How To Choose The Right Commercial Snow Removal Company
A good commercial snow removal company can dramatically improve safety and access to your property during Winnipeg’s harsh winters. Finding the right company for your needs can be tricky; we designed this guide to help. There’s a lot of ground to cover, so let’s get right into it.
Why Reliable Snow Removal Matters For Commercial Properties
Snow removal is an essential service for any business in Winnipeg. Fast, efficient, and thorough snow removal services allow you to:
Give customers and staff access to your property after snowfall
Reduce the risk of liability claims for slip and fall accidents or vehicle damage
Improve the lifespan of your paved surfaces
Not all snow removal companies are the same, though—you want to find a snow removal company that provides you with the services your business needs at the right price. What are those services, and what guarantees should the snow removal company offer you? We’ll answer these questions and more throughout the course of this article.
Essential Services Provided By Commercial Snow Removal Companies
A commercial snow removal contractor should offer a comprehensive suite of snow and ice management services, including:
Snow plowing for parking lots, walkways, and other paved surfaces
Snow removal near the doors of your business
De-icing services
Snow hauling services to move snow off of your property
In addition to snow and ice removal services, your contractor should offer real-time monitoring and emergency response services, so that when the snow falls, they’re there to clear it. You’ll also want to find a contractor with flexible contracts; this will allow you to tailor your commercial snow-clearing contract to fit your needs.
Key Factors To Consider In Choosing A Snow Removal Provider
When choosing a snow removal company, there are a number of factors you should consider. These factors include:
Response time
Snow clearing capacity
Knowledge and experience
Services and plans offered (de-icing, sanding, snow hauling, etc.)
Price
To find the right contractor, it’s important to compare a number of different snow removal companies; doing so will allow you to narrow down your list to the contractors that offer the services you need on the right budget. Throughout the rest of this article, we’ll explore each of these factors in greater depth.
Customizable Snow Removal Plans For Business Needs
Each business has its own unique needs—your snow removal plan should reflect those needs. A company that’s only open from 9-5 Monday to Friday may not need snow removal services on weekends—it can wait for snow to be cleared until the weekday. A large retail shopping centre, on the other hand, may need snow removal anytime snow hits, day or night.
Snow removal plans usually occur on an on-call basis (as needed) or on a seasonal contract, where snow clearing is automatically triggered after a certain amount of snow falls. Some companies offer dedicated, on-site equipment for large properties—others charge per inch/cm of snow cleared. Understanding how different snow removal contracts operate can help you determine your average cost per season.
Snow removal companies also offer different services. Businesses may need walkways cleared, paths cleared to storage units and other services; others just need snow removed from their parking lots. Tell the snow removal companies you contact about your needs; they will help you determine whether or not their snow removal plans are the right fit.
Eco-Friendly & Safety-Conscious Snow Removal Practices
Eco-friendly snow removal doesn’t mean clearing snow with nothing but shovels (fuel-efficient, but time-consuming)—instead, it means using de-icers and other products that are less likely to damage plants or get into waterways. Opting for an eco-friendly snow and ice removal service can lead to a healthier lawn and landscape when spring comes around.
Safety-conscious snow removal in Winnipeg is something you don’t want to compromise on; it’s important to ensure that your snow removal company has the proper insurance and certifications. Certifications like the Certified Snow Professional (CSP) certification offered by SIMA can show that a snow removal company has the expertise to complete projects efficiently and safely.
Customer Reviews & Reputation: Assessing Snow-Clearing Quality
You’ll have a lot of questions to ask each snow removal company you contact, so it’s important to filter out less reputable snow removal companies from the start. The best way of doing this is by looking at reviews.
Yelp, Google, and Better Business Bureau are all excellent sources for reviews when you’re looking for a snow removal service. Don’t just stop at how many stars a business gets; look at the reviews themselves and try to understand the pros and pain points of a business.
Value, Cost, & Reputation In Commercial Snow Removal
These are the three factors you’re balancing when you’re looking for professional snow removal. A totally unknown company might offer lower costs, but has no reputation—you won’t know whether or not it offers reliable, safe snow clearing in Winnipeg.
On the other hand, a company might offer you a snow-clearing bundle full of services that you don’t actually need—the cost goes up, but you’re not really getting extra value out of the additional services.
To get the most out of hiring a professional snow removal company, you have to know what you need and how much you’re willing to pay for it. We hope that by reading this article, you’re one step closer to understanding the balance of value and cost that’s right for your business.
Final Checklist For Selecting Your Snow Removal Partner
Understand what your snow removal needs are
Think about how frequently you want snow removal service
Look at reviews to find reputable contractors
Call those contractors to compare services and costs
Calculate how much snow removal will cost you on average each year per company
Find the right balance between cost and value
Looking for commercial snow clearing for your commercial property in Winnipeg? We can help—call Bulger Brothers today!
