# What $%^&&%#@^&!!!! national mang co got the Lowes in Maine?.....!



## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

Cause its not any of the 3 that I bid for!!...rant over!.......

Ps I feel better now!...LOL


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## DareDog (Oct 22, 2007)

thats good to know......


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

PM Sent............


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## FISHERBOY (Aug 13, 2007)

I think springwise is doing lowes, sent bids to them in early june, then i called the other day and they said lowes is dragging there feet


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## ff610 (Jan 9, 2009)

So who got the contract them???


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## lilweeds (Aug 3, 2007)

Bfs???????


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

lilweeds;1056672 said:


> Bfs???????


Could be....They have landed many lowes in the mid-west and east....


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## MahonLawnCare (Nov 18, 2007)

I know BFS got a lot of the Lowe's in OH


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## Rich Arlington (Aug 8, 2010)

what city in Maine are you referring to it may have been AGMG we were awarded Lowes in Maine


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

Rich, I know the ones u guys got and they wernt any of the stores i bid on.


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## fireside (Mar 1, 2008)

it's true a national management company now has ALL lowe's stories not under curent contract to supply services. Lowe's is standing behind all contracts that are in place. When current contacts are over they will be handled thru the new company. I'm waiting for the new bid package to come for the local lowe';s there contract is up. I personel; know the store manager and he is very upset with the current provider but they were under a 3 year deal. i have seen ice rinks that had less ice and snow 3 day's after the event than there parking lot.


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## windrowsnow (Aug 31, 2008)

brickman has the ohio stores. we got beat out on them here


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

I've been told that Brickman got 900 of their 1400 stores. The other 500 hundred I'm not sure... I'm lost on who has got the one I did last year. The location was a great account for me as I had 5 other properties within a 1/4 mile of the place. Anyone have word on the NH Lowes?


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## Rich Arlington (Aug 8, 2010)

Which ones in particular in NH are you referring to.


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

Collin,
Did you hear the news?... The average 5-6 ac Lowes is going for 25K including salt!...... what a joke!..... Rich has already confirmed this in another thread (or at least thats what these wonderful nationals are paying us to do them!)........GOOD LUCK!!!!!:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## Stowe (Jul 13, 2010)

Mick 76, 

I'm new to commercial. You stated a 506 AC lot is 25K with a national with salt. How much have they gone for in the past direct.


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## Stowe (Jul 13, 2010)

Mick 76, 

Sorry my last post should be 5-6 Acre lot. not 506 ac.


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

Stowe;1058442 said:


> Mick 76,
> 
> I'm new to commercial. You stated a 506 AC lot is 25K with a national with salt. How much have they gone for in the past direct.


Stowe,

If your new to plowing stay away from nationals... thats what they are counting on every year is the newbie that doesn't understand the amount of work and the equipment costs associated with these sites... as well as the huge amount of liability !!..... I'll tell you this, you will work your ass off throughout the winter and come spring time you'll be wondering where all the cash went........the nationals will sit back and collect their portion and will be smiling all the way to the bank......it will depend on regions on how much they have gone for in the past and I won't post the answers on this open forum..... but that figure is WAY LOW....


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## Stowe (Jul 13, 2010)

Mick 76, 

I agree way low I would think the cost should be $75-100K.

Stowe


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

Rich Arlington;1058398 said:


> Which ones in particular in NH are you referring to.


the Seabrook, NH one.

Thanks for any info


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

Stowe;1058451 said:


> Mick 76,
> 
> I agree way low I would think the cost should be $75-100K.
> 
> Stowe


Ya, I don't think so. If I could get 75-100k for a Lowes, I would have a bigger boat.

25k Isn't completely insane. I guess it just depends on your costs and efficiency.


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

I suppose 25k isnt too bad for a 5 ac lot. using MY rates of $35 an hour, $.12 a lb for salt, and $40 for a ton of sidewalks, that would be a real money maker!!!!!


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

merrimacmill;1058469 said:


> Ya, I don't think so. If I could get 75-100k for a Lowes, I would have a bigger boat.
> 
> 25k Isn't completely insane. I guess it just depends on your costs and efficiency.


Collin,

If you want to be "snow only" you won't be able to do it working for nationals..... use your time wisely and find more profitable work...... I know from our past discussions that our costs are close to the same........more power to you if you think 25K is a fair #.... then tell me again in the spring if you made any money at it......


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## Stowe (Jul 13, 2010)

I'm talking 75-100K for a 5-6 Acre lot. How big are Lowes.


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

Mick76;1058477 said:


> Collin,
> 
> If you want to be "snow only" you won't be able to do it working for nationals..... use your time wisely and find more profitable work...... I know from our past discussions that our costs are close to the same........more power to you if you think 25K is a fair #.... then tell me again in the spring if you made any money at it......


Well, no one said it was a good or fair price, I just said its "not completely insane." haha

Well I have nothing to really base this on because every lot is so different, every areas snow fall is different, but just generally speaking of any wide open, basic 5-6 acre lot...

When you said 25k for 5-6 acres, heres how I broke it down to find out if it was completely insane or not. If I were to take 4 hours to clear a 5-6 acre lot with two pieces of equipment (10 foot pusher and 8 foot plow) at lets say $125 an hour with a total average of 40 inches of snow a season and a 2'' trigger,

125 X 2 = 250 X 4 = 1000 X 20 = 20,000. So that would be $20,000 in plowing. Which works out because we all know we aren't going to actually plow every two inches in the middle of the night. I always figure that about 75% of that 40" is actually going to be plowed at 2".

I could salt a 5-6 acre lot with about 2 tons of salt. Around here we salt about 20 times in a season, at $175 a ton spread it would be $7,000. Thats $27,000 for a 5-6 acre lot pretty much wide open. Now that is bare minimum because of course you have to factor in site checks all the time, cleaning up, trimming out the lot, got to also throw some calcium in there for any sidewalks ect.. Every site is different and will call for a different price. I'm just saying a bare bones 5-6 acre lot for $25,000 isn't completely insane.

But with that said, I also wouldn't do it for 25k, esp in a contract that has no cap on snowfall. I need a little more room around it than that incase we get a lot more snow than usual or whatever may happen.. That price is just not safe enough for me.


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## Stowe (Jul 13, 2010)

what about insurance, overhead for shop, phones, advertising, time spent fighting slip and falls, cleanout spreaders, weather services, stakes, cost of potential curb damage, advertising, etc, etc, cost of paperwork


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

Stowe;1058497 said:


> what about insurance, overhead for shop, phones, advertising, time spent fighting slip and falls, cleanout spreaders, weather services, stakes, cost of potential curb damage, advertising, etc, etc, cost of paperwork


Thats all figured into my hourly rate that I based that pricing off of. Do you think it costs $125 an hour in fuel to run a 3/4 ton truck? Salt is $73 a ton here, where do you think the other $102 per yard is going? And keep in mind, despite all the newer equipment I have I run a very low overhead in my company. My fixed monthly expenses are a little bit above $3K.


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## Rich Arlington (Aug 8, 2010)

Just so you guys know I just heard yesterday that Mirror Lawn got some new england lowes but I dont know which ones and I dont know for what services, the only facts I have is the got 10 in NH for lot sweeping


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## hoskm01 (Oct 17, 2008)

Rich Arlington;1059890 said:


> Just so you guys know I just heard yesterday that Mirror Lawn got some new england lowes but I dont know which ones and I dont know for what services, the only facts I have is the got 10 in NH for lot sweeping


So, Rich, it sounds like Lowes broke up a bunch of markets and awarded them to companies large and small?


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## Rich Arlington (Aug 8, 2010)

Sounds like that way... we only got snow


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## WMHLC (Jul 31, 2005)

We did a Lowes for Springwise, and I just got a call that they no longer have the contract, and to stop services on August 28. We signed a 3 year deal with them, so I guess contracts don't matter to them.


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## Rich Arlington (Aug 8, 2010)

Well, just FYI Lowes only signs one year contracts so I am not sure how they can give you a three year... sounds like the old trick of offering you three years to get you to lower your price... we do not play that game... what we get you get.


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## TheEquineFencer (Dec 19, 2009)

*Brickman/Lowes*

I'd see who Brickman subs it to this year around the country, then I'd check Brickmans track record for paying the bills in a timely manner before I ever put a plow in a Lowes yard. O well, I'll shut up before I say something I shouldn't


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## erkoehler (Sep 25, 2008)

Any idea who has the Chicagoland Lowes stores?


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## teamgreendude (Aug 23, 2008)

who is bfs, and does anyone know if they have the stores in kansas city area ?


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

teamgreendude;1077657 said:


> who is bfs, and does anyone know if they have the stores in kansas city area ?


Brickman Facility Solutions, its like a branch off of Brickman's landscape division but they play the role of a national exterior services management company.

Not sure on the second question, call them an ask


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

Mick76;1058417 said:


> Collin,
> Did you hear the news?... The average 5-6 ac Lowes is going for 25K including salt!...... what a joke!..... Rich has already confirmed this in another thread (or at least thats what these wonderful nationals are paying us to do them!)........GOOD LUCK!!!!!:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:


That is a fair number around Michigan. I'd take 75% of all lower Michigan stores at that number


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

Superior L & L;1077833 said:


> That is a fair number around Michigan. I'd take 75% of all lower Michigan stores at that number


Superior, if you can make those #'s work in your area with your costs and profit margins great. I can't. Espacially if we had a block buster winter like we had 2 years ago, I'd be paying them for me to plow! The margins are just too slim. To each his own. Good luck this winter


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## DugHD (Nov 1, 2005)

Our contract is up for year round services for the Auburn , Maine Lowes. We have done them for the last 3yrs. They gave me a list months ago of 4 national comapanies that Lowes Corparate was hiring and I needed to call all of them to see who got he Maine Lowes.
I didnt bother becuase I dont want to be 3 down the food chain on getting paid. But I can tell you we were way,way over 25k for the plowing and salting and by no means were we getting rich. doug


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

DugHD and Mick, 

How much snow are you plowing in a season on average there? We only do about 40 inches here. Being that your up in Maine, I have a feeling we are comparing apples and oranges here.


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

merrimacmill;1077935 said:


> DugHD and Mick,
> 
> How much snow are you plowing in a season on average there? We only do about 40 inches here. Being that your up in Maine, I have a feeling we are comparing apples and oranges here.


Thats what im thinking also, in my area we have 12-15 plows and 35-45 salts.


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

Superior L & L;1078117 said:


> Thats what im thinking also, in my area we have 12-15 plows and 35-45 salts.


We're at about 40 inches of snow and 23 salt events.


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## grf_1000 (Sep 14, 2009)

i just talked with mirror. i do the lowes store here. mirror hasthis one and some of them around mi. and brickman has the rest. this is the first year for a national around here. i am was informed from the local manager that they were given a 3 year contract with the nationals. that is the same thing mirror told me.
we avg. around 160" of snow fall. i wonder if those guys in tennessee relize how much we get compaired to a store 70 miles away that only avg. 100"


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## MileHigh (Nov 6, 2007)

grf_1000;1082740 said:


> i just talked with mirror. i do the lowes store here. mirror hasthis one and some of them around mi. and brickman has the rest. this is the first year for a national around here. i am was informed from the local manager that they were given a 3 year contract with the nationals. that is the same thing mirror told me.
> we avg. around 160" of snow fall. i wonder if those guys in tennessee relize how much we get compaired to a store 70 miles away that only avg. 100"


are you sure about brickman having the rest?


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## grf_1000 (Sep 14, 2009)

thats what i was told. i have not seen anything in writing yet. mirror has a few districts and brikman the rest of the michigan stores.


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

I talked to Brickman on Friday and they said they were still bidding to corp.


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## grf_1000 (Sep 14, 2009)

jeremy at brickman said today they have some stores in michigan.


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## teamgreendude (Aug 23, 2008)

merrimacmill;1058469 said:


> Ya, I don't think so. If I could get 75-100k for a Lowes, I would have a bigger boat.
> 
> 25k Isn't completely insane. I guess it just depends on your costs and efficiency.


Since I'm still learning the ins and outs of plowing for commercials, a 7 acre lowes goes for $25,000 per push or season ? and does that include salt ?


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## grf_1000 (Sep 14, 2009)

teamgreendude;1082811 said:


> Since I'm still learning the ins and outs of plowing for commercials, a 7 acre lowes goes for $25,000 per push or season ? and does that include salt ?


depending on how many events you have a season. can't be done here. we avg. 45 full pushes plus the daily snows and 40 tons of salt. although the lowes here is no longer a 0 tolerance. we have a 2" trigger.


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## teamgreendude (Aug 23, 2008)

grf_1000;1082891 said:


> depending on how many events you have a season. can't be done here. we avg. 45 full pushes plus the daily snows and 40 tons of salt. although the lowes here is no longer a 0 tolerance. we have a 2" trigger.


So I was right, how much are you guys charging per push at the lowes you do ?


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

teamgreendude;1082961 said:


> So I was right, how much are you guys charging per push at the lowes you do ?


Seriously?


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## teamgreendude (Aug 23, 2008)

Brian Young;1082967 said:


> Seriously?


Seriously What !!??! I'm just asking dude !!


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

teamgreendude;1082972 said:


> Seriously What !!??! I'm just asking dude !!


Exactly "dude"! Do you really expect any one to answer a question involving their price?


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## teamgreendude (Aug 23, 2008)

Brian Young;1082997 said:


> Exactly "dude"! Do you really expect any one to answer a question involving their price?


wtf is the matter with that, I'm just trying to scrape some figures together so when I'm done with collage I can place a good price for the work. Just from what I've read I'm starting to figure out what and how I can charge for it.


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## snobama (Nov 19, 2008)

teamgreendude;1083004 said:


> wtf is the matter with that, I'm just trying to scrape some figures together so when I'm done with *collage* I can place a good price for the work. Just from what I've read I'm starting to figure out what and how I can charge for it.


Could be a while...


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

Teamgreen, stay away from nationals...they'll eat you alive.... some other advice I'll give you... know your costs... everything...ie insurances, truck payments, depreciation on equipment, taxes, payroll,workers comp, fuel, repairs, maint,office supplies, overhead, and the list goes on.... figure this out as a per hour figure...... once you know your costs figure out your profit margin per hour per machine... add these 2 together and you've got your hourly rate to charge per machine....figure out how long it will take you to do a lot (SIMA has lots of goo info on production rates for each pc of equipment) and multiple it by your hourly rate.... bingo....HERES THE FIGURE YOU SHOULD CHARGE BASED ON YOUR COSTS...... forget about the guy 3 states over that charge 25K for these lots... your figure SHOULD be very different


And on a side note... I can't believe my rant is still going..... I'm starting to feel like Grandview on this worthless threads that go on forever!....LOL


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## teamgreendude (Aug 23, 2008)

Mick76;1083253 said:


> Teamgreen, stay away from nationals...they'll eat you alive.... some other advice I'll give you... know your costs... everything...ie insurances, truck payments, depreciation on equipment, taxes, payroll,workers comp, fuel, repairs, maint,office supplies, overhead, and the list goes on.... figure this out as a per hour figure...... once you know your costs figure out your profit margin per hour per machine... add these 2 together and you've got your hourly rate to charge per machine....figure out how long it will take you to do a lot (SIMA has lots of goo info on production rates for each pc of equipment) and multiple it by your hourly rate.... bingo....HERES THE FIGURE YOU SHOULD CHARGE BASED ON YOUR COSTS...... forget about the guy 3 states over that charge 25K for these lots... your figure SHOULD be very different
> 
> And on a side note... I can't believe my rant is still going..... I'm starting to feel like Grandview on this worthless threads that go on forever!....LOL


I've got all the costs figured out but does Lowe's give to you for a year then they let brick-man, us maintenance etc have it for 3-4 years. IN our area brick-man just does sprint world headquarters and some office buildings, hoa's, etc. What about Walgreen's and target ? I'm just doing local businesses and maybe next year I'll try a home depot in town when I feel that can do it.


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

teamgreendude;1083419 said:


> I've got all the costs figured out but does Lowe's give to you for a year then they let brick-man, us maintenance etc have it for 3-4 years. IN our area brick-man just does sprint world headquarters and some office buildings, hoa's, etc. What about Walgreen's and target ? I'm just doing local businesses and maybe next year I'll try a home depot in town when I feel that can do it.


May i make a suggestion...When your done with *College*...Find a large snow plowing contractor in your area and sub-contract for him....Learn the ropes,ask questions...Do good work for him...Keep* reading* Plowsite...You will never come out of the gate and score a National account...If you do for some reason...Which i assume you lowballed the S#$T out of it..You will never be able to handle it and you name will be crap from there on out.......:waving:


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## MileHigh (Nov 6, 2007)

snobama;1083242 said:


> could be a while...


lmao!!!!!!


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## nicksplowing (Oct 5, 2005)

i woke up this morning and i said to myself, Nick today you are a national company and i will take all home depots, walmarts and lowes for myself and i will plow all of them with my simplicity lawn tractor :laughing:


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## MileHigh (Nov 6, 2007)

nicksplowing;1083453 said:


> i woke up this morning and i said to myself, Nick today you are a national company and i will take all home depots, walmarts and lowes for myself and i will plow all of them with my simplicity lawn tractor :laughing:


definitely get her done with one of those....hell who needs loaders and trucks?


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## teamgreendude (Aug 23, 2008)

Matson Snow;1083448 said:


> May i make a suggestion...When your done with *College*...Find a large snow plowing contractor in your area and sub-contract for him....Learn the ropes,ask questions...Do good work for him...Keep* reading* Plowsite...You will never come out of the gate and score a National account...If you do for some reason...Which i assume you lowballed the S#$T out of it..You will never be able to handle it and you name will be crap from there on out.......:waving:


well I've been taking a lot of marketing, entrepreneurship and business classes so I'll be prepared after I'm out of collage I'll put my skills to the test with local businesses then I'll take it a step further maybe ? For now I've got experience behind the wheel of a plow truck and know how to handle a snow storm.


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## hoskm01 (Oct 17, 2008)

nicksplowing;1083453 said:


> i woke up this morning and i said to myself, Nick today you are a national company and i will take all home depots, walmarts and lowes for myself and i will plow all of them with my simplicity lawn tractor :laughing:


At least youve got a neat little tractor to do them with!


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## hoskm01 (Oct 17, 2008)

teamgreendude;1083520 said:


> well I've been taking a lot of marketing, entrepreneurship and business classes so I'll be prepared after I'm out of collage I'll put my skills to the test with local businesses then I'll take it a step further maybe ? For now I've got experience behind the wheel of a plow truck and know how to handle a snow storm.


*Practice* your punctuation, spelling and grammar in everyday writing. It will take you far(ther) in life.


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

Rich,
Thought this might give you an insite as to the type of "contractors" that your giving these accounts too...... http://maine.craigslist.org/lab/1995380200.html He's fishing on Craigslist for YOUR Lowes locations..... I understand subbing but you'd think that a quality contractor would at least know a few people in their field they could sub too........ 
food for thought...


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## Rich Arlington (Aug 8, 2010)

Mick, 
It looks to me as though he is attempting to hire subs to help in HIS operation, I do that in Erie...What is wrong with that.


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

Mick76;1085843 said:


> Rich,
> Thought this might give you an insite as to the type of "contractors" that your giving these accounts too...... http://maine.craigslist.org/lab/1995380200.html He's fishing on Craigslist for YOUR Lowes locations..... I understand subbing but you'd think that a quality contractor would at least know a few people in their field they could sub too........
> food for thought...


Nice find Mick......I guess its true....You pay Peanuts you get Monkeys....Is that one of those Lowes that went for $19.95 and a Slurpiee....


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

Nothing wrong with hiring subs but via craigslist? You think they'd have these things figured out BEFORE you submit your pricing. Then again ALOT of people don't know their costs (good for you , bad for the contractor)..... I know you don't have personal to babysit these people (as stated in previous threads) , hopefully that works out for you in this case.....


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## By"US"Snow (Jan 6, 2010)

Mick,

I dont see anything wrong with Craigslist. I am sure he is searching in many different locations. Word of mouth and local relationships are usually the best route for subbing I agree.

His ad says Rockland and Ellsworth. He may be performing the Thomaston location but we have the Ellsworth Lowes with AGMG.


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

US,
pm sent


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

Craigs list has been a great source for out of town sub contractors for us for the last couple of years:salute:


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## grf_1000 (Sep 14, 2009)

Superior L & L;1085974 said:


> Craigs list has been a great source for out of town sub contractors for us for the last couple of years:salute:


do you need anything up here again this year?


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## dougabbott (Oct 13, 2010)

brickman has the il lowe's accounts


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## mtnzone (Apr 8, 2008)

I just answered a craiglist ad from outside unlimited for their td bank north accounts in nh.. decent money .


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