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Blog
Snow
If you want to stop crossing your fingers and hoping for snow, you need to start treating your fleet and your crew as the two most powerful tools you have—and make sure you’re using them right.
Day 3 of the Snow n’ Tell series, featuring Jason Drews (Granum), Adam Linnemann, and Sahra Linnemann (The Green Executive), dug into the nitty-gritty of equipment and labor management. If Day 1 was about the math and Day 2 was about the people, Day 3 is about maximizing the dollars you spend on your iron and the hours you pay your team.
The business is hard, and the industry throws curveballs: finding the right people is tough, you’ve got expensive gear sitting around waiting for action, and things like salt shortages and insurance bills don’t help. At the heart of it all is the main headache: you can’t predict the weather. That’s why, as Adam Linnemann points out, snow removal needs to be treated like the high-risk, high-reward emergency service it is—and priced to make all that stress worthwhile.
“It’s a very profitable business, and as we go through the webinar today, I think we’ll gain some more insight on some things to do to make more money and to run it more efficiently.”Adam Linnemann
“It’s a very profitable business, and as we go through the webinar today, I think we’ll gain some more insight on some things to do to make more money and to run it more efficiently.”
Before investing in expensive new iron, evaluate what you already own. Smart snow contractors leverage their existing fleet—like skid steers, mini track loaders, or even zero-turn mowers—by adding appropriate attachments (blades, snow pushers, etc.).
Your goal should be to utilize that equipment 12 months out of the year, not just nine.
The debate between leasing, renting, and owning equipment comes down to risk tolerance and long-term strategy.
Renting or leasing is a powerful leverage point for growth or for securing large contracts that require dedicated, site-specific equipment (like a large loader).
When choosing equipment, the most efficient solution depends on the job site:
Crucial Note: As Sahra Linnemann suggests, there’s a quick turning point where a machine becomes more cost-effective than using a truck, paying for itself in reduced time and happier operators.
Lost time—driving between sites, idling, or standing by when conditions don’t require service—is lost revenue.
Over-salting is a major profit leak. Calibrating your spreaders is crucial for managing material costs and environmental impact.
An untrained operator can spend 30% more time on a site than a seasoned pro. Investing in training pays for itself immediately in efficiency and liability reduction.
Protecting your equipment and labor planning requires having contracts that are built for the unexpected:
This is the third in our six-part Snow n’ Tell recap series:
Ready to drive snow profitability and cut turnover by 20–40%? Schedule a demo to see what LMN & Greenius can do for you.
You must calculate the true hourly cost of ownership for every piece of equipment, even if it is fully paid off. This calculation must include funds to cover future replacement value and annual maintenance/repair costs. As the article states, your pricing needs to earmark cash for the day the machine wears out, ensuring you can afford to replace or upgrade your fleet when necessary.
The article recommends maximizing the utilization of your existing fleet first. Before investing in expensive new machinery, look for opportunities to repurpose existing equipment (like skid steers or mini track loaders) by adding appropriate attachments, such as snow pushers or blades. This approach helps control equipment costs, which typically account for 10–20% of your total pricing.
The key is to eliminate unbillable time. This can be achieved by:
Investing in professional, paid weather forecasting to ensure crews are deployed only when needed.
Using on-site camera systems at remote properties for real-time conditions, which prevents a foreman from needing to stand by on-site.
Ensuring proper training to increase operator efficiency; an untrained operator can spend 30% more time on a site.
Over-salting is a major profit leak because it wastes high-margin material. You can prevent this by calibrating your spreaders annually. Calibration allows you to know precisely how much ice melt is being applied at specific travel speeds. You should then use snow management software to set clear targets based on the property’s square footage to ensure appropriate application.
Protect your business by using contracts that feature both Floors (Minimums) and Ceilings (Maximums). The “Floor” is a contractual minimum or retainer that guarantees coverage of overhead in a low-snow year. The “Ceiling” is a maximum service limit for seasonal all-inclusive contracts, which prevents you from losing money in an unusually severe, high-snow year.
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