# Plowing gas stations



## Mces313 (Nov 25, 2017)

This is my first year doing commercial and I am having trouble pricing. I have a few gas stations to bid on all but 1 is .6 acres or less and the other is 1.6 acres. Roughly what would you guys charge per push. No salt no walkways


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

You have any experience with plowing before now?


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## Mces313 (Nov 25, 2017)

I have done residentials but no commercial


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

I'll honestly say, run from gas stations dude.
Run fast and far.
Start with easier lots


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## Mces313 (Nov 25, 2017)

what makes you say that?


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## Sawboy (Dec 18, 2005)

Do a search on this site about gas stations. All the info you’ll want about why they suck is there. 

Also, you gotta do your own pricing dude. We can’t do it for ya. Know your costs, know your area, know what you want for profit, price accordingly. That’s how you derive your price.


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## meyer22288 (May 26, 2003)

Gas stations are heavy foot traffic I wouldn't even consider one that didnt want salt


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Gas stations suck. Take your time estimate and double it.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Mces313 said:


> what makes you say that?


Have you ever gotten gas while it was snowing or after it snowed?
Have you ever seen guys plow them?


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Mces313 said:


> This is my first year doing commercial and I am having trouble pricing. I have a few gas stations to bid on all but 1 is .6 acres or less and the other is 1.6 acres. Roughly what would you guys charge per push. No salt no walkways


 There is more to it than has anyone plowed a 1.6 acre site. Maybe add a location not any address just a region, If you never plowed commercially your not only taking the job but you will be in the learning stages to. I know you only have to get the snow off the blacktop lol. You will have to learn how to windrow, Stack, Put the snow in most logical area etc.

Why no salt? Who has the responsibility for a possible slip and fall. Do you have all liability's, WC that your client will ask for. Is your client asking for a 1'' - 2'' trigger or 4''? If you just want the basics with not to many obstacles you should and will need to be able to push 1 acre in 1 hour with a truck. What do you need and be happy with your truck per hr? Do you have a back plan in place something will break. Pricing is different all over some get huge bucks others get low end for some reason, Usually starts with a low baller.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

dieselss said:


> Have you ever gotten gas while it was snowing or after it snowed?
> Have you ever seen guys plow them?


I sat and ate some delicious a gas station food one night and just watched this poor bastard trying to plow the lot. Felt bad for the guy, as you could just see him getting more frustrated with every car that cut him off.

OP, gas stations are very busy locations, without any kind of room to navigate. Tight lots with cars constantly going in and out will be a headache.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Gas stations people will pull in front of you with a full blade and just sit there discombobulated till you actually have to wave and point them around lol.  :terribletowel:


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

You better mark those tank fill lids. You rip one out, big bucks. And gas station owners are cheap.


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## Mces313 (Nov 25, 2017)

I see where you guys are coming from. Im im Detroit Mi I have asked around apparently the going rate is 100-125 an hour


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Mces313 said:


> I see where you guys are coming from. Im im Detroit Mi I have asked around apparently the going rate is 100-125 an hour


There you go, Make sure you are signed off on salt in your contract. Base your 15- 20 min job on $65. $70, per hour. If you could or maybe more or less I have no idea in DeToilet area.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

Mces313 said:


> what makes you say that?


Gas stations suck to plow.
Here's the main reasons.
- The owners are cheap
-there's always people there
- there's gas caps hidden in the lot
- they don't want you to plow until there's like 4" on the lot.



FredG said:


> There you go, Make sure you are signed off on salt in your contract. Base your 15- 20 min job on $65. $70, per hour. If you could or maybe more or less I have no idea in DeToilet area.


When was the last time you were in Detroit?


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

BossPlow2010 said:


> Gas stations suck to plow.
> Here's the main reasons.
> - The owners are cheap
> -there's always people there
> ...


I think it was 2000 lol. I stated I don't really know his area. What I posted I would do here and it is fare and acceptable. lol

I won't take a gas station unless it's a truck stop type, I agree with your threads we used to cone off the tops of the tanks and fill stations. Had a rubber edge pusher in the back would try to hit the tops with that.

Now how much has DeToilet changed since 2000 since you wanted to know my last time there.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

FredG said:


> Now how much has DeToilet changed since 2000 since you wanted to know my last time there.


Why don't you come see for yourself. 
Then again seeing a city 17 years ago does qualify one as being able to make an accurate judgment on it today.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

BossPlow2010 said:


> Why don't you come see for yourself.
> Then again seeing a city 17 years ago does qualify one as being able to make an accurate judgment on it today.


Well, if you were in Newark NJ 17 years ago, it still is a sesspool now.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

BossPlow2010 said:


> Why don't you come see for yourself.
> Then again seeing a city 17 years ago does qualify one as being able to make an accurate judgment on it today.


WHAT!! Where did I make a judgement call?? Personally I could give a fat rats behind what is happening - trending in Detroit. Ya I will come to that filthy toilet. Mind your own bobber, :terribletowel:


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

gas station owners are cheap!...they figure all the salt dripping off cars will keep the lot salted for free, most are not designed for being plow friendly, if closed for plowing not too bad but a lot of maneuvering,


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## MSsnowplowing (Nov 1, 2012)

Been plowing one gas station now for 10 years.

Know the location of the fill caps, take a picture and make a 8x10 to keep in your truck so you don't forget.

When plowing over them, raise the plow up.

You will be dealing with lot's of cars depending on the time.

Mine is about half a acre and takes anywhere from 20 minutes to 45 minutes depending on said cars.

So I figure 1 hour into my billing and charge my rate per hour based on inches. 

So let's say you need to make $75 an hour.

2-3 $75
4-6 $150
7-9 $225
10-12 $300
and $100 every 3 inches above 12.

My gas station also does not want product put down, I put in the contract I am not responsible for any type of slip and fall or accident because of that and the gas station is 100 percent liable. 

Also be prepared to go back there a few times after the storm because morons like to pull in and clean off their cars of snow and snow drops off the bottom etc...

It works for me because I go there for gas, coffee, etc... and driveby it every day and takes about 5 minutes to touch it up -(plus the fact I get free coffee, donuts, sandwiches, when I am plowing there, like I said 10 years of doing business with the owner)

If I didn't I would add a surcharge for clean up costs like $50 every time I went there.


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## Clean Up (Jan 18, 2018)

Mces313 said:


> I see where you guys are coming from. Im im Detroit Mi I have asked around apparently the going rate is 100-125 an hour


Those gas stations you are going for go up for bid every year and every year we all pass on them. Im assuming the speedways! Not worth the pain. When I bid with salt and wont go less than $200 a gas station. Reason why is because they are wealthy businesses that thrive daily! If they want to take a low ballers bid and that business wants to waste their time...SO BE IT.
I make $90 per hour doing residential after gas with snow blowers and myself!


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Clean Up said:


> Those gas stations you are going for go up for bid every year and every year we all pass on them. Im assuming the speedways! Not worth the pain. When I bid with salt and wont go less than $200 a gas station. Reason why is because they are wealthy businesses that thrive daily! If they want to take a low ballers bid and that business wants to waste their time...SO BE IT.
> I make $90 per hour doing residential after gas with snow blowers and myself!


Why not plow the drives? You could be invoicing a lot more per hour. $90 isnt that great.


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## Clean Up (Jan 18, 2018)

ktfbgb said:


> Why not plow the drives? You could be invoicing a lot more per hour. $90 isnt that great.


I used to make $12 an hour deicing airplanes. $90 is going to get me where I need to go. If I can turn $12 per hour to $90 per hour than I can see turning $90 into $180 and $180 into $360. if you can teach us how to make more per hour that would be appreciated. But criticizing someones pay rate is not very cool. Trust I test the market. I get so many leads I can easily see what the going rate is. Very simple business tactic. Call a bunch of companies and have them quote your drive. This will give a good idea. Best thing a snow remover can do is hire another company to do their snow. May also help when you need to sub work out. When dealing with residential snow look at it as an investment for future services. If it helps tighten up routes for lawns and gutter cleaning and your only missing out on a few bucks during the winter than its worth the investment. You wont have spend money advertising every new season once your established. I only advertise during fall and winter and stack customers for the spring and summer. My overhead is almost nothing!


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## On a Call (Jan 14, 2015)

Just wait till you pop off a fill cover and break it


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Clean Up said:


> I used to make $12 an hour deicing airplanes. $90 is going to get me where I need to go. If I can turn $12 per hour to $90 per hour than I can see turning $90 into $180 and $180 into $360. if you can teach us how to make more per hour that would be appreciated. But criticizing someones pay rate is not very cool. Trust I test the market. I get so many leads I can easily see what the going rate is. Very simple business tactic. Call a bunch of companies and have them quote your drive. This will give a good idea. Best thing a snow remover can do is hire another company to do their snow. May also help when you need to sub work out. When dealing with residential snow look at it as an investment for future services. If it helps tighten up routes for lawns and gutter cleaning and your only missing out on a few bucks during the winter than its worth the investment. You wont have spend money advertising every new season once your established. I only advertise during fall and winter and stack customers for the spring and summer. My overhead is almost nothing!


I am responding with snarky remarks mainly because of another response you made in another thread. You were proclaiming to have a great business model that you could teach to other members. Find out you are only pulling in $90 an hour. I average $200 an hour on residential plowing and thats only because my residentials are spread out. I start at $85 and go up from there for a residential drive that takes 15 minutes total to plow, and hand shovel the walk.

I'm not special, many guys make a lot more more than me per hour on snow. Just dont come in here as a new member professing to have some great formula for selling residential service only to have us find out the numbers are mediocre.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

I bet for $12 an hour you weren't using your own equipment, paying for all insurance and busiess requirements, taking full responsibility for the risks, pay for equipment payments, doing any prep work and sales for "free", paying for marketing, paying for all repairs, and still had to make payroll.

If I bill out for $25, $50, $1000 an hour, it doesn't matter. I still get the same salary every two weeks. I'm sure not every company does this, but anyone running a legit company does it this way. I make more than $90/hr as a sub (assuming I get the job done in a timely manner), to be putting in all the other time required to get your own accounts I would need more. Maybe this is because I don't plow as many hours a season.

$90/hr may get you where you need to be now, but it may not for very long. Don't prevent your growth just because you are pricing what others are charging. Provide better service, and sell your higher prices to your customers, showing that you go above and beyond what they've experienced in the past. I may not have a bunch of my own accounts, but the ones I do have want more than just the cheapest guy. If they want cheap and complain about my prices, I simply don't plow for them the following year.


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