Cold weather jobs

[CLASSICPW 14]

People who are up north, like myself, what exactly do you do with yourself in the winter? This year I bartended a few days a week and I got a few calls here and there for people selling houses and needing a wash, but that's it. What can I do to get myself through winter without almost going bankrupt....I'm desperate, somebody hook up some advise please!!

[PressurePros 248]

I have other things I work on in the winter. If I relied on PW'ing I wouldn't make a dime. One thing you can look into is subcontracting for cable companies. You can make betwen $1000-$1500 per week. Not exactly a windfall but it keeps you afloat the slow months.

[StainlessDeal 16]

I run some winter specials on fleets I've dealt with before, but don't do much work with pw under about 40*F because I get overly nervous and it is just plain miserable. I have a steel collarbone implant and that gets pretty uncomfortable when squirting even hot water in cold weather. The ride home is an exercise in cramp reduction, usually.

I try to hunt as much as possible, and have guided some for extra bucks, but that is low return work. I sell some on ebay and where I can, and work on some kinds of motorcycles, mostly for friends. None of it pays real big bucks, but it does keep me interested. A buddy of mine is in the rootering business and we've talked about sewer jetting, but it looks like everything I don't much care for so I doubt we'll ever do anything about it.

Ken, what do you do for the cable outfits? Installs or trenching, or something I haven't thought of? Enquiring minds and so on.:)

[CLASSICPW 14]

Hey Ken, I used to work for comcast, in sales, but if I've got the ladders and tools that's a great idea. What do they pay?

[PressurePros 248]

I only did it for one season. I worked for a subcontractor doing collections. Easy work and with the bucket truck I made quick work of actual disconnects. My lowest weekly check was $750 my highest was $2,100. The pay rate varies and I know doing installs doesn't pay anywhere near as well.

[Mark Gallison 14]

I started driving school bus. its not a ton of $$ but better than working PT in retail or something. I also have the time in between routes (usually 9am-130pm) to do some marketing on the PW biz. Have Been reasearching steam vapor cleaning equip for cleaning tile and grout as well.

[big mike 14]

I hail from the frozen north (Minnesota). What I try to do to get through the winter is formulate a budget that my family can live comfortably with, along with a margin for any emergencies that may arise. From that point, I begin to sock away cash in the summer when business is really booming. I know my outdoor end date usually falls in mid October, so by then I hopefully have enough saved up to carry me through til April. Doesn't always work, but I usually get pretty darn close. I also do misc. minor handyman, and painting jobs for my summer customers. Many summer contractors up here plow snow for the extra money. It really takes getting the word out to your clients that like your work ethic, that you have other skills. Many are more than willing to help out an honest, professional contractor. In a word "multitask". Oh, when other contractors ask what I do in the winter I tell them "ice fish". Drives 'em nuts!!