For a landscaping company, winter is the long gap. Crews leave, trucks sit, and clients you look after all summer hire someone else the moment it snows. Adding snow and ice work closes that gap. It also changes the business more than most owners expect, because snow work runs on the weather instead of a schedule.
This is a plan for the first winter: what to take on, what to buy, how to price it, and what has to be in place before the first storm.
Start with the clients you already have
Your summer maintenance clients are the easiest first snow clients. You know the sites, they know your crew, and the commercial ones have to hire someone anyway. Offer snow to them before you market to anyone new.
Be choosy. A first season goes better with a tight cluster of sites close together than with a long list spread across town. Every extra kilometre between sites is time your crew spends driving while the snow keeps falling.
Decide what you will and won’t do
- Walks and entrances need people, shovels, walk-behind blowers and spreaders. Your summer crew can do this with the least new equipment.
- Small lots and driveways need a plow on a truck you may already own, or a blade or pusher on a skid steer or compact loader.
- Large commercial lots need bigger equipment and more people per storm. Many first-year operators leave these for a later season.
- De-icing needs a spreader, dry storage for salt, and someone who knows when to apply it. Ice forms on nights with no snow, so it is its own kind of visit.
Equipment: reuse before you buy
Use what you have first: trucks, trailers, a skid steer. Add blades, pushers and spreaders before you buy another vehicle. Price every machine by what it costs per hour of storm work, not just its sticker price; the snow plow truck cost per hour guide walks through the math.
Plan for breakdowns. A storm is the worst time to find out a spreader motor has failed, so keep spares for the parts that fail most, and know which local dealer answers the phone at night.
Pricing: per event or for the season
Most snow work is priced per event (each plowing or de-icing visit) or as a seasonal contract paid in monthly instalments. Per-event pricing pays more in a heavy winter; a seasonal price gives your client a fixed budget and you a steady income in a light one. The guide to per-push, per-event and seasonal contracts compares them, and the free pricing calculator shows the math line by line.
Price plowing and de-icing as separate events. A snowfall usually needs both; a cold, clear night may need only de-icing. If your price includes the salt, work out how much each site takes per application before you quote.
Insurance comes before the first contract
A landscaping policy may not cover snow and ice work, or may cover it with limits a commercial client won’t accept. Call your broker before you sign anything, tell them exactly what you plan to do, and get the certificate your clients will ask for in writing. The snow removal insurance guide lists the questions to ask.
Contracts that prevent arguments
Put the service triggers, response times, priority areas and what counts as a separate visit in writing. The free snow removal contract template and contract clauses explained are a starting point; have a lawyer check the final version.
Draw the scope. A simple map of the areas you will clear and treat settles most arguments about a missed walkway before they start.
On-call crews and storm nights
- Decide who is on call each week, and how they are reached at 3 a.m.
- Agree standby and storm-hour pay before the season, not during it.
- Plan routes so the sites that open earliest are done first.
- Set a rule for rest. Long storms run past the point where people drive safely.
- Keep a printed storm checklist in every truck.
Keep a record of every visit
In summer a missed visit costs a callback. In winter a missed or undocumented visit can turn into a slip-and-fall claim. Record the time, the location, photos and the material put down at every visit, made at the site rather than written up later. The slip-and-fall documentation guide covers what a good record includes.
Software for the winter side
Landscaping software is built around a weekly schedule. Snow runs on the forecast: routes start when a storm does, and every visit needs a time-stamped record. If your summer tool doesn’t handle storm nights well, running a separate tool for winter is common.
Icey Software runs the winter side: per-event or seasonal quotes with the salt included, which clients can sign online; a storm board for dispatch; and a crew app that records GPS, times, photos and material at every visit. You can import your existing clients and sites from a spreadsheet, and the Free plan covers up to 5 operator seats and up to 15 active sites, with no card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a landscaping company offer snow removal?
It can keep crews employed and clients loyal through the winter, but it adds night work, liability and equipment costs. Start with existing clients whose sites are close together, get insurance in place first, and price plowing and de-icing as separate events.
What equipment do I need to start snow removal?
For walks: shovels, walk-behind blowers and a spreader. For small lots and driveways: a plow on a truck, or a blade or pusher on a skid steer or compact loader. For de-icing: a spreader and dry storage for salt. Reuse what you own before you buy.
Does landscaping insurance cover snow plowing?
Not always. Some policies exclude snow and ice work or limit it. Tell your broker exactly what you plan to do, and get it confirmed in writing before you sign a snow contract.
How should I price my first snow contracts?
Work out your cost per hour for each crew and machine, the time each site takes, and the material each application needs. Then choose per-event or seasonal pricing, and price plowing and de-icing as separate events.
Related guides
Run your snow business on Icey
Dispatch, GPS, salt logs, quoting, and e-sign contracts in one place. Free for crews of up to 5 operators — no demo call: sign up and add your first sites today.
Start free