I was, of course, being facetious in referring to the "old reliable" method for snow removal on Page 2. It is anything but that. You can, however, simply take this snow-removal method to the next level: Strike a deal with a local snowplowing contractor to pay for snowplowing after each snowstorm, as part of a regular route. But be careful: Some of these snowplowing contractors like to conduct business on an informal level....
If you are going to enter into verbal agreements with snowplowing contractors, then specify firmly and in great detail what you want done, and make sure you're convinced that the snowplowing contractor seems responsive to what you're saying. There are some considerations to be mindful of that may not be immediately apparent. For instance, if the entry to your garage parallels the run of your driveway, will the snow-removal operation leave a snowbank piled up in front of your garage door after making its pass? If so, and if that snowbank is not cleared away as part of the snow-removal operation, then what? The rest of your driveway may now be clear, but your car will remain barricaded within the garage.
To eliminate such potential problems, it is best to move not one, but two levels up beyond the "old reliable" method of snow removal. And this means taking the name "snowplowing contractor" seriously....
After all, if snow-removal is to be done by a snowplowing contractor to your satisfaction, with no surprises, shouldn't there be ... well, a snow-removal contract? The snowplowing contractor should come to your property to scope it out, sit down and talk with you about your snow-removal needs, and put it all in writing. Beyond that, consider the following tips when interviewing people for the job of snow removal:
- Ask for an estimate from each snowplowing contractor whom you interview, since the bill for snow removal can vary greatly.
- In addition to having the driveway snowplowed, some (the elderly, for instance) may need paths and stairs cleared. This is the time to talk about it. Such work can be more time-consuming than the snowplowing itself, so expect to pay dearly for it. Time is money.
- The snow-removal contract should spell out whether there's a flat rate, or the bill is calculated based on the size of the snowstorm.
- If the snowplowing contractor has to dig you out twice for a big snowstorm, is there an additional bill?
- Get the total bill that you can expect to be charged for dealing with a snowstorm, so that you have something solid on which to base your comparisons. If one snowplowing contractor's estimate is higher than another's, you just might find out that it's due to honesty: perhaps the cost for salt and sand has been included in the bill, whereas the "cheaper" service is simply keeping quiet about it, waiting to nail you with a hidden cost afterwards.
- The snow-removal contract should show evidence that the service has insurance against damage caused by snow removal. A snowplow can easily damage driveways, buildings, fences, etc.
- Before you sign a snow-removal contract, find out the conditions for terminating it, should the need arise.
- As always when hiring to have work done, ask for references and check them out. Snow-removal services who do good work won't have anything to hide -- word of mouth is their best advertisement.
Research the various types of snowblowers on Consumer Search.
