# per inch vs per push



## Mike57 (Dec 31, 2009)

I have a customer that is satisfied with my work, but wants a per inch price instead of the per push price I have been charging. The customer has a 130x185 parking lot, two drives...one 30x150, and one 14x80 (loading dock that has to be beck dragged). There are 3 entries to the street totaling 135' of frontage to be cleared. I shovel the loading dock stairs and landing as well as each of 4 building entries. 

They need the lot cleared before 7AM and there is a 2 inch trigger. Any storm with accumulations after 7AM of more than 2 inches needs another push. I'm thinking of giving a price per inch for each push required. Is anyone doing this?

I figure it costs me $210 to put a plow out each time to this customer. That is my COST not what I charge. The last 20" storm was cleared for $475.....most get cleared for $275. Is this price reasonable?

Please send any suggestions for by the inch pricing.


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## blizzardsnow (Feb 3, 2009)

Most of our contracts are per push + per inch. Example- say a 2" trigger= 2-4"- $100, 4-6" - $130, 6-8" $160. Etc...

Obviously if it snows during business hours we hit it every 2" or so (in this case @$100)- but if it snows overnight then we charge depending on total snowfall.


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## Mike57 (Dec 31, 2009)

Thanks for your input.

This customer has had issues in the past with plowing during business hours (it shuts down their production) and the workers all stop until everyone has moved there cars. If it continues to snow hard during the business day they tend to close early, so plowing between 7AM and 5PM is not practical there. By 5 PM the lot is empty and much easier to plow. I might offer a complimentary clean-out so that the lot is clear in the aisles when workers leave?

I need to give him a price by tomorrow, so I guess I will base my quote by the push but put the $ amount based on snowfall. I believe this will satisfy him. He paid the same for a 9" as he did for the 20" storm. He doesn't like that and wants the price to increase with snowfall even though I believe it will cost him more. By the current "push" price I do the second push for the same storm for $75 cheaper and I have never charged for a third push.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

What I commonly do when someone asks me for this is I give them the price would charge on a per push for a 1"-2" snow. Then I go up from there. 

I like when they tell you to wait till it has all fallen and then just push it once


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## Mike57 (Dec 31, 2009)

Yikes....I could never have pushed this last storm in a lot that size with one push! 20" in one push? hahahaha
He wants to make sure my pricing is "competitive" which I read as "too much" because I know the price he has been paying for years and I went up $25 a push this year based on increased fuel and maintenance cuz his lot sucks (I broke a trip pin there last year, thanks god no welds broke)


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## bristolturf (Dec 20, 2008)

Why would you plow the entire lot during the storm? We simply will go and plow the entry way, clear out the drive lanes for the parking lots in front of the door things like that. I would never ask a customer to come out mid day and move cars so I could plow. 

Why would you plow for free? That makes no sense. What happens when your plowing for free, accidentally hit a concrete curb and bend your plow frame? or one of the hoses goes bad?

We do per push per inch. So if we get a 6" storm and push the lot with 2" in the am and another 4" in the evening and we get 50 for 1-3.9 and 100 for 4-6.9 then its 150 for that storm. If that 4" fell during the day, we would just show up periodically and plow all the isles and things. Then when all the cars are gone come again and clean up the rest of the lot. Ya it will require more visits but id rather do that then push 4" of packed snow becasue we waited until everyone is gone and drove over it.


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## Mike57 (Dec 31, 2009)

bristolturf;1200209 said:


> Why would you plow the entire lot during the storm? We simply will go and plow the entry way, clear out the drive lanes for the parking lots in front of the door things like that. I would never ask a customer to come out mid day and move cars so I could plow.
> 
> Why would you plow for free? That makes no sense. What happens when your plowing for free, accidentally hit a concrete curb and bend your plow frame? or one of the hoses goes bad?
> 
> We do per push per inch. So if we get a 6" storm and push the lot with 2" in the am and another 4" in the evening and we get 50 for 1-3.9 and 100 for 4-6.9 then its 150 for that storm. If that 4" fell during the day, we would just show up periodically and plow all the isles and things. Then when all the cars are gone come again and clean up the rest of the lot. Ya it will require more visits but id rather do that then push 4" of packed snow becasue we waited until everyone is gone and drove over it.


To answer your question...I do not plow the lot when it is filled with cars. A previous operator made them move all the cars...not me....would never do that! I DO NOT PLOW FOR FREE. Since i have been plowing there has never been a storm lasting more than 24 hours. I will clean up the entry at no charge if they request it, but never have.

The customer has accepted my proposal and learned that I am competitive...which was his big concern i gather. I think he compared his cost so far this year to last year when all the storms went around us! I will continue to service this customer. Thanks for all your input!


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