Is Commercial Snow Removal Right for Your Business?

Make your property safer

Snowfall can be dangerous for customers driving or walking on your property. As a business owner, keeping pathways and parking lots safe is critical for minimizing injuries and reducing liability risks. Many turn to commercial snow removal companies to help out. Let’s review the types of services these companies provide, the benefits and drawbacks of hiring one and whether they’re the most cost-effective way for you to prepare for winter.

What services do commercial snow removal businesses provide?

While every commercial snow removal business is different, many will offer some (or all) of the following services to help you clear snow out of your property’s parking lots, sidewalks, entryways, roadways and landscaped surfaces.

• Snow plowing services. If your organization maintains a parking space or is responsible for keeping its driveways safe, you might need to hire a snow plow. These trucks have massive shovel-like plows mounted to the front and will shove large volumes of snow out of the way so vehicles can maneuver safely.

• Snow removal services. If your commercial space doesn’t have enough room to store the large piles of snow generated from plowing, you can also opt for snow removal. This service doesn’t just move snow around—these businesses gather and remove the large piles that accumulate and haul them away from your property. 

• Snow-blowing services. For lighter snowfall, snow removal companies will walk around your property with a blower and remove build-up from your walkways to reduce the risk of accidents.

• Deicing services. Many commercial snow removal businesses also offer deicing services to prevent driveways and sidewalks from accumulating additional snow or ice once they have been cleared.

• Emergency services. When a roof buckles under the weight of too much snow, or the snow comes in especially hard and fast, that’s an emergency. Many businesses offer emergency response services (some even operating around the clock) and will arrive to clear out snow accumulation when you need them.

• Zero accumulation services. Some properties, like hospitals or long-term care facilities, need to keep their patients or residents safe from slips and falls—some states may even require them to do so. A commercial snow removal service equipped to sign zero-tolerance contracts usually has precipitation tracking capabilities and rapid response times, allowing it to keep accumulation to an absolute minimum.

Benefits of hiring commercial snow removal services

Bringing on a commercial snow removal company to take care of your property gives you peace of mind knowing that your customers will be safe during the cold winter months. Here are just a few benefits. 

• You’ll save time. Plowing snow out of the way, deicing heavily-trafficked areas and keeping them clear can take hours out of your day—or even longer if you have a large property. Hiring commercial snow removal services takes this work off your plate, giving you more time back in your day to spend on your business.

• No equipment is needed. Snow plows are expensive and require special upkeep considerations, not to mention a place to park when they’re not working. Even if you’re clearing snow out by hand, you’ll still need to buy and store shovels, blowers and deicing salt. By hiring a snow removal company, you won’t need to worry about any of that.

• Get a professional touch. Snow removal companies are experts in their field. They work day in and day out to efficiently clear snow and ice while preventing damage to buildings, roads and walkways. They don’t just know what to do, they know the best way to do it.

• Consistent snow removal schedules. Do you need to make sure your parking lot is clear and ready for customers every weekday at 8am? A snow removal company can help make that happen.

Drawbacks of commercial snow removal

While snow removal companies can be beneficial, they’re not always the best fit for all businesses or properties. Here are a few considerations you’ll need to make before hiring one.

• They often need a lot of notice. Hiring a commercial snow removal company takes time. You need to bring them onto the property to determine the scope of work, negotiate pricing and sign a contract. This entire process can take months to complete, and if you don’t start soon enough, you’ll be caught unprepared during the winter months.

• Services can be expensive. Sure, you won’t have to buy a snow plow and other clearing equipment, but you’re also paying another company to do the work for you. Depending on the size of your property and other needs, it may be more cost-effective to manage snow removal yourself.

• It might be faster to do it yourself. Snow removal companies stick to the arrival time and scope of work agreed to in the contract. If you need them to arrive at a different time or do something extra, they might not be as responsive as you’d like. They might have to work around their other clients, and last-minute requests tend to incur extra fees on top of your current bill. If you’re managing snow removal yourself, you’ll have more control over when and how your business can respond to immediate snow removal needs.

Commercial snow removal or doing it yourself: which is better?

There are plenty of reasons to hire someone to take care of your snow, but also plenty of reasons why it might not be the right business decision. So how do you know what to do? Start with a cost/benefit analysis to help you see the pros and cons more clearly. Investigate how much it would cost to hire workers, buy the equipment and manage operations on your own. Here are some of the expenses to add into your calculations.

• Snow plows—the kind that attach to the front of your truck—can cost between $1,300 and $4,000, though some models can be even more expensive depending on their size or any additional features. You also have to have a truck that’s big enough to wield it.

• Labor costs vary depending on the location, and if you don’t have the skills to do snow removal yourself, you’ll need to hire someone to do it for you. 

• Equipment costs for shovels, blowers, deicing salt and other tools, not to mention storage for all of them.

If the cost of these expenses is greater than the cost of hiring a commercial snow company, you may want to consider hiring one to manage your snow removal needs.

Walmart Business+ can help your business prepare for winter

Whether you hire a commercial snow removal company or decide to go it alone, Walmart Business+ is there to help. We’re stocked with deicing salt, snow shovels and other winter preparation gear to help you battle the elements. 

Sign up for a Walmart Business+ membership today and get free delivery from your local store on orders over $35.¹  Your organization will also enjoy exclusive rewards and potentially save over $500/year.²

¹ Restrictions apply. 

² Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business Rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).