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Anyone spread salt or sand by hand?

18K views 36 replies 27 participants last post by  linycctitan  
#1 ·
No, I'm not looking for advice I have a spreader..

But one of my buddies got underbid on a commercial lot this year that he had for some time.
No he didn't not do a good enough job the owner told him that he needed to cut cost on the landscaping and snow removal. he understood and just couldn't drop his price anymore. he hasn't raised his prices in 5 years....:eek:

So the other storm we were driving by this lot , and low and behold there is an ole beat up truck with a brand-new plow on the front and two guys in the back shoveling out sand by hand.
Ok. well that has to suk. But we have also noticed this same guy doing multiple lots in the area doing this on all their lots... And all the lots we noticed they did are just a plain mess.
I just don't think people care anymore if their lot is clean. Just looking for that final low number. We have had a crappy winter here so far and the long range outlook doesn't look so great. Im hoping it will weed all these guys out...

How do you compete with this type of a service?
 
#3 ·
I had to spread by hand last week. The v blad broke down so I was stuck with the backup truck and a hand spreader then the spreader broke lol.

How to compete? Don't. Go after the accounts that they can't handle. Sell why you are better, not snow plowing
 
#5 ·
Brings back memories of my first year plowing/salting eons ago.Stuck my 2 young brothers -in-law in the back of my 1970 GMC 6500 dump truck with shovels and about 3 yards of salted sand for the entire route,mostly apartment complexes.After the usual sibling rivalry BS,them ''accidentally'' hitting each other with said shovels,they were like a well oiled machine in getting the knack of a proper spread pattern down. Funny now that I think about it.
 
#6 ·
I am not a lowballer. However, I do have a 84 k20 that looks like it went to hell and back, a 97 ford and a jd 4500 backhoe. I do Not own a salt spreader for my trucks. We salt using lesco bulk spreaders. I use this set up on small commercials and my condo that I take care of. When we first took over these accounts we were complimented on our job, "terrific". Now Im not saying I wwouldnt like to have a salt spreader but I have my guys doing the sidewalks anyway why not have them hand salt the lots. Im paying them to work. I maintain a high level of quality, having the right tools does help but I think some of us just dont like investing all our money in a season that is based on chance. Now the guys you describe sound like fly by nighters but dont judge all of us by our equipment.
 
#7 ·
How do we compete. stick to your guns. Ive been around my area for 20 years people know us to take pride in our work. When they leave us they come back. I lost a job this season to a guy in a ford explorer.... he didnt show to the property until a hour after the storm. Im sure she wishes she stayed with me. How long have you been in business?
 
#8 ·
Spread by hand for the first 6 years or so.Remember putting truck in granny low and jumping in the back and spreading by hand.:eek: I was always convincing myself that the lots were fine, sun would melt it.Once you get a sander your salt usage goes way up!
Spreading by hand is a lost art.(thankfully)
 
#9 ·
So your buddy lost a lot. Why does it matter how old or rusty the other guys plow truck is? Why does it matter if they throw the salt down by hand or if they sit inside the truck and flip a switch to get it done? In the end, they got the job done just as your buddy would have. Times are tough and maybe they only have a couple lots that need salt and purchasing a spreader isn't needed yet. Put yourself in the customers shoes. If you owned a property and found someone cheaper to do the same job, would you care if they were there a little longer? Would you really care if they had a shiny new truck or an old beat up truck? As long as they show up and get the job done, all is well. Now if they can charge less? It's a no brainer. It's just snow.
 
#11 ·
A guy who plows a lot next to one that I do salts it by hand. He has a half yard or so of bulk dumped in the box of his truck. Once he's done plowing, he jumps in the back with a scoop shovel and starts fliging salt. He'll then get back in and move the truck, then do the next area. Repeat untill the lot is done. It's not a real small lot either, I would say it has to be every bit of 25,000 squre feet.

Laugh if you must, but when I've driven back by a few hours later, (after the open of business) his lot is usually just wet pavement. I don't really see any excess piles of salt or anything laying there either. I always wonder what goes through his mind when he looks next door and sees me with my snowex salting away from the heated cab and he's out in the cold and wind flinging salt with a shovel; but a few hours later, the two lots look basically the same, maybe he's the smart one.
 
#12 ·
there is no real way to compete if they are low balling. cant lower prices to match because then you loss money anyway. Best bet is let them have it and wait for the call back if the job sucks. i have lost jobs to low bids and had customers call in the middle of a storm and ask for help because the new guy isn't there or cant keep up and I am always willing to help but only if they come back for the rest of the season and most do.
 
#13 ·
Chillerq;1426394 said:
I am not a lowballer. However, I do have a 84 k20 that looks like it went to hell and back, a 97 ford and a jd 4500 backhoe. I do Not own a salt spreader for my trucks. We salt using lesco bulk spreaders. I use this set up on small commercials and my condo that I take care of. When we first took over these accounts we were complimented on our job, "terrific". Now Im not saying I wwouldnt like to have a salt spreader but I have my guys doing the sidewalks anyway why not have them hand salt the lots. Im paying them to work. I maintain a high level of quality, having the right tools does help but I think some of us just dont like investing all our money in a season that is based on chance. Now the guys you describe sound like fly by nighters but dont judge all of us by our equipment.
How big of an area are you covering? I spread 4 ton of salt on one lot. Spreading that by hand????? NO. That would be dumb.
 
#14 ·
I only have two small commercial lots that require ice control so i do them with my nice lesco WB push spreader. While sure it sucks and i feel kind of like an idiot, I would feel more like an idiot spending $4k on a spreader that would barely get used! Thing is, I don't lowball the applications either so i feel justified in what i'm doing.
 
#15 ·
The guy I sub for we salt his by hand....He owns a 2 yd salted that will fit in his chevy3500 dump truck and insists by hand is better.....I think he is full of s&^%
 
#16 ·
Philbilly2;1426892 said:
How big of an area are you covering? I spread 4 ton of salt on one lot. Spreading that by hand????? NO. That would be dumb.
I go through about a ton of salt a event. Give or take ice conditions. I never said to salt a huge parking lot with a walk behind spreader. But for me in my situation it is cost effective to salt by hand. I was just providing a reason to why some dont by expensive salt machines to have them sit 9 months out of the year. Because while a machine sits its costing you money not making you money.
 
#17 ·
Am I naive here, but how are these pick up trucks carrying so much weight
("How big of an area are you covering? I spread 4 ton of salt on one lot. Spreading that by hand????? NO. That would be dumb")
and then spread it by hand? WTF

I'm going to check the invoices again but my Ford F350 (which is a one ton) is rated only to carry two tons over the rear axle (truck bed). My snowex spreader says it holds two tons, combined with the weight of the snowex makes me overweight. Thats why we upgraded the suspension, brakes etc. so we don't sag and become a danger on the highway/roads.
 
#18 ·
old.goalie;1427167 said:
Am I naive here, but how are these pick up trucks carrying so much weight
("How big of an area are you covering? I spread 4 ton of salt on one lot. Spreading that by hand????? NO. That would be dumb")
and then spread it by hand? WTF

I'm going to check the invoices again but my Ford F350 (which is a one ton) is rated only to carry two tons over the rear axle (truck bed). My snowex spreader says it holds two tons, combined with the weight of the snowex makes me overweight. Thats why we upgraded the suspension, brakes etc. so we don't sag and become a danger on the highway/roads.
I would guess the spreader is on a larger truck, C6500, f-650, International 4700, ect. Or a dump truck with an undertailgate spreader.
 
#19 ·
If you have the time to salt by hand, on salt runs some of my commercial stops are 5 min, easy $200

25 stops there's no time to get out of the truck
 
#24 ·
I salt by hand....or by walk behind spreader. Of course I would love to have a tailgate/vbox spreader, but at this point it doesn't make financial sense for me to do that. I am putting about 6-700lbs down on a full round of salting, and it really doesn't take too long, so I don't mind. I will eventually invest in one, but for now, its all good...character building for my 14 year old that has to come out and help too.

Start where you with what you have is what I believe.
 
#25 ·
I guess a lot spread by hand. I just don't see how you can get uniform coverage?
From the ones i've seen hand spread there's usually piles of sand /salt and a little around it. Big patches of wet pavement and a lot of ice around it.

What ever floats your boat i guess. Im not knocking anyone who doesn't have or can't afford one. Just don't see how it can be spread evenly. That would be my only concern.
 
#26 ·
old.goalie;1427167 said:
Am I naive here, but how are these pick up trucks carrying so much weight
("How big of an area are you covering? I spread 4 ton of salt on one lot. Spreading that by hand????? NO. That would be dumb")
and then spread it by hand? WTF

I'm going to check the invoices again but my Ford F350 (which is a one ton) is rated only to carry two tons over the rear axle (truck bed). My snowex spreader says it holds two tons, combined with the weight of the snowex makes me overweight. Thats why we upgraded the suspension, brakes etc. so we don't sag and become a danger on the highway/roads.
procut;1427363 said:
I would guess the spreader is on a larger truck, C6500, f-650, International 4700, ect. Or a dump truck with an undertailgate spreader.
In my case, the pile is on site and I load it with the skid loader that I push the lot with.