[cutntrim]

Do you offer plowing/salting during the winter months? Yes or No.

[Bill Schwab]

We have once again offered free snow removal to all of our clients

I'll never forget the time I had my daughter with during the blizzard of '99...We hit a curb pushing 23" in a lot, the truck stops dead but a pallet opf salt on theback rammed through the cab back and shattered the rear window of the truck.....

She looks and replies, "Daddy that was fun can we do it again?"

[trees]

Don't get much call for that here in Memphis, either...

Did it when working in Maryland & don't miss it a bit!

[AZTLANLC]

I do it to keep couple of employees year around, only residential, and just few to make couple dollars on every storm, while I'm away on vacations.

[Nebraska]

Those that plow....

Who here really enjoys it?

[dan deutekom]

As I get older I enjoy it less and less but it still is fun for the first few hours of each event. I do find that it gets harder and harder to leave a cosey warm fireplace to plow snow

[site]

We plow...reluctantly. Need that cash flow.

[cutntrim]

I'll count myself in with the "reluctant" crowd of plowers. If I didn't have to, I wouldn't. Tough to contract property maintenance if you don't offer plowing though.

The actual physical pushing of the snow...I like it. Everything else that goes along with it (the long hours, the unpredictability, the deadline stress, unreasonable customers, the equipment damage, etc, etc...) I don't like.

[bcx400]

I have been plowing residential driveways for 5 years. The money is nice, but I really hate plowing!

Think of all the better things to do in the snow-

sledding, building snowforts and snowball fights with the kids. Skiing, snowmobiling, and hiking in the fresh snow! Drinking bourbon by the fireplace!

Oh yeah- and best of all, golfing in Arizona.

[scl]

I count myself with cutntrim. I like the pushing part, but hate the 3 am phone calls, questioning of when to plow by my customers, bitchin' about not being plowed by 5 am when the snow started at 4 am, and the inevitable break downs! Moneys good, driving in the snows a blast, but I'd rather be skiing, coyote hunting, or tapping away on GTX!

[johnkeegan]

I gave up plowing two years ago (after 17 years ) and have never regretted it. I may be slightly poorer come spring time but I enjoy the winter (and my kids) so much more.
I made the decision after sitting down and really analyzing the "profits" of plowing. First I added up the cost of the plow and truck set up, the wear and tear on the truck, the fuel, the added insurance for plowing etc. And then figured the true number of hours spent in prepping and maintaining the equipment, not to mention the hours spent plowing (from the time I leave, until I get home). I found that I was working for much less per hour than I originally thought. I believe that as the owner of a business my hours are better spent "working on" my company (with business/design/equipment/labor issues) than worrying about snow and equipment breakdowns.
Of course, my attitude on plowing evolved over the years. Orignally my business was more maintenance-related and I had no kids. Now we are 95% design/installation and I have 2 young kids...And I value my free time and sleep more (no more waking at 2:00 a.m. to check the snowfall amount).
And, not coincidentially, every year my landscaping operations seem to run more efficently and profitably. More of that "working smarter not harder" thing that becomes imperative as I get older.

[prapoza]

I love plowing! Everything about it. The money is great. The best part is I'm either sitting at a coffee shop, in my office or home with my family while my guys are plowing. I don't know why you guys just don't have your employees plow. Why do you feel you are the only one capable of doing it. It ain't rocket science...

[cutntrim]

Eventually I'll just be in a supervisory capacity I hope. For now, I'm still the most productive plower and the main salt guy for my company.

[prapoza]

cutntrim,

And you always will be the most productive guy. The question is "Is that the best use of your time?" You have to train others how to be productive and then get out of the way and let them do there job. Tell them what you want and how you want it done, ask them if they understand and if they can accomplish the task with the direction given. If they say yes then hold them accountable if not go over it again break it down some more or get a new employee. It's simple, it isn't easy.

[cutntrim]

You are correct. At this stage, I do believe it still is the best use of my time. Down the road that will likely change.