The plow comes at four in the morning, and you hear it before you see it: the scrape at the end of the street, then the orange light sliding across the bedroom ceiling. Your father is already at the kitchen window in his robe, coffee going cold, telling you he would have had the drive done by now. He would not have. He has shoveled that drive for as many winters as you can remember, and he has opinions about every inch of it. That is exactly why you are reading about snow removal contracts at two in the morning.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
A plow service is not really a machine. It is a schedule, a route, and a promise about who is responsible when something goes wrong. Most of the trouble with these services comes from what nobody wrote down, so the job here is to find the gaps before the first storm finds them for you.
What to check before you sign
Start with the trigger. Ask what snow depth or condition sends the truck out, and whether they come at a set depth or every time it snows. Ask whether they come back for a second pass if the snow keeps falling, and whether that costs extra. A service that waits for a big dump may leave the drive buried by the time anyone arrives, and a service that comes for every dusting may bill you for a light morning. Compare both cases against the winters you actually remember.
Then ask who makes the call. Your father will not phone the company at midnight, and he should not have to. Find out whether they watch the forecast themselves, whether they check the property on their own, or whether someone in the family has to ask for a visit. If a family member has to call, that person is you, and you need to know it before the first storm.
Walk the route with the owner or crew lead, in daylight if you can. Show them the drive, the front walk, the steps, the path to the side door where the trash goes, and the mailbox. Ask whether the contract includes all of it or only the driveway. Ask where the snow will be pushed, because a pile at the end of the drive can bury the mailbox, block the car, or land on the flower beds your mother planted. Mark the sprinkler heads, the water shutoff, and any low edges with bright flags so the blade stays clear of them.
Ask about salt and ice next. Find out whether salt is included, how often they put it down, and what kind they use. Ask about the front steps in particular, because that is where ice does the most harm. If you have pets or garden beds near the walk, say so, and ask them to keep salt away from those areas.
Ask who pays when something is hit. Request a copy of their liability insurance certificate, then call the insurance company yourself to confirm the policy is active. Ask directly what happens if the plow clips the mailbox or cracks an edging stone. Some companies repair, some pay, and some point you to a claim process. You want that answer in writing before the first push.
Finally, read the billing and the end date. Find out whether the price is a flat seasonal fee or charged per visit, and imagine both a heavy winter and a light one to see which costs you more. Ask what the cancel date is, and whether the contract renews on its own. Write that date on the calendar in the kitchen, not in a folder.
What to do tonight
Go outside with a flashlight and walk the route the way the plow will. Mark the mailbox, the water shutoff, and the sprinkler heads with flags. Move anything loose from the drive, such as a hose, a trash can, or a stray flowerpot. Check that the porch light works, because a crew arriving in the dark should be able to see the steps. Leave a note on the door with the house number, your phone number, and one sentence about where to push the snow.
When to ask the doctor
If your father insists on shoveling himself, let his doctor know that he is doing it, and ask whether there is a limit that makes sense for him. Call the doctor the same day if he has chest discomfort, unusual shortness of breath, or dizziness while clearing snow. If he falls on the ice and hits his head, cannot get up, or seems confused afterward, call for emergency help right away.
Making the deal with Dad
He will want to keep some of the work, and that is fine. Offer him a deal: the company takes the drive and the crew's route, and he keeps the front steps and the walk to the porch with a shovel he likes. He can supervise from the window with the coffee and tell the crew how it should have been done. Most fathers accept a plan they helped make, even when they grumble about it.
If you want a list of help in the St. Louis area for the snow season and for everything else on the property, see Local Help for a Widowed Father in St. Louis.
Good-week card
The plow came at four, the walk was clear by seven, and Dad said it did a fine job, which from him is a parade.