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Snow clearance in Indianapolis

Snow removal firms and roofers.

20 pros in Indianapolis

In Indianapolis, snow clearance is partly a legal duty, not only a convenience. City law requires residents to keep the sidewalk in front of their property clear of snow and ice, with a 5-foot-wide path along every sidewalk around the lot. There are deadlines too: if snow stops after 7 p.m., the walk must be clear by 9 a.m. the next morning, and if it stops after 9 a.m., by 7 p.m. that day. Public crews focus on about 4,000 lane miles of thoroughfares and connectors in Marion County, and residential streets may be plowed by contractors only once accumulation reaches a threshold. So your own driveway and walk are often left to you. Before you hire, ask whether the service covers the sidewalk as well as the driveway, how quickly they reach you after snowfall ends, and where they will pile the snow. It should go in the yard, not the street, over crosswalks, across alley entrances or around fire hydrants. Get these terms in writing.

Source: City of Indianapolis (Indy DPW) (source, opens in a new tab)

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Before you hire

  1. Put it in a written contract: the work, price, deposit, start and finish dates, warranty, permits and clean-up. Paying cash to skip it leaves you no recourse.

    Source: ised-isde.canada.ca (source, opens in a new tab)

  2. Ask about liability insurance and workers’ compensation cover before anyone works on your roof or property.

    Source: ised-isde.canada.ca (source, opens in a new tab)

  3. Get written quotes from at least three contractors for the same work, and check references from recent clients.

    Source: ised-isde.canada.ca (source, opens in a new tab)

Questions about hiring in Indianapolis

Do I have to clear the sidewalk myself in Indianapolis?

Under city law, residents must keep the sidewalk in front of their property clear of snow and ice, with a 5-foot-wide path along all sidewalks around the property. You can hire a contractor to do it, but the duty still sits with you, so confirm the sidewalk is part of the job. City of Indianapolis (Indy DPW) (source, opens in a new tab)

How soon must the sidewalk be cleared after a storm?

If snow stops falling after 7 p.m., the sidewalk must be clear by 9 a.m. the next morning. If it stops after 9 a.m., the deadline is 7 p.m. that day. When you hire, ask whether the contractor can reliably meet those windows, and put the response time in the agreement. City of Indianapolis (Indy DPW) (source, opens in a new tab)

Where should a contractor put the snow they clear?

In Indianapolis, cleared snow goes in the yard, not into the street, over crosswalks, across alley entrances or around fire hydrants. Tell any plow or shovel crew this before the first visit, and ask them to confirm in writing that they will follow it. City of Indianapolis (Indy DPW) (source, opens in a new tab)

What should a snow clearing quote include?

Ask for the areas covered (driveway, walkways, sidewalk), the snowfall level that triggers a visit, how soon they come after snow stops, where snow will be piled, and how damage is handled. Compare quotes on those terms, not on the headline figure alone, and get everything in writing.

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