Snow Plowing for profit

   / Snow Plowing for profit #1  

scesnick

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2004
Messages
1,406
Location
Garrett County Md. ( Western Md.)
Tractor
Kubota MX5100
With the winter season coming up I was wondering if anyone makes extra money with their snow removal machines.
I have a 2.5 mile driveway/road that I have to plow all through the winter. We get plenty of snow here in the western Md. Mountains.

Once I complete my tasks I usually go down to the little town below my property and plow out a few friends and of course the elderly who cant do it their self.
I have had others ask if I could plow them out also. They usually always offer to pay and I usually decline the offer. But I have recently had to buy a new plow and blower for the tractor and as you guys know, there aren't cheap.
My question is do you guys plow people out in your neighborhood for free or do you charge them? If you do charge, what is your fee? .
 
   / Snow Plowing for profit #2  
I plow my In-Laws and neighbor for free. Sometimes they slip me some money for fuel. I enjoy plowing and just tell them I have nothing better to do.
 
   / Snow Plowing for profit #3  
Many variables.

I don't plow driveways, I stick to commercial lots, but know many that do drives.

It all comes down to time and expense. If you have 15 min in doing a drive, and are already in the town, ithink $20-$25 is reasonable.

But one must factor drive time. Certainly cannot drive 20 min, plow for 20 min, and drive for another 20 min and think you can make money at $20/drive.

You'd be surprised how many calls I get I a winter wanting a drive done... .someone 20-30 min from the lot I'm on......and they blow their top when I tell them $75 or $100. I just explain to them that I am making $70/hr for the lot that I'm on, and the second I leave that pay stops and don't resume til I return to the lot. So that is the cost they have to cover.

Too many people think that $20 is fair for a contractor with tens of thousands invested in equipment, to drop everything their doing and come plow them out.

No thanks.....go buy a shovel
 
   / Snow Plowing for profit #4  
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
 
   / Snow Plowing for profit #5  
I just do mine and elderly couple,heard to many bad things in our area people falling calling day/night,pricing plus cost of insurance just not worth it...kinda strange the people who can really pay w/no problem seem to be the worse,again that's our area.
 
   / Snow Plowing for profit #6  
Be too many headaches, insurance plus the "you ruined my lawn" or hitting a "I forgot to tell you about that well casing" And yes, someone thinking $10 to $20 is lots of money to pay since it only took you 5 minutes after driving 20 mins each way.
 
   / Snow Plowing for profit #7  
I would plow them and if you can keep it a neighborly 20-25 bucks and no (time) demands. When/if it becomes a situation you'd rather not be in with a neighbor such as "I need to get out to work by....." or "you dug up a little of my lawn" you can become too busy or charge them accordingly. You deserve a few bucks your way for your dead expenses, and I think you will discriminate between the nice old couple and the guy that just will take advantage of your goodness.

(got a MIL in Friendsville):thumbsup:
 
   / Snow Plowing for profit #8  
All very valid comments. I only do it because I enjoy plowing and I can. Truck is not registered and has no insurance on it so it never goes on the road. My In-Laws and Neighbor will not sue me. Everyone else should cover their butts with the proper insurance and decide if they are in it to make money or not.
 
   / Snow Plowing for profit #9  
With the winter season coming up I was wondering if anyone makes extra money with their snow removal machines.
. . . guys plow people out in your neighborhood for free or do you charge them? If you do charge, what is your fee? .

As a retiree I clear snow for my family and some neighbors as a neighborly favor. No contracts, no demands, and no money changes hands. If they reciprocate with a neighborly favor that's fine.

Once you take money, the whole complexion changes. They will expect timely, professional competence (As in you will pay for putting that hidden brick through their window but will eat the cost and trouble if the brick broke your shear pin). In today's society, they may sue for any reason. I cannot rationalize the expense and trouble of insurance, structuring a business to limit liability, complying with the federal, state, and local tax and other requirements.
If you already have a business the calculus changes, and you should be in a position to figure your costs. As a former business owner, one of the more difficult lessons was learning when to decline work.

Captain Dirty
 
   / Snow Plowing for profit #10  
With the winter season coming up I was wondering if anyone makes extra money with their snow removal machines.
I have a 2.5 mile driveway/road that I have to plow all through the winter. We get plenty of snow here in the western Md. Mountains.

Once I complete my tasks I usually go down to the little town below my property and plow out a few friends and of course the elderly who cant do it their self.
I have had others ask if I could plow them out also. They usually always offer to pay and I usually decline the offer. But I have recently had to buy a new plow and blower for the tractor and as you guys know, there aren't cheap.
My question is do you guys plow people out in your neighborhood for free or do you charge them? If you do charge, what is your fee? .

I do it commercially in Anne Arundel county , I carry commercial insurance on by business . I do parking lots and roads . When we get heavy snows around here in the Balto / DC area there are guys from Garrett county that bring their plows and equipment here to plow . Because the money is so much greater . In this area pick ups with plows are getting $ 95 hour . Loaders $ 125 hour . ( for subs )
 
 
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