# Need good advice: this is what I have to do(with pics)



## MtlMan (Sep 8, 2005)

My family owns 3 triplex and this year our cost for snow removal went up 50% to 600$ per place(1800$/year), so now it's starts making sense to remove the snow myself since there is only one company in the area who will do this job and the owner already advised us that if the cost of fuel goes back up he will bring his prices up again.

Right now all I have access to is a 198X 8hp-26" snow blower that works like a charm but I'm only keeping it as a plan B. My friend has a clean 94 yukon 1500 with a fisher 8.6 for sale that I could get for 4K but I'm thinking I might need some kind of bigger snowblower instead because I'm not sure I can manage 120"+ of snow with a truck.

I have to do this triplex on the left side only, there is 5-6 parking spaces in the back and no place to put the snow except for the front lawn:










For this one I have to do the parking on both sides witch are the same:


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## Farm Boss (Jan 20, 2007)

Is your time for doing the snow removal all yr, buying equipment and all the other expences less than the 1800 bucks it would cost you? Seems like it would almost be cheaper to hire out.


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## MtlMan (Sep 8, 2005)

The expences went up big time this year(tax, snow, grass) so I decided I may cut the grass and remove the snow to save a good 5000$+. I have the time to do it anyways...


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## plowtime1 (Nov 1, 2007)

I agree with farmboss here, If you decide to do your own work,consider purchasing a skid steer to stack snow. good luck


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## TREMEK (Sep 16, 2008)

Sounds like you want to do the plowing your self. If so Go for it. but take this into consideration as well

$4000 For the truck + $275 QC Plates Say $200 Insurance $150 Gas Per year 

So Total $4625 With out any repairs. 

Are you in the west island. the streets look familiar. Im in the West island if your close and ever get stuck i could help you out.


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## MtlMan (Sep 8, 2005)

Hi Tremek, are you the tremek from montrealracing.com? Yes I'm in the west island, the street is chateau-pierrefonds...

I have a X plate(dealer plate for you non quebec folks) so I wouldn't pay any tax, plates or insurance on the truck. 

I'm also looking at other options, not just a truck...I don't mind if I have to be outside and brave the elements.


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## TREMEK (Sep 16, 2008)

MtlMan;634157 said:


> Hi Tremek, are you the tremek from montrealracing.com? Yes I'm in the west island, the street is chateau-pierrefonds...
> 
> I have a X plate(dealer plate for you non quebec folks) so I wouldn't pay any tax, plates or insurance on the truck.
> 
> I'm also looking at other options, not just a truck...I don't mind if I have to be outside and brave the elements.


Yes Thats me. Former owner of Tremek.com. i new it was familiar. X plate your lucky man  You Could use an ATV with a plow. But dont try to drive that on the road here. Believe it or not a friend of mine use to hand shovel a lot bigger then that.


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## MtlMan (Sep 8, 2005)

Hehe what a small world, this is your friendly moderator RWDLover1

I could actually leave a ATV there but I'm scared that at one point I just end up with a big wall of snow...pushing the snow in the middle on the front lawn is not really an option. I don't want to destroy the grass.


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## TREMEK (Sep 16, 2008)

Wow Small world it is. whats going on RWDLover .

They have some huge snowblowers these days. 46" Cub Cadet at homedepot.ca $2399


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## TREMEK (Sep 16, 2008)

Used Lawn Tractor with a blower could work


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## MtlMan (Sep 8, 2005)

Hehe

That snowblower doesn't look bad at all, I'm wondering if it's heavy enough/has enough grip to push itself in a big snowbank.I know I've tried some newer 30"-10hp snowblower and it was so light that my old 80s tank was doing a better job because I didn't have to fight with it as much..


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Remember,all the aggravation you snowplow guy was having is now yours.It gets real old fast getting up in the morning and having tenets cars parked everywhere. For that price let someone else do it.If anything bumpp the rent up 10.00 a month.


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

MtlMan;634114 said:


> .... there is only one company in the area who will do this job ....Really? around here the competition is fierce, WHY will no-one touch your properties?
> 
> ....... I'm not sure I can manage 120"+ of snow with a truck. A plow truck can certainly handle snow, why do you think we all use them.
> 
> ...


 don't buy a home owner quality snow blower for the work you need it to do, buy a commercial one and you won't have a problem. that said since you mentioned you might do the lawn mowing also why not just go with the tractor idea, with a blower and bucket and mower. now you can mow stack and clear.


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## bribrius (May 5, 2007)

im with gv on this.

Unfortunately i have to agree with him.


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## VBR (Oct 21, 2008)

8.6 sure is a big blade for a Yukon 1500. Bump up the cost of repairs when figuring out you budget


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## MtlMan (Sep 8, 2005)

Grn Mtn: Over here if you plow on a street that's "not your" you better hide your equipement at night...and watch out for cement blocks with chains in snowbanks, apparently they do a real nasty job on snowblowers.

The contractors ALL use big farm like tractors with snowblowers on them, you will very rarely see someone with a pick up.

How do grass tractors hold up in 12"+ storms? That would pay for itself pretty fast if I use it all year long.


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

MtlMan;634526 said:


> Grn Mtn: Over here if you plow on a street that's "not your" you better hide your equipement at night...and watch out for cement blocks with chains in snowbanks, apparently they do a real nasty job on snowblowers.: are you saying you can't start your own landscaping biz because others in town will sabatage you?
> The contractors ALL use big farm like tractors with snowblowers on them, you will very rarely see someone with a pick up. yes in know your area uses the big farm tractors, but south of the border were all trucks so thats why I said it would work. but i wouldn't get the truck and plow combo your looking at.
> 
> How do grass tractors hold up in 12"+ storms? That would pay for itself pretty fast if I use it all year long.


 would you really wait until all 12" had fallen? plow with the storm and you will be fine. hell i could snowblow 8" with my little toro.


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## MtlMan (Sep 8, 2005)

No I wouldn't wait, it's just that we got at least 3-4x 18"+ of heavy stuff last year. One time it was 18" of ice pellets...I guess that's why the prices went up 50%.


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## bribrius (May 5, 2007)

MtlMan;634557 said:


> No I wouldn't wait, it's just that we got at least 3-4x 18"+ of heavy stuff last year. One time it was 18" of ice pellets...I guess that's why the prices went up 50%.


really all in how you look at it.
I plow out my own rental.
I do it because i have a plow for other purposes.
If i didnt have other things to plow then i wouldnt plow out my own rental.
Before i plowed out the rental i actually had tenants responsible for own snow and ice removal. This lowered my liability i felt.
Doing it myself i can deduct some equipment over x amount of years as a expense from the rental gross income and did this for a couple snowblowers.
But hiring it out i could deduct the entire bill that same year.
I dont have a plow for the purposes of plowing out the rental though. Like i said it is actually the opposite i have it to plow other things and threw the rental in after.
I was probably better off leaving it to the tenants to figure out or hiring it out.

Guy sands it or whatever. I could deduct that right off the top. No headaches.

Now i cant even deduct the truck or the snowplow on the rental. Because the use of the truck and plow isnt primarily for the rental. I would have to "hire" myself and deduct it that way under a llc or something. pita


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

I think this is a no brainer and I'm not sure why your even thinking about plowing the snow yourself. For $1800 a year for those 3 places I think the guy is giving you a deal. Neige is in Montreal and he charges more then half that for one driveway. Give your head a shake and go get a parttime job at Mickey D's to make the $1800 back, at least you'll get free food. JMO


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## bribrius (May 5, 2007)

one more thing.
Other than suggesting you talk with whoever does your taxes to decide the best route i would suggest talking to your insurance company.
Reading my policy if i were to hit anything with the plow causing damage that is on my property the insurance wont cover it.
Im guessing they have that in there to prevent fraudulent claims or purposeful damage.
I really am unsure about lots of this myself but that is how my policy reads.

so if you hit something or a tenants car is it covered? Not according to my policy. Because i own the property or the property the tenants car is on. 
Cross your t's and dot your i's. wish i knew more actually it seems like i could be going about it a better way giving me more deductions and less exposure to liability.
No point in paying uncles sam more than you have too.


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## MtlMan (Sep 8, 2005)

The buildings are owned by our business and I'll have to do a little research to see if I would put whatever I buy in my own name, in the car dealer name(probably the best option), etc.

The guy doing the snow called today saying he's getting pretty full, he wanted to sign the contract tomorrow but I told him I wasn't available so he said monday...so tomorrow(friday) I'm gonna go shop around to see if I can find something really cheap at the auction or else I guess I'll have to sign with him.


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## 18lmslcsr (Jan 20, 2007)

I'd say stay in bead and let the other guy freeze!

C.


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## MtlMan (Sep 8, 2005)

It was too late for this season, paid 1/2 yesterday...I'll look into it again next year.


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## bribrius (May 5, 2007)

MtlMan;641395 said:


> It was too late for this season, paid 1/2 yesterday...I'll look into it again next year.


that isnt a bad thing.
you might be better off so congradulations.
Now you dont have to worry about it and be concerned with it.
There are often times i can think of things i would rather be doing than dealing with snow.


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## joef450snowplow (Jul 4, 2008)

sweet snow blower i like the duallys on it


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## MAR4CARS (Oct 6, 2005)

You better off letting the contractor do it than yourself.Not sure how things work out your way but here plowing with a dealer plate isn't a good idea.I own an auto shop and would never use my dealer plate for my snow removal company for the mere fact that here using a dealer plate for hire or to plow your house can bring you big headaches.If you hit something while plowing your commercial shop insurance will laugh at you and not cover anything.Not to mention you would be adding liability to yourself if someone was to slip and fall.Where as having an insured contractor plow your lot might spare you a lawsuit.


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