DIY Plowing vs. Professional Plowing

Sep 20, 2018 | Snow removal

It’s slowly approaching that time of year when the temperature drops and the snow begins to fall. If you live in cooler climates, you know that at one point during the long winter, you will be dealing with the effects of the snowfall. You have two options:

  1. Deal with the snowfall yourself.
  2. Get the help of a snow and ice management professional.

Before you decide which option is best, here are the pros and cons of each option.

Doing It Yourself

  • Convenience: homeowners usually choose to plow their own lots because it is more convenient. The reasoning behind this is because it might seem easier to do the job yourself and leave out the middle man.
  • Timeliness: Time is crucial when it comes to being faced with multiple inches of snow – some owners would rather just get it over with and do it themselves rather than wait for someone to do it for them. But snow removal is a time consuming task and it could take hours to complete depending on the size of your property. Hiring someone who can come straight in the morning to clean your property means you will be saving yourself time.
  • Cost: cost is usually a serious consideration. People often think – why pay someone for a job you could easily do yourself? If you purchase your own plow, the investment to plow your own lot might be more cost effective, but the wear and tear on your vehicle, atop of insurance costs may not be worth the temporary savings.

Hiring a Professional

  • Hard Work: plowing your own lot can be a hard and physically grueling task. There is a level of expertise needed to manage plowing and de-icing without injuring yourself.
  • Liability and Safety: snow and ice-related removal injuries occur quite often during the winter months. There is always the chance of slipping and falling if you decide to do it yourself. Hiring a professional will help take away that risk.
  • Economics: initially, you might be saving a few dollars, but doing it yourself is not actually that sustainable. Hiring a professional will allow you to budget for the service, and then not have to spend too much thought on it since you know it will be taken care of.

Whether you decide to enlist the help of a professional or do it yourself, it’s best to figure out what you need and decide from there.