# Do you make money with your ATV and plow



## moneyclass

How many people plow residential properties with there ATV and plow? Do you use it as a business vehicle and make money?


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## irv

no . my neighbors and friends think a box of candy or a small gift cert is
enough to make me want to help them all winter long.if you do a drive
once as a favor you are then screwed for life.at least for me. i must be
driven by guilt.--irv


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## perrysee

i been plowing for over 20 years and a atv was one of the best investments i made, works for both drive-ways and sidewalks. plus your overhead is lower to operate it as a business.


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## Yooper75

Nope I, I plow my neighbors just because I like to go play in the snow. My wife constantly asks me when I'm going to grow and my answer is normally "NEVER!!!":laughing:


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## irv

now you sound like me. i sold my last sled last winter cause i had more fun with the 
wheeler or my simplicity and blower.both have cabs so they keep most of the snow off.
i can run around town and the cops dont bother me.its a small town and everyone knows you anyway.paid or not its still fun helping people out--irv

you can grow old but no one said you have
to grow up.


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## moneyclass

perrysee;1370046 said:


> i been plowing for over 20 years and a atv was one of the best investments i made, works for both drive-ways and sidewalks. plus your overhead is lower to operate it as a business.


How do you get the ATV around? Just throw it in the back of the truck and ramp it off everytime you do a job?

Im thinking about getting one to snow plow for money.


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## moneyclass

Yooper75;1370208 said:


> Nope I, I plow my neighbors just because I like to go play in the snow. My wife constantly asks me when I'm going to grow and my answer is normally "NEVER!!!":laughing:


Haha thats awesome!!! How I am. Im never gonna grow up. See thats why men cant get along with women.....they just dont see the fun in some things we do lol


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## jim331656

The thought was I was going to make money. I end up doing the neighbors for free or for beer cause it is just fun to do it. Plus it keeps them off my back when I decide to go for a 1am ride!


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## moneyclass

jim331656;1371210 said:


> The thought was I was going to make money. I end up doing the neighbors for free or for beer cause it is just fun to do it. Plus it keeps them off my back when I decide to go for a 1am ride!


haha hell yeah!!!


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## Leanworks

moneyclass;1369475 said:


> How many people plow residential properties with there ATV and plow? Do you use it as a business vehicle and make money?


Big time but, it's not a one and only but rather part of your overall 'machine.'



perrysee;1370046 said:


> i been plowing for over 20 years and a atv was one of the best investments i made, works for both drive-ways and sidewalks. plus your overhead is lower to operate it as a business.


The stuff that I do with mine is incredible. With a couple of guys and a bob cat in a local plant with lots of down time gives me grief free access to a few commercial accounts and my blowers finish the residentials.



Yooper75;1370208 said:


> Nope I, I plow my neighbors just because I like to go play in the snow. My wife constantly asks me when I'm going to grow and my answer is normally "NEVER!!!":laughing:


Don't have a wife but, the people who I give the freebies away o spread the word and my free time is filed with quading, coffee and near the end of the day - hospitality to say the least.



moneyclass;1370445 said:


> How do you get the ATV around? Just throw it in the back of the truck and ramp it off everytime you do a job?
> 
> Im thinking about getting one to snow plow for money.


Trailer (s) I do acreages and commercial lots with my advertised forte being 'snow clearing' VS removal. I have backup in the form of some homies who own bobcats and can cme and remove the stuff.

Speaking technically, loading and off loading a quad on a truck is a pain in the ass VS a low trailer and, the cost of a trailer with one crappy axle if properly maintained will sve you time and stress.



jim331656;1371210 said:


> The thought was I was going to make money. I end up doing the neighbors for free or for beer cause it is just fun to do it. Plus it keeps them off my back when I decide to go for a 1am ride!


OP, read the above quote because to me, this is what it's all about!!!!

Unless of course, you want to go make some money in which case, you need to buy equipment for real, have insurance, hire people, become an employer, get contracts, be prepared for lawsuits charge more than your customers can afford, and have lowballers with quads on their trucks undercut you etc .....


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## perrysee

i haul mine around on a trailer for easy on and off ,plus i haul shovels and snowblowers ,that way i can have the right equipement with me at all times


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## R3Dside

I am starting this branch of my snow plowing biz this year, (bought a new '12 grizzly) and will find out if it is profitable (the quad will do residential) as I will do my commercial route. (Although my new spreader is hitch-mounted so I need to run a separate truck to trailer the quad on my 5x8 :0 
Now if I can find a good alternative to using ratchet straps i'd be set!


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## plowin-fire

I love running my ATV plowing snow. For drives and downtown business lot, they are tough to beat for speed. Plus they are dirt cheap to operate.


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## hghgrad

R3Dside;1499433 said:


> I am starting this branch of my snow plowing biz this year, (bought a new '12 grizzly) and will find out if it is profitable (the quad will do residential) as I will do my commercial route. (Although my new spreader is hitch-mounted so I need to run a separate truck to trailer the quad on my 5x8 :0
> Now if I can find a good alternative to using ratchet straps i'd be set!


Here's one way to do it. Pretty simple to build if you can weld. I don't have or endorse this product...but it's an idea how to do it. There's also products that hook into the hitch on the truck and the hitch on the quad...but that wouldn't really work for a trailer.

http://atv.off-road.com/atv/review/bampm-products-inc-hasty-hitch-20703.html


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## BlueRam2500

I make money with the quad. Leave it parked in my buddy's garage ready to rock and plow his driveway and 2 others in the neighborhood. I take it on the trailer if I have to go anywhere though, much easier to do than loading in the truck. Damn thing won't fit in the truck without the plow on it!


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## R3Dside

thanks hghgrad i will look into that. Looks like something could be fabbed up w/o much trouble.
Also just found out my quad and plow will not fit on my 5x8 flatbed trailer, now I have to weld extensions onto the latches so it will fit! Ahh more to do pre-season!


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## excav8ter

R3Dside;1499433 said:


> I am starting this branch of my snow plowing biz this year, (bought a new '12 grizzly) and will find out if it is profitable (the quad will do residential) as I will do my commercial route. (Although my new spreader is hitch-mounted so I need to run a separate truck to trailer the quad on my 5x8 :0
> Now if I can find a good alternative to using ratchet straps i'd be set!


Check these out.....


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## R3Dside

excav8ter- what a sweet find, i had seen a pic of something like these but could not find the actual product. Upon further searching today I found these; all metal and about $100 cheaper; http://atvmightytite.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=1
I might have to go with a set soon, just need to make some money with this quad first!


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## Antlerart06

R3Dside;1506229 said:


> thanks hghgrad i will look into that. Looks like something could be fabbed up w/o much trouble.
> Also just found out my quad and plow will not fit on my 5x8 flatbed trailer, now I have to weld extensions onto the latches so it will fit! Ahh more to do pre-season!


I have a 5x10 trailer with rails Atv does just fit with 58'' front plow and my8'' rear trip plow on the ATV


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## Matt994

BlueRam2500;1502565 said:


> I make money with the quad. Leave it parked in my buddy's garage ready to rock and plow his driveway and 2 others in the neighborhood. I take it on the trailer if I have to go anywhere though, much easier to do than loading in the truck. Damn thing won't fit in the truck without the plow on it!


what truck is it? my 500 Artic cat fits perfectly in the back of my '94 F-150 perfectly with the plow and salter attatched


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## IMAGE

excav8ter;1506517 said:


> Check these out.....





R3Dside;1507024 said:


> excav8ter- what a sweet find, i had seen a pic of something like these but could not find the actual product. Upon further searching today I found these; all metal and about $100 cheaper; http://atvmightytite.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=1
> I might have to go with a set soon, just need to make some money with this quad first!


How are either of those products going to work if you have a plow on the front of the ATV?


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## ALC-GregH

R3Dside;1499433 said:


> I am starting this branch of my snow plowing biz this year, (bought a new '12 grizzly) and will find out if it is profitable (the quad will do residential) as I will do my commercial route. *(Although my new spreader is hitch-mounted so I need to run a separate truck to trailer* the quad on my 5x8 :0
> Now if I can find a good alternative to using ratchet straps i'd be set!


Put a hitch on the atv and mount the spreader on it.


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## R3Dside

No, the truck spreader is way to big to be transferred or carried to the quad easily.. Might eventually fab up a hitch below my current receiver hitch, so i can pull my trailer.


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## clydebusa

Tax write off equals saved me money for things I want!


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## PSDnate

This is my fourth winter doing snow removal and I've only used atv's up until this year. I bought a truck with a plow a few months ago but the atv's are still going to get used. I have a full rout set up for the atv's of small lots and resi's. Who doesn't like buying toys that you can use as a write off. I use mine for fun all year round but also use it for work all year round.


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## Snowtoy

This forum is the BEST!
I am looking to start a small biz/hobby of plowing w/atv and this site has sooo much info it is almost overwhelming!
I too want to make some money to maintain equip and such (along with some level of profit), but I also am enjoying the "hunt" of putting all the information together that I am finding on this site.


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## sm04257

i havent used mine as a business but only do mine , my daughters and an lady next door that is close to 90,the lady sure knows how to make great biscuits and coffee which she always makes it a point to bring me a plate when i do her yard


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## dan67

Been using mine for four winters now, one account is big enough now i will be putting a blade on the john deere


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## ALC-GregH

*Do I make money with my atv?*

I use too. I put a plow on my truck and now don't use the atv anymore. I'm also making a LOT more money and charging less.


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## IPLOWSNO

I too plow the batty old lady next door, sometimes she pays me but most of the time she parks her suv in a bad place making it hard for me,

However my quad pushes more snow than my loader in the city and that's sad lol


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## Snowtoy

plowin-fire;1500708 said:


> I love running my ATV plowing snow. For drives and downtown business lot, they are tough to beat for speed. Plus they are dirt cheap to operate.


;How do you bid your driveways for residential? How do you "gestimate" the amt. salt per drive?

I am just getting into snow management and have alot to learn to say the least! :bluebounc


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