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Hiring a Snow Plowing Company vs. Shoveling Snow Yourself

In Michigan, clearing winter and spring snow from your property is a way of life. For years, you’ve gone the DIY route. You shoveled your own driveway, or used your snow blower. Even in those high drifts, you sucked it up and cleared it yourself. Now, maybe you’ve slowed down and you want to ditch the DIY strategy, or you’d just rather not spend the weekend thawing frozen fingers and rigid toes. Besides, you can find better ways to spend your winter weekend afternoons. Contacting a snow plowing company can make a tremendous amount of difference.

MAKING THE BIG DECISION

So the battle lines are drawn: Should you hire a landscaping company or stick with your traditional DIY method? The obvious advantage to doing it yourself is the cost. You might want to consider this if you have just a couple of inches of snow. In most cases, that’s a DIY job. Just about any snow blower can easily handle that, maybe you can even shovel it yourself. However, a new one could cost you anywhere from $500-$6,000. And with an average snowfall of 57 inches, one bad Ann Arbor blizzard could pin you in for a while. So you’ve decided to hire a landscaping company to keep your home, yard and driveway clear of the snow.

FINDING THE RIGHT LANDSCAPING COMPANY

But first, you’ll need to do some homework. You have several from which to choose, and the choices can be overwhelming. So where do you start? The first step is to check you’re your neighbors who are satisfied with the company they have hired, preferably for a few winters. You should query them. What is the company’s response time? How long does the job typically take? Do they quickly and efficiently correct complaints? How much snow triggers service? What kind of weekly or monthly deals do they offer? Do they have 24/7 service in winter? What do they charge for standard and extra services?

ONLINE INVESTIGATION

Also check reputable online sites for referrals and recommendations. Of course you will want to query about cost. But always remember, the cheapest is not always the least expensive. Check the following: How long have they been in business? Do you see testimonials from satisfied clients? Do they offer all the services you will need?

START LOOKING EARLY

If possible, begin your search before the need arises. Disreputable pop-up landscaping companies get rich and then take-off with lots of money from desperate homeowners who need emergency service. The unhappy homeowners are often left frustrated and angry with a poor job or property damage; either way, the bogus landscaping company is gone, and it and its employees are never heard from again. On the positive side, you can often get a better deal if you work with them before that first big snowfall. That way, you are less likely to find yourself at the end of a long line of existing and satisfied clients.

Categories: Winter Services