Goodbye, aching back!

[zenstyle]

We're about to engage a snowplow service for the winter. (how's that for pro-active!)

My plan is to get recommendations from those few friends I know who use this service, and to look over the listings on Craigslist.

What's a decent ball-park figure for the winter season? Do they typically charge per-service, or for several months-worth? Our driveway has a little bend in it, with very little leeway on either side, which I'm sure will add to the fun for the plow guys. Do they come out before hand to scope out the situation?

They must have the driveway plowed by 7:30 am daily. Is this typical?

As you can see, I'm all a-twitter. Give me some expectations or recommendations, please.

[grrwymg]

I had service 1 winter when my snowblower broke after 2 snows. I think it was like 200 for the season. They came out ahead of time and staked out the edge of the driveway on both sides. They would only come out of there was more than 2" of snow I believe. They usually came between 4-6AM. I don't recall the name of the company, but they tore up the grass along the edge on each side of my single wide driveway pretty heftily.

Now that the snowblower is in working order, I figure if I'm physically able to clear it myself, I do so. (Although it was nice not having to worry about it that year.)