To Much Money

I just started plowing this winter . after 18 years in retail i lost my job. so i deceided to go into landscaping and snowplowing .i already hade a 99f250sd and found a good deal on a 8.5 fisher v. a guy in town was looking to get out of plowing so i ended up buying his accounts 4000.00 for 9 cermercial and 7 res. worth 900-975 +sand extra.first time out about 130per hr. does this sound like a good deal.i wish i had found this forum befor.letme know what you guys think

 

That's sounds about right.<p>I didn't know anybody did residentials that cheap, though.<p>2 Things:<br>1.) The 130.00/hour doesn't come in 40 hour weeks though. You're still only taking in $5000.00 for all winter and have all that responsibility 24/7 and a expensive truck to buy/maintain.<br>2.) $5000.00/winter can get spent real quick when you start doing repairs, maintenance, fixing torn sod, tap a garage door, etc. <p>Sounds like you've started in a nice spot with a couple hours plowing with a truck you already had.<p>

 

I have never bought or sold any accounts, it's not real common in maine, is it in other states? I guess it does sound like you have a good start. I know a couple of people that are one truck and one guy. They all do residental only for a yearly price. They are able to make a good chunk of $$ because they shovel the walks and in front of the garage, do a perfect job with the driveway. They all have pull plows, and just pay someone else to sand if needed, most people would rather not sand anyways if possible. They do high quality plowing and are often at a house for 20 to 25 mins, only the people pay big bucks and are very happy. So maybe try to find a nitch like that that.<p>Where are you located?<p>Geoff

 

Geoff,<p>His average residential is less than 140.00/year. I don't think he's started in the nitche you've suggested.<p>Obviously 20-25 minutes could do a great job, but he's not being compensated for that.

 

Lazer your corect. I had a rough time plowing and didn't read the figures corect. That figure is way to low, i would try to find a nitche.<p>Geoff

 

I would never pay for snow accounts unless they were seasonal.4k and no guarantee that you will get snow. Unless you are in the Lake effect area. If you are in the Northeast you are hurting. Of course cudos on the v plow. Best investment for a plow.<br>Dino <p>----------<br> Professional Ice and Snow Management <br>Products:Services:Equipment www.sima.org

 

Geoff, I live in northern ny st.lawrence valley,15mi from canada.it sounds like the people here are a lot like up in maine cheep!the going rate for res. drives is 15.00 or 150-175 season.i got the whole thing so i have to do them. next year i will try to got more comm.and drop most res.i never even ran a plow before the first storm. everything went good took sometime.the guy i bought the acc. from took me around and showed me how he did them.big help.2nd plow took of 4hr.we av.10 3&quot;storms so i thought the 4000 was fair.

 

I wouldn't say mainer are cheep, they are just not open to new ideas they are stuck in their ways, i will admit it i am too. Mainers have used a salt and sand mix for like the last 100 years, so why use anything else? It's not just the private contractors that are behind the times in ice-melting technology. It's the Maine Dot, Maine Turnpike Authority, Local Public Works Dept. All of my private roads get better treatment then most of the town roads. Now private roads that a totaly different discussion, left for a better day. My suggestion is try to find a nitche market, you can make money in residental, try to find a area that you can perform well at and work at it. Commercial lots or at least large ones, may be too much for one guy and one truck. How are you sanding? Thaats just my $ 0.02<p>Geoff

 

geoff,i have a used air flo tailgate that i made a mount to go in hitch and wired into 7 pin conector.large comm. would be to much for me .the town i live in is only 4000-5000 people.i would like to get some more gas station size jobs or apt.complex already have 2 app.complexs not meny left!maybe in couple of years get more trucks or wheelloader but for right now i want to stay small!

 

There is one big town in maine compared to NY. Are biggest city only has 20,000 in it, total pop for the state 1 mill. We only have one area code 207, infact mainers are fighting for one area code, don't ask me why. Anyways i am not in the landscaping business, i do Utility Construction snowplowing is something we do in the winter. <p>When i started out i was always looking at other properties to get in the winter. It's good to have an eye of those accounts, only respect the people that have them. Don't try to get the account during the middle of the winter, and don't go out and low ball. Bid on everything there is nothing wrong with that, just bid what the job is worth and don't over extend yourself. <p>I think the average cost of a driveway in maine is 25 bucks. That is in my part of the state. If you go up to the county, the northern tip where it really snows, everyone owns a plow.<p>Geoff