A Connecticut winter rarely stays put. Snow turns to slush, slush freezes overnight, and the walk that was clear at 5pm is a sheet of ice by morning. Our snow and ice service covers driveways and walks on a seasonal contract, with pre-treatment before storms hit and the crew out again when they do.
We’re a landscaping and masonry company, so we also look after what’s under the snow. The stone walks, steps and plantings we clear around are the same kind we build, and we treat them that way.
What’s included
Plowing
Driveways and parking areas plowed during and after a storm. Where the snow goes matters, so it’s worth settling before the first storm. Piles that melt across a driveway refreeze every night, and piles dumped on beds bury and burn the plants underneath.
Shoveling and salting
Front walks, steps, back doors and paths cleared by hand, then treated so they stay safe to walk on. Steps and landings get particular attention, because that’s where people fall.
Pre-treatment
Treating driveways and walks before a storm arrives keeps snow and ice from bonding to the surface. It makes the clearing afterwards faster and leaves less ice behind. On a seasonal contract, pre-treatment is part of the plan for storms in the forecast.
Seasonal contracts
One agreement for the winter, covering your driveway and walks. You don’t have to call each time it snows, and you know who is coming. Emergency storm calls are taken anytime, contract or not.
Protecting stone, pavers and plants
Winter does more damage to a landscape than any other season, and much of it comes from snow removal.
- De-icer choice matters. Rock salt (sodium chloride) speeds up spalling on bluestone and wears the surface of concrete pavers, exposing the aggregate and dulling the color. Calcium magnesium acetate and plain sand are much gentler on both.
- New stonework needs a break. On a patio or walk built this year, skip de-icers entirely for the first winter if you can.
- Plow and shovel edges cause damage. Lifting a heaved paver or a loose cap stone with a blade can break it. Uneven stonework is easier to protect when we know where it is.
- Salted snow burns plants. Avoid piling it on beds. Along the curb, salt-tolerant plants such as northern bayberry and shore juniper handle plow spray far better than most shrubs.
- Lighting fixtures get knocked over. Path lights and low fixtures along a driveway are easy to hit under snow.
Our article on bluestone vs. pavers in coastal CT goes further into what salt does to each surface.
After the snow melts
Spring shows what winter did: heaved pavers, missing joint sand, cracked mortar, salt burn along the driveway and plow damage on shrubs. Most of it is a quick fix in April and a rebuild by October if it’s left alone. Our spring checklist walks through what to look for. If you find something bigger, we handle patio and step repairs, wall repairs and spring cleanups.
One crew all year
A winter contract pairs naturally with lawn and maintenance the rest of the year, so the same company looks after the property in every season. You talk to the person running the work, and calls and texts are returned the same day.
Getting on the route
Seasonal contracts are set up before winter, so the time to call is in the fall. A foreman walks the property with you, notes the driveway, walks, steps and anything fragile under the snow, and talks through where snow can go. You get a written proposal, usually within 3 business days. Our yard is local, and we’re out at seven on weekdays.