You can do that. After the first few plows the snow banks will lead the path. If you have any danger spots mark them to so you don't drive off and get stuck.

 

I usually will put mine in 1" from the driveway, and mark anything you don't want to hit or pile in front of, fire hydrants, gas meters, etc. Keep in mind don't put any where your piles are going to be, give yourself some goal posts. On horseshoe drives less to the outside and more to the inside.

 

Dont use too many stakes!
BIGGEST PET PEEVE! Guys who use 15 stakes on 1 driveway!

For straight drives we put 2 at the end of the driveway (so you can line up the plow)
I put 2 out every 3rd of the way down up the driveway, Which is about every 1 1/2 truck lengths
Just make sure you mark things like Rocks, Ends of retaining walls, Etc. Anything that could be damaged once covered with snow.
Also if possible put stakes next to sprinklers that are along the driveway. Usually there are one or two.

 

Put in as many markers as YOU feel YOU need- never mind anyone else's pet peeves. You'll find with experience you'll need less and less markers. I put them as close to the pavement as I can get which is usually 2 inches or so out. The snow will fall back that far anyway most of the time so I don't worry about it. Accept the fact you will break some markers every year (or your customers will) and put them where you need them. They're cheap enough to replace as needed versus hitting a wall, rock, pipe, or flower bed/grass and repairing the damage.

I've used 18-20 stakes in a drive before, some drives I have 1 stake. It depends on the drive. My drive I used to use 12 stakes (long u shape), but now that I've been doing it 4 years I'm down to 9-10

 

A foot, always. Works perfect so they don't get hit with the plow.

 

I put mine a foot away. And even when I try to get close, I'm still a foot away. Customers car doors, visitors, will hit if at edge . Also Put them way up so I don't take them out when I'm pulling in. Started buying those sticks with reflectors at Homedepot/lowes. For $2 and no paint. Just easier.

 

Thank you all very much

 

Placing stakes

Hey everyone,

I'm a bit new to this and plan on launching my business by next year. Based off of what I've read so far and other research, I have assumed that these place markers are placed before a storm or general snowfall hits. So basically, your client calls you beforehand to get their property ready to be plowed before the storm hits, correct? If this is not the case then please enlighten me as to what things I should know when placing them. Thank you.

H&A

 

When i staked my drives i put all of them 1' out from the drive. This gives some room for the snow to be pushed away. Plus some room if i ever happen to slip off the pavement. I do have 1 drive however that there is a 4' deep ditch real close to the driveway. I placed those about 5'' from the pavement.

I stake my own jobs, makes me familiar with new jobs, and refresher with old. Pretty much make calls before every season, see if they are interested again. If so i say ill be out before the first plowable even to install markers.

If you use fiberglass stakes (i do) i bring an old screw driver with me and a mallet. My pet peeve is straight markers, it looks shoddy when they are bending in all directions due to rocks in the ground. So drive the screw driver in the ground and then place the rod in the hole. Perfect fit.

 

I usually dont use them...a few customers put their own out but for the most part you can tell the difference from the driveway and lawn just by looking

 

One foot back o) so you have to guess where the actual edge is... why use stakes at all if you have to guess.

 

How much do you charge for driveways?

 

I place driveway markers as close to the edge as I can get them. some driveways seem to have concrete under the ground that makes it so I have to go in the yard a bit.

regular driveways I use about 4 markers total. circle or u shaped driveways I use as many as I feel I need.

since I snow blow the sidewalks I can always widen the driveway with the snow blower if I didn't get it with the blade.

on lighter snows you can see the difference between the driveway and grass but on a good amount you can't tell.

 

One foot back o) so you have to guess where the actual edge is... why use stakes at all if you have to guess.

Everyone has their own way. The foot gives you extra room to roll snow over. There is no guessing, you know the drive is 1 foot in.

 

It's always better to err on the side of caution. On my resi's I have put up anywhere between 2 and 8 for a typical suburbia subdivision drive. Just make sure you know where the driveway ends and any landscaping features start. Until you have decent snow banks around the drive or lot a 6" snowfall will hide everything.

I placed all my fiberglass markers in November, by the first snowfall most of the soccer moms in their SUV's had taken them out so I will be repairing a couple spots of lawn my plow found in the spring. Not a huge deal for me as all my customers are year round and I have a good relationship with.

 

I will install couple days before the first 6"+ snow. We only had one 2-4" storm so as of today mine are still in shop. Hoping to take them out SOON.

 

One foot back o) so you have to guess where the actual edge is... why use stakes at all if you have to guess.

No, one foot back so you don't run right through them. We had this discussion before. You don't put your markers where you are going to be putting your plow. You put your markers BACK from where you are going to put your plow.

 

No, one foot back so you don't run right through them. We had this discussion before. You don't put your markers where you are going to be putting your plow. You put your markers BACK from where you are going to put your plow.

Well your better at judging distance than I am, I cant tell the difference between 12" and 9" of a plow that is 10 feet away from me, except if the stake is 12 inches and you plow 9 inches you dug up 3" of lawn.. I can miss the stake, if its at the edge, I miss the lawn too.

 

If you can't judge a foot, you can't judge a fraction of an inch.

 

funny but NOT true