How To Keep Commercial Snow Removal Affordable This Winter
If you own a commercial property, then one of your biggest maintenance costs in the winter is likely that of snow removal. You can't do without it; your parking lots and walkways need to be clear. That does not mean, however, that you have to pay out the eyeballs for snow removal. Here are a few ways to keep commercial snow removal costs more reasonable.
Consider whether there are areas that you can leave uncleared
Rather than just having all of your lots and walkways cleared, consider which ones you really need cleared. If you get less business in the winter, maybe you can have just your front parking lot cleared and leave the back lot. Perhaps you can stop clearing the walkway to the side entrance of the building and have everyone enter through the front door until the snow clears. If you can cut down on the spaces that a commercial snow removal company has to clear, you'll reduce the cost of their services.
Look into longer-term contracts
See what contract options your local snow removal companies offer. Often, the longer the contract you sign, the more you will save. For example, a company may charge $500 a month if you sign a one-year contract, but only $450 a month if you sign a two-year contract. If you do sign this longer contract, you will want to make sure you really like the services of the company you hire. So consider hiring them on a one-month contract initially, and then if you like the work they do, sign on for a longer contract to save in the long-term. If the company you are currently working with does not offer discounts for longer contracts, then it's time to do some comparison shopping and consider hiring a different company in your area.
Salt your own walkways
Salting walkways is one of the most time-consuming parts of commercial snow removal. The service technician often has to get out of their plowing vehicle, unload a salt spreading machine, fill the machine, and wheel it around. If you volunteer to salt your own walkways, you will save the snow removal company time, and as such, they are likely to charge you less. Just make sure you do a good job of salting your own walkways; you don't want anyone to slide on ice.
Commercial snow removal can be costly, but there are ways to keep your costs down. Talk to a local commercial snow removal service. Let them know you're on a budget and see what else they recommend.
