Thoughts on Plowing/Blowing driveways for neighbors this winter... input wanted.

[dmccarty]

If you are not prepared to run the business legally, with licenses, insurance, paying taxes, etc., don't even waste your time. You need to do it right and proper or you are asking for big trouble. All it takes is one mishap and you can loose everything. Figure out the cost of insurance, fuel, repairs, replacement costs, your time, etc., and charge accordingly. My insurance will NOT cover me if I take a cent for work on my tractor. I can mow and blade our road with coverage if I do it for free which is what I do. I do the work when I have time and it fits my schedule. I am under no obligation to do the work as you would be in a snow storm.

Later,
Dan

 

[scott_vt]

Plow your own driveway ONLY and let the others fend for themselves. You will regret taking such a job. You will get calls at 4:00 a.m., calls because you forgot to dust off their birdbath, can you pull their car out of the ditch and you ran over my kids $8,000 bike, I thought you were supposed to do the sidewalk and my deck.

Neighbors are ususally trouble. Not all of course, but all it takes is one or two.

This country is filling up with people who are helpless on their own. Trouble is, they learned how to vote....

Good Evenin Bill,
No truer words were ever spoken.....

Especially the last sentence !

 

[LJH]

Neighbors are ususally trouble. Not all of course, but all it takes is one or two.

This country is filling up with people who are helpless on their own. Trouble is, they learned how to vote....

Gawd, how I wish that second statement wasn't so true.

I somewhat agree with the first from past experiences at past addresses, but it isn't the case where I live now, thank God. We've been here since '98. The houses are pretty spread out and while it can be months between talking to, or even seeing a given neighbor, if you need help you'll get mobbed.

There are maybe 10 full-time residents and several retreat properties in our canyon. All the full-timers have some kind of tractor, snowplow/blower, log splitters, and misc. other equipment. We rarely lend, but freely show up & help when someone has a project going. For snow removal the county (eventually) gets around to the main road but we have an informal approach to the private roads where everybody kinda starts with their own driveway and progresses from there. When you get to one that's already done, you're off duty until the next storm!

Gonna pour a cup of coffee & count my blessings now.

 

[Pete Judd]

I do a couple around here, but not for bucks, just the goodwill. Sometimes a cup of hot coffee. Makes for a better neighborhood. Don't want a job moving snow. But a "big" snow around here is 6 inches of wet stuff, and melts is a day or two.

 

[bosshog]

It would be a major headache.

 

[JoeBuyer]

Good Evenin Bill,
No truer words were ever spoken.....

Especially the last sentence !

The thread mentions 2 car wide driveways up to 200' long with $8000 bikes. No poor people there.

 

[dave1949]

The thread mentions 2 car wide driveways up to 200' long with $8000 bikes. No poor people there.

A few did sound stingy though, hmmm is there a pattern here?

 

[Natureboy]

I wouldnt touch it if I were you. When I got my first plow truck, I inquired from my insurance co. what I would need to plow a few drives other than my own. It was a $2000. rider (and that was back in 1996). Decided it was not worth it. The first winter I attempted to be a nice guy by plowing out the drive of my mothers neighbor, a sweet little old lady. It was a very narrow drive with concrete steps protruding and a lot of stuff to look out for, but I figured I would try and help because her kids didnt bother. Long story short, one day clearing her drive I put a dent in one of the panels of her aluminum garage door. I immediately told her about it, she said not to worry, its only a little dent. A week later her a##hole son gives me an estimate for $500. to have the panel replaced.

 

[bigtiller]

Like others have said, I wouldn't do it for hire. I can't afford to. There is to great of a risk of breaking something of yours or theirs.

 

[nwngunner]

My grandfather use to plow out people when he first got his plow truck. After the first year he wouldnt do any ones drives other then our own. I have a snow plow setup on my t250 bobcat and the only person getting plow out other then my self is my one neighbor. He comes over helps me fence and take care of cattle and i help him with cleaning his barn yard and stuff. So that is a wash each others hand deal. Other then that i am not going to be responsible for some one elses work. If these people dont want to clean their drives they should all live in apartments and away from us who have to take responsibility in our lives.