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SCHOOL GROUNDS BID

3K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  fdew 
#1 ·
Finally got word back on the school bid we submitted for the 15 acre mowing job.
I bid it by man hours estimated to do the job, & 2 of the 4 bid by the acre.
One guy bid 700, another bid 700 for mowing & would charge extra for trimming, or opted for chemical control of edge grasses.
I bid just over 1000 per time, & the local idiot who nobody likes because of his big mouth bid almost $1900!
So I feel pretty good about being in the middle; at least I'm not lowballing. The 2 cheaper guys were bidding about $35 an acre, which is a little cheap for me, but oh well.
Anyways, the school rejected all 4 bids! They said they were too high! They also said the school employees who did it in the past took 60 hrs. just to mow!(no trimming in that time frame). At 8-10 bucks an hour, that's $480-600 they were already paying. And to expect an outside contractor to come in from a half hour away & do it for the same or less? I'd have jumped on the $700 bid if I were them. Pay $100 extra & no more worries about payroll, liability on school employees, etc. I just don't get it.

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Smitty ô¿ô
 
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#2 ·
IT IS MESSED UP THE WAY SOME PENCIL PUSHER WILL BE IN CHARGE OF SOMETHING HE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT> I JUST TALKED TO A BUDDY THAT LOST A $40,150 PER YEAR CONTRACT BECAUSE SOMEONE (WHO IS LESS EQUIPPED FOR THE JOB)CUT HIM FOR $150!THIS IS HOW THINGS GO WHEN THEY ONLY LOOK AT THE NUMBERS.IT SUX

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DON
LIANNES' MOWING
 
#3 ·
Boy smitty you really missed the boat on this
one. I can mow 15 acres myself in less than
8 hours on a bad day with the mower broken for 2 hours of that day with an old walkbehind. As far as the trimming goes I
would just apply round up and surflan twice
a year to take care of that "problem".

$600 divided by 8 hours is $75/hour.
 
#4 ·
yardsmith, did the school board take into account that you were supplying the fuel and equipment when you do the work and that they suppy everything when their school guys do it?
Here in Ontario I have to try to compete with guys who bid Can$20 per hr. for school work. Hard to believe but they say I charge too much.
 
#5 ·
I'm starting to see how cheap people really are in these parts. I don't want to tie myself down to a place this size & not get paid decent for it.
As for $75 an hour, it sounds good on paper, but the 15 acres is cut up into bits & pieces over a 50 acre complex, Stone. If it was simple field mowing, everyone would jump on it. Don't forget the sports fields need it twice a week which means an extra 30 min. drive & another 2 acres to mow, which is the better chunk of a morning spent for an additional trip, gas, etc. Plus if it rains for 3-4 days in a row, etc. etc. etc.
8 hours on paper sounds great, but standing on the grounds looking out over the complex gives one a more realistic view.

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Smitty ô¿ô
 
#6 ·
Smitty wrote:

>As for $75 an hour, it sounds good on paper, but the 15 acres is cut up into bits & pieces over a 50 acre complex,

I find it hard to believe that a 50 acre
public school complex to contain only 15
acres of turf. Is 20 acres of that 50 a
woodlot?

>Don't forget the sports fields need it twice a week which means an extra 30 min. drive & another 2 acres to mow

Again this shows me you did not even measure
this site. Just one baseball field is almost
3 acres alone. In Ohio they must have a
football stadium. What about scoccer, and
a combo field hockey/softball field for the
girls? Plus don't they have any practice fields?

>Don't forget the sports fields need it twice a week

I doubt that very much. If this school district is as cheap as you say it is they
must use very little fertilizer. In fact you
should never take "any" mowing contract unless you fertilize the site yourself. This
way you can control the growth rate of the turf.

My school district contract (athletic fields only 15 acres total) I am required to mow
the fields in play (right now that's only
baseball and softball) with the sports
schedule. At present this schedule is averaging every 6 days but I am mowing with
a 62" toro with a set of new gator blades and
can mow down to an 1 1/2 in one pass in high
gear w/o leaving any visiable signs of clippings.

As for the fall sports fields I am rehabing
those right now and mow them at 4 inches.
I mow 1/2 of these areas every cycle so they are mowed every 10-12 days which is no big deal when you are at a 4 inch mowing height.

The administrators of this school district must be a bunch of losers anyway if they have
waited this long to bid out/award a contract.
I had to have the baseball field ready for the
first game on March 22 at my school district job.
 
#7 ·
So stone you are saying you fert. the schools grounds? You hold that liabilty? Also I didnt see were it said high school or grade school. I dont see many grade schools with all those fields. I worked for a school disrtict in the maintance shop which includes grounds. The disrtict would not let ANYONE spray or put granular down in faer of kids getting sick. I have bid on MANY school mowing and also have seen little to say about any use of herb. or any other pest. And most have right in the guide lines that they dont want ANY spraying DONE of ANY KIND on the grounds includeing round up or anything esle. I would not want that kind of headache or chance. And YES I can Legally spray in this state.
 
#8 ·
the sports field consists of a football/multipurpose field for the HS & Baseball field that is 2/3 dirt infield. They also have other open fields for use, too. They said they wanted it mowed twice a week, so you either mow it twice a week, 3-4 days apart, or lose the contract you agreed to. They do take care of the sports fields, it's their pride & joy. They fert. at the present time so they can do it after hours when kids aren't around. If they did contract it out, they may award it to them later on.
They have the elem., middle/Jr high, & high school all on one complex, which includes roughly 10-15 acres of woods, flat road frontage, playground, shared sports fields, & about 2 acres worth of ravine bordering the road along the front of the properties, which need weedeated/sprayed.
Last but not least, the rest of the property is covered with the school biuldings, bus garages, Maintenance bldgs, & acres of PARKING LOT!
Yes, most people aren't used to starting until mid-April here. So every one is behind the ball as far as getting their act together on time to award contracts to someone.

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Smitty ô¿ô
 
#9 ·
Ash wrote:

>So stone you are saying you fert. the schools grounds? You hold that liabilty? Also I didnt see were it said high school or grade school.

I do everying to the sports fields except
the lining and raking of the infields.

As for fertilizing I use straight products,pre-m, dursban, as well as
broadcast apps and spot selective weed control. I do the "spraying" on the weekend
to keep the evnironmentalest wackos in check,
out of sight of mind thinghy. I also spray
round up and surflan twice a season so they
don't have to pick up a string trimmer.

There is a great differnce between the sue
happy types in Chicago or Phila. when
compaired to the semi rural section of PA
where this school sits. Many people are in the agraculture biz and have knowledge of
pesticides.

I don't personally hold the liability that's
why a pay OHIO causulty a whopping $400 a year. Since I don't own any real estate or
have any real money in US banks I am pretty
much judgement proof. You can't get blood
from a Stone.

The site I take care of has elementry, middle, and a high school at one location.

I have been fertilizing and appling pesticides to this site for the last four
years. This is my first year mowing, overseeding, and aerating.
 
#10 ·
Yea area does make a big diff. Hey if it works for you great. And I can see what you mean about rural here their is to much going in the schools all week long and year round so the nosy sue happies are still in the area even when you think they are gone. But 2 in towns with pop. of 60000 plus their is not much land between people and schools.
 
#11 ·
One good thing has come from your experience with the school district personal. Now you know it would not be a good idea to send your kids there.
 
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