# Bid was "way too high"



## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

I gave a bid two weeks ago to a video store with two locations both the same layout and same size lot. "L" shaped lot with one island aprox. 50yrds long (frt) and aprox. 25-30 wide my bid was $55.00 each location w/at least 3inches on the ground to plow each time. What do you guys think?


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

*your price too low*

Tell the owner who thought that $55 was 'way too high' to pay your commercial plow insurance (mine is going to run somewhere around $7000) and you might consider not being offended 

Seriously, if I am imaging this lot correctly I probably would have said $80-$100. It sounds like about 30 minutes worth of plowing. Gas at $4.00 a gallon and General Liability going through the roof, for the lot owner to want it for less is crazy. Don't take it, you'll probably have a hard time collecting your money.

3" for a lot with pedestrian traffic seems a bit high, around here its usually 2".


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

Tell him "Good Luck" and walk away. You said one leg is 150'x25'; what about the other leg of the lot? What about less than 3"? If this is a commercial account specifying no plowing of less than 3", he's being foolish. You don't want anything to do with it, anyway.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

I agree with the above comments.

Tell him to go hire one of the lowballers for the $20 special. See how often he shows up on time, or at all, the quality of the job, and how many pounds of rust-flakes he leaves on the asphalt when he is done!

Also ask him how much his front windows will cost him to replace when the uninsured lowballer mistakes the throttle for the brake pedal and crashes through, then drives away.


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## Vaughn Schultz (Nov 18, 2004)

Find a old snow shovel, put a bow on it, and hand it to him


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## T-MAN (Jan 9, 2001)

These guys are right Brian, it is crazy to work for free ! Tell him you will plow for free, but the salt will be 250.00 per application and this will be done at your discretion.
Todd


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## SkykingHD (Jan 31, 2002)

*price to high*

Cost to plow:
Truck $29,000 - 2005 dodge 3/4 ton
plow 3,700 - Meyer 8 foot 4 spring plow
Insurance for truck 1,200
umbrella policy 1,000 + a percentage of income
Driver per hr 15-20 per hr
fuel 2.85 to ?.??

The risk of not having any snow.....

This is very expensive to run a snow removal company. When you then add salting to it you have more expense. There are lots of people looking for something for nothing. Just add him to that list.

If you are going to loose money stay home, stay warm, stay dry and don't work all nite.

Dave


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## echovalley (Dec 5, 2004)

for commercial plowing a 3inch trigger is way to much snow.with cars driving over 3inchs of snow for a few hours you will not be able to plow it up[unless your using a 20K loader]our contracts are 0-3.they want to see us at the 2nd flake.drivways are ok with that trigger but just not worth our time.remember someone will always bid lower and higher then you.be professional and charge a fair price


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## 04superduty (Jan 9, 2004)

offer him a lower bid but get free movie rentals for a year, for all your employees. it sounds like it might not be worth it plow, you could try explaining why it is so high, but you might be wasting your breath.


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

04superduty said:


> ... you could try explaining why it is so high, but you might be wasting your breath.


I agree. I don't explain and I don't argue. With either one of those, you will lose. Just walk away.


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## Chris-R (Jul 9, 2005)

All the previous posters are right. Just walk away. It's not worth taking a job like that. Don't work for free.


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## ADLAWNCUTTERS (May 24, 2001)

i love the old shovel idea . give it to him and tell him good luck when some scab doesn't' show up because gas is 4.00 a gallon.


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## Robhollar (Dec 27, 2003)

If Im reading this rite Brian didnt say the the customer even said the bid was too high. I belive he is asking us if it too high!!!!


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## Mowerpan (Jan 31, 2005)

Robhollar said:


> If Im reading this rite Brian didnt say the the customer even said the bid was too high. I belive he is asking us if it too high!!!!


No i think it sounds like they said it was too high and he wanted to confirm whether or not we thought it was too high or not.


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

Robhollar said:


> If Im reading this rite Brian didnt say the the customer even said the bid was too high. I belive he is asking us if it too high!!!!


Rob, you live near me. I'm in Erie Pa what are your going rates? Yeah the manager said its way too high, originally he told me he was looking somewhere in the ballpark of $25-$30 dollars. I said good luck finding someone insured etc. for that price.


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## Robhollar (Dec 27, 2003)

Brian Im in Mentor, its about half way between Cleveland and the ohio/ Pa border. Plowing for myself I try and average 125 an hour. (That was last year) In the current light of rising gas prices Im not real sure what what Im going to be charging but Id like to keep my prices the same.....Rob


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## NJ Plowman (Dec 10, 2003)

Hire a bunch of Mexicans and let them shovel the lot while you sit in your truck and eat breakfast after plowing all of your other accounts. By the time you pay the Mexicans, you will have made enough profit (even at the low ball price the guy wanted to pay!) that your breakfast was free! 

As an added benefit, that will be the best tasting breakfast you probably ever had because nothing tastes better than when it is free!!!


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## SnowGuy73 (Apr 7, 2003)

It almost amazes me how cheap some people are, they think that your in this business for your health


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