Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Pushing snow for other's on the side

[yooper1]

watch yourself, some jackwagon from the city with his first gravel drive will sue you for pushing it all into his yard.

TGF said "jackwagon"...:laughing: :thumbsup:

 

[LoPresti Lawnscape]

Howdy and you're welcome. A friend of mine used to plow and I would ride with him sometimes. I got to see the good and the bad of dealing with customers without having to take the crap myself!

Liability insurance isn't only for slips and falls... sometimes the plow strikes an object hidden in the snow, like a landscaping light, and rips out a string of them... or you lose traction on an icy spot and ding the side of the customer's car. :ashamed: I've seen both of these happen. No big deal, just something to consider. And then there's the folks that don't pay for last winter's plowing until the first snow of this winter.... yeah, really, I saw that happen, too. :laughing:

I do my driveway and the neighbor's directly across the road, (with the snowblower in past years, the rear blade this coming winter) but it's just a favor for a friend, I don't get paid and wouldn't accept it if they tried. Beyond that, you have the potential for more or less serious issues, so that's something to consider. I wouldn't say it's a bad idea, just a different one.

If you can get a few neighbors and neighbors' neighbors to go in something informal, it might work out well. You'd get seat time and a little something for the new implement fund. :thumbsup:

Good post. I plowed for years as a sub and for myself doing commercials and residential.

You DO need liability insurance to cover your ***, but most slip and falls due to ice or snow are tossed out of court if they get that far.

Judges know that Ice and Snow is....Tada! Slippery!

Only if you were negligent would you lose in court.

Most Ins companies will settle well before it gets to court though.

It's also sometimes a challenge even finding an insurance company that will cover snow removal but they are out there.

I know a lot of guys try to pull it off but it's difficult to have a real daytime job and do snow too. People want it done right then and there and most wont want to wait ten hours to get it done. Or.....youll be pushing starting at 3 am, and what if you have to be at work at 7?

 

[beenthere]

Hey List,

Any thoughts on the pro's vs the con's on putting up some signs in my area for "Snow Plowing on Demand".

...........

What does "Snow plowing on Demand" mean? That when the customer wants it done, you will come?
Who "demands" ??

 

[Ford tractor]

A friend plows and makes good money. But, he also works a day job and then plows from 6pm until dawn, naps for 2 hours and heads to work. Uhh not for me.

He has had people intentionally pull behind him in rolling rubbish just so he will back into them. Ow! My neck ! Whiplash! You ruined my pristine 1986 escort ! It's a classic worth 5,000! He also has a lot of the residential customers with edge lights, plantings etc that get trashed and try to bill him for that in the spring. His contract states that he is not responsible for incidental damage to anything withing 20' of the pavement. It's 20' to account for moving mounds of snow by the way.

 

[Gordon Gould]

CowFace I went through the same thought process. Thought I could make some money since I had equipment to plow with. But after trying it I decided it wasn't for me. You have to have an awful thick skin to deal with some people who are quite unreasonable in there expectations. ( You plowed to much, You didn't plow enough, You came to late, and on and on ) and then you have to fight to get your money. But the worst for me is that you always have to hurry and get this one done so that you can rush to the next.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Being in business for your self is not for everyone. Some people can do it successfully, most cannot. It is sad that so much has to be considered today just to make a few bucks.

Good luck with your decision. :thumbsup:

 

[CowwFace]

TGF said "jackwagon"...:laughing: :thumbsup:

Heheeh.. I got to laugh about that TWICE now.. hehe.. I love this list.

Phill

 

[CowwFace]

CowFace I went through the same thought process. Thought I could make some money since I had equipment to plow with. But after trying it I decided it wasn't for me. You have to have an awful thick skin to deal with some people who are quite unreasonable in there expectations. ( You plowed to much, You didn't plow enough, You came to late, and on and on ) and then you have to fight to get your money. But the worst for me is that you always have to hurry and get this one done so that you can rush to the next.

Hey Gordon,

I think I'm falling into the same line of thinking .... I built a database to use in my Business and I enjoyed doing it.. So I thought I would sell it to other people to use... BIG MISTAKE ... I had about 20 users ... and it was ****!! Every computer problem they had from the moment my database (MS Access) was on their machine was MY problem.. I turned a hobbie that I enjoyed into a 2nd job.. and it was bad... Don't want to do the same for my tractor'in ...

Phill

 

[CowwFace]

Hey List,

Thanks for all of your input on this issue. Here's the takehome I've gathered .. I'll put the con's first.

CONS:
1: Good way to Loose Neighbors and make a few bucks..... I don't want to have to listen to how I screwed up someone's driveway lights EVERY time I see them in the area.

2: Liability Insurance. I think I was in la la land for a few hours when I came up with the idea.. "I've got the tractor and blade... why not make some money on the side with it ... don't cost me anymore??" But I think poneying up $500.00 up front for insurance defeats the "don't cost nothing" approach.

3: Dealing with nusiance issues like JACKWAGONS (hehehe) blaming me for needing new road base / re-claimed asphalt every 5 years .. and then wanting me to pay for it!!

PROS:
1. I get to do something I Enjoy (seat time) and even get paid for it.

2. Uhh... that's all I can think of ...

My Summary:

I think I'm going to just push the snow on my driveway and road ... and if someone else asks me to do theirs.. I'll do it with a smile on my face. I think I will use a line I've seen here .. I'll do it for free but if you offer to pay me I won't do it at all... sorry I don't know who said that.

Thanks for all of your input guys!

Phill

 

[bigdad]

I do a couple for folks I know pretty well. I get paid too.

In our village our maintenance guys clean drives (free) after all of the streets are cleared. Mostly elderly and folks that can't physically remove snow. This year we are requiring a release form. Sad, small town living out the window!!

You might try a release for your little business.