Winters in Greater Chicago can bring a variety of weather, from light snow to heavy snow and ice. Your choice in professional snow removal services will make a world of difference in how these situations are handled.
Properly managing ice buildup and snowfall on your commercial property is crucial.
Jump to Section
- What Should I Look for When Hiring Snow Removal Companies?
- What Are the Best Questions to Ask a Commercial Snow Removal Company?
- Do I Need a Contract for Commercial Snow Removal?
- How Much Should Commercial Snow Removal Cost?
- Should I Pay for Snow Removal Per Visit or on a Seasonal Contract?
- Choosing Commercial Snow Removal in Greater Chicago
Whether you run a school, industrial site, healthcare facility, retail center, office park, or homeowners’ association, maintaining functionality and ensuring safety are top priorities.
In this article, we’ll dive into some of your common questions about choosing commercial snow removal services.
What Should I Look for When Hiring Snow Removal Companies?
Here are a few qualities to look for when choosing commercial snow removal services.
Commercial snow removal experience and knowledge
Anyone can hop into a truck with a snowplow and clear snow from your commercial site, but that doesn’t guarantee the job meets your property’s needs.
As a facility manager, your priority is to ensure effective management and safety for everyone on site. Opting for commercial snow removal services staffed by knowledgeable personnel experienced in snow and ice management can significantly improve your winter maintenance outcomes.
Commercial snow removal capacity
To do this work effectively and efficiently, your snow and ice removal professional can’t take on too much work, or else they won’t be able to service your commercial property in a timely fashion. This can cause delays for your business. Make sure your commercial snow removal professional has the time to prioritize your site.
Along with that, you also want to make sure that they are fully equipped with the right equipment and the right number of people. You want to choose a robust service that has the resources you need to get the job done.
High-level communication and responsiveness
Nothing is worse than being in the dark during a snow event. If you’ve ever been in a situation where you could not reach your snow removal service or you felt you weren’t being kept up-to-date, then you know how frustrating this feels.
When you’re a facility manager juggling multiple areas of your commercial property, you want to know you can count on snow removal companies for service.
Keeping you in the loop gives you confidence that you know what’s going on and that work is getting done.
Making sure that you hire a snow removal service that has these qualities (and more) comes down to doing your research, which we’ll talk about next.
What Are the Best Questions to Ask a Commercial Snow Removal Company?
Before hiring a snow removal company, do your research and choose wisely. That means actually reaching out to the companies you’re considering to find out whether they are the right fit.
Knowing the right questions to ask can help you choose commercial snow removal services.
Here is what we recommend asking:
Do you service similar commercial properties?
This can help you gauge whether they are experienced, knowledgeable, and equipped to handle a property like yours. You don’t want your property to become a “guinea pig” if a commercial snow removal service has never handled a property of your caliber or size.
How many crews, trucks, and backups do you have?
Again, this is about getting a sense of whether the company is equipped to handle your property. If you operate or manage a large commercial site in Greater Chicago, you likely need larger equipment to handle heavy snow and ice.
This means skid-steers, loaders, and sidewalk snow removal machines. You also need larger amounts of salt and deicing products.
What are your snow/ice trigger levels and service timing?
It’s important that this aligns with your expectations and needs. Many commercial clients, like hospitals and retail centers, are “zero tolerance” - meaning they must address all events in order to reduce liability.
What areas are covered (lots, sidewalks, ADA, entrances)?
This should be clearly defined in advance and then spelled out in commercial snow removal contracts. The last thing you want is to be surprised the day of a snow event that your property isn't maintained to your expectations.
How do you handle ice, refreeze, and freezing rain?
You want to make sure your property is still monitored after the storm.
Do you provide service reports and communication during storms?
Communication is one of the most common gripes about snow removal services. You want to be kept in the know at all times.
Are you fully insured and experienced with slip-and-fall claims?
Slips and falls are serious matters, so you want to make sure you choose commercial snow removal services that are experienced with claims.
Do you use a written contract, and how is pricing structured?
This is helpful information. You do want to make sure that commercial snow removal contracts are in writing. A verbal agreement is not enough. Formal documentation is important.
Do I Need a Contract for Commercial Snow Removal?
Yes, you should have an official commercial snow removal contract. Having a contract protects both parties by clearly defining:
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Scope of work (plowing, salting, sidewalks, etc.)
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Snow depth triggers and service timing
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Pricing and what’s excluded
Most commercial clients and insurers expect a written contract, and it helps avoid disputes and manage risk.
How Much Should Commercial Snow Removal Cost?
It is important to understand that professional snow removal services do not come with one-size-fits-all pricing. There are several factors to consider.
These include:
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Property size & layout (parking lots, entrances, sidewalks)
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Service level (just plowing vs. salting, ice management, and hauling snow)
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Frequency and severity of snow events
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Response time requirements (overnight, weekend, 24/7 service)
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Equipment & labor needed
As with any service, you’ll find that different professional snow removal services likely charge different amounts. It’s important to understand what you're getting for your investment. Not all snow removal services are equipped to handle every property (not only in terms of size and scope, but also in terms of expectations).
It’s important that you invest in a company that will deliver what you need.
As you research the average cost of commercial snow removal in Chicago, remember to ask your service provider many questions to gain a thorough understanding of their services, contracts, and pricing.
Should I Pay for Snow Removal Per Visit or on a Seasonal Contract?
There are different ways to pay for snow removal services. Here are a few thoughts.
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Paying per event is good for unpredictable winters
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Paying hourly is helpful for irregular and complex properties
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A seasonal contract is best for budgeting and guaranteed service
Most commercial properties ultimately choose to have seasonal snow removal contracts planned in advance.
Choosing Commercial Snow Removal in Greater Chicago
Choosing commercial snow removal services is not always an easy decision for a property manager. Your property may have unique priorities, and the weather is never the same from year to year. On top of that, you want to make sure your needs and budget align.
And you certainly don’t want to be caught off guard in the middle of a bad Greater Chicago winter.
As you look for the best commercial snow contractor for you, remember to ask potential service providers many questions so you can assess their experience and quality of work. You want to build a partnership for winter services to ensure you are never surprised or left in the lurch when a snowstorm hits.
If you still find yourself having a hard time choosing a snow and ice management company that will fit your property’s needs, give KD Landscape a call. We know that finding a service professional you trust can be challenging.
We have experienced many different Greater Chicago winters and can help you navigate this unpredictable season, ensuring your commercial site remains open and safe.
Want to learn more about how KD Landscape can help you manage snow and ice on your Greater Chicago commercial property? Get started today with an on-site consultation. We’ll review your options together so you can feel confident and make a great choice.
