# My first storage facility bid.



## LR3

Hello all. I hope your summer season is going well and you have it under control. This year I have my first storage facility to bid on for plowing and ice management. Hopefully, a few of you with experience in this type of property could help me to properly bid on it. Thank you in advance for any help.

The property is 3000 linear feet of plowable asphalt. This does not include width. I'm thinking two tons of magic.


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## LR3

Trigger is 2" and plow every three inches there after.


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## LR3

They want rates from 1.9"& below. 2"-4.9", 5"- 7.9", 8"-11.9" and then 12"+/per inch rate.


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## LapeerLandscape

Can the snow get pushed out both ends? The bottom of the pic looks a retainer wall or something. What will you be using to plow with and how long do you think it will take you.


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## LR3

The snow can be pushed into the arrow area. Its a big drop off specifically for snow. I can also stack along the red lines and dump over fencing after storm.


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## LR3

I have an XLS on an f350. Also have a PT100 200 yards up the street at an apartment complex.


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## LR3

It will take at least three passes in between each building. I'm guessing it will take an hour and a half to plow. Thats guessing.


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## maxwell1027

LR3 said:


> It will take at least three passes in between each building. I'm guessing it will take an hour and a half to plow. Thats guessing.


 I plowed one with 6" of snow on it about the same size as the one you're considering and it took me four hours using a f-350 with a straight 8.5' plow. Too many windrows to clean up I started in the middle and pushed to both ends and then cleaned up the ends. It was a p.i.t.a. but I was working as a sub and was working by the hour. A friend did the same facility with a skid steer and 8' box in 1 1/2 hours. At least there's not much traffic to watch out for!


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## LR3

maxwell1027 said:


> I plowed one with 6" of snow on it about the same size as the one you're considering and it took me four hours using a f-350 with a straight 8.5' plow. Too many windrows to clean up I started in the middle and pushed to both ends and then cleaned up the ends. It was a p.i.t.a. but I was working as a sub and was working by the hour. A friend did the same facility with a skid steer and 8' box in 1 1/2 hours. At least there's not much traffic to watch out for!


 Thanks! I have a 9' straight and also an XLS. The difference is huge. It should speed it up a bit.


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## MSsnowplowing

LR3 said:


> Hello all. I hope your summer season is going well and you have it under control. This year I have my first storage facility to bid on for plowing and ice management. Hopefully, a few of you with experience in this type of property could help me to properly bid on it. Thank you in advance for any help.
> 
> The property is 3000 linear feet of plowable asphalt. This does not include width. I'm thinking two tons of magic.
> 
> View attachment 166279


You better charge a bit more. I plowed there for 2 years and just got tired of it.
No place to really put snow and a 3 inch storm well give you 5-6 inches of snow in the allyways from the roofs.
I plowed that for nemo and that is one of the reasons I bought a v plow, had to bring in a skidsteer to clear out the alleyways because it snowed so hard and fast and blew in from the roofs there was 3 to 5 feet of snow in the allyeays and no way to winnow it.
It took me with a vplow about 1 hour and 45 minutes for a 3 inch storm
Each allyway was roughly 10 minutes.
And you have to split them them in half stack the snow staggered on each side of else you well end pushing it out and down.
I never had any problems with payment the manager was a great guy but just got tired of the pita factor there, and the distance driving. 
Oh and dont push the snow into the electric gate or you well be digging it out, that thing is touchy.


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## MSsnowplowing

If your in the area check out red roof they are going to need a plow company this year and stay away from holiday inn in downtown unless you like not getting paid and Taking clients to court


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## Philbilly2

When I used to do storage units, using a straight blade was frustrating. Trying to control the snow to keep it off the doors seemed like it took a ton of passes in a good sized snow. Even wings are better than nothing.

If you have push box for your skid loader, or a v plow, you will make the money back much quicker than you would have ever thought, but the labor costs were cut in half easily every event.

Also, a high flow blower for the skid was always a huge advantage in storage units as typically they are surrounded by a fence.

Typically, we would run the lanes with a truck or with the push box, get plies down to the fence, and blow them over and threw the fence.


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## NLS1

We have been plowing a complex storage place for several years but bigger than that. Remember the drifting from the roofs will really slow you down with small machines. You will have the entire area's snow confined into the aisles only with heavy drifting. The first year we used a 10' kage and large skid steer but it took forever when the drifting would get bad. We upgraded to a tractor with 10-16 live edge metal pless, and cut our time down to 1/4-1/3 of what it was. Remember too with the aisles, that if they have a low center for drainage, that you won't be able to just cruise down the middle without leaving a bunch of snow. With all those doors, really good visibility will be helpful to prevent damage. Be sure to do a walk through before the season starts, so they don't come after you for damage. And just to be honest, I would never plow a place like that with a straight blade, unless I was bored and had nothing but extra time each storm. You will spend many hours with a straight blade if the drifting got bad, and the results will suck with the snow buildup along the doors. Remember too that you will probably be limited to how large of a blade you can use because of the security gate, unless its one of the huge sliding ones. Good luck.


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## brianbrich1

Figure double the time you think. If you get the bid it would be beneficial to upgrade to a v for the truck. As one already stated all the roofs empty into the aisles so a 3" storm can easily look like 6 plus drifting. You can make money on them if properly equipped


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## LR3

Philbilly2 said:


> Also, a high flow blower for the skid was always a huge advantage in storage units as typically they are surrounded by a fence.
> 
> Typically, we would run the lanes with a truck or with the push box, get plies down to the fence, and blow them over and threw the fence.


 Thank you. This is exactly my plan. I picked up an 86" high flow this year which will be used on several properties.


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## LR3

NLS1 said:


> We have been plowing a complex storage place for several years but bigger than that. Remember the drifting from the roofs will really slow you down with small machines. You will have the entire area's snow confined into the aisles only with heavy drifting. The first year we used a 10' kage and large skid steer but it took forever when the drifting would get bad. We upgraded to a tractor with 10-16 live edge metal pless, and cut our time down to 1/4-1/3 of what it was. Remember too with the aisles, that if they have a low center for drainage, that you won't be able to just cruise down the middle without leaving a bunch of snow. With all those doors, really good visibility will be helpful to prevent damage. Be sure to do a walk through before the season starts, so they don't come after you for damage. And just to be honest, I would never plow a place like that with a straight blade, unless I was bored and had nothing but extra time each storm. You will spend many hours with a straight blade if the drifting got bad, and the results will suck with the snow buildup along the doors. Remember too that you will probably be limited to how large of a blade you can use because of the security gate, unless its one of the huge sliding ones. Good luck.


 Thank you, I appreciate your comment. I'll be using an XLS for the bulk of it during the storm. After, I have a PT100 with a 8' Kage and an 86" snowblower. I have a much larger property 1/4 mile down the road as well so I keep all that in one place. It does have a huge sliding gate and we have already walked the property doing a dry run. I think it will be a great addition to the route. I'm excited. What tractor do you use?


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## Philbilly2

Did you get a box for the skid too? 

You will not regret it in a storage unit if you did. Just the fact of how much more manavorable the skid loader is with a box than a truck is a time saver.


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## 4-Seasons

Even with flat roof you guys see alot of drifting?


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## brianbrich1

Snow sits on roof but when the wind kicks up off the roof it comes.


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## Aerospace Eng

I see a lot of drifting with 1 in 12 on hangars. 54 feet wide buildings, 75 foot alleys going east/west. If snowing while windy, typically the north facing side will be clear out to 10-15 feet with a bunch drifted against the south facing side.


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## jbsplow

id say a good 2.5 hours maybe 3 for a small storm. with all the drifting your going to find out it will be a p i t a. probably the reason the last guy left. good luck


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## MSsnowplowing

jbsplow said:


> id say a good 2.5 hours maybe 3 for a small storm. with all the drifting your going to find out it will be a p i t a. probably the reason the last guy left. good luck


I was the last guy and it's not that bad if you have a Vplow.
I left because I didn't want to drive so far during snow storms.


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## LR3

jbsplow said:


> id say a good 2.5 hours maybe 3 for a small storm. with all the drifting your going to find out it will be a p i t a. probably the reason the last guy left. good luck


Thank you. It should be fun. Piece of cake. The more the snow, the better. I get paid every 2-3". I plan to charge original snowfall as well as anything that accumulates after the storm.


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## plow4beer

Philbilly gave you some good info I see. 
FWIW, on a 4in snow I could do that site in 1.5hrs with a truck and wideout/xls..probably wouldn't be much different for time with one of our 2spd skids and 10ft box. But the more snow we start talking, the more the skid will begin to kick the trucks a$$.


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## LR3

NLS1 said:


> We have been plowing a complex storage place for several years but bigger than that. Remember the drifting from the roofs will really slow you down with small machines. You will have the entire area's snow confined into the aisles only with heavy drifting. The first year we used a 10' kage and large skid steer but it took forever when the drifting would get bad. We upgraded to a tractor with 10-16 live edge metal pless, and cut our time down to 1/4-1/3 of what it was. Remember too with the aisles, that if they have a low center for drainage, that you won't be able to just cruise down the middle without leaving a bunch of snow. With all those doors, really good visibility will be helpful to prevent damage. Be sure to do a walk through before the season starts, so they don't come after you for damage. And just to be honest, I would never plow a place like that with a straight blade, unless I was bored and had nothing but extra time each storm. You will spend many hours with a straight blade if the drifting got bad, and the results will suck with the snow buildup along the doors. Remember too that you will probably be limited to how large of a blade you can use because of the security gate, unless its one of the huge sliding ones. Good luck.


Great reply, Thank you, I'm looking forward to the challenge. If we get a lot of snow it will be well worth it.


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## LR3

plow4beer said:


> Philbilly gave you some good info I see.
> FWIW, on a 4in snow I could do that site in 1.5hrs with a truck and wideout/xls..probably wouldn't be much different for time with one of our 2spd skids and 10ft box. But the more snow we start talking, the more the skid will begin to kick the trucks a$$.


 Nice. I like being in the machine so I won't mind using it. I only have an 8' Kage but I also added an 85" snowblower. Can't wait to play.


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