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Bidding a park

6K views 32 replies 14 participants last post by  Green Clean 
#1 ·
There is a park near me that is having problems keeping up their vacant lots, I was told by the maintenance supervisor to put in a bid. What ballpark area should I be looking at? Are there any things that I should worry about when cutting? I'll be buying a larger mower for this any suggestions? Any help as always is appreciated.
 
#4 ·
You're confusing me... Will you be cutting the Park or the vacant lots?

If they're vacant lots, Make sure there isnt any rocks or other hard objects that could ruin the machine or you.

Also when bidding on county places many want you to come in cheaper than if they would do it themselves. Which is very har usually without selling yourself short!
 
#5 ·
Lazor I would be cutting the vacant lots in the park, not the common areas so it would likely be a per lot bid. I've got about .50 per lot in fuel, $8 an hour per man 2 man crew and 40 hours for the park. I would likely be running a 60" walk behind with a sulky and the other guy whipping.
 
#7 ·
You're confusing me... Will you be cutting the Park or the vacant lots?

If they're vacant lots, Make sure there isnt any rocks or other hard objects that could ruin the machine or you.

Also when bidding on county places many want you to come in cheaper than if they would do it themselves. Which is very har usually without selling yourself short!
Why advocate that for some one to low ball to get the job?
 
#14 ·
You pay yourself $8 an hour? :dizzy:
Im surprised it took y'all that long to notice that $8 a hour. That's a red flag for me. No employee much less a HELPER is at $8 a hour. I'm calling uninsured licensed and under the table business. Do people even take in all the advice on this site or do they just read it and keep doing what they have always done??
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#15 ·
I made $7.50 in high school working at McDonalds over 10 years ago. I bet you get 100 percent of the quotes you give out.
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#17 ·
Badly

KNOW YOUR COSTS before you bid.
Im assuming this is his first larger property. I have always done several residential accounts even in the years prior when I sold my equipment and accounts and keep coming back...

I have always been nervous bidding on commercial properties for this very reason. It would be my first bid..hard to say man hours and equipment wear and gas when you dont quite know you can only guess based off a residential job you did...

I guess this guy will learn from it. I just hope he didn't sign a contract with the county already...
 
#19 ·
Im surprised it took y'all that long to notice that $8 a hour. That's a red flag for me. No employee much less a HELPER is at $8 a hour. I'm calling uninsured licensed and under the table business. Do people even take in all the advice on this site or do they just read it and keep doing what they have always done??
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Yes I pay myself $8 an hour with a bonus at the end of the year. This not the only thing I do, I also powerwash, this is an expansion and I am learning the ropes as I go. However, I do carry an insurance policy and it is not an under the table business. I operate solely as a limited liability company in the arena of grounds maintenance specializing in mobile homes and parks while I learn the ropes. However after doing some more math I have decided that I have underbid, but will fulfill the contract and raise my price next year.
 
#20 ·
Badly

KNOW YOUR COSTS before you bid.
I knew my costs, plus I had the inside track as to what it cost before as I worked for this park last year. I suppose my problem is I don't quite know where the profit margin is supposed to be. Could someone from another state (Not MI as that would be counter productive) give me a hand here? I had my fuel at .50 per lot, my maintenance at .35 per lot, my taxes at .25 per lot, me and my guy at $8 an hour, and a 24 % profit. Can someone show me where I went wrong?
 
#21 ·
I knew my costs, plus I had the inside track as to what it cost before as I worked for this park last year. I suppose my problem is I don't quite know where the profit margin is supposed to be. Could someone from another state (Not MI as that would be counter productive) give me a hand here? I had my fuel at .50 per lot, my maintenance at .35 per lot, my taxes at .25 per lot, me and my guy at $8 an hour, and a 24 % profit. Can someone show me where I went wrong?
Well, What do you consider a "lot" what size is this lot? I mean if thats all it takes you thats all it takes. But I usually somehow like to count fuel in and fuel away. Atleast $20 dollar per hour for myself. I dont usually have helpers. And then Business profit. Here in georgia its a little different I suppose gas is $3.48/gallon here. I charge .40/mile driven (my truck only gets 12mpg on a good day) this gives me a little swing room. Usually gas addition to and from usually only costs $8 total or if its in route less. Then I mean to me a "lot" sounds like ALOT. If you understand...I seems to me 50 cents is low....I dont even know what a "lot" is...but I will tell you right now I wouldn't do 50 cents for a residential yard much less a lot...

But as long as you come out with a profit your fine. Your not even taking a hit. Sure it might suck and sure you might hate it and wish you didnt underbid but as long as your in the green then why worry about what anyone else has to say about it?
 
#22 ·
A lot is about 1/6 of an acre. Its a trailer park so they're not huge and a revised estimate puts the park at 32 hours and not 40, but the bid is in at 40 so thats where it lies. I did estimate gas for my truck for another bid at .30 per lot. Thanx for the input I appreciate it.
 
#23 ·
But as long as you come out with a profit your fine. Your not even taking a hit.
Serious question: How is profit being bandied about when you're at $8/hour? At this point, "profit" is just an arbitrary word assigned to anything over and above minimum wage.
 
#24 ·
I hope this is a troll. Otherwise it sounds like you are killing yourself for almost nothing. And dragging down your market. Im pretty sure you would make more working at the corner gas station, or McD's.

Why buy trucks,trailers, mowers handhelds etc to make $8/hr? Must be a tough market.

Thanks for working instead of suckling the gov teat.
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#25 ·
Man im at 60/hour to mow... but thats including expenses and such. I pay myself $22 an hour and take a bonus home at the end of the year. Dont estimate fuel by the lot, but by the hour. You arent going to spend exact 50 cents worth of gas at every lot. Figure how long it would take to mow all lots(in hours), and multiply it by how many gallons your mower(s) use per hour, then multiply that by the price of gas. That would give you a break even point, you can mark up the price of fuel. at 64 hours(2 guys 32 hours), just in gas id be at $368. Id be getting atleast 4000 to do this.... anything else and id be wasting my time.
 
#26 ·
Serious question: How is profit being bandied about when you're at $8/hour? At this point, "profit" is just an arbitrary word assigned to anything over and above minimum wage.
He said profit is 24% for his company. I mean...$8/hr I'm not working Ill tell you that much...but if thats what he wants to pay himself let him. I agree with dragging the market down, it sucks and it happens...ALL THE TIME. But in the end 90% of the time a customer will pay a little more for a quality job once they realize the work lowball, flybynighters will do.

All I am trying to say is he underbid. He knows it. You signed a contract, you better do the work. What I am saying is and I said before is that it sucks..but as long as he's in the green or there any sort of profit being made its better than losing money.

This is the exact reason why I have yet to bid a commercial property. Every time I want to I just think about how much I could screw myself if I underbid. Sure its an easy concept to think about but looking at a property for me and estimating time and money in verses out is still relatively new. Specially on bigger accounts.
 
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