Some of our most popular blogs have been about Topsoil, Firewood, and Planning for Spring. Other blogs have been about Permit Processes, Sales Processes, Lawn Renovation, Snow Plowing, and Mulching, just to name a few.

Today I just wanted to let you know about some blogs that I’ll be posting in the future:

Cleaning & Sealing of your brick pavers
Polymeric Sand vs. Fine Sand
Building your own retreat space
Permits & the many new regulations for a lot of the villages in the Chicagoland area

I’m looking forward to continuing posting blogs.

If you have a topic or subject you’d like me to discuss regarding landscaping or landscape materials, please don’t hesitate to submit it to me via my web site at www.agvangundy.com.

Going into Christmas, the event looked like it was going to be more of a rain event, with some flooding, than a snow event. As we all know, it changed on Friday night to all snow and continued to snow all day on Saturday. So, the first question is when should your snow plow provider be at your facility to plow it? Conventional wisdom may suggest that the provider wait until after the event is finished and complete the plowing on Sunday. This is possible, especially for commercial accounts where business is not normally conducted on Saturday or Sunday; however it may not be the option for residences nor for businesses that are open on Saturdays and Sundays (i.e. restaurants, retail operations, banks…). Often when cars start driving on the unplowed surfaces the snow becomes compacted and unable to be scraped clean at a later time. Also the equipment has a harder time pushing and lifting the snow when the quantity of snow is higher. Depending on the site, and the restrictions of the property, plowing may have to be done several times just to be able to clear it later. Also, plowing of the “lanes” to open the site or like on our residential accounts, just quickly plowing the main drive may have to be done just to keep accessibility to your facility/residence.

On these several day events, after everything is plowed and the equipment is returned to the shop, a small dusting of snow may happen or some drifting may occur. On a zero tolerant account, this usually isn’t an issue, as a heavy salting would cure this. These types of accounts pay a premium for this level of service. Other clients may wonder or question why the service provider doesn’t just wait for 100% of the snow to fall and then start the plowing operations. The answer is simple, if the provider waited for all of the snow to fall, the time needed to complete a full plowing operation would interfere into the next day at your business or home. Another reason for not waiting is that it is common for temperatures to drop right after a snow fall and that could lead to freezing of the fallen snow and that would deter your provider from completely finishing the plowing. Finally, waiting in most cases, creates hardships for both clients and employees, as well as being hindering to your provider from giving the best service possible.

During these drawn out events, it is hard enough to predict what Mother Nature is about to do and often weather fronts can either stall or hasten or return with lake effect snow. The most important thing is to align yourself with a good, experienced snow plow contractor that has new modeled equipment and give or has thought out back up plans.

Always remember “Snow Happens” and often when no one wants it or at the most inconvenient times.

We here at A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc. & A.G. Landscape Materials, Inc. would like to wish you all a safe and wonderful Holiday Season and especially a very Merry Christmas.

As we wrap up the year, I would also like to thank all of our customers, vendors, associates and employees for making this past year remarkable. May the New Year, 2010, be a year of prosperity, health and happiness to all.

If you are in need of anything during the holiday weeks, like firewood, bulk salt, or snow plowing services. We are available to help you. We are located in Roselle, near Schaumburg & Bloomingdale.

Our hours during Christmas week are:

Monday (12/21/09) – Wednesday (12/23/09) 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Thursday (12/24/09) 8:00 a.m. – Noon
Friday (12/25/09) – Sunday (12/27/09) Closed

During New Year’s Week our hours are:

Monday (12/28/09) – Wednesday (12/30/09) 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Thursday (12/31/09) 8:00 a.m. – Noon
Friday (1/1/10) – Sunday (1/3/10) Closed

We will reopen on Monday 1/4/10 at 8:00 a.m.

For Snow Plowing or Salt needs, if an event occurs, we may expand our hours. However, if you do call and no one is available to answer your phone call, please leave a message as we do check our messages frequently during snow/salting events.

Again, Merry Christmas!

First, snowplowing is usually performed with a truck (or loader) with a snow plow blade “pushing” the snow to a pre-determined location.  The blade is curved to “dig” into the snow.  Often, as in the case of residential areas (driveways), the snow plow may have to be dropped near the garage door and the snow “pulled” back down the driveway toward the street.  This procedure is called “back dragging”.  When a surface is back dragged, it can sometimes leave a light skim of snow on the pavement, especially where traffic has occurred prior to the plowing.  This is common and should be expected.  This can also be topic of disagreement between the client and the service provider.  The customer needs to also realize that it is impossible to get right up next to the garage door with the plow; therefore, a “trim” of shoveling at the garage door will usually be needed.  Manual shoveling may add additional costs to the snow plowing price.  Shoveling usually has the best results, as it doesn’t leave much of a skim, except where traffic has occurred.  Shoveling, as discussed above, is usually an additional charge or drives the cost up.

Snow Blowing is also considered a manual service, although most of the work is done with a machine.  The contractor walks behind the snow blower and angles the snow off of the surface.  Snow Blowing can also leave a light skim.  Snow Blowing is commonly performed on sidewalks and walkways when you have a snow plowing contract, if shoveling is not done.  Again, this is usually an additional cost to the snow plowing price.

When setting up your contract with a service provider, it is pre-determined when the snow plowing will occur (i.e. 1”, 2”, or even “plowable snow”).  When these inches are determined, it is for the actual snow fall.  There are times, because of blowing or drifting of snow, that you may have more snow on the surface than actually fell.  When this situation occurs, you may have to contact your provider and inform them of the need for a plowing.  Depending on how your contract is set up, there may be an additional charge for having to dispatch a truck.

This brings me to the next topic of setting up a contract with a service provider.  Contractors set up their contracts differently.  Some contractors will charge 1 fee for the month, based on certain accumulations of snow.  Other contractors will charge per push or per time they plow, based on certain accumulations of snow.  Still other contractors have no set contracts and will plow your driveway based on individual calls (when you want the service, you call and a truck is dispatched).  There are usually no set fees with this type of service and the contractor will base his fee on amount of snow to be plowed and the location.  However, the service provider should give you the price prior to performing the work.  When you set up the contract, be sure that the contract states the scope of work to be done, i.e. snow plow only, snow plowing with trimming with a shovel, and/or shoveling the walkway and/or stairs end to end…  Also, the contract should specify, that in the case of damage to the lawn on the side of the driveway who pays for the repairs.  You should realize that scratches to the surface are common and is usually not the responsibility of the contractor.

If you do decide to contract with a service provider, remember that even the best forecasters don’t know when or how much snow will actually come down – you may need to be flexible.