# Question on Bidding



## Quality SR (Oct 25, 2006)

How do you guys price sidewalks? Square foot? By the foot? All of the sidewalks are 4' wide. The longest stretch is 780' long. I have to price this 2"-6" and 6"- 12". I have shovels and 4 pro grade snow blowers. 
Thanks Rich


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## Quality SR (Oct 25, 2006)

I added them all up. They are 4,380 sf, 4,400 sf and 9,000 sf.
Thanks


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## Quality SR (Oct 25, 2006)

Nobody does sidewalks?


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

Quality, you've been on here long enough to know to do a search. lol

How much time would it take to walk your snow blower down and back the length of the sidewalk? Take that time by your hourly rate and you have a price.

But remember if someone else is bidding and they have a quad and do the same thing, their price is going to be alot lower than yours.


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## augerandblade (Jan 17, 2009)

QuadPlower;766916 said:


> Quality, you've been on here long enough to know to do a search. lol
> 
> How much time would it take to walk your snow blower down and back the length of the sidewalk? Take that time by your hourly rate and you have a price.
> 
> But remember if someone else is bidding and they have a quad and do the same thing, their price is going to be alot lower than yours.


Like he said. and I take into consideration where the snow has to go. Is it built up or out in the open. plus what kindof snowfall accumulation do ya usually gettymusic


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## Quality SR (Oct 25, 2006)

QuadPlower;766916 said:


> Quality, you've been on here long enough to know to do a search. lol
> 
> How much time would it take to walk your snow blower down and back the length of the sidewalk? Take that time by your hourly rate and you have a price.
> 
> But remember if someone else is bidding and they have a quad and do the same thing, their price is going to be alot lower than yours.


I have been on here long enough to know that these post become full of ranting. People post just to post BS and end up auguring about what they know or have. I have read through post on sidewalk pricing and didnt get too far, because of this. Plus the ones that had some info didnt seem right. Like $3 a foot?!?

I have figured out that the 2 smaller ones would take 2 guys with blowers 1 hour. And the bigger one would take 2 hours for 2 guys. So price it using the same number that i price plowing with? I also have to salt the walk ways,



augerandblade;766935 said:


> Like he said. and I take into consideration where the snow has to go. Is it built up or out in the open. plus what kindof snowfall accumulation do ya usually gettymusic


Snow goes on the grass right nest to the walk way. There is grass on one side and flower bed on the other. There is also walkways off the side walk the go to peoples doors. So the snow has to be blown one way. They want a price on 2-6" and 6- 12". I am plowing the lots here too. Thanks


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## Quality SR (Oct 25, 2006)

Nobody has anything else to add?


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## Going Commercial (Oct 15, 2008)

A safe way to cover yourself is to charge by the hr, but state in contract there is a half hr. minimum. If your labor rate is $50 per hr for your snowblower guy, you are guaranteed $25 for the minimum. Some accounts get snowblowing upon request only and others want it everytime so they do not get fined.


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## Bajak (Nov 12, 2008)

For me the safe bet is roughly 3 cent a square foot for the season. It will break your balls in Chicago, Make you a millionaire in Atlanta and just get you by where I live. If you need any more info, keep reading. This is a business that had too many variables for anyone to give an answer that is an end all to be all.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

Bajak;767191 said:


> For me the safe bet is roughly 3 cent a square foot for the season. It will break your balls in Chicago, Make you a millionaire in Atlanta.


LOL


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## Bajak (Nov 12, 2008)

cretebaby;767197 said:


> LOL


cretebaby I follow alot of your advice. It does help. Thank you. I know our business is different, but I know you see things the same as I do. Some times we have to sit back and have a laugh and enjoy I Thank you!!tymusic


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## Quality SR (Oct 25, 2006)

Going Commercial;767184 said:


> A safe way to cover yourself is to charge by the hr, but state in contract there is a half hr. minimum. If your labor rate is $50 per hr for your snowblower guy, you are guaranteed $25 for the minimum. Some accounts get snowblowing upon request only and others want it everytime so they do not get fined.


Ill look in to that. I know being a sub it is $25/hr around here. It has to be kept clean, it is apartment complexes. They want prices from 2-6" and 6-12". But i have to start at 2", and keep cleaning it every 2". I cant leave it when the storm stops.



Bajak;767191 said:


> For me the safe bet is roughly 3 cent a square foot for the season. It will break your balls in Chicago, Make you a millionaire in Atlanta and just get you by where I live. If you need any more info, keep reading. This is a business that had too many variables for anyone to give an answer that is an end all to be all.


I'll add up 3 cents per square foot and see what that comes to. Thanks for your info.


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## lawnoasis (Jan 6, 2000)

Just tell them you'll let them know after the first snow.


"It takes a lot of money to break even."


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

Quality SR;766943 said:


> I have been on here long enough to know that these post become full of ranting. People post just to post BS and end up auguring about what they know or have. I have read through post on sidewalk pricing and didnt get too far, because of this. Plus the ones that had some info didnt seem right. Like $3 a foot?!?*I hear yea. you ask about sidealks and the next thing you know, guys are telling you to have a DOT # & advertise on Craig list.*
> 
> I have figured out that the 2 smaller ones would take 2 guys with blowers 1 hour. And the bigger one would take 2 hours for 2 guys. So price it using the same number that i price plowing with? I also have to salt the walk ways,


It sounds like you can bill out 6 hours at your shoveler rate. Some charge the same for shovelers as they do for truck rates. I would double what you pay your labor and multiply that times 6 hours

Your sqft numbers are 17,780. At .03 / sqft would be $533.4. At 4 feet wide that is 4,445 linear feet. Now if you bid .03 per linear foot that would be $133.35.

If I was bidding it, I would use my mini truck and it would take me less than 1 hour to do it. I charge $100/hr so MY bid would be $100. You might want to consider getting a quad or utility tractor to do this.

Good Luck


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## Bajak (Nov 12, 2008)

At 0.03 I could use a quad. For sure, but sometimes it feels good to help someone put food on their table too. I like too share.


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## Quality SR (Oct 25, 2006)

lawnoasis;767390 said:


> Just tell them you'll let them know after the first snow.
> 
> "It takes a lot of money to break even."


Thanks for your great advice.:salute:



QuadPlower;767993 said:


> It sounds like you can bill out 6 hours at your shoveler rate. Some charge the same for shovelers as they do for truck rates. I would double what you pay your labor and multiply that times 6 hours
> 
> Your sqft numbers are 17,780. At .03 / sqft would be $533.4. At 4 feet wide that is 4,445 linear feet. Now if you bid .03 per linear foot that would be $133.35.
> 
> ...


Thanks alot Quad. I am going to work on those numbers more. I would like to put a plow on mine but it is a 2 wheel drive.  I think it will do good for around 2" but dont know about more then that.


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

Bajak;768272 said:


> At 0.03 I could use a quad. For sure, but sometimes it feels good to help someone put food on their table too. I like too share.


Do you mean giving employees a job?

By using a quad you are only reducing the time it takes and there by the cost. 1 person on the quad and the other doing clean up with a shovel.

Say you bid it with 2 employees and 2 snow blowers at 6 hours, $20 per hour for a bid of $120
Say you bid 17,780 sq ft. at .03 / sqft would be $533.40
Say you bid 4,445 linear feet at .03 / sq ft would be $133.35.

Lets say I bid it at $100 using my mini truck (or a quad)

Which one is the customer going to go with? Now you can't "share" because you didn't get the job. The customer shouldn't have to pay more because of your equipment or lack there of. It is like the person asking how much to charge for a driveway using a quad because it took him 2 hours. A guy with a plow truck would have it done in 15 minutes and that is what you have to base your price on.

What you do, is now that you have 2 extra man hours is go out and bid more jobs.


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## Quality SR (Oct 25, 2006)

QuadPlower;768477 said:


> Do you mean giving employees a job?
> 
> By using a quad you are only reducing the time it takes and there by the cost. 1 person on the quad and the other doing clean up with a shovel.
> 
> ...


I still need 2 guys weather i use two blowers or a atv. I need someone to clear all the stoops where the doors are and salt them. I could have the guy on the atv do it, i would have to see how that works. 
There is 3 places total, 9,000, 4400 and 4000, but they are all owned by the same company. I was going to do it by the square foot. I think all that work, for that area isnt a bad price. Plus it will be 2 subs, and salt. Do you think something like this should be at a per push rate? Or by the job with a cap, with lets say after 3 times will be by the hour? They need the snow cleared every 2" So if we have a 6" storm this would have to be cleared 3 times. But if there is drifting and a 4th time is needed they will have to pay extra for it. I planned on doing the lots like this. If it snows at night when everyone is home, the drive lanes will need to be cleared. When the people leave the next day the spots will have to be cleared. Thats what i saw last storm, they even came back to put down more salt sand. I planned on pricing the lots with one plow, and one clean up. And if i am called back again ( thrid time) they will be charged by the hour to clean up the remanding spaces. What do you think?


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

At most I plow two times in a 24 hour period. I plow in the a.m. to let them out if it snowed during the night and I plow again in the afternoon if it snowed during the day. What ever falls after that gets pushed the next morning. No one is going to pay you to plow 3 or four times a day just because it hit 2 ".

As far as the lots go, give them a per time price to clean the asiles and what ever else, an then give them an hourly rate to come back and do clean up when the cars have moved.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

QuadPlower;769004 said:


> No one is going to pay you to plow 3 or four times a day just because it hit 2 ".


We have places that are done every inch and are calling if it gets to 2"

We have done thm as much as 6-7 a day


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## Quality SR (Oct 25, 2006)

QuadPlower;769004 said:


> At most I plow two times in a 24 hour period. I plow in the a.m. to let them out if it snowed during the night and I plow again in the afternoon if it snowed during the day. What ever falls after that gets pushed the next morning. No one is going to pay you to plow 3 or four times a day just because it hit 2 ".
> 
> As far as the lots go, give them a per time price to clean the asiles and what ever else, an then give them an hourly rate to come back and do clean up when the cars have moved.


I was just using 3 as a number. But like i said it it snows 2" it has to be cleaned. Even it i clean it and then another 2" falls etc.
Thanks for the info.



cretebaby;769008 said:


> We have places that are done every inch and are calling if it gets to 2"
> 
> We have done thm as much as 6-7 a day


I only have done this maybe 2 times per place. But that was for stores, etc. This is for apartments, perople are home at night and 90% of the storms this year and last was at night.


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

cretebaby;769008 said:


> We have places that are done every inch and are calling if it gets to 2"
> 
> We have done thm as much as 6-7 a day


Good for you.


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