Anyone else on here plow for as a sub for Brickman at a Target store? I'm a small operation and one of their reps just contacted me with a rush request to bid on a local Target at a seasonal rate. He tells me to use NOAA 30 year average to calculate my costs. I told him forget that, it has snowed more frequently the last 5 years probably due to global warming so that 30 year average is skewed.
Does anyone who does commercial work in Chicago area know how many times they went out last season? It seemed like February we were out every day with nuisance snows salting. These guys want us little guys to take a huge risk and offer a low flat rate for the season. How do you guys even begin to calculate the costs with so many variables?
I'd love to get into larger commercial work but it could put me out of business in a hurry if it snows more than what you calculate and they are slow or no-payers. How good is Brickman about paying?
Excuse me, nit wit from wisconsin chiming in here, I love seasonals! Especially when you keep good records, know your costs, and have the eright equipment, and personnel. The only thing that throws me off is global cooling, (its a scientific fact) look it up
Thanks nitty from WI it's good to know you guys are managing your costs and still making money at this game. Hell I'd be disappointed if everyone on here was complaining like me ;-)
I am trying to switch all of my account over to a seasonal price. I figure their price as what a average or normal winterwould be, then get a good 2-3 year contract. One year I may be ahead, then next the store may be, the 3rd it is even. At least this way I can buy equipment and supplies knowing what my income will be. Yo could do a huge lot and it pay $3500 a storm, but if it never snows, you have equipment to pay for with no income. I love the seasonal contracts. Wanting to get all of my mowing switched to that as well. No worries here about if its ever going to rain or snow. If it does, I am covered, if not, better yet!!
I salted one zero tolerance acct 38 times. We get a bit of lake effect here, but I'm not in the snow belt. I'll check actual pushes, I think 22, but I remember salts off the top of my head.
And annual pricing is typically based on 3 years, not 30, and based on 20 pushes depending on your area. Ohare showed 56" last year IIRC and we were about 10 actual inches over that, and it was similar the couple years before. The blizzard put us over the top, but there wasn't much after it.
Here's the chart I use throughout the season. I'm sure you can search around and find what you need. It's there, I'm just too lazy to do all the work for your estimate LOL
It sounds like even if you knew your averages Brickman is going to lowball you anyway. I would think IF you made a good living last year and retained all your customers for this one your life would be alot easier. good luck whatever happens,
Steve
Well we plow everything south of the mason dixon line and that gets alot of global warming so less salt 33 apps per season. We also plow everything north of the mason dixon line and that gets alot of global cooling so you use more salt 52 apps per season.
These big box stores are a HUGE undertaking! You need to be able to put out so much for so long and still stay afloat until payday and thats usually not until towards the end of the season. You need to have so much in order, very dependable guys (good luck with that), be able to have a 30 minute MAXIMUM response time etc. At least your smart enough to recognize that just as easy as they can propel your business, they can crush it just as fast if not sooner.
I used to be a manager at Target, and I now plow accounts similar to their requirements. I bet you'd be salting that lot 30-35 times including after Plowing.
If it is slick at all you better be there by 7am at the latest
At least we have a nice stadium to keep people coming or the twins would be screwed. I saw on stub hub tickets for $1.
Sorry for the thread jack back to the subject. I say now is the time for seasonals, at least if global warming keeps up we will get paid to plow rain because it will be to warm to snow.
These big box stores are a HUGE undertaking! You need to be able to put out so much for so long and still stay afloat until payday and thats usually not until towards the end of the season. You need to have so much in order, very dependable guys (good luck with that), be able to have a 30 minute MAXIMUM response time etc. At least your smart enough to recognize that just as easy as they can propel your business, they can crush it just as fast if not sooner.
I used to be a manager at Target, and I now plow accounts similar to their requirements. I bet you'd be salting that lot 30-35 times including after Plowing.
If it is slick at all you better be there by 7am at the latest
I salted one zero tolerance acct 38 times. We get a bit of lake effect here, but I'm not in the snow belt. I'll check actual pushes, I think 22, but I remember salts off the top of my head.
And annual pricing is typically based on 3 years, not 30, and based on 20 pushes depending on your area. Ohare showed 56" last year IIRC and we were about 10 actual inches over that, and it was similar the couple years before. The blizzard put us over the top, but there wasn't much after it.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. So you based your seasonal on 20 pushes and plowed 22 times...good estimating for an above average winter last year.
How many salts did you count into your seasonal bid price then?
Snow4me: Avoid them. You will starve if you put your eggs in their basket. They are very slow to pay as well. If you have USM in your area, they are worse. They want documentation/pictures of EVERYTHING and then on top of that they question you to prove it saying they dont have the correct paper work from you, work orders etc in order to process payment. Dont be surprised if you have to send the same invoice to them 5x's. Both companies are pretty much the same to their subcontractors. USM is a much larger entity though.
I used to be a manager at Target, and I now plow accounts similar to their requirements. I bet you'd be salting that lot 30-35 times including after Plowing.
If it is slick at all you better be there by 7am at the latest
Just thought I would let you know, BFS called me wanting me to plow our local Super Target this year. Their all inclusive seasonal price was 11,000
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