# USM - Walmart sweeping rates



## trebordollars

Anyone out there working for USM to sweep Walmarts and willing to share what rates USM is paying to sweep a Walmart. They have contacted us.

Thanks,

Trebor


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## BELTBOY1

There saying $25.00/per sweep. you do the math 31 days in month x 25 = $775.00. I will be out of business before long.


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## Camden

BELTBOY1;1111672 said:


> There saying $25.00/per sweep. you do the math 31 days in month x 25 = $775.00. I will be out of business before long.


$25 for the whole lot? That's got to be a mistake. I wouldn't even put the key in my sweeper's ignition for that much.


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## BELTBOY1

Thats what were told $25.00/per sweep. and have to pick up trash in landscape which we don't do know and clean behind store. Come on lottery i have got to hit or else its over for me.


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## 4700dan

Sad thing is there is a sucker born everyday, USM got scabs to plow the WalMarts so they will get scabs to sweep them also, the WalMart we plowed for 6 years got someone an 1 1/2 hrs. away to plow and salt the lot for 350.00 per time when we were charging 1450.00 per time. So it will happen you can count on it, but there is life after Wally World.


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## hickslawns

This too, shall pass. I am curious to see how the phone call about sweeping turns out. We are having interesting conversations and emails about the plowing right now. Award it to someone else already. Oh wait, they are bluffing and don't have anyone else lined up. Guys are calling me from 45 minutes away wanting to know why the store manager is happy with our service but USM is calling them to bid the plowing. I told them "Because they hope you are a sucker. Good luck, and give me a call when your equipment auction is going to be held."

I seriously hope you guys are kidding about the $25 a night. I might drive there and get a signature for that, but only if we needed milk.


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## BELTBOY1

No its not a joke. $25/per sweep. What I want to know is what happens when the parking lots look like Sh*t in the morning when the managers arrive if anything will change? I get calls from walmart when my guys miss a few cigarette butts or don't empty a trash can how can this work.


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## cranky1111

Thats half of what we get for sweeping walmarts now ... what a pity ...


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## 4700dan

cranky1111;1112172 said:


> Thats half of what we get for sweeping walmarts now ... what a pity ...


:laughing:If your sweeping for $50.00 a night your a scab already you should be able to sweep for USM for the 25 bucks


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## 4700dan

BELTBOY1;1111982 said:


> No its not a joke. $25/per sweep. What I want to know is what happens when the parking lots look like Sh*t in the morning when the managers arrive if anything will change? I get calls from walmart when my guys miss a few cigarette butts or don't empty a trash can how can this work.


It will be the same with sweeping as the plowing we lost 1 of our stores and now the new plower only salts the front lane and plows the entire lot only when called by USM, so with the sweeping you will see a scab out there hand picking the trash in the lot and only cleaning the walks or cleaning the lot with a truck maybe once a week and WalMart manager can complain but nothiing will or can be done it's just how it is with a USM scab.


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## cranky1111

4700dan;1112712 said:


> :laughing:If your sweeping for $50.00 a night your a scab already you should be able to sweep for USM for the 25 bucks


Why, do you know how long it takes or how much trash is on my stores, or how many square feet the lots are?

Judgemental Pr*ck .... u have no clue what my labor, time, fuel and other costs are.. or how many stores I run ... Try not to be so ignorant for the rest of your life.


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## BELTBOY1

Does anyone know if USM also was awarded Sam's Clubs for sweeping?


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## Camden

cranky1111;1112172 said:


> Judgemental Pr*ck .... u have no clue what my labor, time, fuel and other costs are.. or how many stores I run ... Try not to be so ignorant for the rest of your life.


How much does it cost per hour to run your sweeper?


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## cranky1111

its paid for: gas, maintenance insurance and labor 27.50 per hr - and the 50 is on one store (small lot, clean customers), others i have others from 67 to 120 a night .. anyway usm is hitting many good contractors, including me - its a tight business in the first place with unforgiving hours etc..... glad im diversified .... good luck to all


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## BELTBOY1

Whats the average time your guys spend on a walmart lot each night. Sweeping , blowing, and empting trash cans?


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## cranky1111

beltboy 1 --- pm me


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## hickslawns

Here is what I know. $25 is not going to cut it. $50 is not going to cut it. 

Beltboy- In a public forum with many contractors at risk of losing accounts they have held for years, I do not think this is a fair question to throw out there. 

Let's face it, if everybody has equipment which is paid for, and they will NEVER have to replace their equipment, the $25 per store which was suggested will not even cover cranky1's costs for an hour. Cranky1 hasn't even mentioned license plates, advertising or equipment replacement into his equation and USM's offer won't cover an hours worth of sweeping. This is a joke. Good luck to all. 

I hear scrap prices are up. Think I am going to start scrapping equipment and go on the gov't cheese program so I can spend more time hunting.ussmileyflag

My equipment can sit idle for as long as it needs to. I know how many sweeping companies there are in my surrounding areas. I know my profit margins. I know the square footage of my lots and how long it takes to properly maintain them. If they want to pay the boy scouts to go out and pick up trash by hand, then I think $25 per visit should be a swift kick in the pants to the boy scouts for donating their time.


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## Cmbrsum

Does anyone know about an online USM site that might say about jobs for hire or bidding in my local area? I am very curious how much damage them of other national companies like them might be doing here in utah.


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## SnowGuy73

BELTBOY1;1112824 said:


> Does anyone know if USM also was awarded Sam's Clubs for sweeping?


I know that the Wal-mart and Sam's Club here have the same compamies.


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## goosegettr

ok then what is the correct going rate ????? per acre ,sqft,hr if every one is a lowballer then what is industry standard


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## hickslawns

I guess it is going to depend on what your costs are, what are acceptable profit margins, and if your local market will bear the prices you feel you need to run in order to achieve these numbers. Personally, I find it very difficult to do much more than break even if we average $50 per hour. With that said, I would think 20% profit margin is not unreasonable. That would put you at $60/hr. In talking with guys in Florida and out west, this seems to be fairly standard. It also seems to be in agreement this number is too low and leaves us cutting it close at times. Not sure about your company, but mine cannot clear an average parking lot of 9-12acres in less than a half hour. If you are thinking of getting into the industry and signing with USM, I would recommend hiring Speedy Gonzalez and getting a lot of brooms/dustpans/garbage bags. Just make sure "Speedy" is a legal beagle. lol


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## 4700dan

hickslawns;1157509 said:


> I guess it is going to depend on what your costs are, what are acceptable profit margins, and if your local market will bear the prices you feel you need to run in order to achieve these numbers. Personally, I find it very difficult to do much more than break even if we average $50 per hour. With that said, I would think 20% profit margin is not unreasonable. That would put you at $60/hr. In talking with guys in Florida and out west, this seems to be fairly standard. It also seems to be in agreement this number is too low and leaves us cutting it close at times. Not sure about your company, but mine cannot clear an average parking lot of 9-12acres in less than a half hour. If you are thinking of getting into the industry and signing with USM, I would recommend hiring Speedy Gonzalez and getting a lot of brooms/dustpans/garbage bags. Just make sure "Speedy" is a legal beagle. lol


Here is what is happening, USM will be here for a very long time as long as WalMart corp is saving money they will keep USM around, all USM cares about is that when a big shot from WalMart shows up at the facility it is clean and they have a schedule of when this happens so they will call you an tell you the lot needs to be swept from curb to curb, any other day they want you to clean the lot eachday just the big stuff you can see but if you get the lot that they will be watching by satalite then they will have you sweep it 2 times a week but USM will bill WalMart for 7 days  USM is here to stay sorry guys.


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## prslawncare

USM and WalMart: 14 years of servicing Walmarts and lost to USM. Tried to bid through usm I was told that they could get done for 25% of what I was charging. As it turned out they found sucker one in home town. Actually it was a whole hell of alot less than that. All looks excactly what one would expect. I think its hard to compare apples to grape fruit. Walmart's managment and associate asking what happened why are you guys not taking care of this place?? Neighboring Wal-Mart stores calling and asking if we would be interested in bidding there sites the years before this transaction took place. All new I was not the cheapiest but we allows did the job right. I don't understand how these places want us to spend our money with them but they are not always giving back . I DO NOT REMBER USM office being located in my town USA. I guess if they can say that they are at least trying to keep up with the outside maintenance regardless of the quailty of work , it makes them look good????


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## 4700dan

prslawncare;1185481 said:


> USM and WalMart: 14 years of servicing Walmarts and lost to USM. Tried to bid through usm I was told that they could get done for 25% of what I was charging. As it turned out they found sucker one in home town. Actually it was a whole hell of alot less than that. All looks excactly what one would expect. I think its hard to compare apples to grape fruit. Walmart's managment and associate asking what happened why are you guys not taking care of this place?? Neighboring Wal-Mart stores calling and asking if we would be interested in bidding there sites the years before this transaction took place. All new I was not the cheapiest but we allows did the job right. I don't understand how these places want us to spend our money with them but they are not always giving back . I DO NOT REMBER USM office being located in my town USA. I guess if they can say that they are at least trying to keep up with the outside maintenance regardless of the quailty of work , it makes them look good????


Oh yes, if you have any WalMarts an plan on making a buisness by working for the big box store you will get a rude awakening the days of being a reliable, honest contractor for WalMart is no more, WalMart is in the bizz to make a lot of money an inorder to do that they will cut service for profits. WalMart wants you to spend money in their store for them to make a profit but they will screw the local contractor trying to make a living servicing their facilities thats how they are now, I know the managers have made relationships with some contractors and are pissed about the level of service they are recieving from there current provider under USM but this is how it is and trust me there is no end in sight for the relationship between USM & WalMart because they are lower priced, everyone is still shopping in their stores, and WalMart is sacraficing service for price this is the future of WalMart.


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## Kscubs

Is is true they are paying 38-42 dollars a sweep?


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## EZSWEEP

good luck on that i have 1 super crapper that takes 2 hrs a night and cost $500 per month for a dumpster to get dumped 2 times per week. They can lick my BAL__ S


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## rsweeper

Kscubs;1185777 said:


> Is is true they are paying 38-42 dollars a sweep?


They dont even want to pay that that out here where I am. I wont work for them at those prices, and I wont sign there crazy contract and give them my first kid.


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## nelsongeneral

*Did you ever find out how much they pay?*

Did you every find out?


trebordollars;1111119 said:


> Anyone out there working for USM to sweep Walmarts and willing to share what rates USM is paying to sweep a Walmart. They have contacted us.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Trebor


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## nelsongeneral

*Does anyone sweep for USM?*

I seen where they only pay $25.00 a store...is this true or does anyone work for them that can say anything different?


Kscubs;1185777 said:


> Is is true they are paying 38-42 dollars a sweep?


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## trebordollars

*Awarded Sites*

Has anyone been awarded any Wal-Mart sweeping contracts from USM?

Trebor


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## rsweeper

Eastern areas, march 2011 for landscape and sweeping, April to june for power washing.

There is the answer for you, but why would you work for them?


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## rsweeper

what state are you in and will double check that?


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## BELTBOY1

Landscaping starts next week feb14th in Georgia.


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## redriveroffroad

Down here in North Texas and SE OK USM told us $35.

No way! Im doing um for $48-$56 right now
Have you read the contract. Its BS

Theres a non-compete for 24 months

Signed work orders each night you sweep then mail those back to USM or you dont get paid.
My guys cant keep up with a sign in sheet for 30 days

USM wants a 4% discount off your invoice. USM calls it an Automatic Rebate Program...for them!

Cancel your service with 7 days notice

If USM doesnt like your service they can just not pay....thats if you get all your work orders signed every night by WM management....yea right!

We have worked for USM in the past and they dont pay.
I cant sweep a WM for $35 plus have them take a 4% cut off the top

I dont drop my sweeper head for less than $35 and thats on a small strip center not a Super WM that 30 miles away.

DONT TAKE THE BAIT. TELL USM NO! We need a fair price for what we do!


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## redriveroffroad

$35 in North TX and SE OK

USMs contract is unreal too
I told USM Heck NO. Can't do it.


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## hickslawns

Our stores they offered to us for $30-31. One of the stores was $37 to be fair. Oh wait, did I mention this store covers 15acres of hard surface and is 40min away? I replied to their email and sent them the phone number of the local homeless shelter. I hope they enjoy finding out who answers the phone.Thumbs Up


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## rsweeper

Phil, you are worse then I am, lol


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## Camden

Forget WM, there are 100s of other businesses that want/need sweeping and they're willing to pay a decent rate. If I can find them in my rural area then you guys in major metropolitan areas should have no trouble getting enough work to replace the void from WM.


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## Plow Babe

We just received their pricing pack - $36/sweep for 2x/week is their suggested price for the local store. Even if we paid an operator minimum wage (ridiculous!), we'd lose money just showing up to the site, let alone actually sweeping per specs.


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## redriveroffroad

I feel your pain! We mainly service the rural areas. Each WM is 30-45 miles from each other.
No other sweepers in the area. Were it. At the time we charge a fair price for the service
based on travel time. 

The rural locations were one of the topics of discussion with USM but fell of deaf ears. They can mom and pop sweeper but I know they don't have the workers comp or insurance to handle the requirements. Same goes with the lawn care. Anyone can buy a $99 lawn mower and say they'er a landscape company.

Oh I can give WM a $35 sweep.....drive in drive out.... no blowing, 
but you can't mow 1/2 the grass and still charge $45 bucks.


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## hickslawns

Sit back and watch your competition fail ladies and gentlemen. Call me a vulture if you want to, I don't care. When these contractors accept the bids (and are not paid) they are setting themselves up for failure. I have an older truck I suspect will be marketed soon. Billybob in podunk is going to be getting into the sweeping business and USM is gonna make'm rich! Yeehaw! Every door that closes brings an opportunity at another. I do actually intend on marketing one of our older units. I am not doing so with intentions of ripping anyone off. I simply see a market for a sweeper under $10k right now. There will be people out there thinking they are "growing" their business. They make their own decisions. The unit will be marketed fairly according to the condition it is in. There will also be contractors already in the business that think this is the opportunity of a lifetime. It is not our fault they cannot comprehend a P&L statement. When they fail, all their other contracts will become available. I do not look at this as "losing Walmart contracts" but rather, as gaining new contracts within the next 12-18months. Stick to your guns on your prices. If you cannot make a fair profit, then don't do it. If USM cannot service the accounts, then they will not be contacting your local store manager to tell them they are taking over service. I have spoken with all our store managers and told them I will continue to deliver service at the same level until they individually call me and tell me otherwise. I told them exactly what USM was offering. It would "almost" cover our payroll. They understood. Didn't like it, but understood my position. I also informed them I had given USM prices. I will NOT sign their contract as worded though. My store managers know this, and so does USM. If USM wants us to maintain these accounts they will need to alter their verbage. Not going to bother me one bit if they fail to fulfill their contractual obligations with WM. Heck, there are only two of us in town. If the other guy wants it, he can have at it.


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## cranky1111

NJ USM starting first week of march


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## SnowMT

redriveroffroad;1235884 said:


> Down here in North Texas and SE OK USM told us $35.
> 
> No way! Im doing um for $48-$56 right now
> Have you read the contract. Its BS
> 
> Theres a non-compete for 24 months
> 
> Signed work orders each night you sweep then mail those back to USM or you dont get paid.
> My guys cant keep up with a sign in sheet for 30 days
> 
> USM wants a 4% discount off your invoice. USM calls it an Automatic Rebate Program...for them!
> 
> Cancel your service with 7 days notice
> 
> If USM doesnt like your service they can just not pay....thats if you get all your work orders signed every night by WM management....yea right!
> 
> We have worked for USM in the past and they dont pay.
> I cant sweep a WM for $35 plus have them take a 4% cut off the top
> 
> I dont drop my sweeper head for less than $35 and thats on a small strip center not a Super WM that 30 miles away.
> 
> *DONT TAKE THE BAIT. TELL USM NO! We need a fair price for what we do![/*QUOTE]
> 
> Thumbs Up


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## cranky1111

cranky1111;1248807 said:


> NJ USM starting first week of march


not me working for them .... them taking over NJ WM accounts ...I wont work for them


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## hickslawns

> not me working for them .... them taking over NJ WM accounts ...I wont work for them
> Reply With Quote


This is going to be interesting. There are a lot more snow contractors than sweeping contractors. They found some boneheads to plow our stores. Looks like they are getting what they paid for. I am curious to see how the sweeping goes. There just aren't too many guys that sweep. I am hearing a lot of common sense on here. I am hearing guys that read their contracts. I am hearing a lot of "I won't work for them." I am curious to see how this pans out if they cannot find contractors to fulfill the services they have bid for WM and been awarded. Will it stink to lose three stores for us? Yep. Will we find more work? Yep. Already have picked up enough to cover one of the three we "might" lose. I can't wait to see how this pans out. My only hope is they fail so miserably, they lose the whole deal. Stick to your guns fellas!


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## BELTBOY1

*Sweeping In Georgia*

Well the Lowballers started in Georgia last night and Oh My God I check 4/Walmarts in my area this morning and not in my drivers worst night did they ever look so bad. I bet USM got more than one phone call this morning. I know they sweeped last night because the bottoms of the lots looked good but as you got closer to the front it looked awful most likely because the guy is trying to do 6-7 a night and that made him have to start about 9:00p.m. to get through with all by 6:00a.m. this morning. There is no way one can clean a Walmart until after midnight and clean it right just to much traffic in lot to get it clean. I can't wait to see how they look on Saturday & Sunday Mornings. I am encouraged with what I witnessed this morning that it will not work and Walmart will not put up with it. Hang in there uy's this should be interesting to see it play out.


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## cranky1111

My accounts have so much trash.. there is no way that a cheapo company can handle the stores needs... my managers are all keeping my information... we'll see...


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## Ames

I am so happy to see that most of you are turning down the work. What's interesting to me is I do a lot of shadow center work with a Wal-Mart smack dab in the middle of the site - which I do not and will not sweep.

Pretty funny driving through there in the mornings and the parking lots on either side look great but the WalMart looks like downtown Instanbul.

USM can shove it.


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## cranky1111

I have been aware of the eventual USM akeover of WM sites for over 1 year now, and have come to a few conclusions:

1) Walmart wants to save money
2) After watching walmart customers for the last ten years, they come mostly for "Low prices"
3) no customer of WM realizes the effort to make the stores look decent (at least in NY/NJ/PHILLY) because they dont care about outside

I HAVE CLEANED UP THE FOLLOWING: An entire bathroom, including sink, toilet, cabinet, mirrors, ALSO, Human **** in a cup. many condoms, tampons, leftover food, tree branches, other landscaping refuse, couches, washers, dryers, dishwashers, tires (many many tires), puke, fish heads, fish cacasees, deer carcasses, dog carcasses, tons of household trash, car parts ... the list goes on.

Its a joke in the metro areas, i am glad to give up the BS I encounter, and deal with on good faith, 

**** ** Good luck if yor willing to do it at USM prices.

I cant stand them from the metro philly site i sweep and landscape - filled with inner city scum, crappy WM employees, crazy white trash and fans for eagles and phillies games (no disrespect intended for decent fans),


LOL I am literally going to enjoy watching them.,

The bottom line is that they are going to employ MEXICANS.. yes i said it, to do this work for this cheap.

Read Ayn Rand, Vote against this when you can ... Good luck, I will survive without WM, Hope you all will too!

God Bless!


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## fci

"I HAVE CLEANED UP THE FOLLOWING: An entire bathroom, including sink, toilet, cabinet, mirrors, ALSO, Human **** in a cup." 

was this the famous 2 girls 1 cup :laughing:


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## cranky1111

LOLOLOLOL


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## redriveroffroad

Anyone doing business with Mirror Lawn? Based out of TN. They have Lowes and some Target stores.
I just got an email from them saying they are dropping the price per sweep on all Target stores to $25.
WTH? 

Why are these maintenance companies telling me as a sweeping/plowing/lawncare company what they are going to pay? When I go in Target I pay what price they have on the product. When I buy a 2x4 at Lowes I pay the price they have on their lumber. 

Why is our business going through such a change?

I have 2 or 3 WM stores that take 3 men 2 1/2 to 3 hours to mow not to mention the trash pick-up we do before we mow....USM is telling me they are only going to pay $65. I might cover my fuel cost. 

I spoke on the phone with a Sr. Facilities director with WM in Bentonville, ARK.
He said WM hired a consulting group that suggested they set a base rate for 
all their outdoor maintenance. IE: Lawn Care, Sweeping, Plowing...Striping was not included.

Now Im no professional consultant but I can tell you not every WM location is the same. We're not dealing with a cookie cutter mold here. I have some locations that are 15 acres of concrete and others that are maybe 6 acres of parking. Should they be the same price??
I have 1 WM location in the DFW area that 7 days a week I have to send out a man in a pick-up truck to drive around the lot and pick up big trash before I send out 2 men in the sweeper truck. I fill the bed of the Ford Ranger and fill the 3 yard hopper on the sweeper all at that lot. This location pays more than some rural location we do in Southern OK. and rightly so.

The same with lawn care. We have some locations we can mow in less than an hour and some that take up to 3 hours and an extra man, yet the consulting group thinks each WM should fall under one price!

Not with this company! 

We declined USM contract on all service levels due to priceing and the overall contract agreement.
Read the contract gentleman! .


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## EZSWEEP

We where contaced by usm last week wondering if we could adjust are price. They called us and emailed us if we could match some retards price of $37 per sweep .Here the sites we do take from1hr 15 mins to 2 hrs for a Super Center . We have 7 sweepers and purchased a new victory in dec 2010 for $72,000.00 and now with the new diesel emisions and urea for new trucks. i would rather get strung up like a pinata and have someone beat me with a stick , then work for these deadbeats. A dumpster at one site is dumped 2 times per week and cost us $523 per month. Goodluck Losers. i would rather donate to a charity then Usm


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## SnowMT

Would stay away from Mirror Lawns- they make USM look like they are a good company. This coming from customers who have used them and listening to horror stories. Not to mention one of our competitors shared how they worked for them and never got paid. But, on the flip side they could have changed right? Would be shocked if they offered you $25.00 to sweep it. How could you stay in business making $25.00 per sweep. Yeah, No.... would stay clear of them.


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## cranky1111

*Last night*

Last night for one of my stores (in philly).. its really the crown jewel of all the lots we clean -Truly an unbelieveable amount of trash .... not sad to say good bye..


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## SteveR

NO MORE USM at Wal Mart


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## kingriver

*usm ???????*

OK here's Alaska USM sweeping pricing -- and what a joke. $60.00 per sweep, its a 20 acre super center.. and yes this includes picking trash out of the lawn and shrub area. the only place in town that isn't swept of the winter sand and gravel and trash,, USM doesn't got a clue,,,


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## Tubby's Snow Plowing

Anyone thinking of doing business with Walmart needs a good bankruptcy lawyer.


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## northernsweeper

For 25.00 per sweep, is anyone actually putting the brooms down? I would do a quick drive thru in transport mode and wave....but thats it. Come to think of it, I wouldn't even do that. Fuel is to expensive. I'll never sweep em.


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## Spunky

trebordollars said:


> Anyone out there working for USM to sweep Walmarts and willing to share what rates USM is paying to sweep a Walmart. They have contacted us.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Trebor


We got the bid to do the Walmart lot in WV for 200 dollars a sweep then a few weeks later was sent a email saying they could no longer pay us that rate and said we would have to do it for 50.00 a sweep...which noway could we do that. So they terminated our job..We started in may and was terminated in july 9th without pay...we never received a penny from them as of yet..was told we would have to get a lawyer to get our money. The company name is ACACIA commercial that Walmart uses.


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