# Holland MI - Backup salt truck needed and Salt truck available



## sk187 (Dec 7, 2006)

Just wondering if anyone in the Holland MI area has a salt truck and would be available as a backup should something happen to our salt truck.

Its a large property and usually take 4-8 tons of salt per ice event.

Salt is stored and loaded on site.

Alternatively if anyone would like to add my truck on as a backup salt truck for any of there properties please pm me.

My truck is a 2000 International x-county truck that holds 6 yards of salt and has a auger type spreader.

We have 20 tons of salt on site at all times should someone ever need a emergency refill.


----------



## nixray (Jan 31, 2008)

Hey is that Westshore Mall?????

Hey gimmie a call, I have a few questions for you regarding this season.
I've always loved your equip. and if that Westshore Mall. Fellows readers This guy is GOOD, I live not to far from this site and he does AWSOME work, very detailed. Keep it up!

~Nick 
[email protected]
616-886-0388


----------



## sk187 (Dec 7, 2006)

nixray;503679 said:


> Hey is that Westshore Mall?????
> 
> Hey gimmie a call, I have a few questions for you regarding this season.
> I've always loved your equip. and if that Westshore Mall. Fellows readers This guy is GOOD, I live not to far from this site and he does AWSOME work, very detailed. Keep it up!
> ...


Wow, you should have seen the thread I posted this summer asking questions because the mall is really my first big snow plowing job, the members destroyed me because of my newbie questions.

The excavation side of our company has been around 25 years and we did all the excavation work on the west shore mall reconditioning.

Ill send you a email and if you want to call im more then happy to answer any questions.


----------



## nixray (Jan 31, 2008)

Hey would you send me another e-mail, (I lost yours) or call me I have a question regarding your staff, for this winter season.
Thanks
~NG
616-886-0388


----------



## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

The mall looks great?? I was at Chuck e Cheese last nite with the kids - the main ring road is a sheet of ice. The outer road is nothing but snow pack. Windrowing that outer road may be great for you but screws the other business's .

I see how you're doing it on the cheap - no salt. But, then again, maybe that's what the mall wants... 

The funniest thing is - they fired Clyde because of "service", although he pocketed a bunch of money that year (60% of a seasonal contract for 25% of the work). Clyde could have that place looking better during a three day lake effect binge than it has looked since his release.

If the mall is happy, god bless ya, but if you were servicing it the way it has been in years past (namely the salting of ring roads) you'd be at a break even point come this Wednesday. 

IMO, the icy conditions there makes you look bad and won't look good in your porfolio when you shop for new customers. Look at the O'Charleys lot this year as compared to last year - absolutely no comparison.


----------



## sk187 (Dec 7, 2006)

framer1901;519359 said:


> The mall looks great?? I was at Chuck e Cheese last nite with the kids - the main ring road is a sheet of ice. The outer road is nothing but snow pack. Windrowing that outer road may be great for you but screws the other business's .
> 
> I see how you're doing it on the cheap - no salt. But, then again, maybe that's what the mall wants...
> 
> ...


To answer the question, yes the mall cut salt unless they order it and with the state/county taking my 100 reserved yards we are down to less then 10 yards.

Come inspect after a fresh plow with every island cut in every sidewalk plowed and salted.

You also have to note we do not plow unless 2+ inches have occurred and just the other day we had 1" that has turned to complete slop.

Next snow fall over 2" be my guest come over and inspect, ride along if you would like.

Sometime you deal with the businesses request, if it was up to me the lot would be black all winter.

We are also the company that did the mall reconstruction (excavation, pipe, parking...exct..).

Next who is Clyde? Last year had 2 contractors 1 ended up fired because of poor service and a employee braking into the mall, the other was a fill in and did good but costs to much.

I know the mall has never been plowed better as they have told me several times.

The ice and slop would be completely due to a 2" trigger and salt shortages in addition to mall budget.


----------



## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

Salt is available. We've all been cut off but have made due thru other suppliers.

Seasonal contracts with a 2" push still require maintenance even when no snowfall.

Clyde = ELS, the guy that was fired. They say poor service, I and alot of others say it looked better. Break in?? They had a key - there are two sides to every story. The second guy that cost too much, Stosh. He cost too much due to the mall breaking a seasonal contract at the end of January with Clyde, paying 60% of the contract when he only plowed 25% of the yearly snowfall, then hiring Stosh by the hour to complete the year, paying Stosh 75% for the remaining work.

Just my opinion.............


----------



## sk187 (Dec 7, 2006)

framer1901;519736 said:


> Salt is available. We've all been cut off but have made due thru other suppliers.
> 
> Seasonal contracts with a 2" push still require maintenance even when no snowfall.
> 
> ...


Ok first, bulk salt is not available this side of Ohio.

So, I made a 1 part salt 3 part sand mix of our remaining 10 +/- yards of salt and mixed it with 3 parts 2NS/#4 sand.

I have a bryne truck scheduled to come and spray the lots after every plow / when needed (starting 02/20/08).

This is how I will maintain the property.

As far as ELS, I am not even going to pretend to know the full story all I know are the bits and pieces I have been told.

To me it would seem there was something major for the mall to break a seasonal contract and switch to another contractor on a per push basis.

As far as Stosh, I have never heard anything bad about him.
In fact only good things, just that the per push killed the mall but, I completly understand I would have done the same thing as Stosh.

BTW - WZZM13 came out and filmed us today - check it out on channel 13 at 530 02/19/08.


----------



## turbo5560 (Apr 6, 2007)

wzzm13 video- nice work... wasn't long enough tho. the guy shoveling was hilarious! What do you use to clean the curbs?


----------



## sk187 (Dec 7, 2006)

turbo5560;521257 said:


> wzzm13 video- nice work... wasn't long enough tho. the guy shoveling was hilarious! What do you use to clean the curbs?


 Thanks, yeah that guy was funny.

Curb is done with a skid steer with a 4 way blade and a ATV you can see them at the link in my signature.

I posted the edited video and a expination in the equipment pics forum you can see the video at






Ohh BTW , are you associated with chips ground cover?

I think I saw your truck there this summer.


----------



## turbo5560 (Apr 6, 2007)

i drive dump truck for him and what not, but i'm not like a partner or anything

keep up the good work!


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

sk187;505698 said:


> Wow, you should have seen the thread I posted this summer asking questions because the mall is really my first big snow plowing job, the members destroyed me because of my newbie questions.
> 
> The excavation side of our company has been around 25 years and we did all the excavation work on the west shore mall reconditioning.
> 
> Ill send you a email and if you want to call im more then happy to answer any questions.


The big question is, are you still making money based on what you were asking us? Based on the winter we've had--worst in about 14-15 years--and what you said they wanted you to do it for, and despite what the Holland rates are, bet it isn't looking good profit wise.


----------



## sk187 (Dec 7, 2006)

The bid they accepted did not have a salt / sand price in it, that is done on there call so that is extra.

We also get paid for additional call backs during the day to redo sidewalks and things like that.

We also plow another building that is seperate from the mall at an additional cost.

I cut the guys from 6 to 3.5 (4 until 6:30 am 3 after that).

This cut down the payroll by 1/2 and am running 1 less machine then I planned on.

All this together made it well worth doing and we can get the property done in 4-6 hrs and I had estimated it at 8.

In conclusion yes I will bid higher next year but all in all its working out.


----------

