Do you plow snow?

[clydebusa]

I do and it just so I can have some major accounts that want a 1 company service. So do I make money, the question is yes, I wouldn't have some of the commercial jobs without it.

[elitelawnteam1]

Plow + Scrap

[DA Quality Lawn & YS]

Originally Posted by grandview (2006)

A seasonal contract dream.

I don't do commercial though, and resi's will never sign a snow contract same as they won't sign a mowing contract in the summer.

[Cat 320D LRR]

Snow money is just extra money to me. I have a truck and a tractor. Plow came with the truck and bought a salter and pusher for the tractor. We just got our first plowable snow this year. Ill plow for the for future ahead but i always budget my summer money incase we dont have any snow.

[Kelly's Landscaping]

I don't think I ever want to do it again. Iv made very little money from it and the aggravation factor was huge. Setting an alarm to get up in 2 or 3 hours because it starts snowing at your bed time was not to enjoyable. Waking up just 3 hours later to find in 3 hours we went from half an inch to 18 will stay with me always. Waking up a 7 am once to angry calls because the weathermen at 11 pm predicted a "dusting" and were off by 9 inches is still etched in my mind 10 years latter. Watching grown men break down in the deep storms and quit leaving you with no one and guaranteeing you a 24 hour shift is not that much fun. But what bugged me more than anything was time management when I mow I plan on 10-11 hour shifts and expect to make money over that time. But when you do snow for residential how long can you expect them to wait 4-6 hours tops. There are plenty that all want to be out for 7 am and they are never close and its never doable. And so your stuck trying to make some money with few hours to do it in.

I considered plowing streets but was saddened to find out that 4500s are not considered here and they want all the street trucks to be 26000 gvw plus. And then you gota take into effect if you get the contract its on an on call basis only so they call you and your suppose to just be sitting by the phone with your trucks waiting.

Now the last time I did this was 2010 and I was using a clients plow truck that he provided. He's rich and owns a dealership to go with all his other businesses so I had dealer plates all winter and did just his dozen accounts. I babied that truck and treated it as if it was my own and he still got the pleasure of putting in a new transmission for the guy they sold it to that spring. And that reminds me that I pay enough in truck repairs as is and plowing multiplies that and reduces the overall life of the truck.

And it wouldn't do much of anything to stop my guys collecting on me in the winter. They would apply and collect as normal and when they did have a storm it would be deducted from their freebie welfare check and that actually upsets them like some how they earned a 3 month paid vacation for working 40 weeks. I suppose I could pay them cash but why should I pay income tax on money they get.

[CreativeLawncareSolutions]

I make an absolute killing doing snow...when it actually snows. Why on earth anyone wouldn't plow snow is beyond me. It's easy, mindless work. Too cold? Don't do sidewalks. I never even get out of the truck. We bill out 5-6k per event.

My plow truck was less than 6k with plow! EASY money. Super easy money.

[jrs.landscaping]

Originally Posted by CreativeLawncareSolutions

I make an absolute killing doing snow...when it actually snows. Why on earth anyone wouldn't plow snow is beyond me. It's easy, mindless work. Too cold? Don't do sidewalks. I never even get out of the truck. We bill out 5-6k per event.

My plow truck was less than 6k with plow! EASY money. Super easy money.

So you bill out 6k per event with one truck?

[CreativeLawncareSolutions]

Originally Posted by jrs.landscaping

So you bill out 6k per event with one truck?

Nope, my father has an F150 as his 2005 F350 engine blew in October. 2 trucks...5-6k per event. About 45-50 man hours between us (about a day straight of plowing) to finish. My gas usually costs me about $130-$140 to do the entire route.

Snow plowing is ridiculously easy money. I cannot even fathom why anyone wouldn't want to do it.

[kmzlawncare]

I've been plowing snow for 23 yrs. and yes it can be stressful but you can make some extra money in the winter.But I don't think we get as much snow as we us to in my area we normally get around 4 snows all winter and we already had 2 .

[JB1]

Originally Posted by kmzlawncare

I've been plowing snow for 23 yrs. and yes it can be stressful but you can make some extra money in the winter.But I don't think we get as much snow as we us to in my area we normally get around 4 snows all winter and we already had 2 .

Sounds like here,, we are doing way more salting than pushing the last couple of years.