# Bidding Large Shopping Mall NEED ADVISE



## Forestwind! (Jan 29, 2019)

Hey guys! Im new to this site but not new in the business. I need some help with bidding this shopping mall. I am hoping someone would be willing to help me! I have quite a few snow and ice contracts that vary in the way we have to estimate them depending on the customer or management company is. But with this one they are wanting me to bid the Ice prep/ treatment per pound! this has got to be at least 80-100 acre property with a ton of sidewalk and a lot of parking. any idea how to breakdown this place per pound of salt? I appreciate the help from anyone!


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Probably some pictures would be good, and they want a price now, this time of the season.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

What’s hard about figuring a price per pound? I guess I don’t understand why you can’t calculate your normal charge for deicing and then determine your price per pound from that. 

What do you intend on plowing this “at least 80-100 acre” site with? 

Satellite image? Address? Either or would be helpful.


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## Forestwind! (Jan 29, 2019)

I attached the site map of the property. Dont have pics yet of it. Just got noticed of it this morning. Unfortunately yes.. Down here they always wait till last minute


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Mississippi? Y’all even get snow down there that’s plowable?

And that “80-100 acres” must be about like our weatherguessers 1-3” of snow. I bet there’s 20 acres of pavement there, walks included. Eyeball guess. 

I think you’re over your head.


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## Forestwind! (Jan 29, 2019)

we have 3 trucks with straight blade plows with the big truck bed hopper spreaders plus two bobcats with 8 foot box plows. And I guess it's difficult for me because we started the salting and plowing last year and have done great with it! But I haven't really found a correct formula that works for us because typically its the company or management company who gives us the rates and ive ran numbers to see how they did for us last year and they were decent but it would be nice to have a solid rate for us. instead of them giving it to us. Hope that makes some sense


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## Ajlawn1 (Aug 20, 2009)

I was bored but its only 30 acres including the buildings...


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## Forestwind! (Jan 29, 2019)

exactly! we hardly ever get any accumulations! but we do get alot of ice depending on the year i suppose. We got flooded with clients last year because we were one of maybe 3-4 companies in the area that are equipped for it. No one wants to invest the money in equipment due to the storms that never come.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Forestwind! said:


> we have 3 trucks with straight blade plows with the big truck bed hopper spreaders plus two bobcats with 8 foot box plows. And I guess it's difficult for me because we started the salting and plowing last year and have done great with it! But I haven't really found a correct formula that works for us because typically its the company or management company who gives us the rates and ive ran numbers to see how they did for us last year and they were decent but it would be nice to have a solid rate for us. instead of them giving it to us. Hope that makes some sense


So you just say "yeah your numbers are fine" without knowing your own costs?


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## Forestwind! (Jan 29, 2019)

I did last year yes.. Not a smart gamble on my end I know.. but it was new to me and my company so I took the chance and it worked out great. but the clientele is to the point now where I need to sift out the ones who just aren't worth it for me


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Forestwind! said:


> I did last year yes.. Not a smart gamble on my end I know.. but it was new to me and my company so I took the chance and it worked out great. but the clientele is to the point now where I need to sift out the ones who just aren't worth it for me


How do you know it worked out great if you don't know what it costs you to perform the services you've provided?


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

At least you’re asking for help. The industry’s standard average is 750# an acre for rock salt. I would guess you’d need less than that on average being where you’re at. It’s up to you to get your pricing on the material, and add your overhead and markup to get your final price.


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## Forestwind! (Jan 29, 2019)

Took cost from labor, material, equipment, fuel, etc etc.. and came up with our profit and loss for it


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Does findlotsize.com still work on desktop? Doesn't seem to work on my phone.

Find the area of a few of your sites, figure out how much salt you put down per acre on average last season. Then you will have your application amount. Even with a W.A.G. after doing it last year you should know how much it costs you to put salt down.

If you're overwhelmed with a job this size, simply tell them it's a bit too large for your company. I'm sure they will understand. You can lose money really fast by bidding a property this size incorrectly.


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