Snow Blowers

Winter is just around the corner and this picture of someone shoveling snow from their driveway literally brings the shivers to many consumers facing the winter season. Frankly, no one wants to go out and shovel snow and many people do not even want to purchase snow blowers. They may not have a place to store them, they may not feel comfortable operating the snowblower and they are concerned about the maintenance that a snowblower may require. Their solution is to look for a contractor who provides reliable snow removal for the season.

Reliable Snow Removal – Talk to Neighbors

There are several ways to find companies that provide snow removal services in the winter and who are also reliable. In our last post, we discussed snow removal specifications that should be written into a contract with a snow removal contract. It is a great idea to have all of these requirements understood to avoid any misunderstanding between you and the contractor who is providing the service. We strongly encourage readers to review this post about snow removal specifications to ensure that you get the service you are looking for.

Talk to the Neighbors

One of the best ways to find a reliable snow removal contractor is to talk to the neighbors. There is usually someone on the street that is using a snow removal service. They may be quite satisfied with the service. These are the people to talk to. They have the contact information and they have gone through the effort of finding a contractor. If they have used them for several years then they have been satisfied with the service and will continue to use them every year.

Talk to several neighbors to confirm a contractor’s service. Perhaps even get the numbers of several contractors if there is more than one working on the street clearing snow. You will want to get a quote anyway. It is always a great idea to call and compare quotations to make sure you have a competitive price. Make sure the specs are the same. A low price may eliminate some service or they may not clear snow as often leaving you frustrated with the service even though you are paying a lower price.

Negotiate Combined Pricing for Snow Removal

This step may be a bit difficult to do,. Since it involves getting a couple of neighbors together to negotiate a price for snow clearing service. Agreement on the specifications and the price is critical. However, if you can do this some snow removal companies will offer discounts to neighbors who get together and use the same company.

After all, it can save the company travel time since they can clear two or more neighbors one after the other. Without the need to travel any significant distance between jobs. This saves them a great deal of time. They are usually more than willing to pass along these savings to their customers in order to get the business. Everyone has their driveways done within minutes of each other. You can compare the work done to make sure that it meets the agreed to specifications. If you are not satisfied you have some bargaining power as well to communicate your concerns. Most people are interested in saving money. This is one way to save a little on snow clearing for your driveway and walkway.

Snow Clearing Prior to Leaving for Work

One of the significant requirements a lot of people have about snow clearing is that their driveway is clear of snow when they leave for work in the morning. Snowplows routinely fill everyone’s driveway at the most inopportune time. Sometimes after a large snowfall, there can be a large pile of snow at the end of the driveway. You have to negotiate this pile of snow just to get your car out to go to work.

Some companies will clear snow based on their schedule and what makes sense for them. They want to optimize their travel time and avoid duplicate visits on the same day. Others will time their snow clearing to follow the snowplow. So as soon as the snow plow has cleared a street, they come along and clear your driveway. A lot of snow plowing is done at night. If the snow removal service is also done at this same time, your driveway will be clear for you when you need to go to work.

Something to discuss with your snow removal service!

Many consumers have their own snow blowers and regularly clear the snow from their driveways and walkways every winter. They may even do this for a neighbor or two either as a nice thing to do or for a small payment to help defray the cost of the snowblower they just purchased. When there is a heavy snowfall or the temperature is really cold, these people really appreciate someone coming to clear their driveways whether it is being done as a favor or they are paying for the service. When you pay for the snow clearing service, many do not discuss snow removal specifications and sometimes are disappointed by the services that are provided.

Whenever you hire someone to do some work for you, it is always a good idea to have the specifications understood and written down so that they are clear and there is no disagreement over what service is to be provided and when it is to be provided. It is really no different from snow removal. Snow removal specifications should be the same and can be written down in a small contract that is signed by both parties.  Usually, the snow removal company will provide a copy of this to their customers along with a copy of the receipt for your payment. Take the time to read and fully understand them before you sign.

Snow Removal Specifications – What should they Cover?

The following topics should be covered in the specifications and represent a contract between you and the contractor who will be removing the snow from your driveway:

• Price for the snow clearing service
• Payment schedule requirements
• The start date for the contract
• Last date for the season that snow will be cleared
• How much snow will fall before they will clear the snow
• Will they clear snow after the snowplow has cleared the roads
• What time of the morning will they clear the snow?
• Will they clear snow from the walkway and steps or just the driveway
• Will they work carefully around parked cars on the driveway
• Do they place markers on the edge of the driveway to avoid damaging the grass?
• Will you need the snow blown or dumped in a specific area
• Do they use a snowblower or a blade?
• How will they protect your driveway from scrape marks from the blade or snowblower
• Other special requirements that you may have unique to your property

Selecting a Snow Removal Contractor

You have all of the specifications and you are satisfied with the price and the services. But how do you really know if they will deliver as per these specifications? One way to confirm is to talk to other neighbors who may be using their services. Are they satisfied with the snow removal service and would they recommend them? A recommendation from a friend or neighbor is the best way to confirm that a company will meet your needs. This assumes that you both have the same requirements and have the same attention to detail. This is an important point to consider.

Some people might not care if the driveway is cleared after 8 am in the morning. While others who must get out of their driveways by 7 am to get to work will want their driveways cleared before that time. If you have specific requirements that you consider very important confirm that they will be met or have been met by other neighbors.

When Should You Use a Snow clearing Service?

There are various triggers that may push you in the direction of using a service such as this. The snowblower you have, quits on you and you do not want to purchase another. There is a health issue that forces you to hire such a service. You just got tired of going out to shovel snow when it is icy cold. You decided that this is one job you never want to do again. Regardless of what the reason is, always make sure that you get a contract and nail down the specifications for your snow clearing service. It might save you a lot of work, frustration, and perhaps even money depending on what the difference of opinion might be concerning the clearing of snow from your driveway.