Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Snow Removal Rates

[Derekg34]

How much should I charge to remove snow.
Should I charge by the hour? OR Just by the job. Example: A parking area would be $_____; a parking area/ 100yd. driveway would be $_____. Any ideas? Hourly? What do you guys charge?
Thanks.

 

[frank_f15]

what exactly are you going to remove the snow with? will make quite a difference in how you charge.

 

[BigAl]

Welcome to the site .
Question ? Does it snow on a regular basis through out the winter where you are at ? In Truckee , Ca. The snow removal contractors will charge by the hour, job or season . Most folks like to go with a seasonal rate to get a better deal . The average "driveway contract "runs about $400-$500 a season . They plow if you get more than 2 " at any one time . If it is a short season you lose ,if it is a long season they lose . Hourly runs about $50 mimimun . IF your running a blower it is more . What type of tractor are you using to move snow with ? Does it have a blower ? Blade ? Loader ? drag box?
Allen

 

[Derekg34]

I would be using a BX2230. Right now I have a FEL. I plan on purchasing a hydraulic plow from Kubota before winter. (I think this will be easier to use on my driveway along with any others') It snows here in PA a fair amount. Seasons vary a lot. The largest storm in the past few years has been about 16 inches, the average storm being around 4 inches. I am used to using an ATV for snow removal. I think the Kubota will do a better/ easier job. Thanks for your response. What do you think about rates?

 

[Derekg34]

Anybody, What do YOU think?

 

[BigAl]

Well as I said before ,around here it runs about $50 an hour . I have my own Kioti DK45 with a 72" loader and a 70" Trackless snowblower for snow removal . This is a serious snow blower that usually only cities or counties own . I have been told that the city of New York runs this brand for clearing sidewalks ,but I wouuld not know for sure as I have never been there . I would not run my blower for less than $75 and hour as they can be expensive to repair . I would think that $40-$50 per hour would be fair ,for your machine . I would establish a mimimun of say Twenty dollars for even the smallest driveway .
Allen

 

[frank_f15]

I THINK you need to charge by the job, don't seem like u intend to make a full time job of it. one drive of the same lenght may be more difficult than another of a similar drive, depends on the lay of the land and other things, one may take 1/2 hour and another 3/4 hour.

 

[penokee]

I would suggest by the job (meaning each time). I plow out one ski chalet and it takes me approximately the same time to make the rountrip from my home to the ski area and if I'm plowing out a 3" snowfall or a 8" snowfall, the time isn't drastically different so I suggest a price for each time you do it. Last winter I plowed them out 18 times @$25.00 a pop. Snowfalls ranged from 2" to 18". At that price I'm just covering my costs (Fuel, depreciation, license, ins., etc.) If you plan to do it for a living, $40.00/trip would be a better price and that may be low. Naturally the more driveways/plowing you have in the same area the lower your unit price would be. Attaching a picture of the vehicle I use for plowing.
penokee /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif