# son's idea going over great!



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

i posted here earlier, about my son offering a service to do nothing but clean out the ridge of snow left by city plows. right now, he's at 180 customers, all prepaid for the season before he'll start plowing them. he'd really like to see about 5-600 and i'm sure he'll get there before the end of the season, but with every new snowfall, he's getting 10-15 more signing up. the demographics of his clientele, is....the 25-60 yr old office worker...who has his own blower, doesn't mind getting up and blowing his own driveway early in the morning...but HATES trying to get that packed, iced up ridge out of there when they get home that nite after the plows came by. the other is....kids who live out of town, and wonder what would be a thoughtful Christmas gift for mom/dad/grandpa/grandma knowing they shouldn't be out there picking at that hard stuff...


----------



## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

Good for him Thumbs Up. We offer a service for just cleaning the aprons too but no one ever calls,lol.


----------



## DJ Contracting (Dec 16, 2003)

That sounds great and hope it works out for him.... but how much can he poss. charge for this service?


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

our city won't plow streets unless there's a min. of a 2" snowfall. by the city's record keeping...they have averaged 12 plowings annually for the last 20 yrs...he's charging them $175.00 for the season. whether once, or 20 times. he's plowed 3 times so far. for us, january is not that snowy typically. we see our snow in dec. feb, and march.


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

Brian Young;1170112 said:


> Good for him Thumbs Up. We offer a service for just cleaning the aprons too but no one ever calls,lol.


he advertised this in sept. october, and signed most of them up and had them prepay at that time...and he'll only do seasonals, or won't do them. he's had people run out as he's doing a neighbor's drive....want him to do it that one time, he isn't doing it. feels he's shooting himself in the foot by not getting them signed on for the year. this way he knows how to plan his route, what his cash flow is going to be.


----------



## Neige (Jan 29, 2008)

dayexco;1170218 said:


> he advertised this in sept. october, and signed most of them up and had them prepay at that time...and he'll only do seasonals, or won't do them. he's had people run out as he's doing a neighbor's drive....want him to do it that one time, he isn't doing it. feels he's shooting himself in the foot by not getting them signed on for the year. this way he knows how to plan his route, what his cash flow is going to be.


I like it, seems like a great plan. I would suggest he charge the people that stop him $40, and they have a week to take a seasonal contract. If they do $20 of the $40 will go to the seasonal price. This way he has helped someone in need, and more likely have a future client. Thumbs Up


----------



## plowzilla (Nov 19, 2004)

He must take after his mother:laughing: Just kidding, I couldn't resist!!!!!


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

Neige;1170296 said:


> I like it, seems like a great plan. I would suggest he charge the people that stop him $40, and they have a week to take a seasonal contract. If they do $20 of the $40 will go to the seasonal price. This way he has helped someone in need, and more likely have a future client. Thumbs Up


that really is a good idea!


----------



## Mister Plow (Jan 21, 2009)

How is he doing it? Plowing or blowing?
Does he have any tricks for making it easier and faster?


----------



## newhere (Oct 13, 2009)

This isn't passing my sniff test. Don't know why but something doesn't smell right about this.


----------



## firelwn82 (Feb 14, 2006)

This is one hell of an idea..... ussmileyflag


----------



## fortywinks (Sep 17, 2007)

If people will pay for it there will always be someone willing to do it. I too would like to know how he accomplishes the task. Plow, shovel, snowblower etc. How far apart are the aprons, drive time etc. Is he working alone? My guess right now is that if he is working alone and with a truck the 180 aprons are taking him at least 6+ hours to clear unless all the houses are in a single development then maybe a little less. Best of luck to him. It is unfortunate though that some people are having a hard time getting people to pay that for a full drive for a season. 

KB


----------



## cubanb343 (Dec 13, 2007)

I would think, it would be hard to do that many aprons by yourself in such a small window of time. Basically all those people want to be off to work by a certain time, and waiting for the city to be your trigger could be tough. If he can do it though, and keep them happy, great!


----------



## maelawncare (Mar 4, 2004)

Dang, At $175 a person and he has 180 accounts. Thats $31,500!!! I call BS. Most companys dont even make that much in an entire season plowing whole lots. I sure dont.

He has to be sending out 20 of his buddies to do them, lol


----------



## newhere (Oct 13, 2009)

maelawncare;1170585 said:


> Dang, At $175 a person and he has 180 accounts. Thats $31,500!!! I call BS. Most companys dont even make that much in an entire season plowing whole lots. I sure dont.
> 
> He has to be sending out 20 of his buddies to do them, lol


That's exactly what I meant by "this doesn't pass my sniff test"

I'm calling bs also.


----------



## doo-man (Feb 22, 2009)

ok, let me get this straight he currently has 180 accounts and is getting $175.00 per drive by your testimony. So if my math is correct which I think it is he is currently sitting on $31,500.00 ?!?!?!?!?

180*175 = $31,500.00

I think I am gonna stop plowing and move in next door and work for him !!!


----------



## newhere (Oct 13, 2009)

That's sounds like your idea your trying to bounce off us and see what everyone would say. I'm betting its something you want to do and planing to do but havnt done it yet.

Let me tell you something, you better have some serious effeing systems in place if you think your going to handel 600 accounts. That's a huge task just to log all that info. You need someone full time sitting at a desk answering that phone when it blows up during a storm. Don't think for one second your going to do the work yourself AND answer all the calls.

Nor can I see people paying that much just to clean a 2' x 20' area.


----------



## adan (Nov 24, 2010)

Where we live the city cleans the ridges at the bottom of the driveways right after they plow the street.

large grader followed by wheel loader.

Your city must have a really small snow clearing budget


----------



## pohouse (Jan 26, 2009)

$175 seems high for just the end of the drive. A blower doesn't work. Too slow and that stuff gets rock hard. If the bank is not too high, I reverse into the drive and plow it out and down the curb. If the bank is too high, backdrag the top off then reverse into the drive.


----------



## procut (Dec 1, 2004)

newhere;1170539 said:


> This isn't passing my sniff test. Don't know why but something doesn't smell right about this.





newhere;1170586 said:


> That's exactly what I meant by "this doesn't pass my sniff test"
> 
> I'm calling bs also.





maelawncare;1170585 said:


> Dang, At $175 a person and he has 180 accounts. Thats $31,500!!! I call BS. Most companys dont even make that much in an entire season plowing whole lots. I sure dont.
> 
> He has to be sending out 20 of his buddies to do them, lol


I'm with you on this.


----------



## hairygary (Feb 19, 2009)

I dont find this to unrealistic, but 180 aprons is alot for one truck unless he knows the route of the city trucks and is close behind. I cant see it taking more than a few minutes to clear an apron, and lets say if the route is tight, two minutes drive time to next one (this is prob not realistic but lets say its that tight). So five minutes for each apron, which makes about 12 per hour. and then for 180 would take 15 hours, which seems to long and has the potential to make some angry clients, and some frozen aprons if he doesnt get to them soon enough after city truck comes. 

If my math is correct there has to be at least two trucks involved.


----------



## maelawncare (Mar 4, 2004)

hairygary;1170820 said:


> I dont find this to unrealistic, but 180 aprons is alot for one truck unless he knows the route of the city trucks and is close behind. I cant see it taking more than a few minutes to clear an apron, and lets say if the route is tight, two minutes drive time to next one (this is prob not realistic but lets say its that tight). So five minutes for each apron, which makes about 12 per hour. and then for 180 would take 15 hours, which seems to long and has the potential to make some angry clients, and some frozen aprons if he doesnt get to them soon enough after city truck comes.
> 
> If my math is correct there has to be at least two trucks involved.


And not only that. But around here the city trucks can run back down the same street 2 or 3 times during a storm. Does he wait till the end? And what if he goes by them all and the city has been down one road.


----------



## blowerman (Dec 24, 2007)

Come on guys, why does everyone get a hard time when they post a good idea... 
Day is sharing a service that maybe someone else on here could try in their region...
Want to share any details on how your son is clearing the ends of the driveways?


----------



## show-n-go (Feb 5, 2009)

People around here just drive over it. I don't think it would be sellable in my market, heck people don't want to pay more than $15 bucks for a whole driveway


----------



## CharlesW (Oct 13, 2010)

dayexco;1170000 said:


> i posted here earlier, about my son offering a service to do nothing but clean out the ridge of snow left by city plows. right now, he's at 180 customers, all prepaid for the season before he'll start plowing them. he'd really like to see about 5-600 and i'm sure he'll get there before the end of the season, but with every new snowfall, he's getting 10-15 more signing up. the demographics of his clientele, is....the 25-60 yr old office worker...who has his own blower, doesn't mind getting up and blowing his own driveway early in the morning...but HATES trying to get that packed, iced up ridge out of there when they get home that nite after the plows came by. the other is....kids who live out of town, and wonder what would be a thoughtful Christmas gift for mom/dad/grandpa/grandma knowing they shouldn't be out there picking at that hard stuff...


Sounds like he has all day to get his route done. 
He isn't doing this to allow them to get to work, he does it to let them get home.


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

Mister Plow;1170527 said:


> How is he doing it? Plowing or blowing?
> Does he have any tricks for making it easier and faster?


2 skid steers, with 8' snow buckets. they're both high speeds, so they get around town pretty fast, they are following the plow crews, so it's kind of a pre
determined route.


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

cubanb343;1170570 said:


> I would think, it would be hard to do that many aprons by yourself in such a small window of time. Basically all those people want to be off to work by a certain time, and waiting for the city to be your trigger could be tough. If he can do it though, and keep them happy, great!


if you'd have read the OP....he is ONLY doing the aprons, AFTER the city plows go by, it's one push in perpendicular, 2 parallel passes, and he's done. they go quick...he's ONLY taking out the ridge the city plows leave.


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

maelawncare;1170585 said:


> Dang, At $175 a person and he has 180 accounts. Thats $31,500!!! I call BS. Most companys dont even make that much in an entire season plowing whole lots. I sure dont.
> 
> He has to be sending out 20 of his buddies to do them, lol


call it anything you want. 2 skiddies with 8' snow buckets, each following a city plow crew...city does streets one day, avenues the next. nothing to this silly game. i can't help it if you don't make that much in an entire season...maybe you could learn something from this thread and expand your horizons?


----------



## dlcs (Sep 2, 2004)

maelawncare;1170848 said:


> And not only that. But around here the city trucks can run back down the same street 2 or 3 times during a storm. Does he wait till the end? And what if he goes by them all and the city has been down one road.


Our city trucks make two passes during the storm up and down. Then after the storm they do four passes, two up each side of the street. Then two days later they come by and plow the curb lines again cleaning up where the peopel didn't move their cars off the street. Wouldn't work very well here.


----------



## cubanb343 (Dec 13, 2007)

dayexco;1170896 said:


> if you'd have read the OP....he is ONLY doing the aprons, AFTER the city plows go by, it's one push in perpendicular, 2 parallel passes, and he's done. they go quick...he's ONLY taking out the ridge the city plows leave.


I obviously read the OP, which is why I responded in the first place. I don't care if an apron takes 10 seconds or 2 minutes, that's not the point. It all sounds fine and dandy in fantasy land, but 180 aprons at 2 minutes a piece is 6 hours not including travel time. You are waiting for the plows to go by. Which depending when it snows, could be anytime day or night. So these people don't care when the snow gets cleared is what you're saying? Most customers aren't too happy if they can't get out by 7am. That's my point


----------



## cubanb343 (Dec 13, 2007)

And absolutely, if it works for him, which i said EARLIER.. good for him. It wouldn't work here, plain and simple.


----------



## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

dayexco;1170902 said:


> call it anything you want. 2 skiddies with 8' snow buckets, each following a city plow crew...city does streets one day, avenues the next. nothing to this silly game. i can't help it if you don't make that much in an entire season...maybe you could learn something from this thread and expand your horizons?


Assuming skid steers here, how are you moving those things around the city and what kind of skid steers do you have?


----------



## jomama45 (Dec 25, 2008)

I'm not sure why it's so complicated for some to get a grasp on the logistics of this. I guess they must be limited to pick-up truck experience or something???? Sometimes you need to peer outside of your tunnel vision.

- The snow doesn't need to be/can't be moved until the muni trucks have made teir last pass.

- There's *2* skid loaders being used here.

- It doesn't have to be that big of an area to consist of 90 driveways a piece.

- It's probably a matter of seconds, not minutes to execute each job.

- They're 2 speed skids, they can go 10-12 mph. That's a lot of distance in the matter of just one hour. Could be 500+ homes in that distance.

- They're using otherwise idle equipment AFTER the storm, with minimal investment, to perform an otherwise daunting task which happens to be an untapped market.


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

cubanb343;1170912 said:


> I obviously read the OP, which is why I responded in the first place. I don't care if an apron takes 10 seconds or 2 minutes, that's not the point. It all sounds fine and dandy in fantasy land, but 180 aprons at 2 minutes a piece is 6 hours not including travel time. You are waiting for the plows to go by. Which depending when it snows, could be anytime day or night. So these people don't care when the snow gets cleared is what you're saying? Most customers aren't too happy if they can't get out by 7am. That's my point


our city plows start at 5 a.m. do the major highways, emergency routes FIRST. they do NOT start in the residential areas until after 8-9 a.m....a skid steer behind EACH city plow crew (2)...why is that so hard to fathom? he's getting his routes done easily by 5-6 in the afternoon.


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

jomama45;1170993 said:


> I'm not sure why it's so complicated for some to get a grasp on the logistics of this. I guess they must be limited to pick-up truck experience or something???? Sometimes you need to peer outside of your tunnel vision.
> 
> - The snow doesn't need to be/can't be moved until the muni trucks have made teir last pass.
> 
> ...


THANK YOU!!! man, you hit the nail on the head! some people cannot possible fathom something out of their field of vision, only ape what they've seen others do, and parrot comments made by the other cynics...it's working, well...to those who are crying BS....here's his flyer.


----------



## cubicinches (Oct 19, 2008)

I think it's definitely feasible. I have doubters when I tell them we do nearly 700 residential drives (the whole drive). Under normal circumstances... done in 4 hours. Granted, there's more than two pieces of equipment at work... but the volume is higher than most want to believe. My biggest competitor around my area does nearly 2900 residential drives (complete drives) in the same time frame. Neige here on Plowsite does 3000+ if I'm not mistaken. Sometimes people have a tough time envisioning something outside of their own box.


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

cubanb343;1170912 said:


> I obviously read the OP, which is why I responded in the first place. I don't care if an apron takes 10 seconds or 2 minutes, that's not the point. It all sounds fine and dandy in fantasy land, but 180 aprons at 2 minutes a piece is 6 hours not including travel time. You are waiting for the plows to go by. *NO...again, had you read the post....we "follow"...the plow crew*s Which depending when it snows, could be anytime day or night. So these people don't care when the snow gets cleared is what you're saying? *what i'm saying is...they do NOT want to contend with that icy ridge once they get home...when i get out this afternoon, i'll take a picture of a ridge of packed snow in the end of a driveway....apparently many of you hear have not seen one*. Most customers aren't too happy if they can't get out by 7am. *please read the original post again if that's what it takes...THEY BLOW OUT THEIR OWN DRIVEWAY!!! THEY BLOW OUT THEIR OWN DRIVEWAY....it's the RIDGE OF SNOW left by the city plows LATER IN THE day they don't want to contend with AFTER THEY GET HOME FROM WORK.* That's my point


wow, can't believe this! it's not rocket science, i can't for the life of me why you find it so hard to grasp?


----------



## iluvscag (Nov 20, 2007)

cubanb343;1170916 said:


> It wouldn't work here, plain and simple.


And now were all happy that it wouldn't work there! But....WHO CARES. It's working for his son and thats why this thread was started not to have negative comments and whatnot just to show people a positive money making operation which is WORKING THERE and thats fine.


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

for clarification sake...we're in a town of 20,000 people...there are 5000 residential driveways in this community. the town area wise is only about 3miles x 2 miles...a 15 mph skiddie gets around pretty fast, especially on a route.


----------



## blowerman (Dec 24, 2007)

Good luck to your son, is that why you built the new snow bucket?


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

yeah, now we have to build one for the other skid steer, his case is a high speed, mine is an 863 bobcat. lot slower travel, but we put that one in areas with his highest concentration of customers...works great. only haul the 863 out in the morning, works out end of that route is not that far from our shop, just drive it back.


----------



## tattood_1 (Dec 28, 2008)

Sounds like it's doing good. I might even try something like that next year. Heck it would be faster and easier on my truck, and not all the liability like doing the whole drive or lot.. Good idea.


----------



## JohnnyRoyale (Jun 18, 2006)

Thats a great idea. Around here they use a drop down wing blade on a r/t backhoe and it clears the windrow in one pass. 

Most municipalities dont address it, some municipalities do it for free...others charge $50 a season to assist the elderly or those with disbalities. Depends where you live.


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

btw, if you run those buckets, don't rent the snow bucket with the skidsteer like he did. in about 4 months, you can build and own one...that's why we're building the 2nd one. send the rental bucket back.


----------



## cubanb343 (Dec 13, 2007)

Hey dayex!! Our town plow trucks run at night!! So guess what? We have ICY RIDGES in driveways before 7am!! Wow was that rocket science?? So HERE, if these people had their own snowblowers, they would have to snowblow the end of the driveway before they leave for work, which your son obviously could not handle! I wish i could ride around and plow driveways ONLY after the city plow went by.. Which in your town must be at the same time everyday. Cuz apparently, in south dakota, it doesn't snow much. I never said anything negative, I said *"if he can handle it, Great!" *
Take your attitude somewhere else.


----------



## cdqat1432 (Dec 3, 2010)

Obviously, his son is bright enough to recognize an opportunity to make money where he lives. I am sure that if he lived in Erie Pa like you do, his plan would be different. If he lived near me, he would either be hellacious competition or my friend, because I like to hang out with people who are smarter than me. BTW, they dont plow the streets in Erie. I know because I used to live there.


----------



## cubanb343 (Dec 13, 2007)

cdqat1432;1171283 said:


> Obviously, his son is bright enough to recognize an opportunity to make money where he lives. I am sure that if he lived in Erie Pa like you do, his plan would be different. If he lived near me, he would either be hellacious competition or my friend, because I like to hang out with people who are smarter than me. BTW, they dont plow the streets in Erie. I know because I used to live there.


No, the city streets are a PITA gat. I try to stay out of downtown. His son is taking advantage of a niche market and sounds like it works great for his area. I said good for him like 8 times and got attacked like I was being negative. To each his own, guys.


----------



## tat2d_diver (Nov 26, 2009)

Brilliant idea, and great job marketing this service!:salute: I do the same thing for a few of my neighbors when we get a large snowfall. They have blowers and can usually manage on their own, except when we get alot of snow and the county plow leaves a 30" high ridge at the end of their driveways. With my skid steer it literally takes seconds to clear it for them. If I lived in town, I'd consider trying to sell this service here!


----------



## ryde307 (Dec 3, 2009)

sounds like a great niche market and good for him. we may have to look into something like that next year.


----------



## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

dayexco;1171020 said:


> for clarification sake...we're in a town of 20,000 people...there are 5000 residential driveways in this community. the town area wise is only about 3miles x 2 miles...a 15 mph skiddie gets around pretty fast, especially on a route.


Okay, now I can see this working. Good luck.


----------



## 01lariat (Feb 29, 2008)

I think it is an excellent idea. How often do I see people around me struggling with the ends of there driveways and their mailboxes buried with snow after the manciple plow goes threw? Shovels suck if it freezes, and blowers the same. My skidder would simple work of it and it sits in the shop. Stupid me, I could maybe make a little something and I didn't think about it.


----------



## cole22 (Feb 14, 2010)

No kidding I was just thinking the same thing!


----------



## KMBertog (Sep 9, 2010)

sounds awfully fishy to me.....


----------



## Bill_Krammer (Oct 4, 2010)

Your sone should come over to the Twin Cities, MN to do our plow edges... we have plenty here for him.


----------



## PTSolutions (Dec 8, 2007)

how come you need skids to take care of that snow? how much is typically there?

i think a truck and plow would be quicker, unless it is alot of snow. but around here the row of snow left on the apron wouldnt be more than 2" wide by maybe 10" deep in about 90% of the accumulations. so one pass with the plow would clear it up taking less than say 45sec. per apron.

even at 1min per apron, thats 3hrs total completion time which is acceptable with 1 truck. we do just over 200drives in 5-6hrs. again im basing this on our local situations and we have about 20-25 services per year at 2" trigger.


----------



## bristolturf (Dec 20, 2008)

man thats a really good idea. Hes making a good rate with his loader too. If he has 16 hrs of work per storm and 12 storms per year, thats 200 hrs (thats $157.50/hr for each loader) even up to 300 hrs of work hes still making $105/hr with a skid loader. Thats more then we get around here on commercial work.

I like the idea of using the skid, You can stay a good distance behind the plow, make one nice pass and get the snow back far. I know around here on city streets the drives are somewhat elevated so the plow doesnt get a good scrap on the apron.


----------



## NPMinc (Nov 29, 2010)

Thats a great idea! Find it amazing that people will pay that kinda $ for just the plow pile though. Wish something like that would be possible around here! One thing I'd be worried about though is that people are totally aware that the service only includes the plow pile(especially those for whom it was bought for as a gift). Could just imagine my phone ringing with mad people who thought the service included the whole drive. Best of luck to him!


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

KMBertog;1173299 said:


> sounds awfully fishy to me.....


probably because you've never had an idea for a service like this. you saw somebody making a few bucks with a pickup/plow and a shovel...so you bought one....trust me, there are ways to make money in providing services nobody else in your community is...especially if it's a task if the people in the demographic you're after...have money.


----------



## ChicagoPlower (Dec 16, 2005)

I think your son tapped into a great thing! Good for him. I'm scratchin my head wondering why that wouldn't work around here. So far I can't think of many reasons.


----------



## qualitycut (Jan 13, 2008)

Thats great I can see how it wouldn't work in some places as I know around here they dont seem to go in any order. I know that alot more people would pay for that then a whole drive for the year good for him. Thats what happens when you think outside of the box


----------



## qualitycut (Jan 13, 2008)

ProTouchGrounds;1173593 said:


> how come you need skids to take care of that snow? how much is typically there?
> 
> i think a truck and plow would be quicker, unless it is alot of snow. but around here the row of snow left on the apron wouldnt be more than 2" wide by maybe 10" deep in about 90% of the accumulations. so one pass with the plow would clear it up taking less than say 45sec. per apron.=QOUTE]
> 
> Maybe he doesnt have plow trucks and had the skids sitting around and decided to put them to work.


----------



## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

we have to put the snow up into the yards...city won't allow that snow to go into the boulevard, they want that space for future snows. so, we push it out into the street, scoop it up, and pile it into the yard, i'm just a little concerned about sprinkler heads, sod, etc...with the blade on the ground, we have trucks/plows.


----------

