Transfer Station Cleaning/Bid

Commercial
1

In addition to power washing. I also rent out dumpsters to people, for a somewhat “passive” income.

So I was talking to the manager at a local transfer station, he asked me to work him up a price for cleaning the following on a weekly basis.

  • 5,000 Square Foot Concrete Pad (This is where they dump all the garbage onto and it gets fed to an excavator with a front-loader.)
  • One front-loader
  • One Excavator
  • One Skid Steer

He stated that they basically just want all of the dirt/trash film cleaned off, not looking for a spotless clean.

I quoted him at $800. He passed and stated that that was more than double what they currently get it all cleaned for.

So my question is… Am I crazy for quoting him at $800 or is the other guy nuts for only doing all of that for less than $400?

Thanks in advance for any info or guidance!

1 Like
2

There will always be some shmuck doing things for stupid prices.

3

Depends…could you see yourself doing it for $400? Everyone’s operating costs and business plans/goals (if any) are different.

1 Like
4

if would look and see what stuff it is that gets/ needs to be washed off 1st. and rinsing is no fun with a 5.5gpm or less. not even 8gpm, Id want more gpm. (meaning if you have to push any garbage around and away)

5

Sometimes you just gotta fall asleep in the recliner with your slippers on.

3 Likes
6

it is a weekly $$$ deposit.

7

Maybe the current person isn’t really cleaning it and is just applying chems and hosing it. That would make a huge difference in time and costs.

8

That’s what I am thinking. I asked the manager, but he didn’t provide much detail into what the other guy did.

9

I could see myself doing it for $400, but it would be a different process. For starters, the concrete pad would be blown off with a ball valve rather than surface cleaned, and the equipment would simply be sprayed with chem and rinsed down.

10

I am definitely kicking myself because I wanted that recurring check especially in the winter months.

But at the same time, come Spring/Summer, I could be hating myself for underbidding due to a heavier workload.

This was the first time I bid on a weekly cleaning job, so definitely lessons learned.

11

He wants you to undercut a dude that does if for less than half your rate. I don’t even reply to lowballers.