Buy a snowblower or hire a snow plowing service?

[boomerang]

Plow jockeys are going to quote you one of two ways and it's a crap shoot for both of you. It's either by the push or a contract. It's pretty easy to figure out which benefits who depending on the frequency and amount of snow you receive. Also, most will only plow when there is x inches of snowfall.

I'd get the snow blower and do it myself. I hand shoveled 300 feet of driveway for about a decade. It wasn't too awful bad but when we got those back to back snowfalls, it was a drag. We also get the occasional 'big snow' and it's miserable to try and hand shovel 8" or 12" of snow. I bought a snow blower and never regretted the purchase. What used to take me 2 hours or more became 45 minutes. :thumbsup: I had one year here where I never had to use it at all. We had light snows and frequent melts.

Last year we spend the winter in Florida. I hired a guy that had done work for me several times before (spreading mulch, fall cleanup, etc.) to plow the drive to make it look like the house was occupied. I came back to rolled up turf, an uprooted shrub and deep ruts in the yard. Despite his assurances in the fall that he would fix any damage he created, three calls to him would not bring him out to even look at the damage let alone fix it.

I'll be rolling the dice this year. The driveway will remain as mother nature leaves it until we return in the spring.

 

[shortylickens]

When you need the service EVERYONE will be calling it at the same time. You should get a little blower so you can pull your car out in an emergency.



http://www.snowjoe.com/prodshelf.asp?dept_id=100006&parent_id=0


I think I'm gonna order that narrow one.

 

[olds]

Plow jockeys are going to quote you one of two ways and it's a crap shoot for both of you. It's either by the push or a contract. It's pretty easy to figure out which benefits who depending on the frequency and amount of snow you receive. Also, most will only plow when there is x inches of snowfall.

I'd get the snow blower and do it myself. I hand shoveled 300 feet of driveway for about a decade. It wasn't too awful bad but when we got those back to back snowfalls, it was a drag. We also get the occasional 'big snow' and it's miserable to try and hand shovel 8" or 12" of snow. I bought a snow blower and never regretted the purchase. What used to take me 2 hours or more became 45 minutes. :thumbsup: I had one year here where I never had to use it at all. We had light snows and frequent melts.

Last year we spend the winter in Florida. I hired a guy that had done work for me several times before (spreading mulch, fall cleanup, etc.) to plow the drive to make it look like the house was occupied. I came back to rolled up turf, an uprooted shrub and deep ruts in the yard. Despite his assurances in the fall that he would fix any damage he created, three calls to him would not bring him out to even look at the damage let alone fix it.

I'll be rolling the dice this year. The driveway will remain as mother nature leaves it until we return in the spring.

My daughter is in Marquette and she texted me some snow fall pictures yesterday. Looks like winter is there.

 

[Red Squirrel]

The issue with snow service is that you work on their schedule they don't work on yours. You'll still find yourself having to shovel at times. If they come after you left for work, great, if they come earlier, then half of it wont be done since the car is in the way. Or when the city plow went by and there's a snow bank, then you end up having to dig out in the morning anyway.

I would get a snow blower. I've been living in my house for 5 years and only use a shovel but year after year I tell myself I need to get a snowblower. By April/May I just get fed up of shoveling and that's when we get the biggest storms. I'll probably get one this year once they go on sale. Department stores tend to be like 5 months ahead when switching seasons so by like January they're already going on sale then they stop carrying more.

 

[NetWareHead]

Get the snowblower so you have an excuse to clear your driveway at 3:30 AM. This year I am going to try using a back back leaf blower to clear snow from places my snowblower won't fit such as a walkway and stairs.

I dislike the pile of snow the plow guys leave at the end of the driveway that doesn't melt until may. At least with the snowblower you can blow it into the street and the city plows then take it away.

 

[waggy]

An honest man would buy a shovel. How much can it possibly snow in Rochester?

when i went to school in Rochester the snow was nothing! just like when i lived in New mexico! no need for a snowblower.......


yeah get a snowblower. they are worth the money.

 

[Jumpem]

Get a snow blower. I would shovel by hand all winter long before letting a plow tear up my driveway.

 

[Murdoc]

Looks like most people are saying snowblower.

A few people mentioned that the plow service may not show up when I want it to. This is what worries me most. At the last apartment I lived in, the landlady had a contract with a plow service. During bigger storms the guy didn't show up until after needed to leave for work, so I would end up having to shovel out the larger drifts around my parking spot and also entrance to the parking lot after the city plows went by. This was miserable. I don't enjoy shoveling.

I like the 4 wheeler with a plow suggestion that a few people mentioned, but my lot is a small village lot, so I wouldn't be able to have fun with it any other time. If I had a larger suburban/country lot I would probably go this route.

I'm still leaning towards snowblower.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

I'm about to spend my first winter in my own house. In preparation for the snowy season, I'm trying to decide whether to buy a snowblower to clear the driveway, or sign up for a snow plowing contract.

The driveway is single width, but about 5 car lengths long with a detached garage at the end.

I'm leaning toward getting a snowblower under the pessimistic premise that the only way to do things right, and reliably, is to do it yourself. Also, I think I would save money in the long run.

What does ATOT recommend?

Factors for a snowblower:
1. It will probably be (much) cheaper in the long run, relative to a snow removal service. At least if you have a long(ish) driveway.
2. You can dictate where the snow goes and when it is removed. Removal service comes when it can.
3. You will generally do a better job than a snow removal service.
4. If you have kids you can use it to build cool snow related stuff (igloos, backyard luge, etc.).

Factors against getting a snowblower
1. It can take a couple years to recoup the investment.
2. They require maintenance (make sure you burn off fuel in the tank before storing for the summer).
3. Snowblowing, though easier than shoveling, is still a bit of work and is time consuming.
4. You have to store a snowblower (can be a PITA).

Personally, I have a snowblower because it would cost WAY too much to hire a snow removal service to clear my 150 foot driveway 25 times a year. Looked into it this year and was quoted $35 a plow. $35x25 = $875/year, which was just under what I paid for my snowblower that has been running great for 7 years now.

 

[boomerang]

My daughter is in Marquette and she texted me some snow fall pictures yesterday. Looks like winter is there.

Yeah, the yoopers get it early. In SE Michigan, many years we don't get our first snow until mid December.

At least with the snowblower you can blow it into the street and the city plows then take it away.

It's funny how things differ around the nation. Doing that is illegal where I live.

Oh and for the OP, I don't know how deep your snows typically are but for snowfalls up to 8" to 10" I think you'd be very happy with a single stage one like one of these. http://www.snowblowersdirect.com/throwers/toro-single-stage-snow-blowers.html I've got an earlier version of the 21" model with a 2-stroke which they don't offer anymore. No need for electric start as it pulls very easy and starts on second pull as it's designed to do. It will pull itself through deeper snows.

 

[bruceb]

I would suggest the snow thrower. I own a 22 inch Snapper 2 stage unit and it does the job just fine. Now up in Rochester, where you get more snow than here in NJ I would suggest a larger frame unit, unless you need to clear a sidewalk with only limited width. Also the more horsepower you can get and the larger discharge chute, the better you will be. It will move the snow more easily and farther. It will also not bog down or clog up in heavy wet snow. Both Snapper and Ariens make excellent machines. The only time I would suggest a plow service is if you can't physically do it yourself or like when I lived in Wanque, where some homes had a very long, winding driveway, going Uphill to the home / garage. You did not want to do that one with a snowthrower, especially the first pass going downhill.

 

[3chordcharlie]

It looks like I'm the only contractor in this thread, and according to the 'war stories' I wouldn't hire any of you as customers:

If you want to chase price to the bottom, you will almost certainly get poor, unreliable service.

If you want good service, ask the right questions ([my answers when I am asked[/I]

1. Do you have a time commitment?
we have a touch-time of approx. 4-6 hours to clear all driveways and most sidewalk with tractor-snowblower or rubber plow so you are mobile. Front walks and tidy-up of driveway edges sometimes takes a little longer, especially in heavy snow

2. Do you have commercial contracts which will take priority over my driveway.
No. Residential snow is our only winter business.

3. Will you monitor city plows to clear the driveway end in a timely fashion.
Yes. We will monitor and record what has been done by city plows after a storm. We can generally clear your drive-end within 1-2 hours if you phone in, too.

4. Do you have the staff and equipment to deal with a foot of snow in a timely fashion.
Yes, we can maintain our touch-time up to 8-10" snowfalls. At a sudden 12" dump, our touch time would likely be 8-10 hours. We also start service at 5-6" depth to ensure you will (almost!) never be stranded.

Other answers are not 'wrong' but may be reflected in the cost of service.

First you decide what's important to you, then call 2-3 contractors and find a good fit. I generally suggest signing up with a mid-priced service, then evaluate during or after the year - are you getting what you want? Then, if you really want good service, call me

note: That Ariens deluxe is a nice unit. One of our walkway/tidy-up crews uses the 30" model and loves it.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Most plows have a soft leading edge that they replace, but they can still do damage to your driveway.

I suggest going with the snowblower AND getting a good snow shovel.... If you have asphalt, get some of the driveway salt stuff too to melt the snow/ice when the temps aren't too low.

 

[JulesMaximus]

An honest man would buy a shovel. How much can it possibly snow in Rochester?

I used to live in Rochester, it can snow a lot there.

Lake effect snow is brutal. Not as bad as Buffalo but it can still get a lot of snow.

Go Bills!

 

[NetWareHead]

A few people mentioned that the plow service may not show up when I want it to. This is what worries me most. At the last apartment I lived in, the landlady had a contract with a plow service. During bigger storms the guy didn't show up until after needed to leave for work, so I would end up having to shovel out the larger drifts around my parking spot and also entrance to the parking lot after the city plows went by. This was miserable. I don't enjoy shoveling.

This is the single reason why it pays to do it yourself. You have to be somewhere, wake up early or and do your own driveway and not be at the mercy of a plow guy's schedule.

 

[gorcorps]

I didn't have a snowblower last year and life fucking sucked. I dropped $600 this past Saturday so that doesn't happen again. I'm gonna use the shit out of it.

 

[3chordcharlie]

This is the single reason why it pays to do it yourself. You have to be somewhere, wake up early or and do your own driveway and not be at the mercy of a plow guy's schedule.

There is no question about this.

No matter how good I am, not over-scheduled, no matter how good my equipment is, I cannot be everywhere at once, I cannot schedule the timing of a snowfall, and I do not know exactly when you need to leave.

 

[ch33zw1z]

My house had a corner lot, 2 car garage, about 3 car lengths long and cost $20 per visit to clear. How much is a decent snow blower? $400? So that's 20 visits plus time and energy. How often do you get enough snow to remove? For us it's about 4 times a year so that's 5 years worth of removal.

I didn't buy a snow blower.

bolded: lulz. Yea, upstate NY, how much could it snow?

OP: If you're driveway is 5 car lengths and easy to snowblow, get one or get a quad with a plow on it

 

[MarkXIX]

I bought an electric snow blower last season that works great. Sure, the extension cord part kind of sucks, but once you get used to it it isn't bad.

That said, when it does start to snow, make plans to get on it right away and keep up with it. Once I get about two inches, I'm out there for my first rotation. If you let it pile up it gets much more difficult unless you've got a very expensive snow blower.

 

[slag]

I have a lawn tractor with weights and chains and 5 snow blowers. The snow blowers work best because they throw the snow up and over the bank, but the tractor is by far the most fun to use. The 3 of the snow blowers are simple S200 toros, one is a 5 hp atlas with steel auger, and the other is a sno boy.

 

[mizzou]

This reminds me...when I finally get a driveway installed I want to get a heated one


Dumb question..but don't the cheap $500.00 or whatever sno-blowers useless if the snow level is over a certain amount of inches?

http://www.amazon.com/Toro-38381-18...8&qid=1415812640&sr=1-61&keywords=snow+shovel

 

[shortylickens]

I bought an electric snow blower last season that works great. Sure, the extension cord part kind of sucks, but once you get used to it it isn't bad.

That said, when it does start to snow, make plans to get on it right away and keep up with it. Once I get about two inches, I'm out there for my first rotation. If you let it pile up it gets much more difficult unless you've got a very expensive snow blower.

 

[TwiceOver]

I bought a used one for $300 and haven't looked back. I figure in the two seasons so far I've gotten my money's worth compared to shoveling.

Also, you want a 2-stage with electric start.

 

[waffleironhead]

This reminds me...when I finally get a driveway installed I want to get a heated one


Dumb question..but don't the cheap $500.00 or whatever sno-blowers useless if the snow level is over a certain amount of inches?

http://www.amazon.com/Toro-38381-18-...ds=snow+shovel

With something that small, you either need to go out multiple times over the fall to keep up on it, or you can run into a deep pile and undercut it. When you back out from snow taller than the thrower it will fall, then you go back over the spot.

 

[PingSpike]

I'd never buy the 4 wheeler with a plow unless it was in addition to a snow blower. By the end of a heavy winter plow trucks are often unable to push back snow piles, 4 wheelers have no weight to them and will run into that problem early and often. A big wig at work has one of those 4wheeler plow setups as a toy and every time I talk to him about it he tells me about having to hire a guy with a bucket loader to fix the banks.

I have a snow blower and a brutal hilly gravel driveway. That thing gets the piss beat out of it because it snows an ass load where I am. The thing about the snow blower is no matter how bad it is...you can get the job done. Even when its way over the top of the intake, you fight through the first cut and then you can take smaller bites. I've had to do the whole thing twice because the snow was so high it was collapsing all in as I blew it...but in the end I cleaned it all up. It sucked major ass, but it did work.

If you have a shorter drive, you might try one of those corded electric snow blowers. Amazon had surprisingly good reviews and they're so cheap if they break just throw it in the dumpster and get a new one. I doubt they'll be satisfactory if you have regular heavy snow though. I've thought about buying one as a crude backup and for walkways. Some one linked to battery ones? I doubt those would work.

Those who suggest shoveling either have shorter driveways or it doesn't snow much where they are. If I didn't die in the attempt at shoveling my driveway I'd be lucky to arrive at work by 5pm the following afternoon.