# Does this look like 3 TONS? This is my first time ordering bulk so I need help...



## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

Does this look like 3 tons? I ordered 3 tons of rock salt and paid $302.00 and I really imagined that I would get much much more for that amount of money. And this doesn't look like 3 tons of salt to me. But this is my first time getting bulk salt. Any opinions are appriciated. If its not then is there anything I can do?? Thanks,

Collin


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## wishin4snoww (Dec 20, 2007)

Looks like 3 tons to me.


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## powerjoke (Nov 13, 2004)

looks good

to be honest it looks like at least 3 ton or ~approx 4-5yd


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

Alright, well I guess that answers it. Thanks guys.

-Collin


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## Peterbilt (Apr 28, 2007)

Yep. Thats 3 tons


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

If you shovel it by hand it's about 10 tons!


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## CARDOCTOR (Nov 29, 2002)

grandview;462335 said:


> If you shovel it by hand it's about 10 tons!


dont forget to keep it covered

JR


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## slongfellowii (Dec 29, 2004)

One pallet of bagged is 2400- 2500 lbs, so that looks close to me.


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

the quantity is fine, maybe closer 3.5 ton, but the price somebody took a mark-up along the way.


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## Clapper&Company (Jan 4, 2005)

Yep looks like 3ton to me, be more if it gets wet


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

I've got it in one of those little tarp material, metal frame shelters. I build the sides up with cement blocks and then put the canopy over it. Seems to be working great so far since its snowing/raining out now and its completely dry. Thanks for the help everyone.


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## Dailylc (Feb 12, 2006)

Looks like an expensive 3 tons for bulk. You need to find a new supplier. They bent you over the barrel at that price.


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## Clapper&Company (Jan 4, 2005)

Yea I can buy bag salt at $110 ton all day long


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## SnowMelt2006 (Nov 27, 2006)

Clapper&Company;462465 said:


> Yea I can buy bag salt at $110 ton all day long


You find me $2.75 per bag 50# bagged rock and I will take 100 truckloads right now.


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

There is another supplier around here I found out about from our landscaper, but they don't deliver. They do deal with trucking companies that haul 20 ton minimum. But I'd only want 5 at a time.


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## big acres (Nov 8, 2007)

You paid less-than-load pricing because they still had to load a truck and drive to your shop, but still that is pretty steep. You can get it closer to $50-60 ton if you can handle a full load of about 15-18 yards, depending on what region your in.

In Minneapolis, we're getting $135-150 per ton APPLIED. You paid $100 per ton raw cost, and would stand to make at best $150 for all your time and effort to load, drive, and spread the product. Salt should be your biggest profit center in this business, so work on sourcing it cheaper.


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## Lawnscape89 (Nov 28, 2005)

You paid $302, but how much per ton and how much for delivery? You may have been better off getting more tonnage as the delivery fee probably doesn't change. JMO.

$150 applied. Not to criticize because every area is different, but your only making $100 per ton applied? We get $500 per ton and up (way, sometimes) here, applied.


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## dmontgomery (Oct 3, 2003)

Clapper&Company;462465 said:


> Yea I can buy bag salt at $110 ton all day long


where????????


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## Snowpower (Sep 2, 2007)

500 a ton applied for salt? Comon.


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## Snowpower (Sep 2, 2007)

My bagged price is 125 a ton, but that doesn't include delivery and tax of 6% and a 150 dollar delivery charge per truck.Ends up being about 145 a ton.

155 a pallet or so. Keep in mind theres 2450lbs on a pallet. Not 2000.


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## Dailylc (Feb 12, 2006)

Go get it yourself. I can get 3 ton on my 16' trailer. We get it back to the shop and on a rainey day we bag it up and stack it on pallets so its ready to go when we need it. I only paid $137.00 for 3 ton. time spent to pickup from yard and bag it was at most 2.5 hours.


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## DUSTYCEDAR (Jan 18, 2004)

LOOKS LIKE WORK and 3 ton


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

Lawnscape89;462567 said:


> You paid $302, but how much per ton and how much for delivery? You may have been better off getting more tonnage as the delivery fee probably doesn't change. JMO.
> 
> $150 applied. Not to criticize because every area is different, but your only making $100 per ton applied? We get $500 per ton and up (way, sometimes) here, applied.


Just out of curiosity, I'm new to this whole salt thing, how many ton do you spread a year? What's your average drop/site?


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## Clapper&Company (Jan 4, 2005)

We buy it from the local fert plant, they bag there own. 

There is only 40 50lb bags on a skid, and its $110 a skid. 

I can set you guys up with them if you would like, they ship all over the place.

They ship, 175,000 Ton of bag Icemelt to NYC every year. so I know I could hook u guys up.


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## Clapper&Company (Jan 4, 2005)

Find some on out of state, and have it truck in.


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## dmontgomery (Oct 3, 2003)

I pay $205 a skid with 2450# on it.......That is the best I can do around here......


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## Young Pup (Aug 13, 2004)

dmontgomery;462867 said:


> I pay $205 a skid with 2450# on it.......That is the best I can do around here......


I am paying 193.00 for a skid here from lesco. Same weight as yours.


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## salopez (Apr 11, 2004)

Okay where in Maryland are you getting 500 per ton applied? I want to work for you....
I am only getting 250 per ton plus truck rate at my best site....but most of my lots are 30 acres plus


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## Lawnscape89 (Nov 28, 2005)

I'm not trying to start a war or brag about my prices, but my lowest per bag price for bulk salt is $17.50 and goes up to $25 per 50/lb bag applied. You do the math. I get 25 tons delivered at a time and currently have 50+ tons because they messed up the last "monster" storm forcast. As usual.

PS: It's not me you want to work for...I'm not paying those prices...I'm getting them. LOL.


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## John Mac (Feb 5, 2005)

Bulk here is around $80 per ton for 20 tons. Bagged is around $178 per ton delivered. 49 bags on pallet at $218.54 so $4.46 per bag. Going bulk next year but to do so I need to spend:

V box $4000
storage $1000
loading in truck $ who knows?
salt damage my truck side $ ?

So my first year it is going cost me at least an extra $5000 to $6000 so that would buy extra 34 pallets of bagged. Or look at this way I pay $.09 per lb bagged and $.04 per lb bulk. Charge about $.25 per pound bagged applied so I would make and extra $98 per ton. 

ton bagged cost $178
ton bulk cost $ 80

sell bulk for $500/ton ( don't think I could sell it for that)
sell bagged now for $500/ton ( billing it that way already)

profit bulk extra $98/ton I use about 20 pallets so about 50,000 lbs or 25 tons or $2450 extra gross profit first year if you get $500 per ton bulk (doubt it ) so at least two years to break even at 20 pallets.

The numbers are close to working for me but would be better if I used 50 tons a year.! I also think that bulk salt you have a lot more waste than bagged. Not having to load that dam salter with bags PRICELESS


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

Lawnscape89;462931 said:


> I'm not trying to start a war or brag about my prices, but my lowest per bag price for bulk salt is $17.50 and goes up to $25 per 50/lb bag applied. You do the math. I get 25 tons delivered at a time and currently have 50+ tons because they messed up the last "monster" storm forcast. As usual.
> 
> PS: It's not me you want to work for...I'm not paying those prices...I'm getting them. LOL.


I thought you were talking bulk and when you guys say your getting $500/ton. that means jack because it matters how much your putting on /storm. You never answered my ? about how much /event or /place.


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## John Mac (Feb 5, 2005)

> thought you were talking bulk and when you guys say your getting $500/ton. that means jack because it matters how much your putting on /storm. You never answered my ? about how much /event or /place.
> Today 07:35 PM


JD Dave, $500 per ton would look like whole lot on the invoice. I invoice about 500 to 600 lbs per application or just call it "one application" on my invoice. So for "one application" it cost $125.00 to $150.00 depending on the customer.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

John Mac;463043 said:


> JD Dave, $500 per ton would look like whole lot on the invoice. I invoice about 500 to 600 lbs per application or just call it "one application" on my invoice. So for "one application" it cost $125.00 to $150.00 depending on the customer.


That's reasonable. If I billed a 2 ton place $1000 and I was there less then 10 min, they would freak and find somebody else. I get payed well for plowing so if I get between $125 and $150/ton I'm happy.


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## John Mac (Feb 5, 2005)

You can't charge $125 to $150 per ton when using bagged because you would not make any money so that is why I think bulk is better because the customer gets 4 times more salt for the same money. My customers have not demanded this yet so I can still use bagged, and I hope they never do. The point here is using bagged salt is gives you alot more profit. Customer gets 4 times more with bulk but your cost just for material is only about half of bagged plus equipment needed to apply.


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## Lawnscape89 (Nov 28, 2005)

JD Dave;462985 said:


> I thought you were talking bulk and when you guys say your getting $500/ton. that means jack because it matters how much your putting on /storm. You never answered my ? about how much /event or /place.


I am talking bulk. Sorry, I didn't answer your questions as I kinda skipped through the whole post. So, I'll try now.

I go through 25 tons (approx.) per event. Several are 1-2 tons per event and are larger HOA's / Commercial sites. I also have some smaller sites that get 10 - 15 bags per event. I am using bulk, but my invoicing is by the bag...so, if I use 1/2 a ton, I bill for 20 bags. My customers don't care how I have the material (bulk vs. bagged). It's just way more cost effective for me (and profitable) to use bulk. This may not suit everyone.

It took years to get everything to this level. Started with an 8' V-Box, now I've added a 10' with extensions. Was throwing bags up on the v-box, now it's skid loader all the way. Initially, I had a chain hoist to get the spreaders out, now I have had the v-boxes modified so I can use the skid loader forks to just lift them out. Keep in mind, nothing happens over night.

For sidewalks, we actually use bagged material and charge by the bag and go through 2-3 tons per event.

I hope this answers your questions, if not, just let me know.


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## JBMiller616 (Dec 12, 2007)

I get my bulk salt for $84/ton


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

John Mac;462975 said:


> ....B49 bags on pallet at $218.54 so $4.46 per bag....


John, where in upstate are you? if your near Rochester, Volvo Rents sell 50lb bags of American RockSalt for $175 per 49 bag pallet (that includes 8% sales tax) or $3.65 per bag.


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## John Mac (Feb 5, 2005)

Thanks Grn Mnt,

I am in the Utica area, buy my salt from local lumber yard that I have a account set up with. I show up around 7am they put the salt in my truck, hand stack because of the salter on the back, I sign the slip, fast and easy but I do pay more. My local Depot or Lowes could be cheaper but the time spent in that mess is a pain, and no account.


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## StoneDevil (Dec 13, 2007)

do your self a favor and get the pocket ref book

also check this site out http://www.simetric.co.uk/si_materials.htm

halite(salt)broken 2538# per cu. yard

thats 3tons is 2.36 cu.yards


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