# Production rates for sidewalk crews / equipment



## TGS Inc. (Aug 17, 2010)

Does anyone have any production rates for the following:

Shoveler
Single stage snow blower
2 stage snow thrower
quad with a plow

I know plenty of people will have their opinions of how fast something is, just wondered if anyone has put together any real data on this?

Looking for linear feet per hour or something...

Thanks!!


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## jhall22guitar (Dec 11, 2011)

SIMA has some made up as a guide, I've never tried to calculate how accurate it is. It really depends on the person and what that are using. Makes sidewalks a pain sometimes to price.

You could have Guy A clear 100ft in 5 minutes with a shovel and Guy B could take 10 minutes with the same shovel because he just works slower.

Im interested to see peoples responses.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

jhall22guitar;2065897 said:


> SIMA has some made up as a guide, I've never tried to calculate how accurate it is. It really depends on the person and what that are using. Makes sidewalks a pain sometimes to price.
> 
> You could have Guy A clear 100ft in 5 minutes with a shovel and Guy B could take 10 minutes with the same shovel because he just works slower.
> 
> Im interested to see peoples responses.


I agree 100%. I have to estimate for the person doing it. I am by far the fastest, because I don't get paid by the hour like the others. I have a guy who has been with me for 5 years now. He's really damn quick with a shovel, but you put a single stage in his hands and it's like a weird foreign rocket ship. He feels like he has to baby it and walks like he's in slow motion. If I have the same crew it's easy for me to bid, it's when I have all new guys that I don't know that it gets hard. Sorry I couldn't help more...just gotta know your crew and equipment.


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

Have watched this thread, was really hoping for some solid feed back


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## TGS Inc. (Aug 17, 2010)

jhall22guitar;2065897 said:


> SIMA has some made up as a guide, I've never tried to calculate how accurate it is. It really depends on the person and what that are using. Makes sidewalks a pain sometimes to price.
> 
> You could have Guy A clear 100ft in 5 minutes with a shovel and Guy B could take 10 minutes with the same shovel because he just works slower.
> 
> Im interested to see peoples responses.


SIMA has some decent numbers. I am really going to monitor the production of the quads, etc. this season. Here a few numbers I have. Not sure how valid they are at this point.

Hand shoveling: 360 lf per hour
Snow blower: 1,111 lf per hour
Quad: 2,222 lf per hour

I would love to know what the ventrac numbers are, 2/3 stage snow throwers.


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## born2farm (Dec 24, 2007)

TGS Inc.;2067047 said:


> SIMA has some decent numbers. I am really going to monitor the production of the quads, etc. this season. Here a few numbers I have. Not sure how valid they are at this point.
> 
> Hand shoveling: 360 lf per hour
> Snow blower: 1,111 lf per hour
> ...


Are you basing your numbers off a standard width sidewalk?

We have always struggled to put a priduction rate on sidewalk labor. We have sidewalks ranging from 30" wide to 16ft wide. It is something id like to monitor better this winter as well.


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## jhall22guitar (Dec 11, 2011)

Superior L & L;2066919 said:


> Have watched this thread, was really hoping for some solid feed back


Its sad isn't it. It really is one of the hardest variables to predict. We had guys at a former company that could shovel 100ft with a foot of snow like it was 3" and then we had guys who would take an hour to do it, need a smoke break, and then complain the whole time.

Not saying anyone wants to shovel a foot of snow, but if its fluffy stuff its not that bad. I always figured if I worked faster I stayed warmer. Maybe thats why the slower guys are always cold.


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## jvm81 (Jan 4, 2005)

Tough call. I struggle with that as well. One good guy handles 15 inches and he is waiting. Put 2 guys together on 12 inches and they couldn't keep up. Call them out on it, I hear whatever that's a bunch on bs blah blah blah. Sorry no help either


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## TGS Inc. (Aug 17, 2010)

born2farm;2067068 said:


> Are you basing your numbers off a standard width sidewalk?
> 
> We have always struggled to put a priduction rate on sidewalk labor. We have sidewalks ranging from 30" wide to 16ft wide. It is something id like to monitor better this winter as well.


Those are numbers I was handed some time ago. But I would say (and we bid by) linear feet ranging from about 4-6'. A 10' wide walk or larger gets counted twice. Hope that makes sense.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

It also depends on where you're putting snow (shovel off the curb into the street, long push into the grass, etc). Your shoveling numbers compared to your blower number sound a little low. Depending on the shovel and type of snow, most of my guys can shovel faster. Problem is keeping a shovel in their hands when a blower us sitting in the truck.


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## A&J Landscaping (Dec 7, 2011)

Also very interested in some numbers


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