Frequently Asked Questions
What primary services do you offer?
Dr Snow primarily offers snow removal services, including snow plowing and snow blowing to both residential and commercial properties.
What areas do you service?
DR Snow provides service to most areas in North Bay, to find out if we can effectively service your property, please email us at info@drsnow.ca
When does the season start and end?
The snow removal season starts on November 15st and end April 15th.
What are the rates of your services?
Snow removal rates vary based on property size and location, most residential properties start around $1000 per season.
What methods of payment do you accept?
We accept payment by over the phone or online by credit card (Visa or MasterCard only), debit, cash or e-transfer (we have auto-deposit, so no security answer is required).
We no longer accept cheques as a payment method.
Will there be a contract?
Yes, all customers must sign a Service Agreement (valid from season start to finish) prior to the first service performed. Seasonal service purchasers must also sign a Service Contract stating the agreed services and costs to both parties. This protects you as a customer and us as a business.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes, we have Commercial General Liability insurance.
How can we contact you?
You can contact us by email info@drsnow.ca with your service address in the subject line. You can also call/text us at 705-492-2563, but during a storm, the quickest responses can be provided via email or text.
Do you offer one-time snow removal services?
Yes! Residential one-time prices start at $65.50 per hour, however, there are no service time guarantees as we must service our seasonal properties first.
Do you offer residential walkway services?
Yes! Front walkway services are included in seasonal contracts. We also offer walkway services for North Bay businesses without on-site parking.
Do you spread salt or sand on the driveway if it is icy?
Yes! We offer ice management services to both residential and commercial properties!
Does your equipment scrape the snow right down to the interlock or other hard surface of my driveway?
No, depending on the surface and the nature of the snow, there may be times when our blade can get very close to the hard surface, but for the most part, your driveway will have a thin layer of snow on it, much like our city side streets do after they’ve been plowed.
Can I have my driveway done at a certain time?
Only for commercial properties, but we cannot, in good faith, promise this to residential customers. There are too many factors beyond our control that affect our launch time and when our operator will arrive at your address.
These include:
- When the snow starts
- The nature of the snow (heavy and wet versus light and dry versus blowing and drifting)
- The projected rate of accumulation (we wait for there to be close to 5 cm of accumulation before launching)
- Whether or not a prolonged snowfall is forecast
- The requirement for a daytime launch (which is affected by traffic) or a weekend or holiday launch (which is affected by vehicles parked in driveways) etc.
Typically, you can expect service within 8 hours of our launch, depending on where you are on the operator’s route.
What we can guarantee is that we will always keep you informed of our plans and send you an email notification when we are dispatching our crews, so that you know what to expect. We’ll also send service updates throughout a prolonged storm.
Do you provide a second pass on every launch?
We provide a second pass whenever one is required, which isn’t always the case with every launch. It depends on the nature of the storm and the conditions when our operator arrives at your driveway. If the city plow has already been by and there are no vehicles in the driveway, we may be able to provide a thorough clearing at the time of the first pass and if it’s possible, we will. During prolonged snowfalls, we will provide multiple passes, as required. Sometimes after a very heavy, prolonged snowfall during which our operators require rest breaks, a cleanup may be necessary even a day or two after the snowfall ends
Will you clear the end after the city plow has gone by?
If there hasn’t been a 5 cm accumulation of snow in between snowfalls, it is not in our scope of services to attend solely to remove banks left by city plows at the end of driveways. Since it is impossible to know when and where city plows are clearing streets, we cannot maintain a crew on standby for this purpose.
If, however, the city plow passes between snowfalls and leaves a snow bank at the end of your driveway that you cannot drive through, please email us at info@drsnow.ca with your service address in the subject line and we will send our next available operator. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee a time.
What happens if your operator damages my property?
As soon as they are aware of it, our operators are required to document any damage and report it to our office. We immediately advise you of the damage and establish a plan to assess and repair it. Repairs are typically completed in the Spring, unless the repair is urgent in nature and it can be effectively carried out under winter conditions. In the event of damage that our operator is not aware of, please advise our office immediately (ideally by email to info@drsnow.ca with your service address in the subject line and with photos of the damage) and we will establish a plan to assess and repair the damage.
Exclusions: We cannot be responsible for damage to property or items left on the driveway or in the immediate work area of our tractors. Such items include but aren’t limited to flower pots/planters, downspouts, recycling bins, garbage bins/cans, basketball and/or hockey nets, children’s toys or extension cords.