6 Non-Negotiables When Hiring a Snow Contractor in Minnesota
When the snow hits, your driveway, sidewalks, and parking lots become a safety issue—not just a convenience problem. Here’s what Minnesota homeowners and small businesses should lock down in writing before the first storm: insurance, contracts, expectations, and what happens when things go wrong.
In July, a contractor mistake is annoying. In January on an icy Minnesota driveway, it can become a broken hip, a totaled car, or a lawsuit.
Snow and ice work looks simple from the outside—“they just plow and throw some salt down”—but the risk profile is completely different than mowing lawns or doing light handyman work. That’s why the snow contractor you hire needs more than a truck and a plow.
Before you sign anything (or hand over cash for “seasonal plowing”), use this checklist to make sure you’re working with a company that’s insured, organized, and crystal clear on expectations.
Verify insurance that actually covers snow and ice work
Not all insurance is created equal. A contractor might have a basic policy for landscaping or handyman services—but that doesn’t mean their coverage extends to plowing your lot or salting your icy front steps.
For snow work in Minnesota, ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from their agent (not a screenshot) that shows:
• General liability with limits appropriate for your property type
• Commercial auto covering plow trucks, not just personal use vehicles
• Workers’ compensation if they have employees on foot doing shoveling or ice control
• Your name or association listed as certificate holder (and “additional insured”
for many HOAs or small commercial lots)
If the policy doesn’t mention snow/ice removal at all, or the agent hesitates to confirm coverage, that’s a red flag. You don’t want a claim denied because the work they were doing wasn’t actually covered.
Get a written contract that spells out the scope—down to the sidewalks
“We’ll keep you plowed out” sounds great until you’re trying to drag garbage cans through a snow berm or your tenant slips on an unshoveled sidewalk.
Your snow contract should clearly list:
• What areas are included: driveway, parking stalls, sidewalks, steps, porch, mail
box access, garage doors, dumpster/garbage corral, etc.
• Where snow gets piled so you’re not blocking sight lines, mailboxes, or
neighbor driveways
• Whether ice control (salt/sand) is included or billed separately
• If they provide roof raking or clearing around vents as an add-on service
If it’s not written, assume it won’t be done. “I thought sidewalks were included” is one of the most common winter misunderstandings between property owners and snow contractors.
Lock in trigger depths and response times before the first storm
“We’ll come when it snows” isn’t a plan—it’s an argument waiting to happen.
A professional snow contract spells out:
• The trigger depth: 1"? 1.5"? 2"? (Smaller sites and steep
driveways often need a lower trigger.)
• Typical response window for overnight snow (for example, cleared by 7:00 a.m.
when it stops snowing by 3:00 a.m.)
• How they handle ongoing storms that last all day versus quick bursts
• What happens with freezing rain, refreeze, or drifting
You want expectations set for school mornings, work schedules, and tenants coming and going—not guessing whether you’re “on the list” or not.
Understand how pricing works—and where the extras hide
Snow work is billed a few main ways: per push/visit, per inch, or seasonal flat rate. None of these are automatically good or bad—you just need to know which structure you’re signing up for and where extra charges can appear.
Ask your contractor to spell out:
• The base pricing model (per event, per month, or full season)
• What’s included in that price (plowing only, or plowing + shoveling + salt?)
• How they bill return trips during the same storm
• Extra charges for hauling snow off site, loader work, or major drifting
• Holiday surcharges or “blizzard rate” policies
A cheap seasonal price that explodes with add-ons can cost more than a fair, transparent per-event contract.
Talk about property protection and how damage gets handled
Curbs, decorative pavers, mailbox posts, garage doors, turf, and landscaping all take a beating in winter. Even good operators will eventually bump something in the dark at 3:30 a.m.
A solid snow contractor will:
• Ask you to mark obstacles and edges with stakes before the season
• Explain how they train their operators to avoid damage
• Have a clear process for reporting and fixing damage (and paying for it when
it’s their fault)
Your contract should say how quickly damage must be reported and how it will be repaired or credited. “We’ll see what we can do” isn’t a policy.
Set a simple communication plan for storms and emergencies
A winter storm is not the time to dig through old emails looking for a phone number.
Before the season starts, agree on:
• The main contact number during storms (and whether text is okay)
• Who decides if extra ice control is needed and how that’s approved
• How they’ll alert you to major changes—equipment breakdowns, delayed routes,
or extreme weather
• Who you call if a serious slip or vehicle incident happens on your property
When everyone knows how to reach each other, you can solve issues fast instead of stewing about it while your driveway turns into a skating rink.
Get peace of mind before you sign that snow contract. Enjoy winter again.
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