FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Tips on Hiring a Snow Removal Contractor
You might consider asking the following questions when choosing a contractor.
1. Does the company have insurance? (General liability insurance specifically covering snow removal operations.)
Precision Landscape Group Inc. has a $2 million comprehensive plan.
2. Are the employees of the company covered by WSIB coverage?
Precision is fully registered with Worker's Safety & Insurance Board and has achieved one of the highest ratings.
3. Is the company licensed by the City of Ottawa? (The City of Ottawa requires licensing to protect residents from fraud, ensure safe snow clearing activities, and to enforce by-laws.)
Precision Landscape Group has been licensed since the City first began this process. All of our vehicles are registered.
4. How long has the firm been operating?
Precision began in 1992. Over the years our business expanded to include all facets of landscaping and snow removal. We have been clearing snow with Bobcat loaders since 1995.
5. Does the company have solid references in your area?
Precision has hundreds of references. We service private homes, shared driveways, condominiums, parking lots and commercial properties. We will provide you references in your neighbourhood if you wish, or feel free to ask your neighbours who use our service.
6. What type of equipment will be used?
Precision primarily uses Bobcat skid-steer loaders to clear driveways. Snow blowers are used to clear downhill sloping drives and walks. Plow trucks are used for commercial lots, with skid-steers helping with touch ups around parked vehicles and curb lines.
Our equipment selection is geared to keep your property as clean as possible while maintaining safety for our staff and reducing the risk of damage.
We do not sub-contract other firms to do work for us. Furthermore, we no longer accept contracts from other snow removal companies. We are dedicated to our clients! We own a small fleet of Bobcats, snow blowers, several dump trucks, and plow trucks. We do rent additional equipment for the winter season to compliment our fleet.
7. How will the company communicate with you?
Precision Snow Removal has adopted several strategies to communicate with our customers and those relying on our service. Keeping our customers informed is second only to clearing their snow!
Precision has invested in technology that will often allow us to send you voice and email messages regarding our snowstorm action plan, and our schedule. This also means that our customers or their tenants may have an opportunity to move their cars prior to our arrival.
We leave an updated message on our voice mail system during snowfalls. If you are curious about our progress or about other issues, feel free to call the office and listen to the updates and if you require more information, please leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as we possibly can. Please note that during a storm it is can be very difficult to return calls in short order because of the frantic nature of our business.
You might also want to follow us on Twitter! Snow updates and other information about our snow business is only a click away at http://twitter.com/precisionsnow.
8. Do you have emergency back up?
This is something that many companies claim, but Precision actually has! Our 'team leaders' have smaller routes that they do at the beginning of the storm; this frees them up throughout the balance of the snow event. We also have several back up drivers that are generally available if we need extra help, and we specifically rent an extra skid steer that sits the whole winter, unless we have a break down. Precision puts great deal of resources into emergency back up.
