Made some bids today

[grasshawg]

I submitted a few bids today in some parking lots to remove the gum and oil/grease stains. These are big lots (Goody's, Staples, etc). Ex: one was 67,275 sq ft (approx). I bid it at .05 cents/sq ft. Total bid was $3,363.75.
Give me the hard facts. I'm a newbie, so I need a little guidance. Did I do good? Underbid? Overbid? No real "PITA" factors involved. Just gum and oil stains. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Dkwood]

bids

Grasshawg... been reading your posts here and I really appreciate your questions. I also am a tx newbie, you are a bit ahead of me getting started. I am not quite ready to bid anything, but i am letting everyone know I'm about ready.

Pricing is an area I feel very unprepared for. If I remember your prev posts, you have/had a landscaping business also? I have to start a client base from scratch. I have been considering a bid for a large auto parts retail chain, but I'm not quite finished with the legal stuff yet (ins, bonds, etc). I'm also very confused about epa/water regs. Some have told me one thing, others the opposite.

Any help you can give on what you are doing I'd love to hear... same goes for any other p/w'er !!!!

You can email me if you don't want to go public ... northstarpw@sbcglobal.net or dkwood2@sbcglobal.net

Thanks in advance [wsmile]

 

[PressurePros]

New guy, working by himself, gum, applying degreaser, hot water, will probably take you about 40+ hours to clean. Up here would get about $5500 for a lot that size.

 

[jthompson]

...Just bid on cleaning driveways. I charge on a sliding scale from 26cents a square foot down to 10cents. Minimum job is $80.00 and covers up to 300 square feet. 1500 square feet or more is 10cents a square foot. No less. Good Luck!!!

 

[Jonathan Elli]

seems low

That price seems low to me for that much area.

 

[grasshawg]

Ok, that's what I'm looking for. This was a "trial bid", so I'll get some work some experience, not to mention a paycheck. I'll know next time to make my paycheck bigger. I should hear back from one or two of the bigger ones this week. I'll let you guys know how it went.
Thanks for all the feedback.

 

[Mark]

LOL!

I remember when I started in the wash business,
the jobs I underbid I remembered, it is a learning
experience.

Good Luck!

 

[Scott Stone]

Good Grief, It all depends. If he has a surface cleaner, then this job should take him a maximum of 20 hours, maybe 25, unless it is covered in gum. There are some that would only take 12 to 14 hous to do. If you are just doing a power rinse, and hitting the gum spots, you can do it in one night. (no that I would recommend that) I think that you did fine, but my market is a big city with 3 new competitors every week.

Scott Stone

 

[grasshawg]

I'm in a very rural area of East Texas. However, I am only about 45 miles from Nacogdoches in one direction, and Shreveport, La in the other. I wouldn't have to travel much farther that that to get good besiness. Most guys around here concentrate on local stuff. Mainly young guys who's only concern is making their truck note, college money, and party money.
I decided to branch out into other markets. These parking lots are owned by big real estate developers and rented out to the businesses. One is in Cincinnati, OH.
I don't have a surface cleaner. I will be using 5.6 gpm/3000 psi. Hot. Gum concentration is minimized to the front areas around the door, and "premium" parking spots. Grease/oil stains are in about 1/3 of the parking spaces. A few tire tracks from kids "showing off". I think with the right chems, I can get it done in a reasonable amount of time.
I don't think the competition has found this little "niche" yet. Thoughts?

 

[CaroliProWash]

I'm thinking that "I don't have a surface cleaner" is going to blow your "reasonable amount of time" out of the water. Check into renting if nothing else. What are you planning to do about your waste water?

Celeste

 

[Cooper]

Get a surface cleaner. It will pay for itself on this one job.

 

[grasshawg]

Thanks! I'll check into it. Can you start me in the right direction? I would probably stare at it like a monkey doing an algebra problem. I'm pretty lost on that. I do, however, have sort of a knack for picking up on things quickly. All I need is a little push.

 

[PressurePros]

You were actually considering doing this without a surface cleaner????? It would take you ten days to do this with a wand (literally). You have to be realsitic with the math. Spraying down chemical and then getting comfortable with a surface cleaner, and cleaning up gum I am guessing on the high end you will do about 2000 sf/hr.. let us know how you make out. Once you get a rhythm and some experience you will be able to do about 3500-4000 sf per hour. I think you are in for a huge surprise in the PIA factor when you start having to pop that gum.

 

[Aplus]

Thanks! I'll check into it. Can you start me in the right direction? I would probably stare at it like a monkey doing an algebra problem. I'm pretty lost on that. I do, however, have sort of a knack for picking up on things quickly. All I need is a little push.

Give Mark @ Easyclean a call. He carries top notch equipment at reasonable prices. A nice 30" Steel Eagle would be great with your machine, and would pay for itself easily if you land one of those jobs.

 

[grasshawg]

Thanks, A+. After I posted that reply, I started a search and read some of Mark's threads. Seems he really knows his stuuf. I went ahead and emailed him and I wrote down his numbers to call him tomorrow. Just read a series of ass chewings about not using the "search" feature. Should've done it myself instead of sitting here giggling.LOL
I know, Ken. I maybe biting off more than I can chew, but I need to start somewhere. I'm no stranger to hard work and long hours. And I ain't skeered!! I just gotta get out there and give it hell. Live and learn, man.
Thanks again guys!