# Small Lot Estimate



## Minimatt3535 (Nov 3, 2006)

Hello, 
First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for the great info that I have got so far! I was on here a lot a couple years ago as a younger kid (16) and hadn't been on much until this fall. I was planning to wait a year until I started plowing but got a crazy deal on a plow truck and decided to go for it. 

I manged to get about 10 drives so far and have those down. I just got a chance to jump on a very nice lot that I was hoping to pick up next year due to there current plow company having horrible service. Waiting till the end of a 12" storm to plow, and sometimes not showing up for a 3" storm at all... 

I don't know exactly how to price, maybe its because I have been plowing for the past 2 days with little sleep but I just can't get it down. I've tried everything in my mind and get decide whats best, so much per push if 0-4", 4-8", etc or a set price for a certain size storm and no matter how many visits thats the price? I'd rather stay away from hourly as I know the last guy was doing it for $450 (per storm or push I have no idea...) and this lot will not take me that long (2 hours tops) I am sure there are other methods, I am just not really sure where to begin. Also just to note, I made it clear I wont be able to salt this year so no need to worry about that as they said the get someone else to do that anyways. 

I did some rough measuring of the lot it is a large rectangle with some parking cut out and such on the sides, with the building in the middle and the parking on either side , larger open area in the back with 1 loading dock, and a short entrance drive. There are several cars parked here and trailers stored as well which makes it a bit harder. 

Entire area 350 X 175 + Drive 100 X 30 (64,250)
Building is about 200' X 80' (16,000)
So total area to be plowed is about 1.1 acres or so

My truck is a 2000 F-250 Super Duty with a 8ft Boss Straight Blade 

I don't know exactly where to begin with pricing If anyone can help me out with about what you would charge or how long you think it would take you that would be great. I realize that there is a lot of other things to consider and I know that info is very area specific price wise. 


Sorry for the long post!


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

probably take 2 hours on average...most in our area would charge $125-175 per push... i would bid it by the season though.....also i would get another plow truck or someone to help you push this in case you break down.


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## smokin4by (Dec 21, 2009)

are you sure you want somone else to do the salting??? very few contractor complement each others work, trust me if someone else you don't know salts it, they will bid the snow too. an acre is not that bad if you HAD to use a push spreader for the rest of this year to salt. hey might pay for a truck salter if your good. 

best bet being new is per push NOT per event. 

figure your hourly rate needs first. thats always step one of bidding. then figure around an acre an hour per truck pushing, travel time there, and any hand work that needs done. if you know what the last guy bid already, and they were only un-happy with the service, you have a good starting point.


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## Minimatt3535 (Nov 3, 2006)

Jay Brown,

Great to here you think it would be about 2 hours, I was thinking around there and thought I would be way off! I'm thinking that I will stick with per push this season and may think about switching over next year with them if I get the bid. I was worried about needed a second truck, I plan to pick one up over the summer as I know a break down is a huge deal on commercial accounts! 

Smokin4by, 

I've been thinking about it, I know the owners of this company well and I don't think they would let someone else toss in a bid but who knows. I was looking at simpler truck salters around 1K and for sure would get that next year. But I really never thought about running around the lot with a push salter. I might try and put that in the bid, would be some nice extra cash and I know for sure that next year the salter would be payed for in 1-2 storms!


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## smokin4by (Dec 21, 2009)

good to hear you are taking it seriously. a simple spreader (get one with rubber tires, remember it has to roll on snow) and some bags of salt and your ready. alot of guys just say "i don't get out of my truck for anything". but hey why leave money on the table??? you have to start somewhere

good luck


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

x2 on the above post...you'll profit enough with just you little walk behind spreader that you can afford to buy a tailgate or vbox.


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## Humvee27 (Feb 5, 2008)

I just noticed this post....I would look at a tailgate spreader...it'll pay for itself after 2 storms if you have enough accounts....I have a couple buyers suv spreaders for the resi's i do...they all payed for themselves...like the other guys said though don't leave it up to someone else if you can, you'll make money and have a happier customer because you can do it all for them...just my 2 cents.


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## Brant'sLawnCare (Jun 29, 2007)

Humvee27;1025140 said:


> I just noticed this post....I would look at a tailgate spreader...it'll pay for itself after 2 storms if you have enough accounts....I have a couple buyers suv spreaders for the resi's i do...they all payed for themselves...like the other guys said though don't leave it up to someone else if you can, you'll make money and have a happier customer because you can do it all for them...just my 2 cents.


Yeah you can usually find them for pretty cheap. Like $600 for a decent one and a grand for a pretty nice one. I would probably be right around $120 or so without seeing the place. Could be more if it's tricky.


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

INSURANCE!!???? ... or you will learn a tough lesson at an early age.....


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