# New here - 1st Time HOA bid



## snowlikeapro (Nov 21, 2019)

Hi, all!

My husband is really the owner of our company, I'm just trying to help brainstorm with this major feat ahead of us.

To give you a brief introduction, my husband has been plowing snow for several years. Initially started with a dixie chopper, then he bought F350 and plow, and now he has bought a new plow - something that he has wanted. It's kind of been slow to grow compared to the lawn care company we own.

Anyhow, fast forward to now - he has a few church contracts, a few people asking for his info, a business (Red Cross) locally, and now a subdivision/HOA is requesting a bid. The residents (several that we know, and he has been mowing for for years) have been complaining about the service or lack thereof and have encouraged it to be up for re-bid even this close to the plow season beginning.

We are just really unsure how to price it. There is an entrance/hill, and 2.75 miles of roadways, no sidewalks/walkways/driveways to plow, plowing after 2 inches of snowfall, and only 10 miles from our house. He would eventually like to do retainer type pricing but I'm thinking he needs to prove himself prior to this?

What are your thoughts? A per push price? Per hour? Per season? Tiered for depth of snowfall? Anticipating a big winter as the last few have been mild, and we have already had one snowfall last week (didn't stick to roads but it's unusual to even see flakes this early in West Virginia!). 

He said that he is thinking $200 for salt application as he is thinking that he will only need to salt the entrance/hill (or should he salt the whole thing?), and then $400 for plowing which would make it at most $600 per push with salt application and plowing - just not even sure if he is even in the ballpark with these numbers.

Can you give me actual examples of prices you charge? I am so clueless and waving a white flag over here.

Thank all of yall. I know I have so many questions and probably more.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

snowlikeapro said:


> We are just really unsure how to price it. There is an entrance/hill, and 2.75 miles of roadways, no sidewalks/walkways/driveways to plow, plowing after 2 inches of snowfall, and only 10 miles from our house.


2.75 miles one way or lane miles? 
10 miles is easy on a summer day, in a snowstorm it sucks.


> He would eventually like to do retainer type pricing but I'm thinking he needs to prove himself prior to this?


You should present your bid in the form that the client requested, if they didn't request a type (seasonal, per event, per push, etc.) then submit it to make money.
Someone on here made a really good point the other day, if you price it per push, you're taking a gamble on what you're going to make this winter, but if your price it seasonal, you know that you're going to at least profit that amount, it was good advice and should be thought about when bidding.


> What are your thoughts? A per push price? Per hour? Per season? Tiered for depth of snowfall?


read above


> Anticipating a big winter as the last few have been mild, and we have already had one snowfall last week (didn't stick to roads but it's unusual to even see flakes this early in West Virginia!).


 anticipation is like the forecasts, unless it's 24 maybe 36 hours out, it's crap shoot, and even then it is. 
Eg.
We were suppose to only get 3-5" of snow for our last event, got 9.2"[/quote]


> He said that he is thinking $200 for salt application as he is thinking that he will only need to salt the entrance/hill (or should he salt the whole thing?), and then $400 for plowing which would make it at most $600 per push with salt application and plowing - just not even sure if he is even in the ballpark with these numbers.


 only him and you will know if your numbers are good, and as far as what to service, that should be provided in the scope of work in the RFP or during initial site visit/ customer contact.[/quote]


> Can you give me actual examples of prices you charge? I am so clueless and waving a white flag over here.


Not with out seeing it, that's bidding blind which isn't smart.


> Thank all of yall. I know I have so many questions and probably more.


your welcome.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

You have to salt the whole thing in case you have a slip and fall. Salt has to be present or you could have a lawsuit. Have no Idea what you have to pay for salt. In my neck of the woods $600.00 a pass in and a pass out for under 3 miles of road is big money. But that means nothing, you could be spot on for your neck of the woods.

I personally never used any formula on snow and ice. You got to know your expenses and how long it will take you and profit on top you are happy with.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

$400.00 for plowing that, you would not even get that here. That should take a little over a half hour. The problem I see is if you have to go back to hit it again, you have a 20 mile round trip every time.


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## andy2020 (Feb 23, 2020)

400 600 sounds ok 
salt I would charge on actual usage


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