# Seasonal contract pricing question



## lumps (Sep 3, 2005)

I know I've been asking a lot of questions recently, but I'm in the middle of a lot of bids. I really appreciate all the help I've received on here.

I have a commercial lot that wants a seasonal price. I have my base rate figured out for the job. My question is what I multiply by my average number of plowable events to get the seasonal rate. In the past, it's always been resi, so there was no difference. But now, do I use my base rate, my 4-8" rate, 8-12", or what?


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

what i personally do , is find the average number of storms, for each level , then charge based on that


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Seasonal is a little different .You bid it on how many plows you think you will plow for the season.As for me how many inches is no concern for me. EX. if you figured 100 per plow then you multiply that by how many times you think you will plow it.

100x 25= 2500 for the season regardless how much snow fell in the season.


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

For seasonal rates, you really need historical data. Without it, you're just "shooting in the dark". What you might try is taking the average annual snowfall for your area, divide that by the "trigger" depth, then divide that by two and multiply that by the "per plow" rate for any given site. I just tried it for a couple seasonals I have and it was close (each have different triggers). Off about 10% in each case - one was over and one was under; each by 10%.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Mick if that was the case here,we avg 100 inches a year so that means I would of gone out 50 times last year. But I only plowed 20 times and cruised around a few times when I went for coffee just to see how things are.


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

grandview;600517 said:


> Mick if that was the case here,we avg 100 inches a year so that means I would of gone out 50 times last year. But I only plowed 20 times and cruised around a few times when I went for coffee just to see how things are.


I think you missed one step: 100/trigger depth; then divide by 2 and multiply by Per Plow rate.

100 / 3 = 33; 33 / 2 = 16.5; 16.5 * $50 = $825

Nothing to do with how many times you went out.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

If I read you right your saying 17 times out plowing I base mine on 25 for a little padding.


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## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

Why are you dividing by 2, I am a little lost with that. 

GV if your trigger is 2" then you would have been at 25 with that formula.


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

What's your trigger? My example was with 3". With 100" of snow, yours sounds like maybe 2".

100 / 2 = 50 ; 50 / 2 = 25; 25 * $50 = $1250

Sound like a good seasonal rate for a $50 per plow site and a 2" trigger?


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

OK ,I see I base mine on 2 inch triggers.


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

cet;600569 said:


> Why are you dividing by 2, I am a little lost with that. QUOTE]
> 
> Everything is based on averages. Half of the pushes above and half below the midpoint of your annual snowfall .
> 
> Try it - see how it works for you,


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

Really, this was intended for lumps - just to get him started without any historical data to go by.


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## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

That looks like a good formula Mick.

I base mine on 25 plows. We usually get 5-6 plows under 2" and 3 plows over 6". Last year none of the formula's worked out. We has one 18" snowfall, two 12" snowfalls and one 9" snowfall. We did get a ton of loader work though.


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

cet;600599...Last year none of the formula's worked out. We has one 18" [/QUOTE said:


> Last winter was one of those where seaonals lost. But no formulae could have helped(unless you put a cap on number of pushes). But I didn't mind and told my customer so since I'd made out good the two years before and I made out on the per push. This winter, I'm getting even more seasonals. But even if we have another heavy snow winter, I'll be fine. Right now, I'm at 33% seasonal and the rest per push. I'm hoping for 50% seasonal.


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## big acres (Nov 8, 2007)

Mick;600585 said:


> cet;600569 said:
> 
> 
> > Why are you dividing by 2, I am a little lost with that. QUOTE]
> ...


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## lumps (Sep 3, 2005)

Interesting formula, I'll try it out, seems like it'll work well, thanks!


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

big acres;600745 said:


> Mick;600585 said:
> 
> 
> > If I'm reading it right, Mick is saying the average snowfall will involve "the work of" x number of 3" pushes... the number of deployments doesn't matter. The same average of snow will likely fall in varying depths, but will likely equal total work that his formula predicts. We have a similar formula that works well.
> ...


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

i always use 22 full trips and 18 partials or clean up runs to calculate my seasonal pricing.


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## snyps (Oct 20, 2005)

I have a dart board with diffrent numbers on it.. I just cover my eyes and start throughing!!



I find it interesting that here in Buffalo we are almost all seasonal and people I know other places are not..


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

that always works too haha


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

Mick,
We had 90"/2"trigger,/2= 22.5 pushes. I went out 25 times last year. Your formula works even with last years snow.


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## lumps (Sep 3, 2005)

snyps;601221 said:


> I find it interesting that here in Buffalo we are almost all seasonal and people I know other places are not..


I'm going per-push on most of my commercial, but this place asked specifically about seasonal.


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