Where do you fit in?

[Stove]

I am just wondering where everyone fits in. I have been plowing myself for 6 years, but rode in a plow truck as the "shovel man" for 10 before that. My father plowed for the state for a long time. He then bought a plow for the old farm truck to plow out the landladies' drives, and our grocery parking lot. That plow later was put on my old 83 k1500, old western cable operated 7.5. We decided to start subing 6 years ago. We are kinda in between, meaning we do not have our own contracts, but we have "our lots and locations" and they never check on us because try real hard to do it good.

IT seems that we are not the norm, because lots of subs around here don't really give a crap about the job they do, just want the coin. Kinda get in because they think they can make a buck. Here that is hard to do, our winters are very hit and miss. I am sure most do not carry proper Ins.

So when did you make the jump from plowing for someone and plowing for yourself. Here the storms are 1-2 inches, so you have to get up and go check the properties and maybe not make a darn cent. I kinda like to get the call and go. I wish we only got more snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll settle for any snow at this point.

[windmill]

I have all my own contracts. Started with my son and then when I bought Supergreen I started for myself. Working for my son the first year was great, any equipment I was breaking was his.:) j/k

[jt5019]

I Started out as a small father/son landscaping company with 5 mowing accounts about 6 years ago.We now have over 20 mowing accounts(most by word to mouth) and have started on the plowing end.I have 19 residental driveways and three small/medium commercial accounts .My father has since handed the business over to me due to him becoming a full time firefighter.He still helps on his days off but most of the work is left to me and a helper when i get real busy.Being only 23 i think its a great oppertunity to get a decent sized business going for myself.It hasnt been easy though and i expected that.Sometimes things seem to be going great, sometimes i question if im doing the right thing.Eventually i would like to be able to get a larger truck and contract with the state or local pub works,but that would be way in the future.

[Mick]

Bought a plow and have always had my own accounts. Always been a one man operation. Never shoveled or plowed for anyone else as an employee or a sub.

[AL Inc]

I have my own contracts with my landscape clients. I have always tried to be "full service", where we take care of the lawn and landscape, as well as the snow in the winter. :cash Mike

[thannigan]

i have 2 sometimes 3 driveways that i do,and usually ride along with other guys who have more accounts as the shovel man. Hopefully in a few years i can get more accounts.

[slplow]

I took over my fathers plowing route when I was 16. The only subbing I do is salting and that only happends when my friends 1988 ford breaks.

[Pickering Snow]

This makes my 16th year plowing started out with a 79 ford and subbed for about 6yrs then picked up more and more contracts in 1994 i took out the DBA for Pickering Snow bought two trucks and brought my big bro on to help financed his lawn care buss and cont to grow in 97 i took over for a guy i had subbed for from the begining he trusted and belived in me that i would do the best job of taking care of his cust when he retired his account list with resi totaled 250 i sold half the list to two diff contractors and kept 75 commerical cream of the crop jobs and picked 40 resi cust from that over the years we have lost and gained jobs. during that change over i purchased the 00 superduty like it so much i ended up with three more, not sure at this point were i want to take the buss part of me wants to grow part of me wants to downsize part of me wants to have a life after 16yrs of working three jobs iam tired bone tired!!

[szorno]

We're in our 28th season. Many years as a single truck operation. A couple years as a sub. Now we have 5 trucks and a loader. We are subs to an excavation company for our largest account. All others are our own. Just need more snow! :cash

[jakegypsum]

Our work is mainly based on accounts. Properties and lots that we have been clearing since 1980. Mostly everything we do is commercial application but we do some residential work also.
Once our accounts are taken care of, I will see if some of my friends need help in any way. Jake.

[Dan725]

One man operation couple of years in buisness. Mostly stick to home renovation though. Snow money is nice for extra:cash been slow lately with the holidays so the couple of storms has helped. Always willing to sub but haven't met anyone who needs help.

[niteman9]

I sub for a landscape company for extra money. My day job is unpredictable so can't get my own contracts. I may be out town. So far the last two years that hasn't happened.

I started back in the 80's in collage. I did it for spending money. I bought 68 Chevy and put a 7'6" Meyer on it. I plowed for three years before it went to plow truck heaven. Then I bought a 76 ford F-250 with a blown engine. Put and engine in and used it one season. Then I bought a 78 dodge ramcharger with a fisher and got he contracts as well. Then I finished school and go a full time job and did not have a plow truck for about 10 years.

In 1996 I bought the Dodge I use now. It had 25,000 miles on it and came with the fisher plow. I used it for my driveway and a few neighbors until last year when I started subbing. I am thinking of putting a driver in the dodge and hanging a blade on the Ford.

[ManForAll]

I am a sub for another local company to start the storm, and usually plow about 4-5 hours for them (roughly 22 accounts). Then I go hit my accounts (roughly 30). For a "normal" push (2"-3") I am usually done in about 9 hours.

The only real reason I sub......not getting up every hour to check the conditions. Let someone else call and wake me up, then still get my folks done in plenty of time.

[Dfrenzy]

I have my own contracts consisting of about 35 commercial and 15 residential. Two of my accounts are pretty large jobs and one of those i partner in with another contractor on it. That one is a medical facility which takes three trucks about 3.5 hours to plow and three guys on sidewalks abot the same as plowing. i have been plowing now for twelve years i run two f250's and use a new holland tractor as a back up. In the off season i have a lawn service consisting of around 80 contracts as well as landscaping. I also run a lake erie fishing charter.

[snocrete]

This is my 4th season in snow removal...first winter I subbed myself/bobcat/ and 2 shovelers to a larger snow removal contractor in the area with some bigger commercial accounts.......each winter since then I have aquired more of my "own" accounts, a kicka** sidewalk crew, more equipment, and have some of my own subs now....The biggest part of my snow removal is still subcontract work though...the contractor I started out in the beginning with has sold almost all of his equipment off, but retained his accounts ( actually picked more up ) and I have been the replacement for the majority of that equipment sold...........Its nice to have my own accounts but its also nice to be a sub......so i like this setup for now.......and I think the guy I sub to does 2 :D

[4playoffroad]

I have had my own plow truck since i was 17 and have subbed and had my own contracts since. now i am twenty five and sub for the city and still have my own contracts. also do landscaping, construction and i have a 4 wheel drive/ welding fab shop. i do whatever pays

[ducatirider944]

I sub 2 trucks and a skidloader out to a landscape and snow removal company. It is set up like my own accounts, my crew is always responsible for the same lots and we are the only plowing equipment in there. I don't have to worry about some clown that doesn't have a clue what they are doing being in the way. I don't ever have to pick up a shovel. I don't have to worry about being responsible for sanding and salting. I don't have to worry about lawsuits from someone slipping and falling. I don't have to wait 30-60 days to get paid. I don't have to stay up all night and keep checking how much snow we have gotten. I just go in when I get a phone call. I don't think I ever want my own accounts. I deal with that crap everyday with my main business as a contractor and it's nice to make some decent money with no liabilities other than if I or one of my guys were to hit something while plowing.