Snow Plowing for profit

[Rustyiron]

In this area pick ups with plows are getting $ 95 hour . Loaders $ 125 hour . ( for subs )

I used to get $75 an hour (in Columbia) as a sub in 1985 when a decked out (new) p/u was $12k and a plow was $1800:laughing:
I guess that's about right except for the plow/truck costs:confused3:

 

[2458n]

used to plow snow where I worked. Had to have a million dollar insurance to do work on company property. Painter worked for the company and his men did the roof on a windy day. Covered parking lot and a lot of cars. If it does not snow you have a great big bunch of overhead. Friends are ready to work until it snows - then you have two plow trucks and a tractor just sitting around. If you were getting rich managers would be doing it. Older guy next door always had driveway cleaned and salted first. Bob Evans gift card once a year kept his place in line. His idea not mine.

 

[PILOON]

Folks forget that when you have $25, 35 or 40K invested that that needs to make a reasonable return.
The ultimate tractor setup probably is 100HP, 7 ft blower with an extendable front plow that also 'flips' to pull snow away from the garage doors.
They don't realize that they are talking about $125,000 worth of equipment that will work about 4-5 months, and that not including the operator nor finance fees.
OK, perhaps in a suburb where houses are 60-100 ft side by side and you can get 150 contracts per season it might work but not elsewhere.
\
Sucks if U have that kind of cash U are better to collect the even poor bank interest rates than plow drives.

Then to add insult to injury, along comes a newby that takes away your client by undercutting U by $5 or $10.

 

[Paystar]

Contractors around here plow driveways with pickup truck plows or backhoes for $20 to $25.00 and people cry about paying that.

That's why I don't do snow removal, LOL.

 

[Garandman]

Our NH neighbor plows our 675 driveway with a turnaround at top for $40-75: higher price if he puts down sand. Prices are higher in the suburbs, I think.

In Boston we clear the driveways of two elderly neighbors for free, and clear a lot of sidewalk. It痴 done as a courtesy to neighbors, without obligation.

My son shovels a neighbor痴 place all winter while they are away. He takes a picture when he痴 done and they pay him $20 on average.

 

[MossRoad]

If you charge them in this day and age you should have insurance (in case you hit something of theirs and break it), if you have a loan against it, make sure your insurance will cover it when it is off of the property while making money (so that I'd you have a catastrophic failure while out plowing they dont tell you that you are not covered).

Aaron Z

That's really good advice. I read a news story recently about an Uber driver that got hit by a hit and run driver. His insurance wouldn't cover his damaged car because he was using it for a business and he had regularly old car insurance. Sad thing is, business insurance was cheap. Something like $25 more per year. He got nothing. Same thing would probably apply to a snow plowing business. Let's say you're hit by someone else. Even if you're not on your way to or from a job, could they ask if you use the snowplow to make money? Would you lie and tell them no? Or tell the truth and say sometimes? Would they deny you? Too many questions and scenarios.

Talk to your insurance agent and find out how much insurance would be. Add a million $ umbrella policy to it as well. Then see if you can generate enough revenue to turn a profit after expenses.

 

[Old Red]

We had a back to back huge (to us) snows the year before last. I think maybe 2 feet fell or something like that. Stayed kind of cold and people were trapped in their houses. I went and grabbed my Kubota M6800 with just he front end loader. I just drove to a neighborhood and worked all day for 2 days in different neighborhoods and couldn't close my wallet I had so much money in it. Everyone around here got all fired up after that and bought plows and all sorts of stuff and it didn't snow a single time last year. Funny.

In a place like where we live, you can make some decent money for a day or 2.

 

[Doofy]

We had a back to back huge (to us) snows the year before last. I think maybe 2 feet fell or something like that. Stayed kind of cold and people were trapped in their houses. I went and grabbed my Kubota M6800 with just he front end loader. I just drove to a neighborhood and worked all day for 2 days in different neighborhoods and couldn't close my wallet I had so much money in it. Everyone around here got all fired up after that and bought plows and all sorts of stuff and it didn't snow a single time last year. Funny.

In a place like where we live, you can make some decent money for a day or 2.

Hahahaha. That sounds like "Emergency Generators" sold before a big storm. Pawn shops are full of them after the storm passes.

 

[RjCorazza]

I plowed neighborhood driveways for years gratis, but it got expensive and out of hand. 3 years ago I put everyone on notice that I would need to charge a nominal seasonal amount, or a more expensive "will call" rate. I do 10-20 driveways and didn't loose any friends over charging for snow plowing.
It's a balancing act when dealing with neighbors, but if they are willing to commit to a seasonal agreement then they get a very good deal.

 

[Will_C]

I plow myself. I used to plow an elderly neighbor out. He was a retired farmer and highway dept. worker-he knew that some lawn will get damaged and some gravel pushed when you plow a rough gravel driveway. Always got a cup of coffee and some cookies when I was done, along with lots of stories about his adventures with snowstorms. God do I miss him!

The neighbors with a nightmare driveway, and snowmobiles and ATVs galore, but nothing to plow with-they're on their own!

Will