# driveway plowing ?'s



## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

I've never plowed residential drives before, and I'm going to start this year. What are you guys doing when you get there and there's cars in the driveway? Knock on there door? Plow around the vehicles? 

-Cody


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Yes.
Some times I use the phone to wake them up.
No one wants to answer the door at 3am.

But most of the time I don't do any of the above.i service the drive and go on my way.

Ps.
if there not on the seasional plan, charge them full,price.


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## GBBC (Nov 18, 2014)

I just plow what I can and hopefully get out of there before they come out.
I should clarify that before winter I touch base and propose to the owner where best to leave the cars. If I happen to be driving past later on and the car has been moved then I'll clean up the remaining snow.


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## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

Thanks for the quick responses guys. I wanted to make sure on how others are doing it. I don't want to have to knock on everybody's door and tell them to move there cars or anything.


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## ScubaSteve728 (Jan 17, 2012)

I agree with having them park in the best spot prior to the storm.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Xxwhiteneonxx said:


> Thanks for the quick responses guys. I wanted to make sure on how others are doing it. I don't want to have to knock on everybody's door and tell them to move there cars or anything.


I take it there is no walks involved? I don't care much about cars in the way. If you end up with some walks I do minimum around the care doors. Sometime during the day and there up and looking out the window they don't even move there cars. Good Luck


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

I plow what I can and go on to the next. In the winter plowing IS my job. I go around to my customers later ether in the same day or next day and clean up where cars have moved or what the town has piled up in there drive. YES I figure that into my plow seasonal price.


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## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

I'm going to offer the sidewalks, as well as salting.

Thanks for all the responses guys! I'm going to do what I can unless they come out and move there car. Otherwise I'll check back the following day and get the rest.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Keel

What are you going to do if they stick their heads oot of the door and ask you to brush the cars off
Or give you the keys so you can move them?


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

SnoFarmer said:


> Keel
> 
> What are you going to do if they stick their heads oot of the door and ask you to brush the cars off
> Or give you the keys so you can move them?


Aaaa NO! Ill stop by on my cleanup and take care of any place that the cars were.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Never touch a customers vehicle. My contract states I don't get within 12" of any obstacle. No clearing snow off their car and never even think of moving it for them


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## 906Yooper (Sep 7, 2016)

ktfbgb said:


> Never touch a customers vehicle. My contract states I don't get within 12" of any obstacle. No clearing snow off their car and never even think of moving it for them


 I'm new on this site, but as far as never move a customers vehicle is correct. I found out the hard way, just don't do it.


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## mikelawtown (Dec 5, 2004)

SnoFarmer said:


> Keel
> 
> What are you going to do if they stick their heads oot of the door and ask you to brush the cars off
> Or give you the keys so you can move them?


Haha, I had a couple call me after I went by their driveway 2 hours later to ask if I can remove the snow from the cars and move them so they didn't get cold..LOL yea ok, and this was on Valentines Day as my wife and I were walking into a place for dinner. They left me a message saying that they thought I did "Snow removal" I guess they thought every flake on all the cars..Needless to say I never went back to that customer.


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

best thing is too tell them where not to park their car so it does not interfere with you getting them out on time
always best to involve them so they understand what you need to give them the best service
as suggested, stop back later for cleanup, cost figured in with quote,
next day is too late for premium service


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

I'm not moving or cleaning snow off no vehicle. I only do that for my wife on my own vehicle. You could get a foam snow rake that will not damage the car. This is not the issue. They do not want to pay for it. Moving it is just insane.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Plow\blow what I can, on to the next one.


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## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

Great info guys it's helped alot! 

Out of curiosity, my base price for 1 to 4" is 30$. Now how do I put in the contract/ proposal a sizing that 30$ covers. Meaning obviously I'm not doing your mile long residential drive for 30$. 

-Cody


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## seville009 (Sep 9, 2002)

You have a different contract for each client. Same language, but just fill in the blank for the dollar amount.


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## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

seville009 said:


> You have a different contract for each client. Same language, but just fill in the blank for the dollar amount.


I thought of that. Just wanted to make sure that's how you guys were going about that.

What's the best kind of western for small commercial and residential drives? I'm used to the western wideout and the western straight blade style but I have not used a v style yet. Just curious you guys opinions on this.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

It depends on budget. My opinion is spend the money once and get the V plow if you will be doing commercial. Its the most versatile but costs more money than a straight blade. Just my opinion. I signed three new HOA's this year. There are about 5 lane miles of road and 3 miles of sidewalk between the 3. I was doing commercial lots and residential drives before adding the HOA's this year. I bought the V expecting to need it eventually and wanted to only spend the money once. I sure am glad I did. There are pros and cons to each though. I just didn't want to limit my capability.


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## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

ktfbgb said:


> It depends on budget. My opinion is spend the money once and get the V plow if you will be doing commercial. Its the most versatile but costs more money than a straight blade. Just my opinion. I signed three new HOA's this year. There are about 5 lane miles of road and 3 miles of sidewalk between the 3. I was doing commercial lots and residential drives before adding the HOA's this year. I bought the V expecting to need it eventually and wanted to only spend the money once. I sure am glad I did. There are pros and cons to each though. I just didn't want to limit my capability.


Thanks for the fast response! I mentioned what I was familiar with, but I'm not a fan of straight blades because they always seem to push snow out of the sides of the blade.

I like the wideout but being 6600, it's kind of pricey considering a straight blade is 4100.

I love our wideout we have at my work, but I've been considering the v blade.

What would some pros or cons be to the v blade western?


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Xxwhiteneonxx said:


> Thanks for the fast response! I mentioned what I was familiar with, but I'm not a fan of straight blades because they always seem to push snow out of the sides of the blade.
> 
> I like the wideout but being 6600, it's kind of pricey considering a straight blade is 4100.
> 
> ...


I've never used western but they are all pretty much the same. The only cons are cost and weight. You need a HD truck for a flared wing V. Depending on the truck you might have to do a level kit or heavier springs up front unless you order a truck with the plow prep package. The reason for this is so the Clevis height on the truck side mount sits at factory spec to make sure the cutting edge sits flat during all positions.


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## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

ktfbgb said:


> I've never used western but they are all pretty much the same. The only cons are cost and weight. You need a HD truck for a flared wing V. Depending on the truck you might have to do a level kit or heavier springs up front unless you order a truck with the plow prep package. The reason for this is so the Clevis height on the truck side mount sits at factory spec to make sure the cutting edge sits flat during all positions.


My truck is a 2016 silverado 2500hd with the snow plow prep package.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

I know the chevy front ends sit low but with the prep package might be fine. You won't really know till the plow is installed. There is adjustment in the frame mount but if it sets too low just be prepared to spend a few hundred on a level kit and alignment.


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## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

ktfbgb said:


> I know the chevy front ends sit low but with the prep package might be fine. You won't really know till the plow is installed. There is adjustment in the frame mount but if it sets too low just be prepared to spend a few hundred on a level kit and alignment.


My work has an alignment rack I use it all the time for personal use. As far as leveling, the 2500s are torsion so I don't think you'd need anything to raise it but I might be wrong.

-Cody


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## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

Also, if I go with a v, what width ? Western makes a 7ft6in 8ft6in 9ft6in


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

8'6". If you go with the bigger one might make it hard for the residential. Smaller and you'll run over your windrow if you have the blade angled.


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## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

ktfbgb said:


> 8'6". If you go with the bigger one might make it hard for the residential. Smaller and you'll run over your windrow if you have the blade angled.


I ordered my 8ft6in mvp3 today. Will be installed next week along with my western 1000! I'll be sure to post pictures!


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Xxwhiteneonxx said:


> I ordered my 8ft6in mvp3 today. Will be installed next week along with my western 1000! I'll be sure to post pictures!


SweetThumbs Up


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## Xxwhiteneonxx (Oct 12, 2016)

Thought of some more questions I want to ask.. so around me I have a few people with really nice brick driveways, will the plow damage or scratch the brick? I've only done blacktop and cement before so I want to make sure prior to running into issues. Also, I have alot of driveways and small commercial lots by me that are gravel and I'm wondering how the plow is with those.

On our backhoe we use on our property for plowing, we made a rounded blade from dom roll cage tubing and it worked great.

-Cody


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Xxwhiteneonxx said:


> Thought of some more questions I want to ask.. so around me I have a few people with really nice brick driveways, will the plow damage or scratch the brick? I've only done blacktop and cement before so I want to make sure prior to running into issues. Also, I have alot of driveways and small commercial lots by me that are gravel and I'm wondering how the plow is with those.
> 
> On our backhoe we use on our property for plowing, we made a rounded blade from dom roll cage tubing and it worked great.
> 
> -Cody


Yep the round tube steel works good for gravel. You would need to come up with a way to put it on and take it off quickly though. You can run shoes on the plow for the grave drives as well. Or just float the blade an inch off the gravel. Plow blades can rip out brick or paver drives. I have a paver drive that I do and Im just careful with it. You have to let them know that they will likely end up with scratches on them. Most customers don't care, some do. Find out ahead of time and skip the ones that do care.


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