# Question on large parking lot



## NoFearDeere (Nov 7, 2005)

I'm bidding on a very large supercenter parking lot and got a couple questions.

1) The store is supplying the salt/de-icer material and just want a price for spreading the material. Not sure how to charge for that...??

2) I know what i'm charging per hour, per machine. How much would you guys charge?

3) How long do you think this lot would take using either 3 trucks or 2 trucks and a skid loader?

Let me know what all you experts think. I just keep going back and forth in my head with this one! Thanks for any insight you can share!


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## NoFearDeere (Nov 7, 2005)

And the rest...


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## oman1999 (Sep 14, 2006)

That kinda looks like the Menards off of 173 near me. Or maybe they all look the same. If so, watch it a bit because we are doing their other location and they ran out of salt once already this season. Was totally stupid though. We have to charge them extra for spreading salt because they insist on using their product (maybe to save $$$ HaHaHa) anyway, we use BULK salt from a dump truck and / or V-box. Imagine some poor sap loading the truck for their lot? Average icy storm takes about 2500 lbs. LOTS of salt bags my friend.


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## Scottscape (Nov 27, 2005)

Give us an aerial view photo and mark the perimiter of what you need to plow/salt then we'll be able to give you a rough idea.


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## LoneCowboy (Jan 2, 2007)

> 1) The store is supplying the salt/de-icer material and just want a price for spreading the material. Not sure how to charge for that...??


charge them by time. (literally the minute), from loading to dumping it all out. The other poster about the bagged salt is interesting and something to consider.



> Give us an aerial view photo and mark the perimiter of what you need to plow/salt then we'll be able to give you a rough idea.


agree, need an overhead view or drawing with some basic idea of the size. (and, of course, where to put the snow has considerable impact on the time.)


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## LwnmwrMan22 (Jan 20, 2005)

Popo - 

Another thing to find out... 

Do you have to haul the snow from behind the gate (lumber area) out to the front?? Or do they now have areas to push snow behind the security gate??


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## Buddhaman (Dec 17, 2005)

As soon as I read the first line I knew it was Menards. I plow for the one here. I just quote them an hourly charge for salting labor and they provide the salt and the man power for filling the hitch spreader if I go that route. I have them talked into allowing me to use a dump truck with spreader because it's actually cheaper for them. Can get bulk salt for about half of what they pay for bagged. Feel free to PM me if you have questions on Menards.


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## Runner (Jul 21, 2000)

It would seem that the most practical way to do it would be just charge your normal rate per bag that you would normally charge, and subtract the retail price (or wholesale) per bag from that. One bonus that you have, is that you don't have the drive time to go and get the salt. Another bonus, is that you will be able to stock up right there for your next site or job. That is, if they are giving you a decent price on the bags...which I am willing to bet, they probably would. I don't think you'll be able to get an overhead of this site, since all the aerial websites are photos that are atleast a year old, and this place is still in the works. Basically, you would have a nice aerial photo of a field. Anyway, good luck with it,...wesport


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## forestfireguy (Oct 7, 2006)

By the looks of it you might want to think bigger than a skid steer, more like a back hoe, with like a 12 ft box. What is the Sqft or acreage total? Some of those pics are tough to see defined borders. Also as to the salting, we had a similar situation it was for a school and the board wanted to use the town salt. It is a headache first of all since the yard is only open certain hours, well anyway we worked it out where if using their material it was half price, if ours it was it was full price.


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## NoFearDeere (Nov 7, 2005)

You guys have guessed it. It is a Menards Supercenter. There is no satellite images of it since it is still being built. The snow, as far as I know, can remain in the back of the building. If I had to guess, this lot is every part of 6-7 acres. I'm kinda at a loss as to the hourly rate for spreading salt. My plan is to have the two trucks in my signature below going, along with a 1-ton dump, or a GM 4500...something similar. If I need a skid loader, then so be it. I'm giving prices for all the above to them. Any other hints guys I need them, you've all been helpful so far!:salute:


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## LwnmwrMan22 (Jan 20, 2005)

POPO4995;481176 said:


> You guys have guessed it. It is a Menards Supercenter. There is no satellite images of it since it is still being built. The snow, as far as I know, can remain in the back of the building. If I had to guess, this lot is every part of 6-7 acres. I'm kinda at a loss as to the hourly rate for spreading salt. My plan is to have the two trucks in my signature below going, along with a 1-ton dump, or a GM 4500...something similar. If I need a skid loader, then so be it. I'm giving prices for all the above to them. Any other hints guys I need them, you've all been helpful so far!:salute:


The guys that plow the lot here, that's all they have.

They have a loader move the snow from the back, that's what needs to be done at our location, and then they stack all the snow in one large pile.

Personally, I can spread salt with a walk behind spreader in a 150 car parking lot in about 15 minutes. That's walking slow, spreading it thick. You've already got the spreader, so .....

I know alot of guys will charge 2-3's the amount they pay for bagged ice melt.

Since you're removing the price of the product, I'd charge about $7-10 / bag spread.

I know my Quikmelt says 1 lb covers 100 sq ft and I can spread 50 lbs in about 3 minutes, again, walking.


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## grndskeprexps (Dec 22, 2007)

*reply to priceing large lot*

we do mostly large lots/we use jd tractors with 12/14 ft blades one thing to consider is are you going to be able to handle it when a big one hits for the most part we are over kill on most snows but when a big one hits its almost a nesity remember these big places pay big so expectation level could be high as for how much for salting i would go by the hr because they are supplying and could hold you up loading also watch your liablity if they run out could cause you problems good luck hope you get the job !


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## Snowbrdr360 (Nov 5, 2006)

Good friend of mine does a Menards supercenter around here, same deal. Snow in the back all has to be put in one pile off in the far corner, not a very large space. When they run out of room in the back the snow has to be brought around to the front and is stacked in an outlot adjacent to the building. I can ask him what he charges hourly for salt as thats the same deal as well, they buy, you spread.


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