# Snowfall totals for billing



## JT&SONS (Jun 17, 2018)

Hello guys what do you use when for your totals when you are billing? Would like to have a system where we rely on one thing and not the local weather guy on the news. How are you guys doing it? Do you guys pay someone like weather works or one of the certified snowfall total companies? Thanks Jeramy


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

JT&SONS said:


> Hello guys what do you use when for your totals when you are billing? Would like to have a system where we rely on one thing and not the local weather guy on the news. How are you guys doing it? Do you guys pay someone like weather works or one of the certified snowfall total companies? Thanks Jeramy


In my contract it states that totals will be measured, and documented (date and time stamped photos) at our "base" location only. I don't remember the exact wording off the top of my head. This way you're not driving all over town scraping one location and not the other. I did that one year, and it wastes more time than it's worth.

I've only had one person question and complain about it. It was a residential customer, and he thought the whole world was out to get him, and all contractors are crooks. I dropped him after the season.


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## iceyman (Mar 1, 2007)

Weatherworks


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

JT&SONS said:


> Hello guys what do you use when for your totals when you are billing? Would like to have a system where we rely on one thing and not the local weather guy on the news. How are you guys doing it? Do you guys pay someone like weather works or one of the certified snowfall total companies? Thanks Jeramy


I bill according to what's on the ground per site. I found a snow log someone on PS created years ago. Your guys have to fill in the conditions, but it works well.


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## JT&SONS (Jun 17, 2018)

iceyman said:


> Weatherworks


How do you like the service? Do your customers like it?


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## JT&SONS (Jun 17, 2018)

JMHConstruction said:


> In my contract it states that totals will be measured, and documented (date and time stamped photos) at our "base" location only. I don't remember the exact wording off the top of my head. This way you're not driving all over town scraping one location and not the other. I did that one year, and it wastes more time than it's worth.
> 
> I've only had one person question and complain about it. It was a residential customer, and he thought the whole world was out to get him, and all contractors are crooks. I dropped him after the season.


So basically you have someone measure and take pictures of the measurement? I guess this would be the easiest and cheapest. Have you always used this meathod?


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

JT&SONS said:


> So basically you have someone measure and take pictures of the measurement? I guess this would be the easiest and cheapest. Have you always used this meathod?


Pretty much. It's not the most high tech, but it shows a "green light" so to speak on start time. Most of my lots are per push, so triggers are all that matter to me.

I should clarify a bit here too, I also have a log I use at each site for records. Things like site conditions, date, time, snow amount, ice amount, air temp, wind direction, ground temp, etc. There is a great one here on plowsite someone posted. The one job I have based on snow amounts (and not a per push) I used their site location records. I just use my house location for the first trigger. I also take before and after photos of lots.

PITA for something that is as time sensitive as snow removal, but if in ever in court I was as much records as I can get. I am also getting a dash cam this year.


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## SpectrumSnowIns (Apr 11, 2011)

JT&SONS said:


> How do you like the service? Do your customers like it?


Agreed.


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## SpectrumSnowIns (Apr 11, 2011)

iceyman said:


> Weatherworks


Agreed. At times we are able to use WeatherWorks for snowfall insurance claims verification as well.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

I'm also going to add that most of my experience is from subcontracting. I have a few lots of my own, but not many.

I am pretty new to plowing in general (few years now), but have been doing sideways and residential for 10 years. Even with that experience, commercial plowing seems to be a completely different ball game. Many of these guys have been doing it much longer, and have been through the ringer. If they say you need to do something different than what I say, take it. I'm just giving suggestions on what I did for years with residential, and what I do for my own accounts.

Subcontracting I just wait for a phone call. I still keep my own records, along with what I need to keep for my contractor.

I've had one slip and fall on a walk, but I sent the contractor everything I had, and nothing came from it. Scary moment though.


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## iceyman (Mar 1, 2007)

JT&SONS said:


> How do you like the service? Do your customers like it?


I love it.. gives detailed post storm snowmap and details.. if any customers even thinks about complaining you show them the report and they cant say much more after that


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## JT&SONS (Jun 17, 2018)

Do they happen to be a board sponsor


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## JT&SONS (Jun 17, 2018)

iceyman said:


> I love it.. gives detailed post storm snowmap and details.. if any customers even thinks about complaining you show them the report and they cant say much more after that


have you tried any other services or just weather works? If so why did you choose weather works? I signed up for a demo and it seems pretty generic. Wondering if its different with the full version.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Must be nice to not live downwind of a big lake. 

Not sure if they provide certified totals in those areas where accumulations can range from a dusting to 5" within a few miles. 

Good reason to not charge by the inch.


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## iceyman (Mar 1, 2007)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Must be nice to not live downwind of a big lake.
> 
> Not sure if they provide certified totals in those areas where accumulations can range from a dusting to 5" within a few miles.
> 
> Good reason to not charge by the inch.


yea we only have ponds here in jersey lol


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Must be nice to not live downwind of a big lake.


Hey, you could live downriver from Detroit


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

BossPlow2010 said:


> Hey, you could live downriver from Detroit


NOT


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## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> NOT


We don't want you anyway.....


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Defcon 5 said:


> We don't want you anyway.....


Likewise...


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## Mike_PS (Feb 28, 2005)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Likewise...





Defcon 5 said:


> We don't want you anyway.....


moving on and back on point


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Michael J. Donovan said:


> moving on and back on point


No snowfall to measure here today.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

Mark Oomkes said:


> No snowfall to measure here today.


Weird, there's plenty of snow flakes there.


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## Shade Tree NJ (Dec 26, 2010)

Nearest NWS reporting station / spotter, printed forms available upon request for customer, snow totals are non negotiable! All spelled out in black and white on contract.


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## JT&SONS (Jun 17, 2018)

Ended up going with weather works


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## Robinson_Cnst (Jan 4, 2013)

We get weather works reports curtusy of the one and only service company we work for. I also take measurments at each large site.

A little tip as to how the national weather service does it. The really just have a board out back they measure with a ruler. Hope I didn't violate national security with that comment:usflag:


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## wishfull (Nov 22, 2017)

Don't understand why people don't just charge by the push or seasonal. A lot simpler.


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## Shade Tree NJ (Dec 26, 2010)

We go by amount as that’s what the customer is used to here.


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## wishfull (Nov 22, 2017)

Just seems danged complicated to me but if that's what your customers are used to I guess you have to go with the flow. Try slowly retraining your customers a bit. We did here and now every one wants it done by the push or seasonal cause it's easier for them to budget for the winter they say.
Just my 2 cents is all so as long as you get paid that's the main thing.


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## Shade Tree NJ (Dec 26, 2010)

Per push with some of the cheap customers they will be holding back or arguing that wasn’t trigger amount for smaller storms. I wish was an easier way, would make billing a lot easier.


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## wishfull (Nov 22, 2017)

On seasonals customers only complain if you are not in there often enough so triggers are not really an issue here unless the contractor wants to make a fuss. Others getting there snow done by the push see there next door business done so they usually don't complain about triggers unless of course you have an extremely high trigger such as 4" then maybe. Every one of our commercial customers leave it up to our discretion so no problems. We do good work, they know it, they are happy and we get paid so we are happy. Easiest way we could make it for us but understand other areas are different. It's what you get used to sometimes I guess.


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## JT&SONS (Jun 17, 2018)

Yeah, I like the idea of sending a report on snow totals after each storm. I have a couple 1/2in triggers a big 1in trigger and all residentals are 2in trigger but billed per push with in pricing 2-4 4-6 6-8 8-10 that way when the snow piles up while I'm working commercials I get paid for the extra amount
Most of my customers would rather wait till it's done then they only get charged for one push. I don't know maybe it's going to be nuts im up to 102 drives taking on 13 more then that's it.


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