# Didnt receive the bid....



## plowin-fire (Jan 31, 2011)

Gave a bid to a hardware store that just opened this fall. A few other companys gave their bids as well. Most guys get around $100 per hour with trucks around here. The site has a front parking lot with about 80 ft of sidewalks that has to be shoveled that is about 11250 sq ft. with a couple curbs to get around. Rear lot is for the small engine shop thats 6000 sq ft. Not really any space to pile snow beings its a corner lot with drives on each side. Was planning on using my skid and blower to get it beside the building. Heres my bid:
1 to 3.9” Accumulation $60
4 to 7.9” Accumulation $75
8 to 11.9” Accumulation $100
12”+ Accumulation $150
No salt since its new concrete.

Am I close? I figured 30 - 45 min on light snows. Another company in town got it and I know he charges more than I do. Any thoughts?


----------



## Camden (Mar 10, 2007)

Around my neck of the woods you can't get away with incremental bidding like that. Is that how you were told to bid or is that just how you do it? Maybe the owner got a flat per push rate so he knew how much he'd be paying each time. I don't know...just throwing it out there.


----------



## thelettuceman (Nov 23, 2010)

The low bid does not always get the job. If I am buying something and the price is too cheap, I have 2nd thoughts. I am not saying you are a lowballer. Most people would go with the low bid. Most snow removal bids are won by the low price.


----------



## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

I'm with Roy, how much to plow my lot.I don't care if you use a snowblower on a bobcat or a truck ,just make sure it;s done.


----------



## Advantage (Nov 7, 2007)

I think incremental bidding is more accurate and competitive. Most of my bids are structured that way. An explanation to the client that the majority of the snows will be within the lower brackets is helpful. I do like the simplicity of one price but feel that I can win more bids this way. The OP's pricing seems a bit low however.


----------



## ponyboy (Dec 19, 2006)

Go in and talk to them find out why let them know you are always around in an emgerency and ask him to call you next year for another bud 
Even if you don't get the bids always send them a thank you letter or stop in keep you name fresh in their mind and don't be afraid to ask why they went in a different direction


----------



## plowin-fire (Jan 31, 2011)

Was planning on heading in tomorrow to ask. Dont really mind that I didnt get the bid, just want to know what to do different so I can be more competitive with the other guys... So if I was low, what should I have bid? I wanted to get a google earth pic up but the lot was still dirt at that point...


----------



## plowin-fire (Jan 31, 2011)

Camden;1358790 said:


> Around my neck of the woods you can't get away with incremental bidding like that. Is that how you were told to bid or is that just how you do it? Maybe the owner got a flat per push rate so he knew how much he'd be paying each time. I don't know...just throwing it out there.


I used to be hourly and I went to per push this year and most of my clients liked this way better. So if you did a flat rate per push, for example, would you be out there at 3" pushing and then back at the next 3" and charge them twice the set rate of $60?


----------



## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Per push is per push,charge each time. Or go seasonal.


----------



## BPS#1 (Oct 16, 2011)

Small sites I give them a flat rate, no matter the accumulation.
In 16 years I've never seen a huge snow event here. Sure the wind might drift it really high in places.....
jump over a few feet to bare ground. 12 to 14 inches is probably the absolute top end I've seen in 16 years.

Larger sites get the hourly rate.


----------



## Camden (Mar 10, 2007)

plowin-fire;1359323 said:


> I used to be hourly and I went to per push this year and most of my clients liked this way better. So if you did a flat rate per push, for example, would you be out there at 3" pushing and then back at the next 3" and charge them twice the set rate of $60?


Almost everything I've got is on a per push basis. I even do a Hardware Hank that's similar in size to the hardware store you bid. If it's snowing when they're open I'll make several passes to keep them open. I don't charge them the full rate for that service, it's more like 25% of the per push price. They've never complained about my billing practices and I've had them as a customer for several years. Just be fair about it and you'll be fine.


----------



## plowin-fire (Jan 31, 2011)

If one was to go to seasonal, what price point do you base your pushes off of. last season we had 55" snow and 18 events. So avg of 3.05" per fall. Do $60 x 18 equals 1080 per season, or do you go a bit higher for some cushion?


----------



## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

I always add a few then round up the price to the nearest 100.00


----------



## plowin-fire (Jan 31, 2011)

I would imagine if you try to sell seasonals to a customer you need to have a plan to make them think that its a better deal so they arent getting taken...


----------



## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

If your dealing with a business, they like seasonal because they are able to budget better.


----------



## BPS#1 (Oct 16, 2011)

I've tried selling seasonal grounds maint in this town.

Aint happening.


They are fine with the idea of a fixed price per month until they get to the months where no lawn care is getting done. Then they are wondering why they are paying for a service not rendered in their minds.
No amount of explaining the $20,000 divided by 7 months versus 12 months still amounts to a $20,000 over all bid price. 

Same thing is going to happen with snow removal. I don't even try any more.
Snow is per hour or event for my small lots and lawn care is billed in 7 month increments in the months that we are doing work. April thru Oct.


----------



## BPS#1 (Oct 16, 2011)

grandview;1359515 said:


> If your dealing with a business, they like seasonal because they are able to budget better.


In SOME markets, others.............. NOT so much.

See my post /\.


----------



## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

My area people will pay for seasonal snowplowing but don't like it for lawn cutting because they think they are getting ripped if we get a dry spell.


----------



## BPS#1 (Oct 16, 2011)

What I don't get is that folks can't understand for themselves is the bottom line amount stays the same, just the payments are different.

Example if I tell you I want $100 for seasonal snow removal on your residential and will bill in 5 increments of $20............. or you can pay me $100 lump sum............. WTF is that so hard to understand?
Are the schools in America that pathetic??????????


----------



## ryde307 (Dec 3, 2009)

We price hourly, per push, per event and seasonal.

Related to customers not understanding seasonal I met with a new client a week or so ago he wanted seasonal. Ok no problem told him his November payment was due at signing. He said it doesnt snow in November he wants December-march seasonal. I said ok but the price is the same its just deivded by 4 months not 5. He struggled to understand. Long story short after explaining 5 times he understood said well I want Dec0 March seasonal anyways bill me per time for Nov snow if it happens. So now he pays the same seasonal price but pays extra if it snow in November its how he wanted it and i was sick of trying to explain it what he got and now we charge the same seasonal plus per push in November extra money for us I guess.


----------



## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Bet he thinks he got the better of you on that deal!


----------



## plowin-fire (Jan 31, 2011)

Just talked to owner. My bid was in the middle. A small construction company got it because he was the "cheapest bid". Oh well, I thought I was cheap. Maybe not. He does good work on a few othe sites that I know he does, so maybe he is just looking for something to do.


----------



## Advantage (Nov 7, 2007)

plowin-fire;1365570 said:


> Just talked to owner. My bid was in the middle. A small construction company got it because he was the "cheapest bid". Oh well, I thought I was cheap. Maybe not. He does good work on a few othe sites that I know he does, so* maybe he is just looking for something to do*.


Figures...Seems like a lot of guys around here are looking for something to do.


----------



## bristolturf (Dec 20, 2008)

I dont know how he could be lower than 60$. Your price is low in my books. I always figure on a 1 hour minimum for each site. You have travel time, plowing, etc especially putting a skid on there.


----------



## plowin-fire (Jan 31, 2011)

I bid it on the low side to get some business and beings a nice location, having a place to advertise. I noticed last night he was doing some lots that were serivced by a bigger company last season...


----------

