# Gas Stations.



## power plower. (Dec 4, 2007)

What should I bid for 6 gas stations plus their corporate office in central michigan.

The stations are standard size, 6-12 pumps. Probably 150'x150'. Includes all walks and the whole bit. I have done mostly resid and some commer but never anything like this. 

The office has around 35 parking spots, with a decent size walk.

Would I need to worry about the gas tank caps coming up with the blade?

How much salt will I need and how much shall I charge?


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## iceyman (Mar 1, 2007)

ive never done a gas station but from what i read on here there a pita.


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## karol (Sep 23, 2004)

*gas stations*

Price them low if you want to get them. There cheap. I'd stay away from them.


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## JeffNY (Dec 19, 2005)

I plow our gas station and I hate it. if you dont lift the blade over the fill caps, you'll knock them right off, and they go for around $200 ea. Lucky for me, we don't open till 6, so I don't have to worry about cars, but a 24hr station has to be worse.

Bid high. unless of course you really want them


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## fordzilla1155 (Jan 10, 2004)

3 slurpies from Apooh....


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## power plower. (Dec 4, 2007)

sounds like im in for a helluva good season ehh?:realmad:


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

karol;448299 said:


> Price them low if you want to get them.  There cheap. I'd stay away from them.


I agree. I have bid some right beside the mall I'm doing and I'm like 3 times too expensive!


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## power plower. (Dec 4, 2007)

im guessing a PITA is not a great tasting bread envelope that is filled with meats and cheeses???


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## AbsoluteH&L (Jan 5, 2006)

Bid high they are a pita. I am surprised they didn't have a contract months ago. Most commercial stuff is signed in the Fall.


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## DJ Contracting (Dec 16, 2003)

power plower.;448401 said:


> im guessing a PITA is not a great tasting bread envelope that is filled with meats and cheeses???


Your right it's not the bread, i have only one and like it was stated they are very cheep the one I do only has 6 pumps opens at 6 AM it;s about 75x75 lot and i had a hard time getting $60.for a 1-3 and $75 for 4-7 and up from there, anyway the owner asked if i would drop the price a little and i said sure if could come and fill up my trucks for $1.00 less per gallon of gas every time i came in and he said he could not do that, so he settled for the prices i gave him.


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## Dailylc (Feb 12, 2006)

If you do them, give yourself alot of time. All the idiots show up to the station in the snow and they are always in your way. Did them 2 yrs ago and will never bid one again. 

good Luck,'James


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## nms0219 (Jan 20, 2007)

Talk to your insurance co. before you bid. You might just crap your pants!


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## power plower. (Dec 4, 2007)

I think I am going to bid it high. So if i do get it I can spend extra time and not get screwed.payup


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## big acres (Nov 8, 2007)

*I gotta laugh...*

We bid on a chain of gas stations here in the Twin Cities...and lost out to a bigger company, which is just fine by me. After our routes were done, I was fueling up watching the rookie subs plow at about 1/3 speed and stopping every two minutes for the idots in cars. Bid 2-3 times what it would take you to do the same size lot if it were vacant!

I will avoid plowing these like the plague because the liability is huge. Every sue-happy moron has to gas up and you are a great target.. Last year, an idiot in a car hit one of our guys on a lawnmower, yup... a Z crossing the lot -then he turned around and told his insurance company that our Z ran into his PARKED car while he was in the store. WTF?


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## michaelt1323 (Oct 14, 2006)

Most around me are not AMERICAN owned, and they will wait until the snow has stopped before they will hire a "low-baller". NONE will sign a contract as they know there is a lot of trucks driving around trying to make $50 dollars. I found that they are not as easy as a parking lot, but as long as you know where the caps are in the ground they are not the worst thing to plow. Most are standard size and take 30 to 45 minutes to plow at night, and add 30 minutes if you do it during daylight hours (traffic). Most will not pay for De-icing agent and as I said they will wait until the snow fall ends. I finish my contract lots first, than on my way home I will stop at the gas stations to see if I can plow it. I'll tell them $175 knowing they won't do it, they counter with $50. We than wiggle the price down, usually they won't move much. In the end if I can't do it for $125, I drive away. This takes about 30 seconds of my time and if I get it great, if not, oh well. I'd rather drive away than risk damage to my truck and plow for pennies on the dollar!


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## big acres (Nov 8, 2007)

*Michaelt1323*

In as much as I hate to categorize people, I can say that in my own experience, the gas station owners where you are very much like the independents here. I have been in sales for many years, and in several industries, and it ALWAYS comes down to PRICE with them. 99.9% of sales calls to this type of person wind up as time completely wasted, or a sale made at a sub-par profit.

The reason they won't put anything in writing is because it will make harder for them to claim that you "misunderstood" the terms, and had actually agreed to the lower price. This is the game they play. Some may view this response as "discrimination", but I am entitled to my OPINION. I prefer not to waste my time and I do not discriminate -I just do not pursue or price myself out politely.

PS. The one good thing is that if you do go after them, they usually pay in CASH. Hmmm... I wonder how much of that cash is reported before it makes its way back to the holyland... JUST MORE OPINION HERE -SORRY FOIR THE RANT!


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## brunosplace (Dec 30, 2004)

I did one gas station several years ago, royal pita, cars racing in and out, trying to cut off the moving plow so they could get to the pump 10 seconds faster. Then in the middle of the season they stopped me as I pulled in to plow and told me not to because they had hired someone else to do it for half of my price. I told them thank you, because I was looking for a way to get out of doing their place. The next day the low-baller destroyed two of the pumps, the only diesel and kerosene pumps in the place!!! They called me asking me to come back and I told them I would never again do their lot.


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

Id stay home before i would plow gas stations!

prsport


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## 92XT (Nov 30, 2007)

I nuke all the covers before,during and after. Its the only way to keep em clean.Then a laborer manually cleans them with yep you guessed it. A shovel. Get a decent light bar while your at it. them people sneak up on you quick. If Im going to be there a while i caution tape all openings., then do my thing.The owner doesnt mind.


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## DJC (Jun 29, 2003)

I have plowed some gas stations for a few years now. They are a pain during the day because everyone always wants to come and go in the same entrance your plowing. Why they can't use the one I have already plowed is beyond me. Just be careful of the lids. I always back blade over them and have never ripped one up.


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## alleghenypaving (Nov 17, 2007)

never again, we started doing 3 stations this past week, and let me tell you ,this monday morning i called the corp. office and told them to look for another plower.they wanted us to plow and salt on a as needed basis, ( when they called) and when they called they wanted you there 1 hour ago.sorry, don't work that way.then if in the neighbor hood they said you can stop by and check with the manager too see if it needed done.well thats not bad. the employees could never get in touch with the manager.so this kept my driver in the store for 20 minutes or so till they got the green light to plow or salt.think the big guys think we are sitting around waiting for the call to do the lot for them,they can think again.really didn't want to do them in the first place,just glad it only took one week and 5 plows and salts to end it.this would of been a HUGE PITA.


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## 92XT (Nov 30, 2007)

alleghenypaving;453088 said:


> never again, we started doing 3 stations this past week, and let me tell you ,this monday morning i called the corp. office and told them to look for another plower.they wanted us to plow and salt on a as needed basis, ( when they called) and when they called they wanted you there 1 hour ago.sorry, don't work that way.then if in the neighbor hood they said you can stop by and chech with the manager too see if it needed done.well thats not bad. the employees could never get in touch with the manager.so this kept my driver in the store for 20 minutes or so till they got the green light to plow or salt.think the big guys think we are sitting around waiting for the call to do the lot for them,they can think again.really didn't want to do them in the first place,just glad it only took one week and 5 plows and salts to end it.this would of been a HUGE PITA.


I dont blame you at $4.00 per minute.
Next time draw up a contract stipulating what and how * YOU *are going to perform the task.Workmans comp,bonding and a good attorney doesn't hurt either.


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## NLS1 (Jun 25, 2007)

Three stations all within 100 yards of our place. They are all cheap skates and would be a pita. Talked to a couple in the summer before putting bids together for this year, the GM's are usually pieces of work. Bottom dollar wins, that was obvious, steered very clear. Buy fuel from them thats it. They have big money behind them and want to call the shots so if any litigation happens they can put your .... in a vise with their oil company lawyers


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## svelasquez (Nov 28, 2007)

DJ Contracting;448421 said:


> Your right it's not the bread, i have only one and like it was stated they are very cheep the one I do only has 6 pumps opens at 6 AM it;s about 75x75 lot and i had a hard time getting $60.for a 1-3 and $75 for 4-7 and up from there, anyway the owner asked if i would drop the price a little and i said sure if could come and fill up my trucks for $1.00 less per gallon of gas every time i came in and he said he could not do that, so he settled for the prices i gave him.


That's GREAT! LOL!!!


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## Scottscape (Nov 27, 2005)

gas stations are a pain. No less than a 100 a piece. I had a chain here call and didn't want to pay over $75 for plow and salt... crazy


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## Plowinpro03 (Dec 18, 2007)

Scottscape;475486 said:


> gas stations are a pain. No less than a 100 a piece. I had a chain here call and didn't want to pay over $75 for plow and salt... crazy


Do you ever explain to them that filling up our trucks 3-4 times a week on a bussy snow week cost us well over 75 bucks..(im in the 100 range...NY sucks)......ass stations..

My friend plows gas stations......what he does is cones off the fill hole area. He ONLY plows them when a ship ments coming in or after a storm is done droping feet of snow on us. (ask managment first) (he just lifts his blade skims over them, then goes back with a shovel). ALSO!!..if your looking to aviod traffic..usally what "changes" peoples minds about pulling in is if you dont plow the entrance..leave a hedgerow a couple feet in from the entrance...........Cars/trucks arnt his biggest problems......Snowmobilers are..watch out for those little 2 strokes..the sneak up on ya real fast....


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## KATTRANSPORT (Nov 8, 2007)

Gas stations are for the birds. I also dont think most people carry enough insurance to do gas stations. One minor accident could turn very bad for the rookie or even seasoned vet. Another reason why I stay away is if I cant UNDERSTAND what your saying then im going to walk away from you. I deal with enough ********** in my regular buissness I dont need the troubles in the winter.


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## Jason Pallas (Jan 19, 2001)

I stopped doing gas stations about 8 years ago - and haven't regretted one minute of it! Take the advice here from everyone - in the time it'll take you to get one gas station done, you can get 5 resis done and make twice the money. I'd rather not plow anything than plow a gas station again.


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## Scottscape (Nov 27, 2005)

Plowinpro03;476054 said:


> Do you ever explain to them that filling up our trucks 3-4 times a week on a bussy snow week cost us well over 75 bucks..(im in the 100 range...NY sucks)......ass stations..
> 
> My friend plows gas stations......what he does is cones off the fill hole area. He ONLY plows them when a ship ments coming in or after a storm is done droping feet of snow on us. (ask managment first) (he just lifts his blade skims over them, then goes back with a shovel). ALSO!!..if your looking to aviod traffic..usally what "changes" peoples minds about pulling in is if you dont plow the entrance..leave a hedgerow a couple feet in from the entrance...........Cars/trucks arnt his biggest problems......Snowmobilers are..watch out for those little 2 strokes..the sneak up on ya real fast....


I've never seen a snow mobile on the road here..

People around here dont care or realize what it cost you as the operator to do business.


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## Gmgbo (Jan 18, 2005)

I bid on one in town, its probably an $80 parking lot so I bid $175 because I really didnt want it. Well I got it, hate it, and cant find anybody to take it over from me. The worst part is they call when they want it plowed and keep calling until you come there.

I only got the place because they had no other bids.


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## Northland (Oct 1, 2006)

I contract with one of the gas station chains here in my home town. I dont mind them so much as they pay pretty well. The service they used last year had broken alot of the fill castings and had made no effort to fix the castings or fix the way that they were plowing to not break them. The reason that they are willing to pay me more is because I am willing to be careful when I plow the lots and because of the quality i provide. TO me they are worth it. Oh yeah... they are 24hr joints and i still think they are worth it.


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## jkiser96 (Sep 19, 2006)

I have 6 gas staions that I plow. 5 of the 6 are 24 hour places & they are a PITA but they let me go at a 2" trigger with salt at my discretion. the managers love me because they can actuall walk the lot without sliding everywhere. Another good thing is as soon as I am done plowing or salting I bill each store & then go by & the managers pay me right there, no waiting to be paid. 3 of these stores are at the interstate so they are real busy from 5:30 am till about 8:00am but it pays the bills & beats working for certain companies making $55/hour with my V.


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## Gicon (Oct 1, 2005)

$500 a piece, and free fuel for you and 10 of your friends from November-April. For anything less, let them pound sand while you go find something more lucrative without such a high exposure to liability.


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## MileHigh (Nov 6, 2007)

Jason Pallas;480383 said:


> I stopped doing gas stations about 8 years ago - and haven't regretted one minute of it! Take the advice here from everyone - in the time it'll take you to get one gas station done, you can get 5 resis done and make twice the money. I'd rather not plow anything than plow a gas station again.


I do a Safeway that has it's own gas station across the street, that requires it to be done. Would you not accept the account because of a measly gas station? I back drag the covers, and It takes me probably 5 minutes to do- with a 7.5.


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