What areas do you service?
We provide service to Amherst, Hadley, Northampton Pelham, part of Belchertown. Our Tractor mounted service is limited to the Center of Northampton to the Center of Florence with plans on expanding our tractor service to the East Amherst Area (Amherst woods, Echo hill, and town center).
Do you offer one-time snow removal services or only for the whole season?
We do not provide one-time service however we do offer vacation plowing sold in weekly increments.
Do you have a season snowfall limit?
Nope! Our snow service is unlimited snow removal, after 2”of accumulation, for the entire season November 15th-April 15th.
I have a gravel driveway. Can you still provide service for me?
Yes, we can, however, Service for gravel driveways is triggered at 3” of accumulation. From a safety perspective, we try to clear as much snow as possible from gravel driveways. It should be expected that the plow will move the gravel as well. THERE IS A HIGH PROBABILITY THAT YOUR DRIVEWAY MAY GET DAMAGED and Better View Landscapes is not responsible for damage to gravel driveways and cannot ensure that no gravel will end up deposited in the lawn areas. Better View Landscapes does offer a spring service to move gravel back to the driveway prior to mowing season.
What is the best way to obtain a quote?
The best way to obtain a quote is to use our Online Request a Quote.
Once I have a quote, how do I reserve my spot?
To get on our list simply accept your proposal via the accept my proposal link on the proposal. Once you have signed and accepted, you will get an email confirming your place on our route and be given a link to enter your payment information. Once your payment has processed you’ll be all set and ready for the first snow.
What methods of payment do you accept?
We accept payment by credit card (Visa or MasterCard, American Express ) or check. If paying by check we ask you send payment within 7 days of accepting your proposal.
If I move mid-way through the season, can I get my money back?
When service is canceled before the end of the season, prorated refunds are provided according to our Refund Policy. After February 1st, refunds are not provided.
Do you offer residential walkway shoveling services?
Yes. We do offer this service for those who need it along with de-icing services as well.
Do you offer deicing service if my driveway if it is icy?
Yes, we actually recommend this as safety is our top priority and the addition to de-icing services increases the safety of your property during the winter months.
When are the driveway markers installed and removed?
Our driveway markers start going up in Late-October and are removed after April 15th. Stakes will be picked up in April at the end of the snow season. Stakes that are not returned to us will incur a $50.00 fee for the client. We ask you not to remove them yourself as they can be sharp if broken and could cause injury. If you do remove them l, please place them beside your house or garage and notify the office by emailing us at yourfriends@betterviewlandscaping.com with your service address in the “Subject” line so we can collect them.
Do you use plows or snowblowers?
We only use both traditional plows and snow blowers to clear snow from your property. For those customers who are in our tractor mounted snow blower areas we use Tractors equipped with 6’ wide rear-mounted blowers that give our operators more control of where to place snow on your property. Utilizing these awesome machines prevents large snowbanks and improves the visibility at the end of your driveway. For those who are aout of our tractor service area we do use traditional snow plows to push and clear snow.
What training do your drivers receive?
Before the start of each season (Late October), each operator is trained on their route, familiarized with the operation of our snow equipment (Plows, tractors, blowers, and software). Since safety is our #1 priority: we review snow safety topics. Our teams are also informed about city ordinances for plows and where snow is and isn’t allowed to be placed. Once we receive some we train and review after each storm to keep up with changing equipment and conditions and specific customer feedback.
How can we contact you during a storm?
Service issues during a storm, including emergencies, should be communicated via email to yourfriends@betterviewlandscaping.com always with your service address in the “Subject” line to speed up response. Including your service address in the “Subject” line of your email enables us to provide the quickest possible response to your inquiry and communicate with our operators. In fact, if all you put in the “Subject” line is your service address, that alone saves our office team an incredible amount of time, which adds up during a service launch, and enables us to serve you faster and better!
During snowstorms, we have a dedicated snow line that our crews monitor throughout the storm. To contact us during a storm, call (413)256-3260 EXT 3. Between the hours of 8am-4pm, our friendly office staff is available, live. If we don’t pick up, leave a message with your name & service address. Messages recorded on this line will be logged separately from all other correspondence and received during the storm. Requests for additions or changes to contracted service within 48 hrs or during a snow event cannot be guaranteed. If we are unable to attend to your request during the storm, we will be in touch ASAP afterwards to arrange service.
Will my driveway be cleared before 7:00 a.m.?
As much as we’d like to do that, we simply in good faith cannot guarantee that your driveway will be cleared by 7:00 a.m.. 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 begins to fly
- The type of snow (heavy and wet versus light and dry versus blowing and drifting)
- Rate of accumulation (we wait for there to be close to 2” of accumulation before sending out our crews)
- Whether or not a prolonged snowfall is in the forecast
- Daytime dispatch (which is affected by traffic) or a weekend or holiday launch (which is affected by vehicles parked in driveways) etc. Typically daytime dispatch takes a lot longer (an additional 2 sometimes 3 hours more) due to traffic alone.
- Typically, you can expect service within 8 hours of our launch, depending on where you are on the operator’s route. In an ideal overnight snowfall with a 2 or 3 AM dispatch time, all customers should have received their first service within 8 hours, with the exact time of service at your address will vary based on how the operator is navigating the storm. The start time varies and typically affects the total time to service all customers, with nighttime dispatch generally being faster due to the relative absence of traffic.
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 teams, so that you know what to expect. We’ll also send service updates via email and text throughout a longer duration storm.
If I see your operator is plowing my driveway will they wait so I can move my car?
Unfortunately, our operators are unable to wait for you to move your vehicle if it is parked in the driveway when they arrive, due to the delay that would cause for other customers awaiting service.
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 dispatch. 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, cleanup may be necessary even a day or two after the snowfall ends.
As a general practice, final cleanups are not done during the night. We can provide the best results during the day when vehicles have been moved and the entire driveway is accessible.
How close do you get to my house/garage doors/parked car?
In order to safely service your property, our operators are trained to clear within 18” of parked vehicles and/or buildings including garage doors and building overhangs. We will however shovel in front of you garage to clear it.
Can I leave a car parked in my driveway?
Absolutely! Our operators are trained to get as close as they safely can during the first pass to make sure you have no trouble getting out of your driveway in the morning. We encourage you to park as close to your house or garage as you can.
What if the city plow comes by after you’ve already cleared my driveway?
During a dispatch, depending on the timing of your first pass and relative to when the town/city plow has passed, we will return to complete a cleanup and clear your driveway end once everyone has received a first pass. If you need to urgently get out of your driveway before we can return to complete another pass and you have a bank at the end of your driveway that you can’t drive through, please contact us via email or snow line and we will dispatch a tractor or plow truck to clear the end as soon as we can.
What about in between major snowfalls? Will you clear the end after the city plow has gone by and is there an extra charge for this service?
In between snowfalls and there hasn’t been a 2” accumulation of snow, 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 snowbank at the end of your driveway that you cannot drive through, please call or email us and we will send our next available operator, however, we can’t guarantee a time.
If I am at the end of a route, does that mean I will always be serviced last?
No. The service is the same for all of our residential customers. With some runs, we do try to reverse the order of our routes so that if you were at the end of the route for one storm, you might be at the beginning the next time. Our routes are strategically established to deliver service as efficiently as possible to all customers based on your location. No preference is given.
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 or hasn’t reported, please advise our office the day after the snowstorm and we will establish a plan to assess and repair the damage.
Damage exclusions: Better View Landscapes will make it a priority to protect client’s property; however, we are not responsible for incidental damages from plowing or deicing materials to ground cover, shrubbery, landscape lighting, parking curbs, paver bricks, hardscapes, blacktop surfaces, concrete, movement of gravel, or damage to property hidden by piled or fallen snow.
