White blankets of snow are pretty to look at, but not so pretty for business owners. Accumulation can make parking lots hard to access and unsafe to use. Professional snow plowing companies can help you avoid these risks by clearing snow swiftly and safely. But how do you choose the right commercial parking lot maintenance team for your needs? Asking these five questions will help point you in the right direction.

5 Things to Ask Before Hiring a Snow Plowing Contractor

What Are Your Qualifications?

While snow plowing is something that many can do, it’s important to choose a provider that has experience with asphalt. It’s best to hire an experienced pavement maintenance crew to ensure that plowing doesn’t cause excess damage to your parking lot. You should also find out what equipment a specialist uses. Find out if their trucks are designed to protect pavement and how quickly they can work.

Can You Plow & De-Ice Walkways?

In addition to clearing the parking lot, you may need to make sure that walkways are clear enough to prevent slip-and-fall accidents. If this is a risk, ask your snow plowing provider if they also offer de-icing and snow removal for sidewalks and entryways.

What Is Your Average Response Time?

When a blizzard strikes, you won’t be the only business in town looking for a clear parking lot. As such, you’ll want to invest in a snow plowing service that can give you an accurate estimate of how quickly they will reach you after a storm. If the company has a sizable fleet, that’s a good sign that they can make it to your property in a timely fashion.  

How Is Pricing Determined?

To protect yourself from pricing surges, it is essential to find out what you’ll expect to pay when you need snow plowing. Consult with a maintenance specialist before the winter season to get an estimate of costs, which is often determined by parking lot square footage.

Do You Offer Contract Services?

After snow falls, you don’t want to be scrambling to find a professional snow plowing service. It may be a good idea to work with companies that offer contract services. Not only will this agreement help ensure that snow is promptly cleared, but it will also help lock in pricing for the duration of the service period.

Business owners in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area can turn to the trusted expertise of Professional Asphalt Service to stay prepared for Minnesota winters. Based out of Long Lake, MN, this crew relies on their expansive fleet of service vehicles to deliver efficient and affordable snow plowing in the Twin Cities region. In addition, this parking lot maintenance team understands every aspect of asphalt protection and can offer their services to help keep your pavement in good shape all year long. Visit them online to learn more about their abilities or call (612) 636-8888 to set up commercial asphalt services.