How many customers can 1 person handle

[Jeremias06]

Hi im located in Toronto Canada and going to start up a snow plowing business marketing only residential customers. Does anyone know how long it takes to plow a 2 car garage driveway? I'm trying to figure out how many customers i can take on this year. Thank you Jeremias

[jasonw]

Lawn care business tips

Have you ever done any plowing before? Dosnt sound like it if you dont know how long it will take to do a driveway. I would recomend learning everthing there is to know about a service before offering it to clients, that way you can call yourself a profesional. To find out how long it will take tape off a 20X20 foot area and plow it. that will be about the average 2 car garage driveway.

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[Steve]

Hi Jeremias,

What kind of equipment would you be using? Will you also be clearing the sidewalks and the stairs?

[Jeremias06]

I'll be using a professional front and rear plow that way i can back up drop both plows and drive forward. I guessing I can probably handle 100 jobs (about 12 hours of work) but im not sure. Maybe someone with experience can give me a better idea.

I've done snow plowing but more commercial and have found a large demand for residential so thats why i need some advise from someone who has residential experience about my topic.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Jeremias06

I'll be using a professional front and rear plow that way i can back up drop both plows and drive forward. I guessing I can probably handle 100 jobs (about 12 hours of work) but im not sure. Maybe someone with experience can give me a better idea.

I've done snow plowing but more commercial and have found a large demand for residential so thats why i need some advise from someone who has residential experience about my topic.

Dunno bud I wish you well, 100 residential in 12 hours is one every 7.2 min that doesn't take into account any travel time, having plowed residential and commercial for 30 years I doubt that is possible unless your driveways are all in a row.

Second thing is pulling snow with a rear blade, have you tried this? I have using a tractor which would have more power than a four wheel drive and it is hard pressed to do it, you will have tremendous build up of snow under the back of the truck if we get more than 15cm, it will lift the back of the truck.

I understand Toronto has very concentrated areas to plow, do they allow you to push the snow across the street? Just trying to figure out what you will do withthe snow, even outside the city here if you get cought pushing snow across the street it's a $500.00 fine first time around and goes up from there.

Hi Jeremias06,
I think I can answer your question.
First, let me tell you a little about my self.
I've been in the landscaping business for over 10 years, I've plowed for 15 years, I also live in New England and my snow removal is a 24 hour service.
My truck handles about 50 driveway per storm. some driveways are big and some are small. so on a good day i'm out almost 24 hrs, and on a bad day 21/2 days stright. so 100 driveways in a 12 hour time frame is not happing unless you have two trucks and split the route up by area's.
ok, so now you want to us a front and rear plow for your truck so you can drop both of them and plow a driveway!?! that is not going to happen or even work, and here is why... no matter what as soon as you drive over snow your tires will compact the snow leaving snow ruts.. your best bet is to push the snow on the driveway off to the side than back drag with the rear plow from in front of the building

[Steve]

Is there an average amount of time you would suggest it would take you to plow an average sized two car garage home?

How much longer does it take to clear the sidewalk and the stairs?

Any thoughts on this?

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

Is there an average amount of time you would suggest it would take you to plow an average sized two car garage home?

How much longer does it take to clear the sidewalk and the stairs?

Any thoughts on this?

It kind of like mowing a lawn, take a helper to trim and blow, in plowing it's good to have a helper to shovel the steps, up close to the garage etc.

Generally speaking a truck/tractor can handle 50 to 70 residential driveways in a 48 hour period where I live, if you are not there within 48 hours, I can pretty much tell you the customer will leave.

Really big storms, 12" plus, send the vehicles out after 6", work a deal with clients so that you get extra for larger storms to cover the two visits, it's worked for me.

Where I really make big bucks is using the loaders on the tractors to push the snow back, trucks just don't have the ability to pile it high whereas I can make an 8 to 10 foot high bank in no time, keep in mind we are on the coast so our snow is heavy.

I have another question,
how will you be charging you customer, per storm or per inch?
I charge on a 20x20 driveway $35 per 3" inch of snow. so if a storm drops 7" inches i show up the first time at 3 1/2' inches then then again at 3 1/2". i just made $70.00 plus any shoveling I had to do (I do all shoveling at the end of the storm). small walkway is about $5.oo plus salt $10.00 so for that one storm and driveway i just made $85.00