# need estimating help



## danny santos (Sep 10, 2009)

Im in Chicago Illinois. I'm an excavating contractor that has struggled this last 2 yrs, but managed to keep my eqipment. Thank God. God has sent me a opportunity to do the snow removal for 4 properties but, customer needs me to start on the 1st property just to see if we are in the budget he has in place.

The services are as follows; this is a warehouse that is used as cross docking traffic is slow though on site it is 582,000 sqft.

Weather events: (1)When there is continuous snow for one weather system with no more than 4 hours. (2) If it exceeds 4 hrs it will be considered 2 weather events.

Details: Snow shall be cleared in all roadways, firelanes, storefront sidewalks, stairways, truck courts and loading docks. A single application of salt shall be applied to all hard surface areas after clearing of snow.

The contractor will dispatch servicemen to perform following services:
Snow must be cleared in most effictive manner based on weather conditions. Must maintain access for tenants and their operation from 6 am to 9 pm, not to exceed 2 ''. In drivelanes, truck courts and docks walkways between 9 pm and 6 am snow will be allowed to accumulate at discretion of contractor to minimize visits but properties with tenants with 24 hr operation will be same as 6-9 rules.
On weekend and holiday snow can accumulate also, but be cleared for business day. 

Weather events of ice precipitation contractor will be responsible to apply 1 aplication of salt. If more salt is needed, approval from other owner is needed. 

Contractor must maintain drifting snow. If snow needs to be removed from site, owner approval is required.

If snow accumulation exceeds properties available storage space, owner's approval is needed. Price will be at a time and material rate.

All snow removal damages incurred will be rapaired or replaced at contractor's expense by May 15TH of the following year.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

Give us a drawing or satellite view or something visable to work with. Those are pretty nice guidelines to work with IMHO.


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## danny santos (Sep 10, 2009)

the site is 582,000 sqft i dont have plan it is all drivelanes and loading docks


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Sounds like quite a blessing for you to keep working this winter. What do you have for equipment?


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

Well without seeing it it'll be hard to help. Overall size has nothing to do with the #'s, well to a point it does, but it's not everything by any means.


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## danny santos (Sep 10, 2009)

i have one rubber tire front end loader ,and 3 skidsters, 1pc 6 wheeler dump, 1pc 4 wheeler dump, 1 plow truck allso i have 2 semi dump truck im a excavator and 2 excavators but i cant use these


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## danny santos (Sep 10, 2009)

the lot has the 478,000 sqft building in middle of it all a road all the way around its all sqare and there is pleanty of space to push to all the way around


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

I think you can go to Google maps or something and put in the address to get a satellite view.


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## terrapro (Oct 21, 2006)

Are you asking for a price or how to do it? 

Are you saying the property has 2.39 acres of area to be plowed?


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## danny santos (Sep 10, 2009)

we're trying to get a quote to the owner as soon as we can, but aren't 100% sure on how to bid this project. The hard surface area to be plowed is 581,880 square feet.


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## danny santos (Sep 10, 2009)

we think a seasonal rate of 195,000 or $13,000 per occurance, including snow removal and salt application


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## JohnnyRoyale (Jun 18, 2006)

Sounds a little high-LOL-maybe you should ask GOD for his opinion.


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## LoneCowboy (Jan 2, 2007)

terrapro;805679 said:


> Are you asking for a price or how to do it?
> 
> Are you saying the property has 2.39 acres of area to be plowed?


WHAT?

581,000 square feet is about 13 acres.

Takes about 1 hour more or less to clear 1.0 to 1.5 acres with a pickup with plow.
We need a satellite view.


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

danny santos;805694 said:


> we think a seasonal rate of 195,000 or $13,000 per occurance, including snow removal and salt application


God bless you Danny if you can get those rates.........

Most likely your "per occurrence" rate will be more than 2x what it will really go for.

How 'bout details on the walks..............got square footage of those??


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Sounds like you are way high. Really need pics. One big lot is much different than moving around a million islands.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

Yeah X2 on not only my original post, but most of those following. We need more to help, and bear in mind that's what we're trying to do. It's your first day here and this is your first post, requesting our help. We will be more than happy to assist you in HOW to go about the estimate, but please don't expect anyone to give you a price from an estimated sq ft.

Lastly, do these pieces of equpt have push boxes or at least plows? That makes a big difference. Don't plan on accomplishing much with a bucket.


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## terrapro (Oct 21, 2006)

LoneCowboy;805816 said:


> WHAT?
> 
> 581,000 square feet is about 13 acres.
> 
> ...


LOL no he said there is a 478K building on a 582k property so I just subtracted, thats why I was asking because it wasn't clear.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Post #10 says there is 582K sq. ft. to be plowed. Until we get a pic or drawing we must as well just shoot the breeze. Which we're all very good at BTW.


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## terrapro (Oct 21, 2006)

2COR517;806120 said:


> Post #10 says there is 582K sq. ft. to be plowed. Until we get a pic or drawing we must as well just shoot the breeze. Which we're all very good at BTW.


Yeah, I figured in his post 10 he was answering my post number 9 where I asked him if that is what he meant.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

So guys, hows it goin this morning?!


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)




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## danny santos (Sep 10, 2009)

I really apreciate all your help from everyone ive been getting bad info from peaple, i know, i belive they have been trying to move in on my lead they told me a price of 17cen per sqft so i guess it should be 8 cen per sqft it is all open easy plowing i have 2 pushers and 1 plow


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

danny santos;806277 said:


> I really apreciate all your help from everyone ive been getting bad info from peaple, i know, i belive they have been trying to move in on my lead they told me a price of 17cen per sqft so i guess it should be 8 cen per sqft it is all open easy plowing i have 2 pushers and 1 plow


I hear ya, but please understand that with snow removal, its really tough to bid by a basic sq ft formula, even though we may use that method for other applications. Sq ft of salt is a little easier to estimate, but moving snow is not, especially without a visual. I'd never bid a lot to plow without seeing it one way or the other first. There are so many variables involved in bidding snow, and unless you have experience doing so, it can be tough. I have several accounts of the same similar size and prices are all over the board. Depending how its laid out, what obstructions are there, and where snow has to go, an exact same square footage can vary by several hours.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

One other thing I want to point out to you and anyone bidding for the first time, don't lowball to get a job. Its cut throat enough as it is. Bidding low to get a job not only hurts others, but it hurts yourself. It paves the way for expectations of businesses for years to come. When prices should be rising, it seems like they are falling. We're working cheaper and twice as hard, and it only seems to be getting worse.


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