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Is plowing really that hard?

20K views 68 replies 33 participants last post by  Mike_PS 
#1 ·
To see were im coming from go to thread Partnerships vs doing it alone. So Im hoping to do some subcontracting work this winter. Im imagining all i have to do is have a plow truck and insurance and i should be good to go right? As im typing this feel like there should be more to it then this like i might be missing alot. Im not talking about becoming an LLC or having my own contracts because im just subbing with no other work on the side. Is there something im missing here.
I feel like sub contracting should be a good way to make decent money and get the hang of thing while not dealing with the headache of having 30 seperate contracts for small residential houses. I was hoping to have a mentor who is very actively involved in the plowing buisness to ask many questions to and in person to cover all bases becuase the last thing i want is to invest in equipment and get insurance and have something catostrophic happen that wrecks everything. AM I OVER COMPLICATING THINGS or do i have the right to be so worried?
 
#52 ·
Well I dont about that insurance ****..... Ive been plowing house for five years now and never needed commercial or contractors insurance.....let alone claim it on my taxes.....anything of 600 in ny then u do have to claim it......and in ny if ur truck is insured anything attached to it is insured as well....
 
#53 ·
nathan11507;1507057 said:
Well I dont about that insurance ****..... Ive been plowing house for five years now and never needed commercial or contractors insurance.....let alone claim it on my taxes.....anything of 600 in ny then u do have to claim it......and in ny if ur truck is insured anything attached to it is insured as well....
Only if you have inland marine insurance. Tell your insurance your plowing for money and get in a accident and see what happens.

You by definition are a lowballer.Thumbs Up
 
#54 ·
nathan11507;1507057 said:
Well I dont about that insurance ****..... Ive been plowing house for five years now and never needed commercial or contractors insurance.....let alone claim it on my taxes.....anything of 600 in ny then u do have to claim it......and in ny if ur truck is insured anything attached to it is insured as well....
:help:.........
 
#55 ·
Lowballeir? Sderiously that is all you can come up with and......as for my insurance company....they know all about the fact that i have a plow on the truck and only carry liabilty....in fact there the ones that sugessted not to get commercial or contractors for the mount of accts that i have and the fact that i only do resedential drives.....and having liability or full coverage on ur truck and hitting a car int a driveway with the plow or even on the road for that matter is no different then u driving down the road in the summer time and plowin into the ass end of another vehicle.........but then again im a lowballer lol...thats just hilarious
 
#56 ·
nathan11507;1507726 said:
Lowballeir? Sderiously that is all you can come up with and......as for my insurance company....they know all about the fact that i have a plow on the truck and only carry liabilty....in fact there the ones that sugessted not to get commercial or contractors for the mount of accts that i have and the fact that i only do resedential drives.....and having liability or full coverage on ur truck and hitting a car int a driveway with the plow or even on the road for that matter is no different then u driving down the road in the summer time and plowin into the ass end of another vehicle.........but then again im a lowballer lol...thats just hilarious
They told you. Show me in writing that you can plow for money and not have insurance. Yes you can have a plow on your truck for personal use or if your plowing out your own business.Residential snow plowing is a business.
 
#57 ·
Been doing it for five years now....and u show me in writing where plowing residential driveways is a requirement for a business....lol so all these yahoos that sell fire wood all season long that u see traveling down the road there all a business... Lol.....and as long as in the state of new york anything over 600 has to be claimed.....so if its under that or at 600 u dont have to claim it let alone declare it a business....
 
#58 ·
nathan11507;1507850 said:
Been doing it for five years now....and u show me in writing where plowing residential driveways is a requirement for a business....lol so all these yahoos that sell fire wood all season long that u see traveling down the road there all a business... Lol.....and as long as in the state of new york anything over 600 has to be claimed.....so if its under that or at 600 u dont have to claim it let alone declare it a business....
This should help.

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Business-or-Hobby%3F-Answer-Has-Implications-for-Deductions
 
#59 ·
nathan11507;1507850 said:
Been doing it for five years now....and u show me in writing where plowing residential driveways is a requirement for a business....lol so all these yahoos that sell fire wood all season long that u see traveling down the road there all a business... Lol.....and as long as in the state of new york anything over 600 has to be claimed.....so if its under that or at 600 u dont have to claim it let alone declare it a business....
They are ALL taking a risk if they have no business insurance. Everything is fine UNTIL there is a claim against them. Then the proverbial feces will be hitting the oscillating ventilator.

What an insurance agent who is trying to retain you business tells you verbally vs what the insurance company underwriters will do if they are presented with a claim for damages you did while plowing for income are TWO totally different animals.

Unless you have it in writing from the insurance company's underwriting department that you are covered, don't count on it. -- Is your agent going to pay a lawsuit claim filed against you by someone whose property was damaged or God forbid injured, while you were plowing their driveway? -- I rather doubt it.

But then, it is your risk and it will be your family's wellbeing that will be affected if you are slapped with a $500,000 claim and the insurance company refuses to pay it because you had no commercial coverage.

I DO wish you the best my friend and I hope your are never involved in any liability litigations where you are the defendant.

Best of luck to you!
 
#61 ·
grandview;1507791 said:
They told you. Show me in writing that you can plow for money and not have insurance. Yes you can have a plow on your truck for personal use or if your plowing out your own business.Residential snow plowing is a business.
Tangent:
I've recently acquired and installed a Snowbear on my truck. I will not be doing any commercial plowing, nor will it ever leave my yard (except a few feet of road in front of my yard while plowing my own driveway only, and maybe if a family member is in a jam). I live in RI and have Geico insurance. Do I need to notify them that I have it, that its mounts are bolted to my truck, and that I will not be plowing anybody else's property? If I was involved in a crash (perhaps one where the mount caused some damage that might not have happened without it), would they weasel out of covering it by claiming that I violated my contract by having a plow?
 
#62 ·
nathan11507;1507057 said:
Well I dont about that insurance ****..... Ive been plowing house for five years now and never needed commercial or contractors insurance.....let alone claim it on my taxes.....anything of 600 in ny then u do have to claim it......and in ny if ur truck is insured anything attached to it is insured as well....
grandview;1507064 said:
Only if you have inland marine insurance. Tell your insurance your plowing for money and get in a accident and see what happens.

You by definition are a lowballer.Thumbs Up
Not if he's charging the same rates as a legitimate business:cool:

theholycow;1508037 said:
Tangent:
I've recently acquired and installed a Snowbear on my truck. I will not be doing any commercial plowing, nor will it ever leave my yard (except a few feet of road in front of my yard while plowing my own driveway only, and maybe if a family member is in a jam). I live in RI and have Geico insurance. Do I need to notify them that I have it, that its mounts are bolted to my truck, and that I will not be plowing anybody else's property? If I was involved in a crash (perhaps one where the mount caused some damage that might not have happened without it), would they weasel out of covering it by claiming that I violated my contract by having a plow?
If you want coverage for theft and damage you need to have the plow listed. You need to talk to your agent about if you need to list it on both homeowners and automotive.
 
#63 ·
basher;1508041 said:
If you want coverage for theft and damage you need to have the plow listed. You need to talk to your agent about if you need to list it on both homeowners and automotive.
Sorry, I should have been more clear...I'm not looking to cover the plow, just to preserve the same coverage I've always had for my truck.
 
#64 ·
grandview;1507928 said:
So for the plowing season you will make only 600.00?
Am I supposed to make more than that in one season?? I thought at 5 bucks a plow, that was doing pretty good. Guess I will have to raise my rates by a couple bucks next yearpayup
 
#65 ·
theholycow;1508044 said:
Sorry, I should have been more clear...I'm not looking to cover the plow, just to preserve the same coverage I've always had for my truck.
I'd talk to my insurance agent. I do not believe the mount alone will eliminate your coverage in that situation. No different than installing a front (or rear) trailer hitch but again I'd strongly advise you discuss this with your insurance agent and not carry your plow on public roadways.
 
#66 ·
"Been doing it for five years now...." What does that have to do with anything? So if you rob banks for five years that makes it ok. Bottom line your a business pay your taxes and get insured, and don't give me the 600 bucks crap it doesn't fly here
 
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