# 1st Commercial Plow Account



## backwoodsland (Oct 20, 2014)

This is my first commercial snow bid. I have been doing all residential over the past few years and now trying to expand. They want a per push price for a Jiffy Lube with a car wash attached. Would I bid it along they same basis as a residential driveway seen as they only want plowing, no shoveling and salt/sand as needed basis. Or would I price it lower or higher than residential. The lot is 25,000 square feet with awful push locations. there are 2 vacuum stations and small islands to work around at the corners of the building. I would be plowing it with a truck and plow but feel it would be easier with tractor/skid with small pusher since it is tight. Any advice would be great, thank you


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Your one man and one truck, You know what your expenses are. Looks to me you can handle it with a truck and hopefully a V plow. Your truck price does not change to do a small commercial lot. I would not invest in any equipment for that small lot. If anything invest in a pull behind to help you out,

It will help you with your resi's to, Make you more productive. Good Luck


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

FredG said:


> Your one man and one truck, You know what your expenses are. Looks to me you can handle it with a truck and hopefully a V plow. Your truck price does not change to do a small commercial lot. I would not invest in any equipment for that small lot. If anything invest in a pull behind to help you out,
> 
> It will help you with your resi's to, Make you more productive. Good Luck


X2 your hourly rate stays the same. Base your price per push off that just like the resi. This lot is just about a half acre. Even with the couple islands etc. it's a really easy lot and if you have a V blade you should be able to do it in 30 min or less.


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## backwoodsland (Oct 20, 2014)

Thank you for the input. My main concern is pulling everything away from the guardrails out back and away from back doors, then driving all over it while turning around to push across the lot and causing hard pack. Only final cleanup snow will be pushed in that back left corner. Car wash cant be blocked by snowbanks. That may be where the pull behind blade would be useful. Will be plowing with ram 3500 crewcab fisher XV2.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

backwoodsland said:


> Thank you for the input. My main concern is pulling everything away from the guardrails out back and away from back doors, then driving all over it while turning around to push across the lot and causing hard pack. Only final cleanup snow will be pushed in that back left corner. Car wash cant be blocked by snowbanks. That may be where the pull behind blade would be useful. Will be plowing with ram 3500 crewcab fisher XV2.


So good you got a V blade, You got a nice heavy truck. Get the ebling etc. Your good to go. You can plow with both blades down. You won't have that much hard pack. Don't worry about it, Knock it out and go to the next one. Snow plowing is not perfect and never will be.


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## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

Cat 950 with a 16 foot pusher...Skid with 12 foot "Bucket" and a Cummings plow truck......

One truck you should be fine....Give yourself an hour....:weightlifter:


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## TPCLandscaping (Jan 19, 2012)

got some good advice here, but make sure they sign off on liability without the sand/salt. That car wash is going to cause a lot of icing


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

TPCLandscaping said:


> got some good advice here, but make sure they sign off on liability without the sand/salt. That car wash is going to cause a lot of icing


X2 lots of icing.


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## cjames808 (Dec 18, 2015)

We had a car wash 2 years ago. They wanted no salt, they spread Cal Chloride themselves. 

Wanted us to come by multiple times to keep the place looking Open. It was nice, but now they have a little s-10 their oil change guy circles around with. So no more car wash. 

They signed our no salt clause in our contract also.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

cjames808 said:


> We had a car wash 2 years ago. They wanted no salt, they spread Cal Chloride themselves.
> 
> Wanted us to come by multiple times to keep the place looking Open. It was nice, but now they have a little s-10 their oil change guy circles around with. So no more car wash.
> 
> They signed our no salt clause in our contract also.


They will be back, Those small company's that try to plow there own snow have a high failure rate. Once the fun wheres off the :terribletowel:they have in that s 10 it's usually over, Lets see how long the S10 holds up and they need backup.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

No need for any more equipment on that lot. Should be easy with a straight blade, piece of cake with a v blade.

The plow you have is heavy enough to backdrag what you need to. Just focus on moving things out from doors and spots first so as you plow you are not doing the same spot two times and since you have the v you can carry it all where ever you need to.


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## backwoodsland (Oct 20, 2014)

*This is where I'm at with pricing for this lot for plowing only and no sidewalks.. 2 inch trigger... Seem high or low for NH
Per Event Pricing: *

- *2.0" to 4.9"* $165 

- *5.0" to 7.9"* $330

- *8.0" to 11"* $495

- *12+"* $660 + $75 per inch there after 
*12"* $660 *13"* $735 *14"* $810 *15"* $885 *Etc.….*


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

I don't know about NH, You would probably be a touch high in my area. You would probably lose it here anything over $130.00 per event. Your only plowing, You got some nice equipment should not be more than 30 min work.


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## backwoodsland (Oct 20, 2014)

Well pricing was approved yesterday and picked up the new Fisher XV2 yesterday. Finalizing contract on Monday. Thanks for everyone's advice, great site and community on here!


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Awesome. Good luck on it, you'll be fine.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Cool,
Now go and solicit work from the nebeering business.

Good luck


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## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

backwoodsland said:


> Well pricing was approved yesterday and picked up the new Fisher XV2 yesterday. Finalizing contract on Monday. Thanks for everyone's advice, great site and community on here!


I'm happy to see you purchased a real plow....Chainlifts Rule!!

Good Luck this season....


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## MSsnowplowing (Nov 1, 2012)

It that was here it would go for around
2-3 $150
4-6 $250
7-9 $350
10-12 $450
Ever 1-3 inches over 12 $250

Here is a tip, if you take a break during a blizzard, find a car wash and park your truck in the bay. 
Take a 2-3 hour nap and after you don't have to clean the snow off your truck.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

MSsnowplowing said:


> It that was here it would go for around
> 2-3 $150
> 4-6 $250
> 7-9 $350
> ...


Why hadn't I thought of that. Gonna use that this year!


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

ktfbgb said:


> Why hadn't I thought of that. Gonna use that this year!


No matter your age or as a Veteran. There is always something to learn on PS. I never would of thought I would have learned what I did. Not just snow, Many other things. Especially Buffs I mean Buzz food porn.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

MSsnowplowing said:


> Here is a tip, if you take a break during a blizzard, find a car wash and park your truck in the bay.
> Take a 2-3 hour nap and after you don't have to clean the snow off your truck.


That has been my snow storm mechanics shop for years... I have always plowed more than an hour from the shop so if you need to work on something on your truck or machine, those bays are great!


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

SnoFarmer said:


> Now go and solicit work from the nebeering business.


This is the best advise you have got on this thread...


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