What You Need To Know About The Snow When You Hire Someone To Cle

There has been a lot of complaints and criticism of how the local municipalities have been dealing with clearing the roads and snow removal in general.

The snow has been falling and Western New York, after all, it is February and it feels like we are living in a cross between a snow globe, the planet Hoth from "The Empire Strikes Back" and an Ansel Adams picture.

The other day I woke up around 6 am, looked out my window, and saw a person on a tractor plowing, pushing, and dragging snow out of a lot. No big deal right? However, there was no cab to sit in to get away from the cold and snow. This trooper was sitting atop of the tractor out in the elements. I watched, shivered, and went back to the warmth of my bed thinking how fortunate I am to have someone willing to move mounds...literally.

Now whether you own your own business, live in a place that takes care of snow removal or you are tired of doing it your self and you are looking to hire a crew to remove the fluffy, heavy, white stuff. The Better Business Bureau has some tips on what to look for and what questions to ask when trying to hire a snow removal company or individual. According to the bureau:

Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Upstate New York reminds everyone to do their homework before hiring a snow removal service. In addition, because of the ongoing labor shortage, if you have an existing contract check with your provider to ensure you will have service this winter. By doing so, you will know to be on the lookout for prices too good to be true, fly-by-night operations, and other red flags.

Now obviously they are not talking about hiring the neighborhood kids to clear a path or shovel the driveway. These helpful tips and advice are for those looking to hire a contractor for the season to clear out either your commercial space or residential areas.

The key takes aways should be, look for experience. Get more than one estimate. BBB recommends you get at least three estimates before deciding. Ask for all the costs upfront to avoid any surprises. Keep in mind the lowest price doesn’t always mean the best service.

Beware of scams. Remember even if a business appears to be reliable, it does not mean it is. When a company is reluctant to answer questions, won’t supply proper information, or is unwilling to offer references – there could be cause for concern.
Check with us. BBB provides background information, complaint history, and resolution to complaints in our Business Reviews. Check out snow removal services at bbb.org.
Report a scam. If you spot a business or offer that sounds like an illegal scheme or fraud, tell us about it through BBB’s Scam Tracker. BBB’s Scam Tracker provides information on trending scams in our area.

According to YELP there are a few snow removal companies in the area you may want to look into.

And remember if you are into shoveling snow yourself, take your time and rest when needed. Lift with your legs, not your back, and throwing half of the shovel full of snow may take longer but you will not be exerting as much energy and effort.