Snow blower vs. having the driveway plowed

[cynsaun]

Ok all you snow people, I need your advice. This will be our first winter in NE, and we are trying to decide which is the better thing to use for snow removal: snow blower or paying someone to plow the driveway.

How much do you pay to be plowed out per time plowed?

Thanks!

 

[Pop Daddy]

I pick you should have stayed down south

 

[cynsaun]

Heck no! I look cute in mukluks.

 

[browneyes]

I pick you should have stayed down south

I've never had to shovel snow, and never needed a snow blower.

Cyn, I think a snow blower sounds like more fun than watching someone plow your driveway.

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

Snow blower doesn't work as well if you get a wet heavy snow.

But why are we talking about this, its not even Labor Day yet!

Snow is a dirty word in my book.

 

[Randi]

It all depends on your schedule. Do you need your driveway clear at a particular time to go to work or are you more flexible? If you have a good snow blower that can handle deep or heavy snow,you can usually clear out a driveway and be on your way in a relatively short time.
You may not be first on the list of a hired snow plow and therefore you might have to wait your turn and it could take longer. You also need a place for a plow to push the snow. You don't want it up against your garage door! But it is also nice not to have to go out in the cold either.
Both have good points and bad. Ahhh, New England!

 

[kaseyC]

We live in Northern IL and we pay for snow removal. IIRC, we pay about $30 each time. Its funny, the same lawn care company who does our yard in the spring and summer turns into a snow removal business in the winter.
It"s great! If it snows overnight when you wake up in the morning everything is done, driveway and sidewalks.

 

[cynsaun]

I've never had to shovel snow, and never needed a snow blower.

Cyn, I think a snow blower sounds like more fun than watching someone plow your driveway.

A snow blower is more fun...unless the individual is cute doing the plowing.

The reason I ask is we just put a snow blower on layaway tonight, and we are wondering if it is actually cheaper to have someone come to plow the drive.

Guess who would end up doing the plowing most of the time?

 

[cynsaun]

It all depends on your schedule. Do you need your driveway clear at a particular time to go to work or are you more flexible? If you have a good snow blower that can handle deep or heavy snow,you can usually clear out a driveway and be on your way in a relatively short time.
You may not be first on the list of a hired snow plow and therefore you might have to wait your turn and it could take longer. You also need a place for a plow to push the snow. You don't want it up against your garage door! But it is also nice not to have to go out in the cold either.
Both have good points and bad. Ahhh, New England!

See, my husband sometimes need to leave really early in the morning, so we would need the drive plowed early.

The one we bought tonight is a 9 hp, and is 21" high. It is self-propelled as well.

How many times on average do they need to come per year? I know it depends on how snowy of a winter we have, but just to get an idea of what to expect.

 

[MELSMICE]

The reason I ask is we just put a snow blower on layaway tonight, and we are wondering if it is actually cheaper to have someone come to plow the drive.

LOL - that's the reason we dropped the plowing service. It was costing us about $250 per year. Even with spending $700 on a snowblower it has paid for itself over the last few years.

For us the plow wasn't worth it. My DH is not patient enough & would always go out to shovel before the plow guy showed up. A snowblower is a much better investment at our house.

 

[cynsaun]

LOL - that's the reason we dropped the plowing service. It was costing us about $250 per year. Even with spending $700 on a snowblower it has paid for itself over the last few years.

For us the plow wasn't worth it. My DH is not patient enough & would always go out to shovel before the plow guy showed up. A snowblower is a much better investment at our house.

That sounds just like my husband! He feels much better having read your response!

Thanks!

 

[merrily]

We have a snow blower and a plow. Snowblower has never been used! That said, I think that snow plow prices will go up quite a bit this winter due to gas prices so it would be more economical to buy a blower. Also, if you decide to go the plow route, check with friends and neighbors about who they use and are happy with. And don't wait until the first snowfall to find someone. Welcome to NH!

 

[cynsaun]

We have a snow blower and a plow. Snowblower has never been used! That said, I think that snow plow prices will go up quite a bit this winter due to gas prices so it would be more economical to buy a blower. Also, if you decide to go the plow route, check with friends and neighbors about who they use and are happy with. And don't wait until the first snowfall to find someone. Welcome to NH!

Excellent point! I hadn't even thought of the gas prices!

Thanks! We are very happy to be here. Only 6 more days until we move into our house!

 

[Crankyshank]

It really depends on the driveway. We've got a long narrow drive and it would be difficult to get a plow into it. I know very few people who get their driveway plowed now that I think about it.

My husband thought I was crazy when the first thing I insisted we purchase for the house (before furniture or anything else) was a snowblower. He learned pretty quickly just how smart his wife is

 

[Jenn Lynn]

My IL's have a blower attachment for their John Deer riding lawnmower. You can also get a plow to go on the front. My parents neighbor has one. He does a lot of the neighbors driveways/sidewalks because he likes to 'play' with it. I would go with the blower.

 

[NMAmy]

DH says the best money I ever talked him into spending was for that snowblower. And now I don't worry about him dropping dead from a heart attack (or have to help him!) It only takes about 15 minutes with the snow blower to do our drive and sidewalks. He also leaves for work early (about 5:30 a.m.) and it's quite difficult to get the driveway plowed at that time.

My mom, though, has hers plowed. It seems like it costs her about $30 each time. She is retired, though, and often doesn't leave the house at all when it snows so it's not such an issue timewise for her.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

I am the snow blower queen!! . . . .DH is never home when it snows because he has to be out in it for his job. . .Honestly, I HATE it! It is fairly simple to operate, its just that it is a HUGE pain! Our driveway is on an incline so I have to wait until the sun starts to come up or I'll slip and slide down the driveway because it'll start to freeze up (this has happened to me before). Last season I wasn't thinking when I went out before sunrise and I was moving right along . . .well, after making a 2nd pass down the driveway I realized it turned into a sheet of ice when I slipped and fell and the snowblower kept continuing down the driveway into the road . . . Ok, so you learn from your mistakes. I also live on a corner lot and have to plow a large area. After a few snow falls, you get really sick and tired of having to do it . . .especially if the wind is blowing and the snow is in your face and then your face starts to sting . . . .ugh, thanks for reminding me . . .

If it was my choice (which it isn't) I'd hire someone to do it. I guess it all depends on how large an area you have . . .Good luck with your decision . . .

 

[QuiltTeddy]

Depends on how you look at it.

We bought a snow blower (it then didn't slow at all the first winter) and thought we spent too much money on it. However, now some 5 years later, we've made back our money and some. Had we had to be plowed every time we needed to use the snow blower, we probably could have bought 20 snow blowers.

 

[stinkerbelle]

At our first house - DH said "oh - the driveway is small - I'll just shovel this year"
heheh..we got dumped with 18" one day. heheh
so he bought a plow...did our driveway, our friends across the street, and the couple next to them (the guy had had a heart attack and the wife was out there doing it - DH felt bad.)

it definetly made things easier and he could do it when HE wanted to...not just wait until the plow came.

2nd house...longer driveway...I'll just use the snowblower he said.
he was out there for nearly an hour and a half! heheh

next day - went and bought a plow for the front of his truck...sold the snowblower to my father to keep at my grandmother's house...and still goes and does our old neighbor's driveways when it's a heavy snow! (He loves his plow!)

but - IMO - better to have the option of doing it yourself then waiting...you'll save over the course of time.

and welcome to New England! (don't forget to buy a leaf blower too! heheh)

 

[cynsaun]

and welcome to New England! (don't forget to buy a leaf blower too! heheh)

Thanks! We are very happy to be here....finally. It has been five LOOOONG years to finally get here, but here we are. Now, we only have 6 days until we move into our house! Just in time to rake the fall leaves!

Thanks for all the advice from everyone! We are so green when it comes to this stuff. I'm sure our neighbors will be laughing at us this winter, while we are out there trying to figure out how to work the snow blower!