input would help.


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## Troybaseball21 (Nov 3, 2006)

Just FYI I figured $15 a bag and that included the spreading of it. That is what I have previously been charging.


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

3 times the cost sounds good to me. I mark up my landscape materials 30%. I don't do salt, but if I did it would be by my labor rate x how long it takes to spread a bag. That would give me a base cost to charge per bag.

Lets say it takes 6 min to spread a bag and my labor rate is $100. That would be $10/bag labor + $4.75 x 30%=$5.85 or $15.85 per bag applied.

Someone got a more accurate time to spread 1 each, 50 pound bag of salt????


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## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

I can spread 300 pounds in about 10 minutes, this includes the time to fill the hopper. If I had a larger hopper, I am sure the time line would be about the same ratio. 5 minutes to put 6 bags in, and 5 minutes to spread it.


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## Troybaseball21 (Nov 3, 2006)

Thats about the same amount of time it takes me to spread 6 bags or so. My hopper will only hold a max of 300lbs. It's not a very big one, but it gets the job done...


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## bridge577 (Sep 30, 2005)

Aroound here what ever you charge to plow the lot is what you cahrge to salt the lot. But that is with bulk salt.


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## KustomKare (Nov 6, 2008)

My pricing for plowing starts out at $125 a hour and goes up every few inches and i charge $70 per hour to spread salt plus $27-$30 per 100 pounds of salt


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

Those times are helpful. Thanks


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## TreffertLawnWrx (Apr 24, 2003)

$40 per 50lbs applied. Remember you are the buying, storing, and transporting,


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## jgoetter1 (Feb 23, 2007)

Charge by the pound. $.25 for example.


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## Runner (Jul 21, 2000)

Yeah, we get 30 cents/lb. around here. $40 for 50# applied? That isn't going to happen around here. That would be like spreading gold. I couldn't IMAGINE going into a half acre parking lot and charging $360 to salt, or a lot approx. 100x100, and charging $160 just for salt.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

TreffertLawnWrx;703183 said:


> $40 per 50lbs applied. Remember you are the buying, storing, and transporting,


That rate would be perfect if you are only spreading ONE BAG


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

....................


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## Mid-Ohio Scaper (Aug 17, 2008)

TreffertLawnWrx;703183 said:


> $40 per 50lbs applied. Remember you are the buying, storing, and transporting,


WOW! how many customers put up with those rates???
is that salt or calcium?

I charge $20 per 50lb bag of a calcium mix


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## Turbodiesel (Aug 5, 2008)

i like .65


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## Smith2287 (Dec 12, 2008)

I charge $15 a bag plus my labor rate to load and spread it. However most of my lots I have a set price for a salting application.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

Turbodiesel;705496 said:


> i like .65


So do I but then I like alot of things I dont get


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## letsgetplowed (Jan 2, 2001)

i just recently picked up an account where i was asked to lay salt out, and would be paid $55 per 50#bag. i would love to find a few more handfuls of those types of clients.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

letsgetplowed;707075 said:


> i just recently picked up an account where i was asked to lay salt out, and would be paid $55 per 50#bag. i would love to find a few more handfuls of those types of clients.


And how many bags do you spread at this 1 job?


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## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

If the 55 dollar per 50 pound bag deal is a chain store, fill us all in so we can make some of that sweet easy cash as well. I am sure there isn't one person that reads this post that would turn that kind of cash down.


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## JasonL (Dec 17, 2008)

If you guys get called out to just salt the sidewalks at a comercail property are you still just charging your normal bag salt rate?


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

Yeah whats rate if you go to salt down a dusting of snow? 100/hr for truck plus salt? I have a chance to get a parking lot next year. I could have had itthis year I just didnt pull the trigger. I would need a sander to do it. I hate the idea of filling the back of my truck with salt that was dumped in. But the bag idea doesnt sound bad.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

Rc2505;707209 said:


> If the 55 dollar per 50 pound bag deal is a chain store, fill us all in so we can make some of that sweet easy cash as well. I am sure there isn't one person that reads this post that would turn that kind of cash down.


If it is a chain store i would become a national contractor


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## snow tender (Nov 30, 2008)

We get 25 cents per pound and have some people that think thats to much. 55 a bag is like hitting the lottery one in a million


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## letsgetplowed (Jan 2, 2001)

it was an account that another company dropped the ball on, they didnt come out until 30 hours after a storm, (the company is 24/7) this was the price the other company had, i just took it over, i got a call 48 hours after this storm, and they said it is yours for this price, who is gonna turn it down. and to answer the question of whether it is a chain or not, no it is not. as far as how many i put down, i'll let you know in the next few days, just guessing ballpark, i would say 1-3 maybe 4 but that would be laying out heavy heavy.


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## letsgetplowed (Jan 2, 2001)

3 bags work good, i think 4 would be overkill, and greedy lol


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

In this weather you will need about 5 tons to the acre LOL -17 this morning


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## Brant'sLawnCare (Jun 29, 2007)

jgoetter1;704019 said:


> Charge by the pound. $.25 for example.


Yeah that seems to be about the going rate around here. This year I just charge by the bag, because all my jobs are just "on call" salting jobs. I charge $15 for a #60 bag of rock salt applied. Get it for a little over $5 after tax. Next year I will be charging by the pound. That's what most people want in their bidding around here.


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## kipcom (Feb 3, 2001)

Get one of these  holds 700 lbs of bulk salt or 12 50# bags...keeps it nice and dry while driving around.


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## IMAGE (Oct 21, 2007)

A major player in my town gets $0.40/lb for salt prewetted with liquid calcium. His truck tells him to the pound how much he applies. Can't wait until I am big enough to play with the toys(tools) they have.


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## Mowtivated Lawn (Feb 4, 2009)

*Salt*

How many sq ft would you think you would get out of a fifty pound bag and at what setting. Thanks


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## grasmancolumbus (Mar 4, 2008)

.25-.35 per pound around here


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

letsgetplowed;707075 said:


> i just recently picked up an account where i was asked to lay salt out, and would be paid $55 per 50#bag. i would love to find a few more handfuls of those types of clients.


Hmmm, which formerly banned member found his way back into PS to troll?


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