Snow Blowers

The season is almost over for snow plowing services. Most contracts end at the end of March. Any snow that arrives in April will need to be looked after by the homeowner. Or they can make special arrangements with the snowplowing company. In many communities snow plowing service contracts last from the 1 December until the end of March. Another issue is that many operators have a maximum snowfall amount in their contracts. If it goes beyond a specified amount they get to charge more.

This is also an opportunity for consumers to lock in their contracts for the coming year. It may seem early to think about this however it may also be an opportunity to negotiate a better rate by locking in your contract in advance compared to waiting until next fall.

What should you expect for Snow Plowing Service?

The date your contract will start and end, how often they will clear the snow, how much snow needs to fall before they will clear your driveway, will they clear the snow from your steps, and will they come and clear the snow from the end of your driveway after the snowplow has cleared the street. These are all things that should be considered as part of your contract.

The details do matter. For example, if the snowplow cleared your street at 4 o’clock in the afternoon but the contractor had already cleared your driveway in the morning, will they come back to clear the snow left by the snowplow operator from the end of your driveway.

Avoid snow being blown against your house. The contractor should already know this, but you should make sure that snow is not blown against the side of your house or your neighbor’s house. Occasionally there can be rocks and chunks of hard ice that could damage the siding on your home or break a window.

Snow Clearing Frequency

How often should you expect the snow to be cleared? Most contracts specify how much snow must fall before they will clear your driveway. It is also important to understand who makes that decision. Is it based on the weather report at the local airport which could be miles away or is it based on the actual snow on the driveway?

Will they clear snow from your steps? You may not want the service. However it is pretty nice to be able to walk out in the morning knowing that your steps are clear of snow. Your driveway is cleaned as well. There will be an extra fee for the service and consumers must decide if they wish to pay for the service.

How many months will they clear snow? Depending on where you live, snow clearing contracts will start approximately December 1. They will continue until March 31 of the following year. If you are concerned that this is not broad enough. You may wish to have the snow contract start on November 15 and finish by April 15. However expect to pay more for the service

Get it in writing! Always get all of the details and specifics in writing on your contract and initialed by the contract provider. Otherwise, you have nothing to fall back on if the services you thought you were getting is not being provided.

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