# Proposal Example Help



## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hi,

So I'm new to this site as I've only been on lawnsite and I'm hoping someone can help me. This will be my husbands third year plowing snow but he's always plowed as a sub contractor. We have an opportunity to bid on a really great property, a shopping center, and want to get the snow removal to be a shoe in for the lawn and landscape maintenance. I need to get an estimate over to them but I have no idea what it should look like! We are at this point strictly residential and I do not think the estimate I use for residential is right for a commercial property plus it's for landscaping.

Can someone PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help me with a blank example of what a plow estimate should look like. I need to get this estimate to him tonight!

Thanks in advance!!


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

i would need more information , in order to help you, PM me with some specs regaurdign the property. did they provide you a spec sheet?


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## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

Wow, so I have no idea why but I can't figure out how to PM you... lol. I feel stupid that I can't figure it out but I can't. I'm not sure what a spec sheet is. Is that something as far as what they are wanting done, how often, the layout of the property etc?

I've searched for examples of estimates on this site and can't really find much. I'm kinda surprised.


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

i beileve that if you click on my sceen name it will allow u to send me a message


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## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

That's what I did and I don't have that option. Maybe I'm not allowed to PM yet since I'm new to the site?


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

rnh719;565730 said:


> That's what I did and I don't have that option. Maybe I'm not allowed to PM yet since I'm new to the site?


you need 6 more posts to pm.

If it's a larger lot they will have their own contracts.
But here's a older copy of mine.

http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=36979


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## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

Not sure if this will help any, but basically he wants to know the hourly price per piece of equipment, hourly price to shovel and salt sidewalks and the price of salt per ton. I've got the pricing figured out as we got help from the guy we plow for every year, but my hubby didn't think to ask him about an estimate form. He doesn't want to keep calling him, lol, this guy is a really nice guy but we don't want to be annoying!

I've found an example of a contract that listed out different things such as price for truck w/ plow, atv w. plow etc.. but I don't want to send him a contract. A friend of ours does landscaping also and said that when you send a proposal to a commercial account you should be sending like a big ol' packet. That seems like quite a bit for just an estimate. Wouldn't a big packet come when you were sending contracts and such after they accepted the estimate? I just don't want to look like an idiot and send over something amateur and not get the job b/c other companies have better estimates and look more professional. We've got the know how on snow removal so I'd hate to lose out over the estimate ya know?


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

yes most of mine , are at least 6 pages or more thick... keep posting stuff, and then ull be able to PM ppl on here for help


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## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

Grandview- It is a very large lot, so I should anticipate that they will have their own contracts for us to sign if we get the job as opposed to us bringing them a contract? I didn't realize that was a possibility.

Thanks for the copy of you estimate, but it can't be edited though because it's in an Adobe Format unless there's a way around that and I'm not aware of it.


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## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

elite1msmith;565736 said:


> yes most of mine , are at least 6 pages or more thick... keep posting stuff, and then ull be able to PM ppl on here for help


Oh wow!! So our estimate should be more than a one pager?


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

yes 6 or more


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## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

I'm not sure if I can post responses in my own thread in order to be able to pm ppl, Grandview says 6 more and I'm now down to three more. I'll just post three more random posts and see what happens lol


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## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

..........


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## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

almost there, sorry guys I know it's annoying. Just trying to get to a point where I can PM


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## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

Elite- I'm trying to get to a point to where I can PM you if you still wouldn't mind helping.


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

i dont know


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Most places are more then willing to send you a spec. sheet as to what they want done just call .


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## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

He sent me an e-mail with all of the particulars, wish I would've known to ask for a spec sheet  You guys are teaching me quite a few things here, thanks!


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

sure , i completely understand.....

[email protected] - might work better


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## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

Elite- I just sent you an e-mail. Thanks for your e-mail address


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

sent u an email back


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## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! You have helped me quite a bit. He said that all would be discussed as far as how to maintain the center, so I'm thinking in the interest of time I can omit for now pages 2 and 3. I figure I can put all of that in the contract as I think for now he's really interested just in pricing since he said that we would discuss it when I asked a few questions regarding when to plow etc. I think I will just say something to the effect of I'll give a detailed contract outlining their expectations after we've discussed them etc..etc.. At least I have pretty good idea of what they want.

I loved your suggestions with all pages and it will really help set us apart from the rest. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

You're in Chicago I think, I can't remember if that was you or another poster sorry, so your weather is probably a little worse than ours. Sometimes we can get snow into April so I don't know if I should use the dates of Nov 1st through April 1st or some time later in April. What are your thoughts? Any later seems a little strange...?


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

our norm is about nov 1st to april 15 th or so

agian this is just an idea, im sure there are many other ppl on here, that have more experiance, time and knowelge than me , but thats what i do. in somecase, its kinda like writing that report for school, u need to "creativly" lengthen it ...lol, i use lots of spaces, hit return, bold the top, u know the drill, margins, the last 25% of the page is blank, cover page only has 2 smaller paragrahs

and dont put anything on there that might scare the customer, things like late payment clauses, and most of the liablity stuff belongs in ur contract not propsal....


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## rnh719 (Oct 16, 2006)

I started to write the 15th, so it sounds like I'm on the right track.

Haha, I know what you mean about creatively lengthening it. That's exactly what you've helped me to do also. I've gotten out of having to have the full blown out contract right away, but you gave me awesome ideas, which I'm using them all, of what I can put in there to give it some length. I really get the feeling from him he's not looking for some long lengthy contract with all of that payment stuff etc like you just mentioned. I've read some other examples and the stuff that is said about about late payments and we'll terminate if you don't pay in 60 days etc is def. too much for a proposal. I totally agree with you. 

Don't doubt yourself and say there's others out there better, you have saved the day for us and know what you are doing! I now have a long night ahead of me creating this stuff, haha, but at least I know what to do. I'm working on the cover page right now and sadly it's stumping more than I anticipated it would or should!


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

check ur email in a few mins


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

did u get that ?


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