# EMERGENCY!!!! Please help me!!!!!!



## YPLLLC (Dec 4, 2008)

Hey everybody, I just got asked to give an estimate for the property below. I will be using a 7' 6" Blade and a salt spreader.

Before anyone tells me I am crazy for trying to do this with a 7' 6" plow, there is no need to, I know I am. But its all I got and I need the contract!!!

I am needing to know what I should charge (or a range) for per push. Also how much salt this should take. I need to get a rough estimate as to how many pallets I should order for the rest of the season. A guess of pounds of salt would be awesome!!!!

Also if anyone has an idea of what I could charge for a seasonal contract as well. This is St. Louis so the weather is crazy and we could get a bunch of snow next month, or none like this month.

I know this is a lot of questions, any information will help me a lot. Again no need to tell me I am crazy, I already know that!!!!!

Finally incase you are wondering 1 inch on this map equals 50 feet!!!!!

Thanks in advance!!!!!


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## timberseal (Jul 24, 2008)

I would do nothing but hourly on something like that. Especially if your going to have traffic and cars throughout the day.


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## bluerage94 (Dec 24, 2004)

I would salt and make one pass to get the main aisles clear then plow the lot during the night. 3yds in a spreader should be ok, initially.


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## LoneCowboy (Jan 2, 2007)

1 to 1.5 hours to plow it (assuming it's not full of cars, 1-6"), no idea on salt.


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## Showmestaterida (Dec 28, 2006)

1.5 hrs if no cars, add more cleanup time if cars are there. Salting, 2 tons tops per app.


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## PerfiCut Inc. (Jan 31, 2008)

2.5 Hours to plow. 1000-1500 # for salt.


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## coldcoffee (Jul 17, 2008)

You've got a couple of isles that may suck up some time, due to the lack of space to drop the piles. There's cars parked at the ends of some of those isles and it looks like some are even parked in the main isle. I'd figure 2- 2.5 hours for a daytime plow w/ at least an hour for clean up. Assuming your using bag salt, I'd figure about 18 - 22 bags per app. for isles only. With all those cars, you shouldn't need too much salt, the traffic will make it work better and you'll have salt dripping off the cars as well.


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## YPLLLC (Dec 4, 2008)

Thanks a lot guys, I am going to send off a bid to the owner and will let everyone know how it goes!!!!


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## DJ Contracting (Dec 16, 2003)

YPLLLC;689528 said:


> Thanks a lot guys, I am going to send off a bid to the owner and will let everyone know how it goes!!!!


I would pick up a sub to help out and make sure you include his price with a mark-up for you, as far as salt look into bulk with a small v salt spreader should work in your truck and it will eliminate constant loading a small tailgate spreader i agreeswith 1500lbs of salt good luck.


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## mdrier (Dec 30, 2008)

This may be late, but the first question I have is where does the snow go. Is there specific locations the client wants the snow piles?


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

Some of you guys are freakin nuts! lol. 1-1 1/2 hours to plow???????? 1000-1500lbs of salt????????? This is going from the picuter he provided right, am I not seeing something? From what I see, prolly at least a couple of hours of plowing with one 1/2ton truck with only a 7.6 straight blade and AT LEAST close to a ton (2000lbs) of salt. No offense to any one but IMO there is no way to plow this place in under a couple of hours. A lot will depend on where you can pile the snow also. Sounds like you already put the bid in but like some one else said, I also would bid it hourly, and a per ton salt application. Good luck! I personally would either get those other two trucks in there to help or pass, once those windrows build up from running the open lots there is no way a truck is going to move them (again without being there for hours)


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## JDiepstra (Sep 15, 2008)

Brian Young;695104 said:


> You guys a freakin nuts! 1-1 1/2 hours to plow???????? 1000-1500lbs of salt????????? This is going from the picuter he provided right, am I not seeing something? From what I see, prolly at least a couple of hours of plowing with one 1/2ton truck with only a 7.6 straight blade and AT LEAST close to a ton (2000lbs) of salt. No offense to any one but IMO there is no way to plow this place in under a couple of hours. A lot will depend on where you can pile the snow also. Sounds like you already put the bid in but like some one else said, I also would bid it hourly, and a per ton salt application. Good luck!


I agree. The lot is good size, and odd shaped.


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## Burkartsplow (Nov 1, 2007)

3 hours to plow. 2000# of salt. Those are more realistic numbers to go buy. tell $450 per plow and another $450 to salt. good luck,


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## Turbodiesel (Aug 5, 2008)

Do you have insurance? Are you bonded? No property management company will accept your offer if your not qualified.
You and your equipment are less than capable of clearing that lot in a timely manner and fashion . Especially during a major storm . 
You will need heavy equipment to relocate . You will need help which means "workmans comp''.
Are you prepared for slip and fall litigation?


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## mdrier (Dec 30, 2008)

Good points about the insurence. I have always priced commericial lots on a per time basis per every two to three inch/increments. Continues snowfalls are T&M for open ups.


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

Turbodiesel;695146 said:


> Do you have insurance? Are you bonded? No property management company will accept your offer if your not qualified.
> You and your equipment are less than capable of clearing that lot in a timely manner and fashion . Especially during a major storm .
> You will need heavy equipment to relocate . You will need help which means "workmans comp''.
> Are you prepared for slip and fall litigation?


This is what I was getting at when i said I might pass if I were him. I know no one wants to turn anything down but I would rather have the right equipment and do it right than trash my name that could damage my business for years to come. Hell go pick up 15-20driveways and prolly make as much or close to the same money and far less headaches and in a lot less time.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

The scale is off too. The largest row of cars is about 2 1/2", so 125 feet. But there are approximately 20 cars (couple trees) in that row. If you figure 9 or 10' per parking space, you are pushing 200'. 

You guys are better than me if you can run that one off in an hour and a half.


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## LoneCowboy (Jan 2, 2007)

Brian Young;695104 said:


> Some of you guys are freakin nuts! lol. 1-1 1/2 hours to plow???????? 1000-1500lbs of salt????????? This is going from the picuter he provided right, am I not seeing something? From what I see, prolly at least a couple of hours of plowing with one 1/2ton truck with only a 7.6 straight blade . No offense to any one but IMO there is no way to plow this place in under a couple of hours.)


well, a couple points.
No way that takes me more than 1.5 hours to do, none. (plus salt, all of this discussion below is plow only, 1-6")
Your choice of equipment (not you personally, you the contractor) isn't my problem.
If you aren't willing to be productive and get a blade with wings or a V plow, well yes, it might take forever for YOU to do it. BUT, that doesn't change the price. It's only worth what it's worth, if Joe can do it twice as fast as you, you have to charge much less per hour to do it because the price to either one of you is going to be approximately the same.

If you bid it at 3 hours times the hourly rate, well, you're going to be about 2x too high. You might get it, for a while, but you'll lose it sooner or later, Price driven business, price matters here, you simply have to be more productive to be able to keep the same price.

You don't mow a 15 acre ballfield with a 21" mower and charge for 3 days of work do you? No, of course not, you purchase a big mower and you charge for the size. Because if you don't, someone else will. Same theory.


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## stoneexc2 (Aug 18, 2007)

I say 2 to 3 hours with a truck and straight blade, maybe 2 with a vee blade, an hour and a half minimum with a large skid steer and 10 foot pusher,


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

Mark Oomkes;695222 said:


> You guys are better than me if you can run that one off in an hour and a half.


Better than me to


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## scottL (Dec 7, 2002)

Yeaaaaahhhhhhhhh, ok.

Crazy, yes and a given at that 

You'll die on the vien if you don't get a second truck, something with a bucket like function. What are their hours of operation and what type of open hour traffic can you expect. The last guy lost it for some reason .... don't be the next one in that line.


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