Professional landscapers often expand their business offerings to include commercial property maintenance, providing snow and ice removal through the winter months. Although winter seems evasive lately, you know it’s eventually going to snow this year.
Before you invest time and materials into adding snow removal services to your business model, though, make sure you’re strategic in gaining contracts that help cover the costs of any snow removal equipment you invest in, as well as its maintenance.
You’ll want to get annual contracts, preferably with commercial properties where your margins are going to be higher than those from residential. Read further for tips on how to get snow removal contracts.
Reach Out to Business & Home Owners Associations
Seek out the property managers of local businesses and the heads of homeowners associations and meet them in person.
Have testimonials and portfolios showcasing your work along with you. If you’re just starting out and haven’t got a portfolio specific to winter maintenance, showcase your professional landscaping and property maintenance skills and offer a special discount to help launch this facet of your business.
Is this new service featured on your company website? If not, add it and promote it on the site’s home page. Consider featuring in a banner image or slider on the home page a month or two prior to winter to get it in front of site visitors before snow predictions are even a thought. If you get in front of them before other snow removal contractors, you might gain them as your clients.
Make Sure Contract Details are Clear
Don’t use general terms in your contract for snow removal. Make sure the frequency, the methods, and specific coverage areas are detailed. Nail down where the client expects snow to be piled once plowed. This sample snow removal contract is a good place to get an idea of what yours should include.
Consider offering tiered winter maintenance services since winter weather in Pennsylvania and nearby states can fluctuate so much. Offer at-will services at a higher cost per annual contract than services provided upon availability. Offer parking lot winter maintenance as a higher tiered service above merely clearing walkways and de-icing paths, for instance.
You may want to structure your snow plowing services based on snow depth. Set varying prices for up to 4 inches, up to 6 inches, up to 8 inches of snow.
Seasonal contracts should include a fixed price per month for snow services, and the contracts remain active during the 4 or 5 winter months in, say, three years. Give clients who choose a multi-year contract your best value.
Set Up Sustainable Cash Flow
Your payment terms need to be as clearly stated as the details of service. We recommend you allow clients a maximum of 30 business days to render payment before they violate your contract.
What Equipment to Buy for Snow Removal
Eagle Power & Equipment is a full-service snow plow and spreader dealer with some of the best snow removal equipment and attachments on the market from popular brands like Boss, Daniels, Avant, Case, and Kubota.
From snow removal attachments to the loaders or tractors supplying the power, look to us for commercial or residential snow removal equipment.
A skid steer will likely be your most versatile vehicle since it works with a variety of attachments. For heavy-duty snow removal, you’ll also want a backhoe and compact wheel loader.
Read What is the Best Snow Removal Equipment for Contractors? for suggested heavy-duty equipment that could raise your snow removal services to a professional level.
Snow Plow Maintenance and Repair
Our dealership has the most experienced factory trained snow plow and spreader service technicians in Montgomery and West Chester, Pennsylvania, as well as New Castle, Delaware. If you have heavy equipment from a well-known brand, there’s a good chance we can repair and service it. If you’re within our service area, we may be able to come on-site to do repairs.
Contact us today to learn more about snow removal equipment sales, service, and repairs.