Bulldozer

Mulchtank

Mulchtank

New member
We have a chance to bid on heavy equipment washing for a large excavating company. We'd clean everything in their gravel yard. Basically, what's there when we come; stuff coming in and out from jobs all the time.

Pricing for heavy equipment like this? What's an average price for a large bulldozer, front end loader, or track hoe? I've found info on trucks and trailers, but don't know where to start on this type of work? Help!
 
It's hard to price heavy equipment sometimes Steve. Make sure you have hot water and a good degreaser.

Personally I charge $125 an hour with a 4 hour minimum. I give them a ballpark estimate as to how long it will take for each piece of equipment so that way they don't get shocked when they see the bill.

Plus cleaning equipment can be dirty work at times.
 
80% of my business is heavy equipment, and even after 6 years I won't dare give a quote over the phone. So many different factors can play into how long its going to take it is easy to loose your shirt. It totally depends on how clean they want it and how dirty it is when you get there.

Remember to either charge a lower rate and degreaser separate, or a higher rate with degreaser included. You have to find a good degreaser that won't break your budget, but does a good job. I have degreasers that cost close to $150 for a 5 gallon pail, but those are charged separate and only used on specific jobs.

Since you have never done this and this sounds like a big deal either try to find some other heavy equipment to get your feet wet. Heavy equipment is different then most pressure washing, this is primarily due to the grease and oil and mud on the machine.

If you have any questions just ask, I have been asking for a subform for heavy equipment for awhile here...
 
What degreasers I use are all local, I can't comment on what you would find down where you are. Like I mentioned, there are ones that are super expensive, some that are dirt cheap. The expensive ones can work better then the cheap ones, although the cost can far out weigh the benefit.

Since you are only working with the grease and oil above the tracks, heat is your best friend, too much pressure can make the job take longer and volume works differently with grease then dirt. Especially when dealing with fresh grease the more heat you apply the easier the grease falls off. Remove the large clumps of grease first, avoid spraying the cab as much as possible and apply degreaser to remove the splatter and whats left.

There is a method depending on the piece of equipment and the size, but this is something you learn from experience. There is not a wrong way to do this as long as the customer is happy and the equipment is clean.
 
IMG_1118.jpgIMG_1120.jpgIMG_1124.jpgIMG_1125.jpgIMG_1128.jpgI do it a bit differently. I run my soap upstream with water in the 120 degree range. If you go crazy hot the soap won't work properly as the heat breaks the chemicals down. By doing this upstream the grease doesn't stick to everything that it touches. Each piece of equipment is different so difficult to price. This machine was probably in the $400 range.
 
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