# Advice on price bidding



## HelgerServices (Nov 20, 2019)

Hi friends, I'm looking for advice on pricing out this this property, my dad got out of plowing around 15 years ago but I'm looking to get us back into commercial accounts. We mow it during lawn season and want to plow it during the 2022 season. It has two parking lots, the main is 34,000 sq ft and the second lot is 6500 sq ft. It has 100 total sq ft in walkways.

We have two trucks and believe it can be done in a hour or so, it's stupid easy money. We were thinking $135.00-140.00/hr per truck. Any other suggestions on pricing are greatly appreciated such as monthly rates, by the inch, etc. Thanks.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

Three hours?
You should have that done in 30-45 minutes...


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## HelgerServices (Nov 20, 2019)

BossPlow2010 said:


> Three hours?
> You should have that done in 30-45 minutes...


My bad meant an hour or a little over depending on amount accumulated


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

Salting too?


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## HelgerServices (Nov 20, 2019)

BossPlow2010 said:


> Salting too?


the client told us that their budget committee decides on salt depending on how much the money the church makes so sometimes salt sometimes not. But we believe it should be included


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

HelgerServices said:


> the client told us that their budget committee decides on salt depending on how much the money the church makes so sometimes salt sometimes not. But we believe it should be included


Salt should be either included or not included not sometimes when they have the cash flow.
By it not being included you can put that in the contract and take away the likelihood of dealing with slip and fall claims. You should talk to a lawyer before assuming I'm correct


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## m_ice (Aug 12, 2012)

I'm sure I'm going to take flack for this but churches are the worst to deal with. They assume everyone is honest and won't sue when common sense should be used or it's just a plain accident. Unfortunately the world we live in is sue-happy. We have 1 church we plow for...they came to us this winter with the because of covid and no services we don't have money for services so we want to switch to a will call service. I explained the contract and that we are willing to work with them because I do have compassion for their situation however here is a release of liability if your taking the decision making away from me of when to service. They decided to continue as contracted.


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

m_ice said:


> I'm sure I'm going to take flack for this but churches are the worst to deal with. They assume everyone is honest and won't sue when common sense should be used or it's just a plain accident. Unfortunately the world we live in is sue-happy. We have 1 church we plow for...they came to us this winter with the because of covid and no services we don't have money for services so we want to switch to a will call service. I explained the contract and that we are willing to work with them because I do have compassion for their situation however here is a release of liability if your taking the decision making away from me of when to service. They decided to continue as contracted.


I had a couple churches for years, they didn't get any special treatment when it came to rates and they paid within days of being invoiced (per push) lots were 1.75 and 2 acres, not islands or light poles, only curb was along the sidewalk in front of the building and I was able to clear that with the pickup. Only shoveling was 2 walks which totaled aboot 100'. Up to aboot 5" I had aboot 25min of plowing and 10min of shoveling and spreading de-icer on the 2 small walks. Best thing was during the week and Saturdays In the morning there was one using the building so they weren't a priority in those days.
I also mowed the field grass on the property, took care of irrigation, fert, and aerated. They had volunteers mow the turf grass.


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## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

Your just shy of an acre between both lots, the standard production rate for years has been 1 acre per hour in a plow truck. We can typically do them much faster but I still usually use that number for my bids.

your hourly rate looks good to me, but it varies by area and I don’t know what the market is like in your area. Make sure it pencils out and your being compensated for providing essential, emergency service.

A lot of folks plan on 800lbs of salt per acre. Since your so close to an acre you can probably plan on that or close to it.


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## HelgerServices (Nov 20, 2019)

Kinport said:


> Your just shy of an acre between both lots, the standard production rate for years has been 1 acre per hour in a plow truck. We can typically do them much faster but I still usually use that number for my bids.
> 
> your hourly rate looks good to me, but it varies by area and I don't know what the market is like in your area. Make sure it pencils out and your being compensated for providing essential, emergency service.
> 
> A lot of folks plan on 800lbs of salt per acre. Since your so close to an acre you can probably plan on that or close to it.


Thank you sir


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## HelgerServices (Nov 20, 2019)

m_ice said:


> I'm sure I'm going to take flack for this but churches are the worst to deal with. They assume everyone is honest and won't sue when common sense should be used or it's just a plain accident. Unfortunately the world we live in is sue-happy. We have 1 church we plow for...they came to us this winter with the because of covid and no services we don't have money for services so we want to switch to a will call service. I explained the contract and that we are willing to work with them because I do have compassion for their situation however here is a release of liability if your taking the decision making away from me of when to service. They decided to continue as contracted.


I totally see your point, this church manages to hold on to lots of money because it's also a private school for 1st to 8th grade


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## Chineau (Aug 24, 2010)

gas stations that is the bad bad, I have a couple congregations that rely on us, we understand each other, set out terms they get that.


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## Grigs04 (Feb 2, 2020)

Hopefully u get more snow business then just that lot. U will loose your ass on just getting ready and going out to plow that just that lot. I could do that with one of my plow trucks solo in less than and hour. Charge around $100 to $150. Sidewalks are $75 per man hour. Maybe one hour of sidewalk work. Snow business sucks. Great pay but comes with hella stress


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## HelgerServices (Nov 20, 2019)

Grigs04 said:


> Hopefully u get more snow business then just that lot. U will loose your ass on just getting ready and going out to plow that just that lot. I could do that with one of my plow trucks solo in less than and hour. Charge around $100 to $150. Sidewalks are $75 per man hour. Maybe one hour of sidewalk work. Snow business sucks. Great pay but comes with hella stress


We've picked up most of our lawn customers driveways so this lot isn't the biggest priority but we think we an do it better than their current guy


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## Chineau (Aug 24, 2010)

Grigs04 said:


> Hopefully u get more snow business then just that lot. U will loose your ass on just getting ready and going out to plow that just that lot. I could do that with one of my plow trucks solo in less than and hour. Charge around $100 to $150. Sidewalks are $75 per man hour. Maybe one hour of sidewalk work. Snow business sucks. Great pay but comes with hella stress


so it is not just me with the stress!
when the plan work right it is awesome, push powder, tunes mug coffee sign me up.
however people don't show up, something broke, Mrs. soandso needs to get to her appointment by such me first. 
I could go on.
doing better than the other guy is how we bring the value!


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## Rook (Nov 29, 2019)

m_ice said:


> I'm sure I'm going to take flack for this but churches are the worst to deal with. They assume everyone is honest and won't sue when common sense should be used or it's just a plain accident. Unfortunately the world we live in is sue-happy. We have 1 church we plow for...they came to us this winter with the because of covid and no services we don't have money for services so we want to switch to a will call service. I explained the contract and that we are willing to work with them because I do have compassion for their situation however here is a release of liability if your taking the decision making away from me of when to service. They decided to continue as contracted.


+1
Maybe bigger churches are different.

Had one 2 years ago.. they were upset we plowed two days in a row.

One day was 10 inches of snow, the next was 4 inches.

Lol


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## Chineau (Aug 24, 2010)

snow two days in a row you say, pity.


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