snow plow

[ahlgrenlandscaping]

Little early in the year for a plowing question but you can never be too prepared I guess.

This will be my first year doing snow for myself and I was wondering If I bought a new plow if it would pay itself off within a season?

[jimslawnservice1]

Depends I guess

What is your cost?
What is your "normal" Snow amount per yr. (plowable events)
Going Rate for Snow removal in your area...

For example in my area we usually have 3-4 snow events and several Ice events. $60 per hour for the truck (generally 2 hour minimum commerial) Ice melt is applied at .50 per lbs or more. Not hard to make $1000 per day. And Yes we do have snow in MO occasionally.

[ahlgrenlandscaping]

98 Dodge Ram Payed Off
2004 Ariens 12.5hp Snowblower Payed off

$3,500 for a Fisher Plow
800$ for a Toro 6.5hp Two Stroke Snow blower

Couple of 2" Storms
We had about 8 4" storms
Two 6" storms
Two 12" Storms

I have 2 Customers Signed up for 30$ for a 2" call out and 50$ for 4-6" Then it goes up from there.

It's in high demand around here more people want it than there are plows to plow it.

[l&r]

I made $13000 in the month of Jan for one company with 2 trucks over all for the entire year was about $45000 with 2 trucks including salting

[Georges Lawn & Mulch]

Based on the numbers you provided you are going to need a few more customers or more snow to pay for your investment the first year. You will also need to factor in the cost of insurance and fuel to get a total investment picture. I have 20 customers ranging from private driveways to commercial properties. My route takes 10-12 hours depending the amount of snow we get per storm. Average income per storm is about $1.300.00. average hourly income is betweem $108.00 and $130.00. $60.00 per hour is too low in my opinion, especially if you have more demand than competition in your area. Breakdowns can be expensive, so don't sell your services to cheap. A spare truck is nice, but will add to your cost. Customers don't want to hear that your truck is broke when they need their property cleared.

[ahlgrenlandscaping]

It's only the month of may and I already have 2 customers signed up and i'm shooting for about 25. But that is 100$ per storm not a bad start in my opinion definitely a long ways to go tho.

[l&r]

25 snow accounts for one person and one truck is a lot. Unless they are real small accounts. I serviced 13 commercial accounts last year with 2 trucks. One of the accounts had three different large lots and on a normal snow fall (1.5-2") would take 2 trucks 3 hrs to plow. I based my prices on $100.00 per hr per truck.

[ahlgrenlandscaping]

I'm going to take on one employee for the winter he gives me a hand on some of my bigger projects. 50-75 foot driveways within 5 miles of each other. I'm thinking of selling my truck and picking up a 2001 GMC 2500HD w/fisher plow for 21,000$ seems like a good deal from deal with full warranty with 29,000miles on it. Any good/bad comments on the truck?

[Phil Nilsson]

Little early in the year for a plowing question but you can never be too prepared I guess.

This will be my first year doing snow for myself and I was wondering If I bought a new plow if it would pay itself off within a season?

For every storm event that produces about $100 per truck hour plowing, you can easily "tack on" another $100 per application of sand and salt mix in Connecticut ... go for at least a one ton rig and put a sander on it ... flat platform dump ... electric - hydraulic lift

Ahlgren if you need hot leads for this coming winter ... give me a call in this coming late summer ... also think "fixed contracts" for some of that income ... I reckon that to maximize one rig ... 24 hours at $100 an hour then back to sand/salt for another $2,000 plus ... if (IF) you have the right combo of accounts ( right mix of client types as to storm timing)

[PTLlandscapingIL]

people let me tell you salt is where the money is i have alot of apartment bulidings and man 1/2 in to inch is just salt and man sometimes i go out 2 times in a day due to a dusting here and again a dusting later

[bobbo]

Commercial is the way to go . I only realy do residential I get about $1000 or so for a small storm about 6". can do all my houses in about 6- 7 hrs. I always dread the 1-2 footers . Though I go around 2X and charge double. But you beat the hell out of your truck and its seams like the never ending battle. I bang people who flag me down Douring the big storms. $100 for a 15 minute snowplow. and people will pay, they have no choice...

[PTLlandscapingIL]

bobbo so true..... man storm in chicago of 99' we got 28 ionches man i was doing drive ways for 150 bucks cash did 7 houses in arow took me about 2 hours and i was still in high school with my little dakoda with 7ft western blade thoose were the days.....