# Is there a real differance?



## amberslawncare (Sep 13, 2008)

I am bidding a driveway, pull up and see it is a gravel drive. Do you guys charge any differant from concrete to blacktop or gravel? I know it is my first post, but i just found this site and have many many questions.....LOL.. Hopin some of them get answered.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

yes, each drive is bid on it's merits or difficulty.
Some are easer than others to plow some are harder.

Bid accordingly.


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## Snowpower (Sep 2, 2007)

Often times gravel drives are easier to do than a paved deal. I do bid according to degree of difficulty though. Or PIA factor such as cars in the drive or in the way etc etc.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

What type of gravel? If it's a number 2 gravel it will freeze but if it's pea stone that stuff never seems to freeze and it's a pain and you could have a pile of it at the end of the driveway when your done for the season.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

Snowpower;583845 said:


> Often times gravel drives are easier to do than a paved deal. I do bid according to degree of difficulty though. Or PIA factor such as cars in the drive or in the way etc etc.


Easier please explain. IMO gravel is always a PITA.


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## ServiceOnSite (Nov 23, 2006)

welcome to the site youll find a great deal of infomation here and a lot of laughs. you will hear this quite often " do a search " and if no on is one this site and you need the answer right away. it will be your best friend. 

and i would like to know how gravel driveway is easier to plow. i agree with jd i too think those are the pain in the @$%


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

gravel aint bad when frozen, if it is soft the first time it freezes it can be real rough the rest of winter

if you plow alot of it it tends to take paint off the plow

we have a customer that wanted it salted which turns into a real disaster


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## amberslawncare (Sep 13, 2008)

Do you guys put in the contract stating that you are not responsible for redoing the drive in the spring. Like if the first time you plow it,and it sh*t's out and you leave rutts? or you pile the gravel up in the bank. How do i protect myself on that? I cant say that gravel is easier but i looks like to full pain in my rear. It isnt perfect but there arent to many that are but to me this drive maybe getting walked away from.. It is a large long Farmers drive. with curves like a fat chick and loose gravel not the nice compact stuff. he sold all of his tractors and i mow his lawn anyhow so it would be a nice and easy (without the gravel) $175 a push but now the gravel is a factor. Drive is about 3/4 mile long bunch of out buildings to clean around and blow walk and deck. seem like a 1 hour tops job.


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## terrapro (Oct 21, 2006)

i love gravel drives, no one else will do them so by the time i get to the customer they are willing to pay up. $175 for an hour worth of work and your questioning it?  put your "shoes" on and go do that drive.

my contract only says stuff about billing procedures and how the job is going to get done at said site. if you tear up their drive bill accordingly and clean it up next spring.


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## Double C (Jul 16, 2008)

put shoes on your plows, and set your plow an inch off the ground a farmer won't mind you leavin 1 inch of snow to protect the gravel. as long as he can get in and out ok. P.S if he used to plow the drive with a tractor he tore up the drive way more than you will with a truck.


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## bribrius (May 5, 2007)

from experience. if its a longer drive that hasnt been graded in a while it can trip your blade over and over hitting ruts and reallys suck.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Why would a farmer pay someone to plow his drive?


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## amberslawncare (Sep 13, 2008)

SnoFarmer;584637 said:


> Why would a farmer pay someone to plow his drive?


He has alittle land and outbuildings. But the farm was sold beginning of this summer and a city slicker bought it just to have no one around... Sorry for the farmer part.

Also they did it with a tractor last year, however it was compact and nice gravel this year they put new stuff down and it is very loose. I wont be doing it with a truck. I am a "rookie" and havent put plows on them yet. They pull trailers with skidsteers around. I use them in the landscaping i do. Havent needed a plow to do the landscaping yet.. After this year i hope to have my name out there enough to buy a plow for my old truck.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

SnoFarmer;584637 said:


> Why would a farmer pay someone to plow his drive?


He doesn't like to get his tractors dirty.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

amberslawncare;584651 said:


> He has alittle land and outbuildings. But the farm was sold beginning of this summer and a city slicker bought it just to have no one around... Sorry for the farmer part. .


Don't apologize ...lol no need,
I just didn't think a guy with a farm would need to pay someone to plow there drive.



JD Dave;584654 said:


> He doesn't like to get his tractors dirty.


Thanks for clearing that up for me
logical...


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

I wont plow gravel drives

they take the paint of the front of the plow
then you go to the next customer and drop the blade to backdrag from the garage and you leev a pile of snow at the door that was stuck to your scratched and or paintles blade. Now you got to go back and backdrag that pile or get out and shovel or get a phone call "I cant get out of my garage because YOU left a pile of snow there. Then you have to repaint your snow plow sooner. 

No it wont happen on the second storm, but eventually it will. 
$5K is to much to spend on a plow and then push gravel with it. If you want to do that get a bulldozer


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