# Sidewalk in my neighborhood



## EJD Lawnpride (Dec 13, 2008)

My HOA asked me to bid 949' x 4' of sidewalk to be snowblowed and salted. I do mowing but never really did snow removal. I think an hourly rate or per inch rate ? Thanks!


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## EJD Lawnpride (Dec 13, 2008)

28 views and no responses? I just need some input here. I was wondering what and how you would charge for this.


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

1 Do you own a snowblower? If not I would forget it.
2 How long would it take you to drive that blower down and back in 1st or 2nd gear?
3 How much do you need to make per hour?

If 1 is yes, take ?2/60 x ?3 x 1.2= $ to charge.

Call insurance agent and make sure you are covered to plow snow commerically. If not I would forget it.

I don't do salt, but for a sidwalk like that I would use a drop spreader and bag salt. Find out how much a bag of salt costs and how much it will cover.

Good Luck


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## EJD Lawnpride (Dec 13, 2008)

I don't own a snowblower yet,but was going to pick a used one up for my house anyway. What is the ballpark price on this size job?


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## OSCLandscaping (Nov 18, 2007)

EJD Lawnpride;676360 said:


> I don't own a snowblower yet,but was going to pick a used one up for my house anyway. What is the ballpark price on this size job?


What ever you would need to cover your true costs plus profit you want to make.


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## EJD Lawnpride (Dec 13, 2008)

Would you charge hourly or per inch? What would you charge for this size job? I live on the street that needs to be cleared.


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## carl b (Dec 28, 2006)

EJD Lawnpride;675173 said:


> My HOA asked me to bid 949' x 4' of sidewalk to be snowblowed and salted. I do mowing but never really did snow removal. I think an hourly rate or per inch rate ? Thanks!


no ones going to tell you how to bid this is something you have to learn .


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## EJD Lawnpride (Dec 13, 2008)

Glad i joined this site! It's worse than Lawnsite, at least some people are willing to help!


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## Crash935 (Sep 3, 2003)

EJD Lawnpride;676896 said:


> Glad i joined this site! It's worse than Lawnsite, at least some people are willing to help!


Oh, were willing to help but we cant do everything for you. Bidding is something that you have to learn to do BASED on what is a fair market price in YOUR area. This is somethign that has been discussed to many times here. It doesnt matter what I would charge, i live 500 miles from you in a totally different market. I know how many times it snows here on an average, how many times does it snow there, i sure dont know. How much do you need to make to turn a profit, i know how much i work for, what are you willing to do it for? And many memebers DONT want to tell you what they charge because theres enough competion and they dont need to be giving out their prices. Hope you understand now?


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## Joesno (Dec 8, 2008)

I work for 95$ an hour. the 95 doesnt include salt, I charge 16$ for a bag of salt and my cost is 8$ a bag.


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

I'd bid that job at $3.00/foot.

That would include me driveing to PA, renting a hotel room, and waiting for it to snow. Then using my equipment, insurance and fuel. That rate is by the foot.

I'm typing this really slow so you can read it again. Like I said before, how long would it take your used blower to go down and back. Take that time multiplied by how much you need to make. (pay for the blower, pay for insurance, pay personal expenses, pay for everything.) That rate is by the hour.

FYI: Pissing off people you are trying to get information from probably won't get you anywhere.


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## EJD Lawnpride (Dec 13, 2008)

Not trying to piss people off. I'm a turf guy and don't intend to get into plowing. Just that the work is in my own neighborhood, and would be quick easy money. I don't do this type of work and don't know avg. prices for this work.I hope this helps your understand my side of this issue.


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## Joesno (Dec 8, 2008)

Tell them you charge ____$ an hour. Walk the sidewalk slowly ( or as fast as you would blow it) and times that hourly rate of at least 90$ an hour by how many hours it took you. then charge double the price of the bag for salt.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

EJD Lawnpride;677160 said:


> Not trying to piss people off. I'm a turf guy and don't intend to get into plowing. Just that the work is in my own neighborhood, and would be quick easy money. I don't do this type of work and don't know avg. prices for this work.I hope this helps your understand my side of this issue.


If you dont know what to charge then how do you know it "would be quick easy money" LMAO


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## EJD Lawnpride (Dec 13, 2008)

I think it would be easy because i live here! There is no travel time and i have owned a blower in past, and know our avg. snow storms aren't more than 2-4 in. at a time.


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

2-4" can be shoveled very easy. If this is just "extra money" then it really shouldn't matter how much as long as you are happy. If you don't plan on bidding for any other jobs, then do it for what you want to do it for. What is 1 or 2 hours of your time worth out in the cold? 

Call a local company and have them bid on it. When they give you a price, raise it by a % and give that price to the HOA. If they take it, you can either do it your self or sub it out to the company you contacted.


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## EJD Lawnpride (Dec 13, 2008)

I was thinking $65/hr? Does this sound right?


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

EJD Lawnpride;678706 said:


> I was thinking $65/hr? Does this sound right?


Have you even read the responses!!!!?

Your Labor rate X time required = amount to charge.


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## drivewaydoctor (Nov 26, 2008)

In MY area I would charge a flat rate seasonal over 2" of snow. 1000 feet of 4' sidewalk with my blowers would probably take me an hour to make a single pass and if a second pass is need then make it 2 hours. For two hours of blowing everytime it snowed over 2" I would be charging my 2hr parking lot rates which would be $450 per month. For salting I charge $25 per 80lb bag and I'd use a small walk behind salter (grass seed spreader) to apply it.


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## EJD Lawnpride (Dec 13, 2008)

Thanks. I gave them an hourly rate. per bag price for salt.


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## andrewlawnrangr (Dec 3, 2004)

and a contract.....


and remember no salt on concrete...
calcium and mag only!

also do those side walks end up at a mailbox? will the snowblower get around the mail box?
any area that need to be hand shoveled?


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

Did you get it?


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

andrewlawnrangr;687460 said:


> and remember no salt on concrete...


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## EJD Lawnpride (Dec 13, 2008)

Yes, and will only use cal or mag on concrete!


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## jgoetter1 (Feb 23, 2007)

I would think with your lawn business you'd have an idea of how to bid jobs. Work is work, figure the time it'll take, your expenses, and you've got a bid.


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## EJD Lawnpride (Dec 13, 2008)

just trying to find out going rates for snow. It's different than lawns or so i thought.


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## 02 Stroked (Nov 22, 2008)

I would charge them a flat rate that way then you know what your going to get paid and they know what they're paying a head of time. Also i would charge x amount of dollars for up to 3 in. and x amount for up to 5 in. and so on. Then i would charge somewhere around $50 per bag of calcium chloride for the walks. If you're going to be out in the cold, you need to make it worth your while.


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## EJD Lawnpride (Dec 13, 2008)

That's what i was trying to go for. But, it seems like most people do hourly? Out of curiosity what would you have charged?


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

Pricing and Bidding isnt an exact science

there is no way for anyone to be able to tell you what to charge


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## andrewlawnrangr (Dec 3, 2004)

EJD Lawnpride;680931 said:


> Thanks. I gave them an hourly rate. per bag price for salt.


cretebaby.... thats why i said no salt.......


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

andrewlawnrangr;694063 said:


> cretebaby.... thats why i said no salt.......


?????????????????????

What does pricing and Bidding have to do with not using salt on concrete


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## fci (Sep 7, 2008)

I would use a drop spreader so you don't salt the grass. You might want to ask about calcium for the concrete you could charge more $$$


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

I thought I was clear, but I think it was taken wrong. I would take the time it takes to do the job (walk it down and back) times my hourly rate ($ I need to make to get out of bed) = cost to do the job. That cost is the quote I would give them for every time is snows 2" or more. Then if it took longer or shorter time, it would still be the same cost. That is easier for the customer to understand. They don't have to worry that you are taking 3 hours to do it and you don't have to worry if you buy a Bobcat Toolcat and blow it in 5 minutes.


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