# Large commercial lot advice



## Musaexcavating (Sep 19, 2014)

Well guys I guess it's this time of year. I am bidding on a 13 acre lot with about a mile of roads, this property is odd because it has two different entrances that don't connect and are about 6.5 acres a piece 1/2 mile of roadway on each only accesable by driving a mile down the road to each entrance , on night storms it must be cleared by 7am . I got the rfp today and the scope states must plow when 2" of snow has accumulated and every 2" thereafter(okay normal enough) , they want a bare pavement contract so salt sand mix as needed and/or when requested. But they don't state what king of estimate they want it only states contractors are encouraged to offer creative pricing strategies ?????  okay so has anyone seen this ? And how would you bid a lot this size since it sounds like contractor choice idk.


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## ponyboy (Dec 19, 2006)

Why salt sand mix 
Why not straight salt
Your area could be different we always have black top showing 
They want the cheapest 
I would give them a base price for keeping machines on site and then a per storm price for labor and material 
Your choice of hourly or by the inch


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## Musaexcavating (Sep 19, 2014)

ponyboy;2017921 said:


> Why salt sand mix
> Why not straight salt


Ya i could go straight salt but with the shortages i dont want to get caught without salt but yes it is an option .


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## ponyboy (Dec 19, 2006)

I've found if you must mix 75%salt 25% sand if too much more it's like mud and also you will need to blow whole lot in spring so that's why we stay away from sand most of my customers state no sand unless salt is not an option like 2 years a go we ran mix last year we were fine


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## Musaexcavating (Sep 19, 2014)

ponyboy;2017924 said:


> I've found if you must mix 75%salt 25% sand if too much more it's like mud and also you will need to blow whole lot in spring so that's why we stay away from sand most of my customers state no sand unless salt is not an option like 2 years a go we ran mix last year we were fine


I used to work at this place its a big industrial complex their maintence guys clean the sand in the spring. But ya thats how i mix it also. Its doesnt state straight salt and i know they use mix on the places the ma8ntence guys take care of. Our salt pile is miniture this year thats why im alittle nervous


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## ponyboy (Dec 19, 2006)

So then save money and use mixed I'm out waiting to reload this year 
Last year we went through over 600 tons I got back all contrcats and have a condo if I want it told them I need a week might not be worth the money and I'm 50% more then last years guy he had to have been loosing money and that's why he cuts every corner possible
How was it being billed last year


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## Musaexcavating (Sep 19, 2014)

ponyboy;2017930 said:


> So then save money and use mixed I'm out waiting to reload this year
> Last year we went through over 600 tons I got back all contrcats and have a condo if I want it told them I need a week might not be worth the money and I'm 50% more then last years guy he had to have been loosing money and that's why he cuts every corner possible
> How was it being billed last year


Working on how it was billed out last year. I would rather use straight salt. Ill see who im bidding against on the mandatory prebid meeting in a week.oh this last guy at this account was a disaster i know that for a fact. If i get in here for the plowing then ill probably be in for the excavating also so i take that into account.


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## ponyboy (Dec 19, 2006)

So go cheap on snow and make it up on excavation although snow when done correct is hard work and I hate going cheap


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## Sawboy (Dec 18, 2005)

"Creative pricing strategies"

The warning is crystal clear. They don't give a a rats arse about quality. They want cheap. 

"Want a bare pavement"

They want cheap, but are gonna complain and call incessantly, and then nitpick bills saying you didn't do it right because they had to keep calling.

Run, run fast, run far.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

How do you have bare pavement but no plowing till 2 inches?

They either want a constant service contract, or they want a 2 inch trigger. Can't have both.

I'm with Sawboy. This smells like a pain in the ass tightwad account.


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## Musaexcavating (Sep 19, 2014)

John_DeereGreen;2018028 said:


> How do you have bare pavement but no plowing till 2 inches?
> 
> They either want a constant service contract, or they want a 2 inch trigger. Can't have both.
> 
> I'm with Sawboy. This smells like a pain in the ass tightwad account.


Thats what i was thinking how can they say they want bare pavement but a 2" trigger. They are not cheap what so ever , i worked in this place before i started my business and my dad and uncle both worked there for 30 years so i have seen how they are with the contractors . The contractors have always said they are great to work for net 45 cant beat that either . I have seen them not even question a contractor charging 15k for 2 tiers of staging. It is a safety driven company so having their employees safe is always top priority. All that being said they wont give a damn about an invoice as long as it was done right. Some other guys i know have said to stay away from a seasonal on this account just want to see how some of you guys would go about this one.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

I'd bid it seasonal and per push, let them choose. Those are the only 2 ways we bid. 

But before I did a damn thing, I'd get the property manager to clarify what they're looking for, either a 2 inch trigger or constant service account.


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## ponyboy (Dec 19, 2006)

I'm guessing salt before 2 inches then at 2 inches start plowing and stay there to storm is over


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## Musaexcavating (Sep 19, 2014)

John_DeereGreen;2018182 said:


> I'd bid it seasonal and per push, let them choose. Those are the only 2 ways we bid.
> 
> But before I did a damn thing, I'd get the property manager to clarify what they're looking for, either a 2 inch trigger or constant service account.


Ya john im going to the pre bid on the 25th and i'll ask then.


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## Musaexcavating (Sep 19, 2014)

ponyboy;2018184 said:


> I'm guessing salt before 2 inches then at 2 inches start plowing and stay there to storm is over


Pony i was thinking the same thing dunno gotta get some clarification on this .


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Salt two inches....oh boy.


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## Musaexcavating (Sep 19, 2014)

1olddogtwo;2018241 said:


> Salt two inches....oh boy.


Im prob gonna quote a push for anything whether they like it or not its to damn big of a place to be screwing around with salt on anything more than a coating. Im gonna throw a seasonal contract and by the inch at them and let them choose. I dont want a seasonal but im gonna let them choose. I dont want a seasonal because the acorns on my oak tree are telling me its gonna be a hell of a winter. Laugh all you want but i have lived in this house my whole life and the great oak hasn't let me down yet haha


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## Ice hockey (Jul 1, 2015)

Musaexcavating;2018250 said:


> Im prob gonna quote a push for anything whether they like it or not its to damn big of a place to be screwing around with salt on anything more than a coating. Im gonna throw a seasonal contract and by the inch at them and let them choose. I dont want a seasonal but im gonna let them choose. I dont want a seasonal because the acorns on my oak tree are telling me its gonna be a hell of a winter. Laugh all you want but i have lived in this house my whole life and the great oak hasn't let me down yet haha


If you don't want it at seasonal then add %15 to your seasonal bid.


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