Snow-removal season is coming soon. Now’s the time to get prepared.Photo: publicdomainpictures.net
With the heat of the sun beating down on you, it’s hard to think ahead to the months of freezing temperatures and heavy snows. But it’s now, while last year’s clients and potential new ones are thinking about snow-removal contracts, that you should be gearing up for snow-removal season.
In locations that get hit with serious snow storms, people learned long ago not to wait until the snows begin to lock in plowing, sanding and salting contracts. Your potential clients, after all, will need time to check your qualifications and insurance.
And of course the sooner you can make an educated estimate of your workload going into the season, the more accurately you can calculate the materials and equipment you’ll need.
Needless to say, cost estimating ebbs and flows with prices each year. Due to an intense winter in 2014-2015, salt prices have soared. According to the Chicago Tribune, the huge use of salt this past winter left supplies heavily depleted.
You’ll need to budget accordingly, in addition to making sure you have ample room to stockpile your salt. Given the volatility of salt supplies (and thus prices), the last thing you want is to run out of salt in the middle of the season.
This is also a good time to scope out your clients’ land and analyze danger zones. If you can make time for marketing, turn these assessments into a personalized, clear plan of attack and present them to clients. It can be simple: “Here’s how we intend to clear your property of snow and ice.” Let them know where you’re getting your weather information and how they can contact you before and after a storm.
When talking to potential clients, be up front about what kind of equipment you can bring to bear on the job.
In the end, all of the summer preparation you can manage is bound to make the snow-removal season go a lot smoother.
