# Plowing with a full time job



## dtaper (Feb 11, 2009)

i have a mon to fri 6:30am to 3pm construction job. would i be able to hold down a few small plowing contracts? or would the full time job get in the way.
does anyone else have a full time job and plow?
and how do u deal with both jobs?
thanks


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## augerandblade (Jan 17, 2009)

Yes its possible,tailor your contract work to what you can do. However you put yourself at a disadvantage not being available 24hrs. But normally the sites have to be cleared before 7 or 8 a.m. anyways. What about working for a contractor plowing snow. I have employees that have a full time job and if the timing of the storm is correct I will call them in to work the early morn shift , till the time they have to leave


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## metallihockey88 (Dec 12, 2008)

your best bet is being a sub...i have a full time job and i sub for a company that takes care of me pretty good. tell them when i can work and they get me as many hours as they can. missed out on a lot of daytime plowing but still better then nothing. youll run into more problems then its worth i think not being available 24/7 unless you want to have someone sub for you when your not available.


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## JayMac (Jul 5, 2007)

If you can't take time off when it snows, being a sub is the best bet. But, I have a few contracts of my own, I take vacation time when it snows. My boss and I have an understanding and it works well. That may work for you as well. If your in construction do you work when it snows? I know some trades call off when it snows.


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## dtaper (Feb 11, 2009)

i work inside so i work through all kinds of weather with no effects, only the drive to and from work.


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## heavyiron (Dec 7, 2007)

As long as your customers understand that you can't be there during work hours and they are willing to work with that, it could work. Just start little by little and work up to your limit.....instead of what I pulled one year.....One winter I plowed for my town, had a few of my own customers and then took care of contracts for a buddy who went to FL for a funeral over a weekend. That didn't turn out too good for me.


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## wewille (Jan 20, 2009)

I work 6:30 to 5:30, and have to be at college 11:00 to 3:30, i do some big accounts in my town, but i can take off work whenever i need to plow, so it works for me. I would also recomend you being a subcontractor


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## doh (Sep 23, 2003)

I have done it for 18 seasons 8:00-5:30 primary job plowing before or after those hours.

I lost my big contract last year, a 3 hour job at 1 place, done before 5:30 am Cars were on it from then until 12:15 am So missing the 8-5:30 shift didn't matter to them. As long as it was done by 5:30am.

It meant more nights scpraping the packed snow off the lot but the customer svaed more than the price of 24 hour plowing. (around vehicles)

Now I have to travel more to make the same $$$$'s


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## onemanshow (Sep 19, 2008)

I've been working a fulltime job as well.Since i'm the boss and have more leave than I could possibly use in a year I don't have any issues.It makes for some pretty long days,but the money is worth it.payup


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

dtaper;749491 said:


> i work inside so i work through all kinds of weather with no effects, only the drive to and from work.


Find a friend that knows how to plow and pay him. I have to 2 people that can jump in my truck at pretty much anytime.


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## RODHALL (Nov 23, 2005)

i wish i only worked 40 hours a week....

I am the co owner. so i plow when there is snow on the ground, the other co owner is happy as long as i plow his home and his moms, he makes due without me.


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## dmontgomery (Oct 3, 2003)

I am a full-time Firefighter, and work 24 hour shifts. I sub contact and have a few of my own clients.... My Lieutenant also plows so he understands that I will be taking vacation if it snows on a duty day.... Over the last 9 years I have never had a problem getting off work to plow....


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## dellwas (Oct 16, 2005)

I work full time but have a few residentials and one commercial. They all understand that I will plow early in the morning (4-5 AM) and they are okay with that. Also, I have a fairly long commute to the city from home (85KM) and I won't go in if the roads are bad. I do the contracts later in the day if it's day off from work.


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## chcav1218 (Jul 31, 2008)

I go to trade school full time, 7am to 3:30 pm and it hasnt been a problem. Only came in an hour late one day


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## fordmstng66 (Dec 27, 2005)

I work a full time job from 7:00 to 3:30. i am a subcontractor, and the guy i plow for works my clients around my job. If the weather is real bad, i will take the day off work. I then clean up my lots after i am out of work. I have been doing this for 7 years now. Until last year i had 13 accounts i took care of, but now i only have 4 plus mom, and grandmas drives.


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## ctmower (Feb 4, 2009)

I work MWF 9-5, TTHr 12-8 and Sunday 12-4 and really havent had any problems this year so far. If snowfall was a guaranteed thing then i'd definitely look into work less at my full time job but as we all know you cant depend on the snow. As long as your customers know you have another job and not to expect you when they want then its ok. Luckily the storms this year have worked out pretty well where i'd finish up just before work or begin right at the end of my shift. i've only had to leave a few times early. Like a few others have said i think the only area you might run into a problem is with commericial accounts where they have to be cleared by a certain time or have to be clear at all times!


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## Brant'sLawnCare (Jun 29, 2007)

This is my only job. I don't think I could handle another one. Between school at night and plowing when it snows, it gets pretty busy.


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## hedhunter9 (Nov 15, 2008)

I run a motorcycle shop .
And of course we are slow during winter hours,
I cut our hours back in the winter to 10am to 6 pm.

That allows me more plowing time.

I sub for another company, and then have customers of my own.

And if we get a real good storm, I can have my wife come in
and run the shop, while I go plow.

She also plows some of the business's close to our shop.

This has worked well for us.


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## ahoron (Jan 22, 2007)

Simple you plow when you have time off. I work construction and some guys think it's cool if they go out plowing all night then come in late or just don't show at all. They say" I can make $75/hr why would I come to work for less?" These are the guys that are sitting at home right now broke hoping for some snow so they can make some money. The old saying "don't bite the hand that feeds you" I don't think you should plow unless you can get time off your 9-5 or have someone able to cover you lots.


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## DeereFarmer (Dec 12, 2005)

I work full time 65 hours a week and still have time to plow, but my boss let's me work when I want to when I plow, as long as the work gets done. That means for about four long days of catch up everytime it snows, but the checks are worth it.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

dtaper;749450 said:


> i have a mon to fri 6:30am to 3pm construction job. would i be able to hold down a few small plowing contracts? or would the full time job get in the way.
> does anyone else have a full time job and plow?
> and how do u deal with both jobs?
> thanks


Don't forget about servicing your clients during a day-time storm.


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## famouslee99gt (Nov 6, 2006)

I know it's been almost a month since the last post but I just saw it. I work a full-time job that is 8-5 and I maintain two accounts. My main account is the place that I work at. I go in before hours or after hrs when needed and even like this past season, we got 6 inches one morning, and the boss man told me the parking lot was all mine. I was in our parking lot from 11:30 til 4:15. I ended up taking unpaid work pay because I was making more money out in the parking lot and I didn't want to burn up a vacation day. My second account is the church I attend, which also has a school, and me and my brother tend to that lot. One of us will either do it early in the morning or do it in the evening if it was a daytime snow, and then we will do it on Sunday mornings as well. 

Being that I plow at the place I work, I have been able to plow and maintain a full-time job. I wish I could grab a couple more lots and maybe drop the current lot, but I'm not sure that'll happen because I won't be as available. I have also considered selling my 6 month old Boss blade to get a 10' blade for my 155 HP farm tractor and just doing a close parking lot or getting out of commercial and using the tractor for the church.


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## RH31379 (Jan 29, 2009)

I just noticed this post as well. I have a fulltime job from 8-5 and plow 20 driveways. on average i take one to two days off from work a year. I have been plowing longer then I've worked here but its been 6 winters of this. I also have established a cliential of only resdiential and all people I know who know I do my best. I work pretty close to home so that helps and work knows what I do. I often get up plow before and after or go to work early so if I leave I already put in the time. the best storms are the ones which stop by 4am then no trouble. I used to do 3 commericial, one daycare and 2 restaraunts but that was to much because they are open and demanded more.


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