Snow storm got you down?
I used to stress when snow fell and my twelve-month landscaping job got grounded by the white stuff. Not anymore. Thanks for a former boss who happens to do a lot of snow removal, I get to clear sidewalks for cash whenever it snows.
Lesson: stay in touch with people, don’t burn bridges!
Turning into a subcontractor is a win win situation. I get to make some cash instead of sitting at home and the company gets good help with snow clearing. Pushing snow is physically demanding, even if you use a snow blower. Do it for ten straight hours and you’ll feel it.
Since the multiple-family sites we service are obligated to clear their sidewalks, they pay companies good coin to do it for them. By-law infractions and lawsuits after accidents are both awkward so this is where contactors come in. Of course, using your regular landscape workers can drain them physically and mentally. Imagine three straight days of snow-clearing from 6 am to 6 pm. It can get old very quickly.
Sub-contractor advantage
Why would you hire Red Seal Vas as a subcontractor? Well, I’m eager, ready to go, good-looking and I’m not a regular employee. I get paid straight cash for my time and it’s up to me to report my income at tax time. And since I’m a sub-contractor, the company hiring me isn’t paying any fees it usually pays for regular employees. Think provincial medical fees, old age pension, etc.
If there is no work tomorrow, it’s totally fine. I’m not an employee. I’m just really good at begging. When there is snow-clearing work, I get picked up at home and dropped off at the end. It’s common for an e-transfer to arrive within hours after finishing.
The crews run from two to five people and you get to meet all sorts of people. When staffing is really tight and tons of snow is on the ground, it’s not uncommon to see Labour Ready temporary dudes. Some show up without jackets and gloves.
Regular employees voluntarily fill me in on company gossip and I have fun observing them. Normally, at my day-job, I expect complete team work: everybody moves. But on some of these snow days people sit in the truck while I’m snow-blowing, which is nuts. You can pick-up a snow shovel and help out.
Conclusion
Landscapers who don’t mind some snow-clearing labour can make cash on days when there isn’t any landscaping work. Snow days used to stress me out but now I have a really good set-up. I prefer to move and make money. And some of the snow days like yesterday are beautiful.
