# costs?



## vanpragg shovel (Oct 17, 2008)

hi, i just got onto the site yesterday( already informed some people) and im ten. im starting a business shoveling driveways. what do you thing what be a good way to price? 



thanks!


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## KGRlandscapeing (May 2, 2007)

vanpragg shovel;607950 said:


> hi, i just got onto the site yesterday( already informed some people) and im ten. im starting a business shoveling driveways. what do you thing what be a good way to price?
> 
> thanks!


I dont know how much is it gonna cost to go to the chiropractor when u kill your back. Your 10 just have some fun. But with that said 20ft x 30 ft would be something like 15 or 20. I would go no lower then 10. but then again when i was young money ment nothing to me. And now days i only get out to shovel a walk here and there and sprinkle some ice melter. Learn to say this is my price and learn to walk away. Its your service they have to pay what u ask for it or they dont get it.


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## 042500hd (Oct 10, 2004)

Good luck getting things going. I wouldn't charge any less than $15 for up to 6". Anything over 6" and you should be charging more. Don't let anyone take advantage of you because of your age. Maybe think about a snowblower, you could be more productive. payup Work out some kind of deal with your parents to loan you the money for a small one maybe a Toro Powerlite.


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## vanpragg shovel (Oct 17, 2008)

thanks! my parents asked if i wanted to use the snow thrower by my self and i said sue1 could use the snow thrower and i said sure!


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## YardMedic (Nov 29, 2006)

When I was a kid, I loved to shovel driveways. I even fought my parents buying the new Toro 7hp snowblower.... at least until I started using it! Productivity & enjoyment went way up from then on (although I never knew to keep extra shear pins on hand, as I broke one on a storm once & had to do things by hand). I agree about the prices, and I say ask your parents about that as well to get a good start on that. Also talk to them about how to go about marketing the service (I'm generally thinking door to door in your neighborhood is going to be your way to go). You want to come across as confident, trustworthy, ambitious, and friendly. You'll find your way, but keep reading here for pointers too!


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## IMAGE (Oct 21, 2007)

Get lined up with a snowblower. Get 5 houses on your block. Service them for $15 a pop. (most will just give you a twenty anyways if your a cute kid lol) You will have to be done before school remember. So you could make $60 after expenses for getting up 2 hours early each time it snows. 

It will be a good start to a business. Dont go getting your whole street, because you will never get them done before school. Also, it will stop being fun after the first storm or two. So set goals with the $$. Say you want a new dirt bike in the spring, that will give you something to work towards at 5am when your out there working in the cold. You could make $800-1000 bucks this winter if you keep at it.


Someone is gonna say get ins, but come on he's 10 and trying to do something good. let him try it out.


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## vanpragg shovel (Oct 17, 2008)

YardMedic;608373 said:


> When I was a kid, I loved to shovel driveways. I even fought my parents buying the new Toro 7hp snowblower.... at least until I started using it! Productivity & enjoyment went way up from then on (although I never knew to keep extra shear pins on hand, as I broke one on a storm once & had to do things by hand). I agree about the prices, and I say ask your parents about that as well to get a good start on that. Also talk to them about how to go about marketing the service (I'm generally thinking door to door in your neighborhood is going to be your way to go). You want to come across as confident, trustworthy, ambitious, and friendly. You'll find your way, but keep reading here for pointers too!


 thanks! we already have a toro 5-7 horspower snow thrower that they said i can use 

so excited to start!

thanks everyone!


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## KGRlandscapeing (May 2, 2007)

See i was ugly ok you got me i still am. people used to pay me to go away


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## hickslawns (Dec 18, 2004)

Good for you! I wish you the best of luck this winter. I would agree with image in that 4-5 drives should be plenty to do before school. I am guessing you might have to do your parents on the way out as a fair trade for them letting you use their snow blower. So if you can knock out your drive, and then 4 others for say $20 each you just made $80 easy. If school is cancelled then you can always go door to door and pick up extras. I would not try more than a few regular ones for the smaller snows. Once again, best of luck! Maybe some of your friends will take notice and not turn out lazy.


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## 042500hd (Oct 10, 2004)

hickslawns;608631 said:


> Good for you! I wish you the best of luck this winter. I would agree with image in that 4-5 drives should be plenty to do before school. I am guessing you might have to do your parents on the way out as a fair trade for them letting you use their snow blower. So if you can knock out your drive, and then 4 others for say $20 each you just made $80 easy. If school is cancelled then you can always go door to door and pick up extras. I would not try more than a few regular ones for the smaller snows. Once again, best of luck! Maybe some of your friends will take notice and not turn out lazy.


Do your parents once and you'll be doing it forever My parents loaned me the money for my first plow so they have a lifetime of free plowing. I wacked a section of there fence last winter had to replace it a 11pm in a blowing storm before my mother saw it. Even at 30 I still don;t want to listen to her yell. :realmad:


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

good for you! it's good to see some young blood getting outside and doing some real work....Good luck....


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## ServiceOnSite (Nov 23, 2006)

man good for you when i was your age...........................................
forget that line, go make money and have fun while doing it.payup


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## vanpragg shovel (Oct 17, 2008)

thanks guys so much!


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## hickslawns (Dec 18, 2004)

042500HD- Parents never had the money to loan me anything. They still get plowed for free. They gave me something you can't put a price on. Shame on you for not wanting to plow them out.


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## KGRlandscapeing (May 2, 2007)

hickslawns;609062 said:


> 042500HD- Parents never had the money to loan me anything. They still get plowed for free. They gave me something you can't put a price on. Shame on you for not wanting to plow them out.


ur parents must have dropd you on your head one time to many


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## hickslawns (Dec 18, 2004)

KGRlandscapeing 
Quote:
I dont know how much is it gonna cost to go to the chiropractor when u kill your back. Your 10 just have some fun. But with that said 20ft x 30 ft would be something like 15 or 20. I would go no lower then 10. but then again when i was young money ment nothing to me. And now days i only get out to shovel a walk here and there and sprinkle some ice melter. Learn to say this is my price and learn to walk away. Its your service they have to pay what u ask for it or they dont get it. 


KGR- Your public profile says you have no friends. Surprised? It states you are 17. It states "when i was young money ment nothing to me." Apparently spelling,grammar, and respect still mean nothing to you. You have a gazillion posts in 17 months and you are but a boy. I too felt the need to make those "ur parents must have dropd you on your head one time to many" comments when I was in junior high school. I am glad I outgrew it when I gained a little more self-confidence later in life. Think about what you are saying now and in a few years when you are out of the nest you will have a different appreciation for your parents. I am not bashing you. Simply pointing out some facts. Hopefully you will appreciate your parents sooner rather than later. 

This site is for helping others, and learning from others in my opinion. This post is about a kid starting out. By doing his parent's driveway he realizes there is a cost associated with doing business. EX: In exchange for using the snow blower, I clear my parents drive. This is how the world works. Things are not handed to you. This is why our country is in an economic crisis. People have been greedy, borrowed and not repaid. Now the entire world is paying the price. I say good for him and his aggressiveness at such a young age. Let's not change the direction of this post with childish remarks.


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## YardMedic (Nov 29, 2006)

Excellent perspective, hicks. Good call ussmileyflag


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## KGRlandscapeing (May 2, 2007)

hickslawns;614174 said:


> KGRlandscapeing
> Quote:
> I dont know how much is it gonna cost to go to the chiropractor when u kill your back. Your 10 just have some fun. But with that said 20ft x 30 ft would be something like 15 or 20. I would go no lower then 10. but then again when i was young money ment nothing to me. And now days i only get out to shovel a walk here and there and sprinkle some ice melter. Learn to say this is my price and learn to walk away. Its your service they have to pay what u ask for it or they dont get it.
> 
> ...


If i make this post personal it will be deleted. So i will only say a few basic facts i am 19 i was born in 89. Even with only being here since spring of 07 my average post per day isnt even over 3. When you work for yourself you are kind of forced to use the computer at least once a day. And i also i have to ribs that havent completly heald from last fall from my dad. Do you respect some one like that. How do you even get friends on plowsite? i didnt know there was such a thing. Your right things are not handed to you. But at 10 no kid should have to work.


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## MIDTOWNPC (Feb 17, 2007)

As a young kid, just dont take on more then you can chew. 
Remember you only get what you negotiate for, don't be shy to negotiate, that will earn you respect as a young business man down the road. In a small subdivision where you can get a few drives to shovel, those neighbors will talk also dont forget, so dont shovel for one guy cheaper then the other, you can use that as your sales pitch too, someone offers you $10 and your getting $20 you can say, "well its similar to the smiths driveway so I might have to pass this one up, unless you would like to pay $20" 
Also if you ever make a mistake fess up to it and solve the problem. If something goes wrong dont run and hide, try and fix it or get help if needed. 
Save your money, no really, save it im not kiding, and dont tell people about it. You have no idea of the opportunities that will come when you have it saved.


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## Gicon (Oct 1, 2005)

10 Years Old????? Thats awesome man!!! Welcome to the site!!! Enjoy the days of doing driveways for $10 a piece and having the highest profit margins you will ever have. Make all the money you can now before you have to get into trucks, insurance, facilities, and employees. Charge $5, $10, or $20 to do anything you want. Its all profit baby. Think volume. Dont forget to close down the lemonade stand for the season before you get the shovels out......unless of course you are going to sell frozen lemondade this winter.....Good Luck !!!!!


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## Ipushsnow (Oct 29, 2007)

Good for you, but get your business up and running year round... Cut a few lawns in the summer, rake leaves in the fall, and do snow in the winter. That's what I did, didn't have to, but if I wanted to that new BMX bike, baseball glove, whatever, I had the money to do it. Listen to what the other said, set your price and stick to it, do a GREAT job, and be there when you are supposed to be. The rest will fall into place!


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## Grampa Plow (Sep 1, 2008)

Hicks...excellant post! Very well said! If a few more 10 year olds with ideas and ambitions like this were in this world, the world would then turn around and be a better place...rather than having to beg people to do an honest days work for an honest days pay.

KGR...sometimes you learn the most by saying the least! In MOST cases with age comes wisdom. Good luck to BOTH of you!!


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