# Bidding help please



## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

Hello guys! This is my first very large lot and i dont want to quote it too high or too low. Im curious to see what youd charge. There around 6 acres of plowing id say. My quote for salting was going to be 400$ per application. Is that okay or too high?

What would you say for plowing ? No walkways need done, but the loading docks, entrance from main road, parking area, and fenced in dock areas need done as well.

Also for those of you who cut grass, what would you quote for the grass? Its all flat, TONS of weedwacking, probably 4 acres total but lots of small patches to cut trim and blow. Will probably take 3 hours or so with 2 guys.


----------



## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

What are you planning on plowing it with, and what's your snow average?


----------



## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

John_DeereGreen said:


> What are you planning on plowing it with, and what's your snow average?


I have 2 trucks. One has an 8ft 6" mvp3 and the other is a 10ft prodigy. We usually dont get anymore than 3" Per snow. Im near pittsburgh pa area.


----------



## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

A better way to word the question is how long will it take me to plow this, and how much salt will it take?

Personally I would be a bit nervous plowing that with a truck and not having something to push the big or wet snows, but that's just me. Even a skid and pusher would make me feel more comfortable. Not saying it's a necessity but that's a long and fairly narrow lot on each side and snow gets heavy fast on things like that.

We do this one with a 9'2" with wings and an Ebling and it takes about 2 hours with 2-4" of snow.


----------



## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

John_DeereGreen said:


> A better way to word the question is how long will it take me to plow this, and how much salt will it take?
> 
> Personally I would be a bit nervous plowing that with a truck and not having something to push the big or wet snows, but that's just me. Even a skid and pusher would make me feel more comfortable. Not saying it's a necessity but that's a long and fairly narrow lot on each side and snow gets heavy fast on things like that.
> 
> ...


I figured itll take about 1 ton of salt to get a nice coat on the lot. Does that sound accurate to you? Biggest lot i did before was a 5 acre open lot and it took around 3/4 - 1.5 ton per storm.

I think itll take 1-4 hours depending on the storm and such. Salting i figure is no more than a half hour to apply.

I usually unplug my airbags and blast right through heavy piles lol. Ive done a 5 acre lot before with no issues as far as the heavy snow goes. My new truck is almost 10,000lbs so it gets the job done usually.


----------



## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

can i ask or can you possibly even pm me what you charge for that property so i have an idea? I dont want to tell them 10$ or 10,000$. I want to be atleast in the ballpark with my numbers. I have numbers in mind but not sure if im way off or not


----------



## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

oh and to add i have a 10ft push box but no skid. So if **** hits the fan i can rent one and use my push box.


----------



## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Xxwhiteneonxx said:


> can i ask or can you possibly even pm me what you charge for that property so i have an idea? I dont want to tell them 10$ or 10,000$. I want to be atleast in the ballpark with my numbers. I have numbers in mind but not sure if im way off or not


Sent you a pm.


----------



## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Xxwhiteneonxx said:


> I figured itll take about 1 ton of salt to get a nice coat on the lot. Does that sound accurate to you? Biggest lot i did before was a 5 acre open lot and it took around 3/4 - 1.5 ton per storm.
> 
> I think itll take 1-4 hours depending on the storm and such. Salting i figure is no more than a half hour to apply.
> 
> I usually unplug my airbags and blast right through heavy piles lol. Ive done a 5 acre lot before with no issues as far as the heavy snow goes. My new truck is almost 10,000lbs so it gets the job done usually.


I'd plan on about double that amount of salt. Are you using a tailgate spreader or bulk? I'd say 3 hours would be pretty close if you put wings on your v plow.


----------



## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

John_DeereGreen said:


> I'd plan on about double that amount of salt. Are you using a tailgate spreader or bulk? I'd say 3 hours would be pretty close if you put wings on your v plow.


I'm using bulk salt.


----------



## JustJeff (Sep 9, 2009)

John_DeereGreen said:


> I'd plan on about double that amount of salt. Are you using a tailgate spreader or bulk? I'd say 3 hours would be pretty close if you put wings on your v plow.


At a minimum double it. And your price is too low for salting as well.


----------



## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

$200 a ton is too low for salt?


----------



## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

JustJeff said:


> At a minimum double it. And your price is too low for salting as well.


The way I figure my salt prices is 10$ per 50lb applied with a 40$ minimum. I've seen alot of other companies bids and that seems to be close. So I figure out what it'll take salt wise roughly, and go from there. So you think 400 per salt is low?


----------



## JustJeff (Sep 9, 2009)

John_DeereGreen said:


> $200 a ton is too low for salt?


No. Just using his numbers. He bids a ton at 400.00, and I'd spread at least two tons on a 6 acre lot. But after we spoke, unless they charge a whole lot more for salting in Pittsburgh than you or I do, the price is probably right, but that would be for 2 tons spread.


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Xxwhiteneonxx said:


> There around 6 acres of plowing id say.


I know my eyes are getting worse, but I don't see 6 acres of asphalt there.



Xxwhiteneonxx said:


> Biggest lot i did before was a 5 acre open lot and it took around 3/4 - 1.5 ton per storm.


You are saying a 100% variance. Which is it? 3/4 of a ton or 1 1/2 tons?

That's like saying it took me 2-4 hours to plow it.


----------



## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> I know my eyes are getting worse, but I don't see 6 acres of asphalt there.
> 
> You are saying a 100% variance. Which is it? 3/4 of a ton or 1 1/2 tons?
> 
> ...


Looks like 5.23 acres or 6.32 hectors...3 tonnes of salt should give it a good "coating"


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Defcon 5 said:


> Looks like 5.23 acres or 6.32 hectors...3 tonnes of salt should give it a good "coating"


Hector works there?

Or did you mean "hectares"?

Maybe with all the turf it might by 5.23 acres or 6.32 hectors...


----------



## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Hector works there?
> 
> Or did you mean "hectares"?
> 
> Maybe with all the turf it might by 5.23 acres or 6.32 hectors...


I meant Hectares...Thank you for the correction...It's Friday morning and I'm running on 2 cylinders...


----------



## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

Mark Oomkes said:


> I know my eyes are getting worse, but I don't see 6 acres of asphalt there.
> 
> You are saying a 100% variance. Which is it? 3/4 of a ton or 1 1/2 tons?
> 
> That's like saying it took me 2-4 hours to plow it.


youd have to see it up close. The property is alot bigger than it looks. Thats all the way zoomed out on google. Its around 6 acres for sure as we own a 5 acre lot and its a hair larger.

The reason i say 3/4 - 1.5 ton is because it really depends on what we're treating for. Sometimes i can lay a little less salt to get the job handled or sometimes it requires a little extra.


----------



## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

Mark Oomkes said:


> I know my eyes are getting worse, but I don't see 6 acres of asphalt there.












Me neither, but I am blind in one eye and can't see crap out the other


----------



## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

Xxwhiteneonxx said:


> Hello guys! This is my first very large lot and i dont want to quote it too high or too low. Im curious to see what youd charge. There around 6 acres of plowing id say. My quote for salting was going to be 400$ per application. Is that okay or too high?
> 
> What would you say for plowing ? No walkways need done, but the loading docks, entrance from main road, parking area, and fenced in dock areas need done as well.
> 
> ...


I see more grass than black top.....
Go to this site http://findlotsize.com/ type in the address and you can measure the size of black top, grass and property.


----------



## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

BUFF said:


> I see more grass than black top.....
> Go to this site http://findlotsize.com/ type in the address and you can measure the size of black top, grass and property.


whole property is a little over 26 acres . If you just count the lots around the building and the building itself, thats 19 acres.

My numbers are fairly accurate. Its around 5 to 6 acre lot to plow.


----------



## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

Xxwhiteneonxx said:


> whole property is a little over 26 acres . If you just count the lots around the building and the building itself, thats 19 acres.
> 
> My numbers are fairly accurate. Its around 5 to 6 acre lot to plow.


Fair enough..... IMO knowing if it's 5 or 6acres makes a difference in the time to plow, the amount of materials used and how to bid the job.....


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Xxwhiteneonxx said:


> whole property is a little over 26 acres . If you just count the lots around the building and the building itself, thats 19 acres.
> 
> My numbers are fairly accurate. Its around 5 to 6 acre lot to plow.


If you have 5 minutes, just for the sake of an old, blind man, do the findlotsize thing.

Because figuring the trailers in the loading docks on the left side are 53', I'm coming up with 4 acres, give or take a 1/4 acre.

Then again, what do I know, I'm not bidding anything at $280-$600\hour.


----------



## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Then again, what do I know, I'm not bidding anything at $280-$600\hour.


Low Baller eh.....


----------



## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

Mark Oomkes said:


> If you have 5 minutes, just for the sake of an old, blind man, do the findlotsize thing.
> 
> Because figuring the trailers in the loading docks on the left side are 53', I'm coming up with 4 acres, give or take a 1/4 acre.
> 
> Then again, what do I know, I'm not bidding anything at $280-$600\hour.


i did use that website and i really like it. I cant get the numbers to work exactly. Maybe im doing it wrong.


----------



## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

PM one of us the address and we can measure it for you. I use findlotsize to do all my bidding.


----------



## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

I get 6.6 acres measuring the address on my phone.


----------



## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

John_DeereGreen said:


> I get 6.6 acres measuring the address on my phone.


 6.6 acres of pavement?


----------



## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Yes sir. That includes the road across the bottom of the property that goes from the public street to both of the building parking lot entrances.


----------



## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

John_DeereGreen said:


> Yes sir. That includes the road across the bottom of the property that goes from the public street to both of the building parking lot entrances.


Okay great. thanks man i appreciate it! 
They did want that road done as well so im glad you figured that in. Ill run some numbers and maybe pm them to you and see your thoughts before i email them over to them.

-Cody


----------



## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

I have to be honest. For what you said you are charging and can get for salting, my opinion of price will be no value to you, especially if your plowing rates are similar to salting. 

Based on the measurement I gave you, I would bid it for 2.25 tons per app, and 3 hours of plowing in a 2-4" storm. Beyond the times, I won't be of much help. 

Good luck!


----------



## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

Xxwhiteneonxx said:


> The way I figure my salt prices is 10$ per 50lb applied with a 40$ minimum. I've seen alot of other companies bids and that seems to be close. So I figure out what it'll take salt wise roughly, and go from there. So you think 400 per salt is low?


Bidding a lot on someone else's numbers is a good way to get ****ed over in this business.

I don't think you should even place a bid for this lot, it's better to say I'm not interested than to lose money and integrity. It's great to see you're eager to go for bigger lots, but try lots smaller than this distribution terminal.


----------



## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

I think the right equipment will have a lot to do with time. I couldn't do that lot with all the back dragging around trailers, etc, with just my straight blade in 3 hours like Jarrett suggested.

Edit: never mind. I'm an idiot and combined the 2 pictures thinking the second was of the first, just full. Still stand by my comment, just less back dragging trying to clean between trailers. I would still want at least a skid steer with a pusher on that one...


----------

