What to charge for snowplowing

[foggy1111]

Ive seen lots of posts on how much to charge for rotary cutting and such. But....I cannot recall seeing a thread about how much to charge for snowplowing.

My question A: What would you charge a homeowner to PLOW snow from a residence having a 12' x 100' gravel driveway and blacktop parking area / turnaround area for three cars (assume about 50 x 75'). 6" snowfall. No big hills. A good place to pile snow and no unusual issues. Assuming you have to plow this place 10x per year. $???

My Question B: Same yard as above with a front blower on a tractor? $???

 

[leonz]

Ive seen lots of posts on how much to charge for rotary cutting and such. But....I cannot recall seeing a thread about how much to charge for snowplowing.

My question A: What would you charge a homeowner to PLOW snow from a residence having a 12' x 100' gravel driveway and blacktop parking area / turnaround area for three cars (assume about 50 x 75'). 6" snowfall. No big hills. A good place to pile snow and no unusual issues. Assuming you have to plow this place 10x per year. $???

My Question B: Same yard as above with a front blower on a tractor? $???

It is what is referred to as a "Per Push Price".

It is the fastest way to loose a client.

Your better off offering a seasonal price for the
same driveway figuring 2 hours per time and $200.00
for the season.

When they ask to have it plowed off more often agree
on a fixed price per time over and above the 10 occurances
or gamble on a $300.00 seasonal price for it all.


_________________________________________________________________
Pronovost or not at all!!!:thumbsup::licking::drool:

 

[grsthegreat]

I have the same issues. My new tractor, loader mounted blower and blade have set me back a chunk of $$$$, so just how much should i charge.

I didn't want to get into the season charges as was stated before, cause when i tried to do this with my old JD870 and rear blower, i got no takers. They just called me when they needed blowing out and paid me 20-35/plow depending on length of drive and depth to blow.

I'm doing my associations roads this year with my tractor and have set a $200/ plow or $250/blower per 2-1/2 miles of flat gravel road. I set this price cause its what we have been paying for past few years. I figure if it doesn't pencil out as a good deal at the end of the season, i wont do it again. I also get $75/hr for clearing out snow drifts or heavy slush situations, as this takes alot more time.

some driveways here are onlt 50-100 feet long but require the blower as there is no good place to push snow. since this blower set me back over $10,000 i really dont feel bad about charging what i am charging. I need this blower and blade for my own place, so if i dont do the roads so be it. Im not out anything. Most driveways only require 2 passes and the whole thing takes about 10-15 minutes. There all flat and straight.

 

[TCJatko]

Charge per season with a limit of snow events and an additional fee for excess events. For example: $300 per season plus $35 per storm after 10; will plow after X" accumulation. Some years you make out like a bandit, some years you take a bath.

 

[bubbacuse77]

It is what is referred to as a "Per Push Price".

It is the fastest way to loose a client.

Your better off offering a seasonal price for the
same driveway figuring 2 hours per time and $200.00
for the season.

When they ask to have it plowed off more often agree
on a fixed price per time over and above the 10 occurances
or gamble on a $300.00 seasonal price for it all.


_________________________________________________________________
Pronovost or not at all!!!:thumbsup::licking::drool:

For $10-15 per hour you can come and plow/blow my driveway................your loosing money at that price.

I have one account that I do when they need me to because the driveway is so steep that only a tractor can do it safely. I charge $75 per time and it takes me anywhere from half to one hour.

Make sure it is worth your trouble.......only you can put a price on your time and machinery.

 

[grsthegreat]

most driveways i blow off only take 10-15 minutes. and i only do these if i can line up at least 5+ of them to make it worth the effort. So far this year there slow signing up. I usually have more calls by now. I dont think i am charging too much...heck let them get up at 2am to plow their own places HAHA

Might be because our snow season hasnt really started yet.... give them time.

What amazes me most is that anyone would come out and live in the country ... 10, 20 50 acre plots and not have any means of moving snow. Some have been here for many years...still not even a small snowblower.... amazing really.

 

[RickB]

Charge per season with a limit of snow events and an additional fee for excess events. For example: $300 per season plus $35 per storm after 10; will plow after X" accumulation. Some years you make out like a bandit, some years you take a bath.

Pretty hard for the contractor to take a bath when the customer pays for 10 trips whether he gets them or not, and the contractor gets paid for all trips over 10. Nobody around here is going to sign up for that, it's a crappy deal for the property owner no matter what the per trip rate is.

You want to charge a contract rate to plow my driveway, we will negotiate a season rate and I pay you that amount whether it snows every other day, or not at all. Otherwise, pay per occurrance like 95% of the world does.

 

[grsthegreat]

Pretty hard for the contractor to take a bath when the customer pays for 10 trips whether he gets them or not, and the contractor gets paid for all trips over 10. Nobody around here is going to sign up for that, it's a crappy deal for the property owner no matter what the per trip rate is.

sorry, but i also didnt see the benifit of this. When i made my offer of a set price it was for the entire season reguardless of amount of snow. Say $200/house whether its 1 plow of 30 plows. And not a single person elected to do this. THey would rather do it as an "Need to do" basis.

HAY this is my 2,900th post "And the crowd roars"

 

[haroldy]

I charge $35 per visit .that includes a one km private road that all use and their driveway
I only do this when there is 3 inches or more

 

[foggy1111]

So.....IIUC.....the best answer to my question thus far is $35. per time via blower or plow. Or, $200 for the season.

Kinda wonder why I buy snow equipment...and do it myself.