Plowing sucks

[mrusk]

First time plowing. 12 hours in skid. Plowing sucks. Go to go to work on 3 hours sleep now.


Talk to you later

[Mbella]

First time plowing. 12 hours in skid. Plowing sucks. Go to go to work on 3 hours sleep now.


Talk to you later

Matt, it seems sleep deprivation improves your spelling. There isn't one mispelled word in that post.:pound: Just kidding. I know you can take it.

Yes, 12 hours in a skiddy sucks...been there done it. I might be in the minority, but I love snow removal.....Let me repharase that: I love the revenue from snow removal and I like being out during the storms. We have a good group of guys and have a good time....most of the time.

Yesterday, we got paid to watch it rain for twelve hours. My sleep pattern is officialy messed up for the season. I woke up at 1am this morning and it felt like 6am. Have a good night, I'm going to bed.

[mrusk]

I am only a sub, so I am not making the big bucks. Next year I will only plow if I have my own accounts.

[custom patios]

i remember those days all too well. theres plenty of work out there. go for it dude.:hippie:
steveo

[tthomass]

What are you pulling per hour for the skid? I'm a sub at $90hr for my T190. Next year I'm looking to get with VDOT........$130hr as I understand it.

[Mbella]

What are you pulling per hour for the skid? I'm a sub at $90hr for my T190. Next year I'm looking to get with VDOT........$130hr as I understand it.

What is the average snowfall for that area?

[Colonial]

MBella,

I love the revunue and being out there plowing, its the bs and PITA customers that ruin it. I went down to doing 3 locations this year. within 100yds of my shop and 1 mile of my house, just to see if it was fun again. We did the same thing sat around for 10 hrs watching the rain wash the salt away, oh well still getting paid. Like i said in a previous post if I could find something to replace the $$$$ i would be out of it. Oh well tis is life.

[mrusk]

What are you pulling per hour for the skid? I'm a sub at $90hr for my T190. Next year I'm looking to get with VDOT........$130hr as I understand it.

I am only getting 75 a hour. I could of gotting 90 if i plowed for a different company, but like the plow site and company better for this gig. Its a 5 man crew at this site which i like alot better then the other companies that wanted me to do sites alone. I did not like the idea of spending 12 hours by myself in some parking lot incase something broke or if i had a proablem.

It just seems like if you spend some time getting some plow accounts on your own, you could easily do 200-250 a hour.

[Mbella]

MBella,

I love the revunue and being out there plowing, its the bs and PITA customers that ruin it. I went down to doing 3 locations this year. within 100yds of my shop and 1 mile of my house, just to see if it was fun again. We did the same thing sat around for 10 hrs watching the rain wash the salt away, oh well still getting paid. Like i said in a previous post if I could find something to replace the $$$$ i would be out of it. Oh well tis is life.

I have piggybacked off of larger companies and limited my services (with the exception of one customer) to the hardcore sites that will pay you to err on the side of caution.

Sometimes, it's a PITA, but most of the time it's good and I can't think of anything, short of winning the lottery, or marrying a sugarmamma, that would pay better in the winter.

[HRLand]

I started at 7:30 am yesterday picking up leaf piles with the loader because they were too wet for the vac. Got to bed at 6 AM today. I hate snow!

[Mbella]

I started at 7:30 am yesterday picking up leaf piles with the loader because they were too wet for the vac. Got to bed at 6 AM today. I hate snow!


Good Morning HR. Now, your sleep pattern is officialy srewed up.

[Colonial]

Welcome Hr to winter hours, lol. I have been up since 2am. I am trying to wait as long as possible before i go to bed, so maybe I can feel somewhat normal tomorrow. That will then be screwed up by the storm that not one weather person can figure out wth it is doing. What is the point of having a 400 million dollar satellite in space and 80 million in doppler radar, when you cant even tell me , for sure, what is going to happen 14 hrs from now!!!

Sorry getting tired and cranky.

[Mbella]

Welcome Hr to winter hours, lol. I have been up since 2am. I am trying to wait as long as possible before i go to bed, so maybe I can feel somewhat normal tomorrow. That will then be screwed up by the storm that not one weather person can figure out wth it is doing. What is the point of having a 400 million dollar satellite in space and 80 million in doppler radar, when you cant even tell me , for sure, what is going to happen 14 hrs from now!!!

Sorry getting tired and cranky.

Actually, I'm glad they don't have it down to an exact science. Think of all the times you were paid to watch it rain!!!

[tthomass]

we only get about 5 events a year I'd say? usually always less then 10"......every few years we'll get a good pounding......we are due for another one.

[HRLand]

I've been pushing snow since '95 so I'm very familiar with winter hours. I don't mind the hours too much it's the type of storms we've had lately. We got 2" at most but with the freezing rain it's much harder on the shovelers.

Any of you do residentials? I have a hard time saying no to our maintenance clients and that's where most of the time is spent. Most driveways here can't be pushed in and back dragging the frozen stuff is not easy.

[CaptainsLS]

You guys crack me up. I just walked in. We are DONE. Thurs from 8pm - Sat 5pm. No breaks. That sucked. I had to buy a new truck on thursday night to keep up with it.

[Colonial]

LOL, captain, get some sleep we are sending more crap your way. this is why if I lived in MA I WOULD NOT PLOW SNOW

[CaptainsLS]

Sleep? What the hell is that? Nope, I'm taking the skid over to do some more clean up. With my luck this will be the only event of the winter.

[Andrew Hardscape]

We stopped plowing about 5 years ago.

The money is fantastic, that is if you know how to plow without tearing your trucks up.

But pick up trucks are not intended to be used for plowing snow. Show me one glossy 4-color brochure from any U.S truck maker that shows a truck with a snow plow on it and I'll send you a $50 gift certificate to your favorite national chain restaurant.

Loaders are intended for moving material, such as soil, sand, gravel, and SNOW!

These guys that buy $40,000 pick ups and them put $4000 snow plows on them are foolish foolish foolish. Just way too much money for a gig that is highly suspectible to bent frames, fried transmissions, busted transfer cases, and damaged body panels.

I hated the hrs. If they called for it to start snowing at 4 am, I'd have to start waking up at 1:30 to look out the window, and repeat every 30 minutes. So before you even started - you're already deprived of sleep.

So, I just work harder to sell hardscape work. Last year we became licensed to install septic systems, which can be done as long as it's not too muddy - which offsets the loss of snow / ice control income.


With a view out the back of my home like this, who would want to be out plowing snow?!!

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e124/DVS360/8fa4ba6c.jpg

[Sodking]

2 storms this week..both 12"...and I am one of those idiots with the new $40,000 truck with the $5000 plow....

[Mbella]

2 storms this week..both 12"...and I am one of those idiots with the new $40,000 truck with the $5000 plow....

I guess at $200 something plus per sq.ft. for walkways, you can afford those new trucks.:)

Andrew, where's the river?

[Andrew Hardscape]

The river is on the other side. Good tubin

[Mbella]

The river is on the other side. Good tubin

Looks sweet. If you don't mind, post more pics of the prop. I'd like to see your kitchen, living room.... just kidding. Seriously, I'd like to see more pics of the property. I live in a cookie cutter subdivision (has it's benefits) and enjoy looking at pics of props. like yours.

[lawnkid]

Well I just totalled my hours up. 34 hours straight in the International for the storm we got Sunday into Monday. I think I'm gonna go into a coma now. We got another blizzard in the forecast for Sunday.

[Mike 33]

We stopped plowing about 5 years ago.

The money is fantastic, that is if you know how to plow without tearing your trucks up.

But pick up trucks are not intended to be used for plowing snow. Show me one glossy 4-color brochure from any U.S truck maker that shows a truck with a snow plow on it and I'll send you a $50 gift certificate to your favorite national chain restaurant.

Loaders are intended for moving material, such as soil, sand, gravel, and SNOW!

These guys that buy $40,000 pick ups and them put $4000 snow plows on them are foolish foolish foolish. Just way too much money for a gig that is highly suspectible to bent frames, fried transmissions, busted transfer cases, and damaged body panels.

I hated the hrs. If they called for it to start snowing at 4 am, I'd have to start waking up at 1:30 to look out the window, and repeat every 30 minutes. So before you even started - you're already deprived of sleep.

So, I just work harder to sell hardscape work. Last year we became licensed to install septic systems, which can be done as long as it's not too muddy - which offsets the loss of snow / ice control income.


With a view out the back of my home like this, who would want to be out plowing snow?!!

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e124/DVS360/8fa4ba6c.jpg
I have 1 of those 40k plus trucks but my plow was over 5k and a 2k salt spreader. Yes plowing does suck and always looking out the window. They do offer plow prep on trucks and i would say plowing snow is probably the worst thing you can do with a truck. But where i live like today you cant hardscape at 20 degrees. But that is why i buy a truck like this to work with. i only keep my trucks for 3 years. I will say i make enough from plowing to actually pay for a truck every winter though. Also 1 of the down falls i cant go to daytona 500 or on a cruise in the winter.
mike

[Meanix]

If you don't abuse the pick up it will be fine. I agree there is some extra wear, as long as your not slamming piles and wash the salt off you should be ok. That is if you bought a ford.

[Mbella]

If you don't abuse the pick up it will be fine. I agree there is some extra wear, as long as your not slamming piles and wash the salt off you should be ok. That is if you bought a ford.


It also depends on what type accounts you are servicing. On our accounts, we RARELY even need 4wd. We are on site before the snow begins to fall. The only time we need 4wd, is when the snow is wet and falling at a rapid rate.

[CaptainsLS]

Am I the only one that can’t sleep if it’s snowing? 2 am and just waiting till 4 to hit the sanding run. (rubbing it in for Mbella)

[Ground effects NH]

Am I the only one that can’t sleep if it’s snowing? 2 am and just waiting till 4 to hit the sanding run. (rubbing it in for Mbella)

Sleep :pound: That has been reduced to naps. This winter has been unbelievable so far. Storm after storm. If we are not pushing it were sanding. Now, we are receiving (2nd round) calls for push back of snow banks. Unofficially at the house we are at 89" looks like no problem reaching 100" this year. I signed up for a ICPI class for Feb 11& 12 Please, Please no snow.

[mckeeland]

yeah, yeah, yeah, thats OK, when its march and we are laying pavers again making real money$$$$, you guys will still be pushing that damn snow.:dance:

[cgland]

Snow is our most profitable service by far.

[mckeeland]

but it doesnt snow enough to produce consistent revenue, at least not here in south jersey.

[mpickel]

More pictures of snow please.:dance: it snows once every five years here. We only get ice that you can't see until you hit it.

[Mbella]

More pictures of snow please.:dance: it snows once every five years here. We only get ice that you can't see until you hit it.

Yeah, I'd like to see some pics of snow too. I'm starting to forget what it looks like.

Captain, like Jay said, we'll be screeding sand for pavers while you are waiting for it to melt and posting questions like, "anybody ever lay pavers on snow?" "If so, how did it hold up over time?" LOL

Ahh yes, I am jealous. No snow here. We're still poking away at some jobs, but I would like to see that white gold falling from the sky.

[-EGLC-]

It just started to snow here.........maybe we'll get enough to actually be able to plow!

[Ground effects NH]

Snow is our most profitable service by far.
:thumb:

Yeah, I'd like to see some pics of snow too. I'm starting to forget what it looks like.

Captain, like Jay said, we'll be screeding sand for pavers while you are waiting for it to melt and posting questions like, "anybody ever lay pavers on snow?" "If so, how did it hold up over time?" LOL

Ahh yes, I am jealous. No snow here. We're still poking away at some jobs, but I would like to see that white gold falling from the sky.

:smow::hail:
A few, I will post more later this week. Oh in one of the photos, it is a car.
As of 2:00 it just started snowing again, calling for 5-8" Sweeeeeet

[Mbella]

Bill, did you at least check to make sure there was nobody in that car?

[Ground effects NH]

Bill, did you at least check to make sure there was nobody in that car?

You know, maybe I should. I have not received last month’s payment.:noidea:

[Ground effects NH]

This is called a plow proof mail box accessorize with a logging chain.

[Majesticman]

Snowmobile? Get a Yamaha Rhino with tracks and write it off and machinery.

I used to move snow 20 years ago until the cut throats started charging 35 and hour while I was 100. Too many farm boys around here.

I like to take a couple of trips to the Islamorada Florida each winter to dive and go fishing. For snow I go skiing a couple of times. If you are in the snow business you have to stay home.

[mckeeland]

Snowmobile? Get a Yamaha Rhino with tracks and write it off and machinery.

I used to move snow 20 years ago until the cut throats started charging 35 and hour while I was 100. Too many farm boys around here.

I like to take a couple of trips to the Islamorada Florida each winter to dive and go fishing. For snow I go skiing a couple of times. If you are in the snow business you have to stay home.


thats what i have done the past two seasons. i got married last year and decided not to plow. i was able to take several ski trips that i was unable to do years past. did the same thing this year, but next year i might get back into it again. i am helping a buddy of mine this year so he can have a little flexibility and take a vacation if he wants. kinda got the itch back now.

[Mbella]

Snowmobile? Get a Yamaha Rhino with tracks and write it off and machinery.

I used to move snow 20 years ago until the cut throats started charging 35 and hour while I was 100. Too many farm boys around here.

I like to take a couple of trips to the Islamorada Florida each winter to dive and go fishing. For snow I go skiing a couple of times. If you are in the snow business you have to stay home.


Ouch! That would persuade me to do something else as well.

[lawnkid]

If you are in the snow business you have to stay home.

Yeah that's definitely one of the disadvantages. I havn't been able to go skiing at all this winter. Been too busy plowing, sleeping, working on plowtrucks, and goin to school. I swear that's all I do in the winter. It consumes all of my time.