Tech

This app lets you hire someone to clear your snowy driveway

Trapped by Winter Storm Juno? You’re going to want this app.

Photo of Jam Kotenko

Jam Kotenko

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A big chunk of the East Coast has just been buried in massive amounts of snow. Is the concept of spending the entire day shoveling traces of Winter Storm Juno off your driveway bumming you out? Consider your day saved, because like for most things, there’s an app for that. It’s called Plowz.

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Here’s what you need to do: Upon firing up the service, you will be required to provide your email address, name, and phone number, the basic stuff. Then it’ll ask you to provide “driveway info,” aka your address as well as house and mailbox colors (so it’s easier to spot your house amid the winter white). You will also be asked to provide more details, like your driveway’s shape, size, and the material it’s made out of. Once scheduling arrangements have been made, Plowz sends you a quote for approval and when you approve, the amount will be put on hold on the credit card you will be asked to provide.

After the service has been confirmed, Plowz will then tap into its community of fully insured professional providers to find one that is willing to take the job—think Uber, but for plowing snow (and mowing lawns, depending on location and season). The provider will then drive to your house and clear out your driveway. You can monitor all the progress in real-time through the app, which includes the provider’s name and ETA. When the job is done, payment will be processed via the app, which the provider will also use to send you a picture of the finished product: your driveway sans snow.

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Based on Plowz’s video demo, pricing for plow jobs are in the $30+ range, but are ultimately dependent on various factors; quotes are adjusted depending on your house’s location and the severity of the situation to be dealt with. As for the amount of time it takes a provider to complete a job, Plowz guarantees that all scheduled tasks will be completed by sundown, on the date requested.

Plowz app also affords you the ability to enter multiple addresses. So if you feel like being a good Samaritan, you can use your app to send your neighbor or friend a plow service on you. 

It’s important to note that even though providers are expected to work through severe snow conditions, jobs may be delayed due to travel restrictions; users will be notified about delays via app.

Photo via exalthim/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0) 

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