3 Best Plans On How To Manage Your Edmonton Snow Removal

Snow removal contracts can be difficult to navigate when you are first starting off.

“What’s the easiest way to arrange for the service?”

“Which service contract is right for my property?”

Do you have to pay “per push,” each time a snowfall requires the contractor to plow your property? Or, is a seasonal contract a greater approach to maintaining your Edmonton property and keeping your residents or employees safe?

Do you want to pay only when it snows enough to require removal? Or, do you like to have a “set it and forget it” approach and lock in a price for the full season?
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We like to offer our customers the option to customize their plan to allow them to choose the option that best fits them. Let’s go through some of the options that Macsson Snow Removal offers in Edmonton.

Property managers and property owners may choose to “pay per push”, where they call us when snow falls, our crew clears their property of snow, and they receive an invoice for the costs associated with the snow removal.

The customers that love working with us often agree to 2-4 year contracts, where we offer a fantastic rate for the full season in exchange for their long-term business. This benefits both parties, as we get to know your property well and how to maintain it best, and you get a great rate that you won’t need to renegotiate. If snow removal prices go up, you are still getting the reduced rate.

Some condominiums and businesses prefer to set a monthly rate for all-inclusive snow removal services, so whether it snows 3 inches or 30 inches that month, the price is still the same. This type of contract is renegotiated or re-tendered each year/season.

There is often a plan that is best for each property, and we will help you find which snow removal plan is best for your condominium or business.

1. Pay Per-Push, Pay Per Snow Fall

Pay per Push contracts are great for managing a tight budget. If there’s no snow, you don’t pay, and you only pay for what is removed.

On the other hand, this type of contract requires diligence in calling us ahead of time when anticipating snow. Our clients with seasonal contracts are always scheduled early into our rotation, as we know as soon as it snows that it needs to be taken care of.

We base our per-push pricing on snow depth and accumulation. There are set prices for “per push” for 3 inches, 6 inches, and >10 inches of snow.

This is because it takes longer to clear a build-up of 6 inches of snow than it does to clear 3 inches, especially if the snow is built-up and trampled from previously uncleared snowfall.

Pros of Pay Per Push Plans

• Manage costs. Tight budget this month? Perhaps you take care of the snow removal yourself.
• Shop around. Perhaps you want to maintain a relationship with several snow removal companies. If you don’t like the responsiveness of one company, you can try another.

Cons of Pay Per Push Plans

• Higher pricing per inch of snow. On-call services are often priced higher for the amount of snow, as the snow removal company accounts for non-snow days in their seasonal and long-term contracts.
• Slower response time and lower priority. Snow removal companies will prioritize their long-term customers ahead of on-call customers because we know exactly what needs to be done for our long-term customers. On-call customers often get added to the route at the end of the day and that will make the snow removal take longer and cost more, since the snow is likely trampled and will take longer to remove.
• You need to be diligent about booking the snow removal ahead of time. On days that it snows, snow removal companies are rushing to get to their customers as early as possible. If you call the morning of, you may not get service that day as most crews already have their hands full. 

 

2. Multi-Year Seasonal Contracts

Multi-year contracts are based on the average amount of snowfall in the region, with a big discount due to the predictability of the contract. Multi-year contracts give customers the best value for their money and is the easiest to manage.

In one winter, we could get up to 70 snow days in Edmonton. In the case of the pay-per-push plans, that can be 70 phone calls you need to make to schedule a snow removal company to come and service your property.

The fixed cost is what property managers and property owners like about multi-year contracts. They don’t have to worry about a “snowpocalypse” doubling their snow removal expenses in a month.

A multi-year contract is right for property managers and owners who have a predictable budget and would like to get the best value for their money.

Customers with long-term contracts are favored by snow removal companies. Loyalty is a two-way street.

Pros of Multi-Year Seasonal Contracts

• Best value for your money. Multi-year contracts are heavily discounted and have the lowest total cost.
• Personalized service & high prioritization. You’ll get to know your contractor and they will make sure you are taken care of.
• Predictability. No more worrying about fitting into schedules or having to constantly renegotiate.
• Low-maintenance and peace of mind. You won’t need to call for service or wonder when it will be dealt with.

Cons of Multi-Year Seasonal Contracts

• Inflexibility. If you aren’t happy with your contractor, you may need to cancel the contract and source a new contractor in the middle of the season. If it is due to negligence or breach of contract, you should be able to cancel quite easily without any fees.

3. Seasonal Contracts

For properties that are high-risk and high-traffic, you need to have a predictable snow removal service. You want safe sidewalks and walkways that are cleared of ice and snow, no matter the circumstances. They require immediate response after a snowfall.

Seasonal contracts are a nice in-between of pay-per-push and multi-year contracts. They are flexible, predictable, and well-priced.

This is the best plan for most customers, as it allows you to lock-in a rate for the season and ensure you are taken care of any time it snows.

Customers that want to shop around and try different contractors will do well with a seasonal contract. We find that many of our customers will initially start off with a seasonal contract, and then transition to a multi-year contract.

Pros of Seasonal Contracts

• Great value for your money. Often much cheaper than pay-per-push, and if it’s a new contract then you’re going to get a competitive rate for the season.
• Personalized service & high prioritization. Similar to the multi-year contract, you will be prioritized over pay-per-push customers.
• Predictability. Same as multi-year, you won’t need to schedule anything for your snow removal. Set it and forget it.
• Flexibility. If you’re not satisfied with the snow removal company, you can always re-tender to new contractors next year.

Cons of Seasonal Contracts

• There are very few cons associated with this type of contract, which is why it’s the industry standard.
• It has the flexibility of easily changing contractors, with similar cost-savings and predictability of a multi-year contract.

Summary for Edmonton Snow Removal Contracts

When hiring a snow removal company, check around online to see who offers the best service for the best price. Check reviews, look at their website, and call around to friends, family, and businesses to see who they use and who they recommend.

Make sure you understand the different types of snow removal companies. Some specialize in single-family homes, some specialize in condominiums and businesses (like we do).

Finding the most reliable snow removal company to clear your snow is essential to keep your residents, employees, and pedestrians safe.

If you are in the Edmonton area, let us know how we can help. We offer multiple plans that will fit your property and we keep a close eye on the weather to ensure we can respond as quickly as possible.