# Advice on bid for this property?



## jblatti13 (Jan 24, 2009)

i just bid on this property for this season. they are letting me know the 26th, after they have their meeting. trigger of 2 inches, no salt unless requested. its blacktop with good water runoff to storm sewers. i already gave them a price, but i want to know what you guys think before i tell you what i bid. i will be using a chevy 1/2 ton with a 7'6 blade, thinking it should take no more than an hour and a 1/2. pic attatched, red line surrounds property to be plowed, blue is where the snow will go. also shovel the sidewalks, but most of it i think i can get with the blade, other than the part by the entrance. let me know what you guys would quote!

sorry i posted this in the wrong section.. if someone could move to bid & proposal forum thank you!


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## MSS Mow (Mar 19, 2006)

You plan on moving ALL the snow to the one end of the lot with a 1/2 ton truck and 7 1/2 foot straight blade? This is a joke, right? Is it April Fools Day???


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Maybe he is putting weight in the back of the truck?


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## Midwest BuildIt Inc (Nov 14, 2004)

well. you say you can do it in about 1.5 hours. so that would put you around $165 - $195 a push 2"-4". salt. you have a half ton to i assume you would be using bags. 50lb pound bags at around $9 a bag spread, probably take like 30 to 50 bags depending on conditions. so $450 for salting..


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## Snowman7 (Sep 24, 2009)

Do you have any other equipment other than your half ton to clear the lot?


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## jblatti13 (Jan 24, 2009)

yes i am using bagged salt with my tailgate spreader, so there will some weight in the back of the truck. but wont be salting unless requested. im looking into making some wings for the plows so increasing the width. yes i am doing this will a 1/2 ton truck and a 7 1/2 ft blade, thats what the guys have done before on this lot as ive witnessed it. i've plowed for 7 years i think i know what im doing. its not as bad as it looks, the bottom where the pavements changes color, is just overflow parkin and its rarely used. i dont have to clear all the way to the bottom, but i have that much room to work with. and no not all of the snow is going to just that location, obviously there are other grassy areas around the back driveway and along the left side of the lot where some of it will be pushed to.dont be so negative though, maybe you guys would be using loaders and skid steers and all that, im not a huge company, i have 2 plow trucks and ill run them until this gets done.


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## MSS Mow (Mar 19, 2006)

You say "obviously" there are other areas to put snow. NO, it's not obvious. You specifically stated in your first post that the snow was to go in the blue highlighted areas, so that is what we had to assume was correct. Can it be done with a 7 1/2 foot blade? Yes. Would most reccomend it? No. Look, I'm just a small operation too, 2 trucks just like you, and I certainly wouldn't want to tackle that with what you have for a truck. 

What did you bid it anyway? Hopefully you can make a profit and laugh all the way to the bank. I hope the "salt on request only" will be a seperate charge and isn't included???


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## jblatti13 (Jan 24, 2009)

i bid it at $230 2-4.9" $290 5-7.9 $350 8+ salt seperate charge and only when they ask for it at $360. sorry for the misunderstanding ... i didnt mean to say that all the snow was going into the blue box, just where i thought most of it would end up the way i figured it out. i will be pushing some around different areas, so i dont think it should be a bad lot to handle. i budgeted for 2 hours to plow so i thought once i get in there and get to do it ill find the easiest and quickest way to go. can anyone tell me how much a set of wings are for my 03 ulramount? and are they easy to take on/off? thanks again guys.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

jblatti13;830262 said:


> yes i am doing this will a 1/2 ton truck and a 7 1/2 ft blade, thats what the guys have done before on this lot as ive witnessed it.
> 
> Maybe they realized they were destroying their truck.
> 
> ...


Needless to say, this is a big lot. I'm guessing closer to 2 acres. You will have to be flying to clear that with a 7.5 blade in less than two hours. Your truck/plow is going to run out of steam when you get to the end of the lot. Get thumped with a big heavy snow and you will be forced to stab off to the sides for the whole thing.


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## PowerWagon (Aug 31, 2006)

you will need an Tractor with box to move all that snow to the blue lines, too much work for an truck.

with truck and plow the snow around where all the red lines are..


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## ross3031 (Nov 17, 2008)

I wouldnt plow with a 1/2ton period but thats what you got so thats what you do. Just have to split it up best you can. Heres how i'd do it...

Push from the entrance north, then from the entrance south (long push but can probably do it), then the blacktop east, then that extra parking area all south. Just my 2 cents though.....


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## jblatti13 (Jan 24, 2009)

ross thats pretty much what i was thinking. with the blade turned from the entrance, ill just push it all south and keep making passes with the blade turned east... the lot all slopes to the southeast corner, so it'd make sense to keep the piles there. i know it wont be easy with the truck that i have but we all have to start somewhere. i think ill figure out exactly what'll work best when the first snow hits, hopefully its a light one so i can get a feel for everything. i measured it out with google maps, the lots around 56,000 sq ft of pavement. thats including the overflow parking at the south, so roughly pushing 50,000 sq ft of snow. accroding to my searches earlier, guys can clear an acre in an hour or so. maybe they would use bigger equipment so ill be there a little longer. thats why i budgeted for 2 hours. id be suprised at myself if i didnt have it down to less than 1 1/2 hours by january. im asking everyones opinion because ive previously done mostly residential, a few smaller lots but we're talking 1/2 acre or so, and they werent laid out like this at all. anyways, i appreciate all the comments guys. and if all goes well this winter, i will have a new(used) & bigger truck next year to do these things with.


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## RepoMan207 (Oct 7, 2008)

What is the Knights of Columbus anyway? Isn't that like a Lions club or something were there only open a few nights or days a week? I know I wouldn't tackle commercial plowing in a 1/2 ton....but if I did, that would be the ideal candidate. Good luck!


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## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

Your only planning on making $60.00 extra for potentially double or triple the normal snow fall amount? That's insane! One bad storm and your history.


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## jblatti13 (Jan 24, 2009)

yes they are like a lions club type deal. only open a few nights a week for their meetings and friday they have fish frys. they have a bar but the few times ive been in there to talk with the president theres only been about 4 people there each time. not a real happening place by any means.and to answer the other question, yes i quoted for only making 60 extra for a few more inches, but more than likely ill be there once before the snow accummulates to 5 or more inches, and then again to finish because of business hours and such. it'd have to be the absolute perfect timing for me to have to push 6 inches all at once before they open up in the morning, its not gonna happen. they are open everyday, just not having functions and stuff. so the lot will be cleared every storm, but in a bigger snowfall itll get pushed twice, and yes my contract says that this may happen.... and we're all talking like i have this job and how bad it will be for me... they wont make a decision until the 26th, and ill have a contract signed by the 1st.... so ill let everyone know the progress when i find out.


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## RepoMan207 (Oct 7, 2008)

Well good luck.


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

It depends on how bad you want to get this account but if it was me I'd go up by at least $100 on the 5-7.9 and the 8+ ones....you want to get a new used heavy duty truck or at least make enough in case your tranny fails .... I had a couple half tons and got rid of them when I started plowing. they just can't take a beating like 3/4 or better yet one ton or larger can. Not being negitive but pratical. Its all going to depend on what your market will bare but how do you think all these guys with larger trucks afford them? They bid accordingly to afford the right equipment for the right job.

Good luck I hope you get the account

Mike


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