Snow Plow - Need help bidding a Mall Job.

[Pep Landscape]

I got an awesome opportunity to Snow Plow the Mall this year. I've got the job but need to to give them some numbers. I have no idea how to do this. I am familiar with snow plowing, I've done Neighborhoods but don't know how to bid something on this scale. Our mall isn't a huge city Mall, I'd estimate it's about 25+ acres of parking lot Do I bid this by the hour? The Mall has hired a company to get all the snow piles I make and pile it up into big piles. (they hired me because I have 2 truck with plows and they don't want big tractors like last year, driving in and out of the mall) So I'm in charge of moving the snow and clearing the sidewalks and spreading salt. Any ideas? I have to give this guy numbers soon!

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Last edited by Pep Landscape; 10-10-2012 at 02:26 PM.

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

Lawn care business tips

Two trucks wont do it. The customer seems like a PITA trying to dictate how to do it. The reason tractors are used is because a truck cant push piles that far and if they did without a pusher plow it will windrow. Trucks are used for tight spaces and to push the piles to the edge. The loaders then move the piles where they need to be. If you want to do this with trucks, youll need about 8 to finish in 3 hours. Your going to need 12-14 tons of salt also. If your trying to bid this hourly its going to take you over 20 hours with 2 trucks. I dont see how a business will operate like this. Considering they want it cleared before opening. Theres a reason why excavation companies clear malls.

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[dpld]

Originally Posted by SECTLANDSCAPING

Two trucks wont do it. The customer seems like a PITA trying to dictate how to do it. The reason tractors are used is because a truck cant push piles that far and if they did without a pusher plow it will windrow. Trucks are used for tight spaces and to push the piles to the edge. The loaders then move the piles where they need to be. If you want to do this with trucks, youll need about 8 to finish in 3 hours. Your going to need 12-14 tons of salt also.

If your trying to bid this hourly its going to take you over 20 hours with 2 trucks. I dont see how a business will operate like this. Considering they want it cleared before opening.

Theres a reason why excavation companies clear malls.

i totally agree and after several passes you will have so much snow in front of your truck you will not be able to take more then a half a plow width with each pass and then after a few more passes you will barely be able to push anything at all.

all it takes is one nasty heavy storm and that is when the trouble starts.

i don't do malls but i do several home depots and 3 kohls as well as a dozen banks and chains like applebees and the home depot lots are big and when we get a 8 inch storm and by the time you get 1/3 of the lot done the only thing that will move the snow is the big machines.

any retail location speed is the name of the game and everything has to be kept up with during hours of operation as well as if it is a evening storm it needs to be done by the time they open the next day.

it is also a matter of not destroying your truck and in big lots that is real easy to do.

[bruces]

have you asked the customer how they want to be billed ?
I have done mall parking lots before ,I bought an old city plow truck [12 foot blade with an 8 foot wing ] for $3500.00 ,and just started a loop tight to the building and kept circling untill I reached the outer edges of the lot ,then cleaned the rest with the back hoe ,pick-up and the small skid .Theres lots of liabilities and other things to concider with a mall ,the malls insurance will have a host of conditions for you ,and your lawyer should be involved with looking over the contracts or you might get bit real hard .

[Pep Landscape]

Thanks for the info, I was able to find an Old city Plow truck with a heated cinder/salt spreader. (Will be picking that up Monday)
That will definitely help!

As far as the Insurance and Liability, we've got all the paper work done and looked over.

The Client didn't say how they want to be billed, I assume it's by the hour,
that's how it was being billed last year.

[AkersLawn]

If you are seriously considering doing this job.... You need to make enough in contract to at least by a larger heavy duty skid steer or a back hoe. There is no way around it... Im unfamiliar with your area and how much snow you get.. But im from wyoming and even our smallest snow storms... with a mall about your size would be the end of me. Two plows will not do it not only for the individual storm ... but you can't expect a plow to last that many miles in a season. And what happens if one goes down??
The mall probably has a large budget for this kind of work... relatively speaking. I almost got a job this year plowing at a home depot, turned it down in the end but it paid 45k a season! That sounds like a lot ... but it would have required equipment where my access is sort of limited. I hope you can make this work... but don't kid yourself on it. Charge what is fair and keep in mind that you are going to HAVE to buy new equipment in order to succeed. May be a good business opportunity however..

[Steve]

I've got the job but need to to give them some numbers.

How did you get the job without giving them numbers first? Do you know a decision maker there? If so, can you get the price they paid in previous years?

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

Originally Posted by Steve

How did you get the job without giving them numbers first? Do you know a decision maker there? If so, can you get the price they paid in previous years?

They would never tell him the last people were paid $150,000. There hoping to get someone cheap in there and assume all responsibility. Then when he tries to clear it with trucks and fails. Theyll bring someone else in. Its impossible to do this with less then a dozen trucks or 3 loaders and 2 trucks.

Theres no way the previous company that owned several $100,000 loaders didnt have enough trucks to do it.

[Pep Landscape]

Originally Posted by Steve

How did you get the job without giving them numbers first? Do you know a decision maker there? If so, can you get the price they paid in previous years?

God, that's the only explanation I have.
I talked to one of the head honchos and he said the previous people were charging too much. And he pretty much just said I'll give you a chance if you have all the Insurance and liability. And I did.
He asked me to send him some numbers so he can get everything finalized.

Think I could do it with a commercial walk behind snow blower (sidewalks), 2 trucks with plows and an old city plow tuck with a heated spreader?

I wouldn't be under contract. He'll call me 1st and give me a shot at it, If I'm not available then he'll call the next guy.

Pay, we think... is about $50,00 does that sound right?

[willshome]

Originally Posted by Pep Landscape

I wouldn't be under contract. He'll call me 1st and give me a shot at it, If I'm not available then he'll call the next guy.

When would he call?
what if the person that plowed the time before left ice or didn't move all the snow all the way?
If someone falls and you didn't plow that time how do you prove your not at fault
What about ice removal there are many times that's all you need?

The malls insurance may make them be under contract for snow and ice removal. So if there is a problem its on you first.