Seasonal Bid

[magneto259]

Hello all I am trying to come up with a seasonal bid for a local church. I know how to come up with a per push price but not a seasonal one. I figure to come up with a seasonal price you take the average amount of snow lets say 30 inches and divide it by the trigger amount lets say its 2 inches that would be 15 pushes. Is my formula correct? I figure you will have to add one or two pushes for a cushion. Also where is the best place to find past weather info online? Thanks in advance!

[grandview]

You could do it like that. Since its a church I'm sure they will want salt too.

[jasonv]

Ideally, you want to work in some way to compensate yourself for a winter with above average snowfall. In theory, HALF of winters will experience ABOVE average snowfall. That is, if Al Gore is wrong.

Figure out what the MINIMUM amount per push you could "get by" with is, multiply that by the WORST CASE SCENARIO so that you know just how bad it could get with your formula. If the number you come up with for "average" is higher than your "worst case scenario" minimum needs, you're gold. If not, then you need to consider some alternative, like "to a maximum of X pushes beyond which charge of $Y per push is to be applied".

[magneto259]

Thanks for the replys.
Yes they want salt also.
They were wanting a 4 inch trigger and salt after pushing.

[Wilnip]

4" trigger at a church? I would double whatever price you came up with just for the hassle factor. I can't see grandma wading through 3 and a half inches of snow to get into church.

[magneto259]

Thats what I was thinking. I may persuade him to switch it to 2".

Does my seasonal formula add up? I don't want to hang myself on my first seasonal!

[Wilnip]

I think your formula works. I would tell him 2" would be this much. 4" would almost be 2.5 times that because we are pushing twice as much snow and have greater risk of a slip and fall claim. Show him how it will be better at 2" than 4". You may want to ask about a zero tolerance when they have services. Every church I ever plowed wanted it plowed off before church. Even a half inch.

[magneto259]

Thanks for the reply. Ill run the zero tolerance by him also on service days.

[magneto259]

Well I've come up with $4000 for the season. Thats all inclusive salt and pushing. The lot is 47500 square feet with plenty of room to put snow and no islands or light poles. Should I do all inclusive with salt or put a cap on the amount to be used?

I came up with that number from 8 plows and 15 deicings / presalt. Does this sound kosher? Seasonals seem pretty darn tricky to me. And that is a 2" trigger and zero tolerance on the service days.
Thanks in advance!

[magneto259]

Anyone? I'm hoping to drop this off to them today. Thanks!

[leolkfrm]

what about the black ice days?, or the slick spots after a warm up?....who will take care of emergency doors and sidewalks?

[Wilnip]

I'm sure your number will work for you. I know you spent hours playing with numbers and different scenarios. You can always bump it up another $500 for some wiggle room if needed.

I know some people put caps in their seasonal contracts but that's doesn't seem fair to me. If I were the customer, I would want money back if there were a cap and you only plowed 10 times. Make sure you have a clause that indicates your scope of work. I just had a national restaurant chain want me to sign an addendum in which they tried to sneak in a clause that I was responsible for all costs to haul snow off site.
WTG on getting him to drop his specs to 2" and zero tollerance.

[magneto259]

Thanks for the responses.

On the black ice and slick spots I added a few deicings on my bid to total what I came out to. They only wanted someone to do the drive lane and parking area no sidewalks.

I wasn't sure on the cap but I figured it might be a safety for deicing.

Thanks for the help!

[magneto259]

I turned that bid in yesterday. I'll wait and see if i get it. Thanks everybody!

[TomsSnowPlowING]

The local church I do. Only wants done on Sunday Mornings before 8:00 AM for Sunday School at 9:45 AM Services at 10:55 AM.
On call for deaths & Weddings services.
They have Bible studies at people's home in winter.