Clearing snow

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Kersh
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Location: Bad Gastein, Salzburgerland, Austria
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Clearing snow

Post by Kersh »

What do people do about clearing snow at your apartment/chalet?

We're not onsite so last year we employed a company to do it ... and it cost a fortune!! :( This year, we've asked our apartment manager to sort it out. He said that this year he can clear the steps to our apartment etc but the road is a bit of a problem.

The road to the apartment serves the apartment house and also access to the stream running at the end for the council. Last year, the council refused to clear the road saying it was private and we're currently disputing this, especially when their vechicles use it to check the stream at the end.

In any case, my apartment manager's not going to clean the road by hand if the council refuse again. He's proposed buying a machine to do it, this one actually:

http://www.guem-kaercher-shop.at/Schnee ... 2008-.html

It seams expensive but will be a snip at the amount we paid the comany last year. :roll:

Has anyone else got one of these machines? How do you manage when you get lots of snow around your apartment?

Thanks
Kersh
Margaret
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Post by Margaret »

Sorry to have to break it to you, but that is seriously cheap for a snow blower and I would doubt that it could handle the job if it includes clearing the road! Are there not bye-laws which set down exactly what has to be cleared and when - we are lucky in not having pavements where we are but I think everyone in the village with a pavement outside has to clear their bit by 7am.

Where are you going to put your snow is the very first question everyone buying in the mountains should to able to answer - we didn't know till we came here either!

We clear the snow before 8am for the skiers to get out, sporadically during the day but specifically around 4 to 5 pm for the returning skiers. If it snows all day, it can take all day to (try to) keep it clear. This winter, for the first time, we have found locals to do the job for us (no way we can manage it for 4 houses). Obviously, it only needs to be done when it is actually snowing but you need a reliable person who knows exactly what is needed. If you are in an apartment block, usually the caretaker to the builder would do it or organise it, I would have thought, but maybe things are different where you are.

I have realised that I am a bit confused - do you own one apartment or the whole block?
Kersh
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Location: Bad Gastein, Salzburgerland, Austria
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Post by Kersh »

Hi Margaret and thanks for the info. We don't own the whole apartment block, we are 1 of 3 apartments in a small house. However we are the only apartment for rent which means we normally foot the bill for most of the groundwork.

I'm not sure if there are any byelaws in the town but we also don't have any pavements that we have to clear. That said, i'm sure that this is done by the council.

One thing I do know is that the road is not part of the ground owned by the apartments. I know this because I have a copy of the Grundbuch (land ownership plan) from the local land registry. Unfortunately, the Grundbuch gives numbers of the landowners on the plan so i'm not sure whether the local council own the road or not. Nevertheless, it's not me.

Margaret, you say this snow blower is no good and I honestly thank you for the advice. Do you have one and what would you recommend?

Thanks
Margaret
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Post by Margaret »

I didn't say this one is no good! It is a make which is well known and reliable, as far as I know. We paid over 2,000 Euros for ours, on advice from a neighbour. I would work out what area you have to clear and then ask a specialist supplier for the size of machine most suited. You don't want to wear it out in half a winter! (I think we paid more than we needed to for ours but it is about to do it's 4th winter and still going strong).
Kersh
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Location: Bad Gastein, Salzburgerland, Austria
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Post by Kersh »

Ok, thanks for the info. Out of interest Margaret, what make is yours?

Anyone else have one for their place?

Thanks.
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Mountain Goat
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Post by Mountain Goat »

We bought ours very cheaply (US$575 in a Detroit summer heatwave - 1/2 price) from one of the big US garden equipment supply chains - and flew it back as sports equipment (which I guess it is, but that's another story). The biggest pain was getting it up from Geneva.

Swiss prices for blowers are sky high (about 8 times the US cost for equivalent kit).

It's gigantic, powerful, reliable, but, as mentioned above, although it clears the stuff you've got to plan where to put it otherwise the commune snow ploughs and/or neighbours can get stroppy.

The commune keeps all roads clear, with 2 or 3 passes a day, starting at 0430am.

We now use one of the local garden services who do nothing but snow clearing in the winter. They keep garages clear for access, and steps up to the lower level of the chalet (bottom right of GoatCam), and we abandon our mid-level access in winter. It's expensive but essential. Guests find it fun for a day, but faced with a metre or two to clear before skiing soon lose interest.

MG
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

Snow clearing is covered by our copropriété charges, and is done by a local building firm. Main road outside is covered by our cuncil taxes . Our council won't clear the roads in front of chalets or village houses if the properties don't have snowcatchers on the roof.
Austria
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Post by Austria »

Our road at the front is "adopted" and cleared by the council, our road at the back is "unadopted" but soon to be adopted and is still cleared by the council.
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