# Plowing for $15?



## ncampbell (Jan 5, 2009)

I am new to the industry but I have plowed for myself for years. I just don't understand how people can plow driveways for $15! I can't see it being worth at least $25-30 around here for most driveways. There is a guy who advertised in my area tonight for $15, in the middle of a Nor Easter, LMAO! I say he's plowing for free. :angry:


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## 2low (Oct 1, 2008)

with in a block of my house is $15 2blocks is $25 everywhere else is $45


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## erkoehler (Sep 25, 2008)

If you can do 10 driveways in an hour, your making $150/hr. In my neck of the woods that isn't too bad for hourly pay.

However, driveways do usually go for a bit more around here.


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## ahoron (Jan 22, 2007)

erkoehler;742481 said:


> If you can do 10 driveways in an hour, your making $150/hr. In my neck of the woods that isn't too bad for hourly pay.
> 
> However, driveways do usually go for a bit more around here.


Careful erko your going to get the guys telling you that you CAN'T do a good job in that little time and you are crazy for charging that little. People don't understand why walmart is so big..................Volume!!!! goes for any business. you get 10-15 drives in one neighborhood you can make more then if you had to drive longer distance between them. 
$15 around here only if she's hot


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## Lencodude (Dec 30, 2008)

If someone waves me down when I am driving on my route it is uasually $20-$30, Pays for the coffee's and sometimes lunch. I have to agree if she is super HOT maybe!


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## murray83 (Dec 3, 2005)

I know what you mean,same here in Saint John I can say I'd like $25 or $30 but thats very rare and hard to get out of people,$20 is more the norm sadly,still have yet to see anyone but large commercial sign up to seasionals dunno about larger cities like Halifax.

Hard to convince anyone to sign up to a $400 a year seasional or $30 per push when any other guy is doing them for $15 or $20 and we are not talking "lowballers" with a 84 chevy bondo truck lol these are 2000 or newer half tons or 3/4 tons.

That said driveways to me are alot better than commercial less stress,no salting,no daily site checks at 5am everyday no massive insurance payouts just plow per storm and send a bill per month and try to line them up like dominos.

In the words of Red Green... We're all in this together.


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## Brando55 (Jan 6, 2008)

Here in Newfoundland I get $30 no problem. You would have to have alot of driveways to make a good buck at doing them for $15.


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## augerandblade (Jan 17, 2009)

tymusicpayupSome of my $15 driveways can be done in 3 to 4 minutes ,(in cab work only )with tractor equipped with a loader and snowblower. With that combination you can "blow away" the competition. wAKE up and smell the coffee, we are in a recession/depression , and people expect to pay less. Youre gonna havta work harder and smarter to make it through this one.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## scottL (Dec 7, 2002)

First off NO ONE gets paid 150 an hour - period. NO ONE can knock off 10 driveways in an hour - this minus a town home community.

At 15 a driveway you are a low baller, you will fail, your client will be mine and you will pick up the damages to the home owner - seen it time and time again.

I get the recession/depression and that I am not a politician who can get a pass on my taxes. I also know that humans get frustrated, time is money and quality suffers to volume.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

scottL;742845 said:


> First off NO ONE gets paid 150 an hour - period. NO ONE can knock off 10 driveways in an hour - this minus a town home community.
> 
> At 15 a driveway you are a low baller, you will fail, your client will be mine and you will pick up the damages to the home owner - seen it time and time again.
> 
> I get the recession/depression and that I am not a politician who can get a pass on my taxes. I also know that humans get frustrated, time is money and quality suffers to volume.


This guy does


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## hydro_37 (Sep 10, 2006)

scottL;742845 said:


> First off NO ONE gets paid 150 an hour - period. NO ONE can knock off 10 driveways in an hour - this minus a town home community.
> 
> At 15 a driveway you are a low baller, you will fail, your client will be mine and you will pick up the damages to the home owner - seen it time and time again.
> 
> I get the recession/depression and that I am not a politician who can get a pass on my taxes. I also know that humans get frustrated, time is money and quality suffers to volume.


You must not be able to plow very well then. 10 drives an hour is very reasonable.
A bunch of drives in a 2-3 block stretch and you can make damn good money.
LEARN how to manage time. I see you have a V blade too. That makes the jobs even faster.


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## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

Most of the drives around here are 20' X 50'. Back drag 4 times and then push it on the lawn. Don't get out of the truck. You can easily do 8-10/hour. They go for $400/season and most years you will do approx. 20 plows. The last 2 years have been bad and some guys have put caps on their # of plows.

Having said all that, I don't do driveways.


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## Lencodude (Dec 30, 2008)

I will have to disagree about the 10 an hour. I have 18 houses on one street and have done it in 45 - 60 minutes flat. Here unfortunately everyone I know charges seasonal $400-$500. I would love to get paid per time , make more money this season. I have over 40 houses in a 5 block area they are done fast.


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## augerandblade (Jan 17, 2009)

:salute:Yeah well said guystymusic:salute:


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## ff1221 (Feb 17, 2008)

scottL;742845 said:


> First off NO ONE gets paid 150 an hour - period. NO ONE can knock off 10 driveways in an hour - this minus a town home community.
> 
> At 15 a driveway you are a low baller, you will fail, your client will be mine and you will pick up the damages to the home owner - seen it time and time again.
> 
> I get the recession/depression and that I am not a politician who can get a pass on my taxes. I also know that humans get frustrated, time is money and quality suffers to volume.


80 Driveways, 5 hours, and my driveways are spotless when i'm done, average here is $15 per time, and i've been in the business for 9 years. It's the Canadian way.tymusic


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## niederhauser la (Feb 10, 2005)

scottL;742845 said:


> First off NO ONE gets paid 150 an hour - period. NO ONE can knock off 10 driveways in an hour - this minus a town home community.
> 
> At 15 a driveway you are a low baller, you will fail, your client will be mine and you will pick up the damages to the home owner - seen it time and time again.
> 
> I get the recession/depression and that I am not a politician who can get a pass on my taxes. I also know that humans get frustrated, time is money and quality suffers to volume.


I do but I dont do driveways.


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## CAT 245ME (Sep 10, 2006)

I can do my 40 driveway's in between 4 to 5 hours, and charge $25 & up, I will not plow for less than $25 it just isn't worth it. UNLESS there is a pretty lady in need of my help.


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## Fife Lawn&Lane (Jan 20, 2009)

15 isn't enough. my cheapest drive is $20, I start at the curb and one push into the backyard takes about 2 minutes.


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## augerandblade (Jan 17, 2009)

CAT 245ME;743382 said:


> I can do my 40 driveway's in between 4 to 5 hours, and charge $25 & up, I will not plow for less than $25 it just isn't worth it. UNLESS there is a pretty lady in need of my help.


If everybody starts at 25 you can stick to your guns. As soon as someone works for less there will be pressure on you (if ya still wanna plow) to work for less money.payuptymusic


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## kootoomootoo (May 11, 2000)

The same guys who won't stop for $15 are plowing lots for $65 an hour.

But its a Walmart man.....all my wet dreams rolled into one..look at me.


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## ScnicExcellence (Jun 9, 2008)

my cheapest driveways are either $25 per time or $100 to $112.50 a month only driveway no shoveling needed.

My average is about $35 per time. if i am taking my time it takes about 10 to 15 minutes each one. this is with shoveling of city walk and stairs and also in front of the garage. if i rush it then i can do 5 of my driveways in an hour easily.

that is 5 driveways one at $45 three at 35 and one at 25 all per time. takes hour to do all 5 of them. that equals to $175 per hour, that also is having the driveways nice and clear.

i take my time and still get 5 driveways done in an hour that is plowing and shoveling at four of them and one is just plowing. today i went out and did 8 driveways and 45 minutes of driving and one small building parking lot. i did this all in 2.5 hours including drivetime.

NO MATTER HOW FAST I CAN DO IT I WILL NOT BRING MY SELF TO PRICE DRIVEWAYS AS PER HOUR FOR HOW MANY I CAN DO AN HOUR.


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## scottL (Dec 7, 2002)

I dunno guys ... I'm feeling some big fish stories here. Granted that tractor and blower look to be awesome but, only if your houses are lined up. Can't quite drive that thing on the roads around here.

I suspect if you have a very tight area, don't get out to shovel the last foot by the garage door and don't do quite the best job then you could break the 5 an hour. ARound here there is always a few minute drive between, traffic while working the drive and getting to it, getting out to shovel the last foot, etc. I'd love to get 10 an hour but, 80 in 5 hours ....


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## augerandblade (Jan 17, 2009)

scottL;743874 said:


> I dunno guys ... I'm feeling some big fish stories here. Granted that tractor and blower look to be awesome but, only if your houses are lined up. Can't quite drive that thing on the roads around here.
> 
> I suspect if you have a very tight area, don't get out to shovel the last foot by the garage door and don't do quite the best job then you could break the 5 an hour. ARound here there is always a few minute drive between, traffic while working the drive and getting to it, getting out to shovel the last foot, etc. I'd love to get 10 an hour but, 80 in 5 hours ....


T:Tpayuphat tractor will fit on any street that a truck can have access to


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

scottL;743874 said:


> Can't quite drive that thing on the roads around here.
> 
> IQUOTE]
> 
> Why not?


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

ff1221;743348 said:


> 80 Driveways, 5 hours, and my driveways are spotless when i'm done, average here is $15 per time, and i've been in the business for 9 years. It's the Canadian way.tymusic


nice set up you have there


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## hedhunter9 (Nov 15, 2008)

I have a 5 hour route. Includes residentials and commercial.

44 miles by the time I am done. 

7 houses about a total 7 miles in 1 hour. Easy...2 with sidewalks.

Then a 7-11 about half an hour.
another half an hour for the insurance office.

then 6 houses and an apartment with alley that takes an hour and a half
The apartment has about 10 scattered parking places so takes half an hour by itself
so the 6 houses are about an hour. They are about 4-5 miles total distance

Then a doctors office with 2 lots, less than half an hour

3 more houses/apartment one with corner sidewalks shoveled/blown
Half hour. 

This is a scattered route and not a good residential route. But like the seven houses in one hour with 7 miles total distance shows. It could be very easy to do 10 per hour if they were closer city drives.... 

But we get more than $15 per drive.. $25 to $45 for most.


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## CAT 245ME (Sep 10, 2006)

augerandblade;743387 said:


> If everybody starts at 25 you can stick to your guns. As soon as someone works for less there will be pressure on you (if ya still wanna plow) to work for less money.payuptymusic


If I have someone tell me they can get someone to plow them out for $15 and do all the shoveling too then go for it, all I ask the homeowner is to make sure the guy doing all that work for $15 has insurance.

I knew after the record snowfall from last winter that we got that this year there would be many many new plowers, which there is and I read one ad back in october from a person thet said he would plow your driveway, shovel walks and steps and salt your sidewalk (if the homeowner has it) all for $15. But if I have to drop my prices just to get work then it will be time for me to walk away from plowing.


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## scottL (Dec 7, 2002)

cretebaby;744068 said:


> scottL;743874 said:
> 
> 
> > Can't quite drive that thing on the roads around here.
> ...


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

scottL;744141 said:


> cretebaby;744068 said:
> 
> 
> > We don't service areas which have little to no traffic. We are road warriors fighting demon metal objects as lead by mitten wearing, cell phone using, coffee slurping, food eating, window slit cleared only lead foot aholes backed up by police that are now considered profit centers.
> ...


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

scottL;744141 said:


> cretebaby;744068 said:
> 
> 
> > We don't service areas which have little to no traffic. We are road warriors fighting demon metal objects as lead by mitten wearing, cell phone using, coffee slurping, food eating, window slit cleared only lead foot aholes backed up by police that are now considered profit centers.
> ...


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

nobody pay attention to crete...haha


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

This is for Driveway plowers ONLY I dont plow parking lots so I cant say anything about them.

BUT

It's easy to plow 10 driveway in 1 Hr. (just have them next to each other) 

You dont get paid (usually) for driving between Jobs so charging less per house may get you more work and increase your $/Hr. I could charge $100 per driveway but I'd probably have to drive a LOOOOONG ways between them. At $10 each I could probably get ALL the houses, The trick is to find something in the middle.

One thing to remember not all driveways are created equal. When someone says driveway I think of what I plow for driveways What do you plow? Not necessarily the same.

6% of my driveways are like 2 car wide and 4- 6 car long. ALL the rest are "L" shaped and of those 40% have an attached circles. The drives with an attached circles take over 6 minuets. I dont shovel ( I would gladly exchange my back surgery for a snow shovel) I can do a drive in 6 minuets and do a great Job, better than most of what I see out there.


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## Lencodude (Dec 30, 2008)

The trick is to try to get the customer close as possible. If you have 5-20 houses on each street in a 10 block area your laughing to the bank. If you have one on each street and have to drive 5-10 minutes to your next one etc...... It will take you 2 -3 times as long to do 40 as the guy that has a condense route. When I started plowing, when there was still Dinosaurs around I had to take what I can get and ran around 8-10 hour to do 44 houses and 4 small malls from one end of town to the other. As your business grows and your reputation is known around your area after 20 years you can pick and choose and form your own route. I dump one area 10 house this year to pickup more in my area to cut down on the travel time. I refund all the cry babys right away if they always call complaining for stupid reasons.When I do my route a plow with a piece of mind not having my cell phone ring all the time. If you plow at rush hours it will slow you down, when plowing at 12 am you can fly, no cars around to back into! So there is a lot to take in consideration at how fast you can do laneways. also experience and how you setup the piles you stack and where on the lawn makes a big difference in time.


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## Zach (Nov 19, 2008)

I charge 15 in lighter snow... never more than $30 plus I get tips.... but Im just a "kid" on an ATV


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## murray83 (Dec 3, 2005)

Lenco do you offer deals to your customers if they can sign up neighbours?


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## Lencodude (Dec 30, 2008)

murray83;744691 said:


> Lenco do you offer deals to your customers if they can sign up neighbours?


When I sign up 13 houses on one street this year because the last guy took off last year when we got a 32 inches in 2 days. I told them everyone pays the same rate there is no discounts. They all sign up. I go 2-4 times during a two day storm not like the others that wait it out till the city plows finally goes by and then they show up. Remember that is your worst enemy is when you give discounts to some and not others. Neighbours talk and they get pissed when they see others get it cheaper. singles, single and a half, doubles and triples are all the same rate.
Just from my street in a 5 block area I do over 40 houses and most neighbours know each other.


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## Lencodude (Dec 30, 2008)

Zach;744445 said:


> I charge 15 in lighter snow... never more than $30 plus I get tips.... but Im just a "kid" on an ATV


If your young at least your starting on the right foot getting a taste of business and when you get older and save enough you can get your own truck and more clients.


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## SNOWPIMP (Dec 28, 2003)

* Well I can say I do them for $15 but I also plow the streets that the houses are on I've got a 2 skids (gehl ctl80 and takehuchi tl150) 1 has a 10 foot pusher and one just a bucket being as they are big (11,000lbs each) I never had any inclination to do drives. However this year I couldn't find my usual big lots to do (mainly due to other people doing them cheaper than I have been for the last 10 yrs). So I fell into 13 miles of roads in a housing association. So I figured since I am there anyway doing the streets why not lowball to $15 and see how many I could pick up plus it's actually easier to be able to do the drives WHILE I'm doing the streets. So I made up flyers and only passed them out to the houses on my route (around 1000). I picked up 100 of them I get 110 an hour per machine and I hit the drives while doing the streets. As far as 10 drives an hour hell I do 30 drives and the 3/4 mile street in 45 minutes. That includes pulling the ramps unloading the machine and reloading it. So that one street works out to $560 in 45 minutes. 
Of course I am rather great if I do say so myself LOL. Actually the contractor I work for that I started with this season says I am the #1 best plower they have out of 75 subs. Most the time they throw me 4 hrs extra because I do my lots 10 hrs faster than the guy who did them last year (3.5 hrs as opposed to the 14 hrs it took him). Then I get sent to rescue other subs so I get around 30 hrs per snowfall minimum. *


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## dellwas (Oct 16, 2005)

Well, I'm in Nova Scotia (rural) too. I charge $20-$35 for residential and $45 for my lone commercial account.



ncampbell;742367 said:


> I am new to the industry but I have plowed for myself for years. I just don't understand how people can plow driveways for $15! I can't see it being worth at least $25-30 around here for most driveways. There is a guy who advertised in my area tonight for $15, in the middle of a Nor Easter, LMAO! I say he's plowing for free. :angry:


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## SNOWPIMP (Dec 28, 2003)

Yes I can see that! When I ran trucks no way I would do a drive less than $30. The ones I do for $15 are just big enough for 2 cars. Matter of a fact the residents can't even have a pick-up parked in front of their $750,000 houses. I'm not sure they would fit anyway!


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## ff1221 (Feb 17, 2008)

scottL;743874 said:


> I dunno guys ... I'm feeling some big fish stories here. Granted that tractor and blower look to be awesome but, only if your houses are lined up. Can't quite drive that thing on the roads around here.
> 
> I suspect if you have a very tight area, don't get out to shovel the last foot by the garage door and don't do quite the best job then you could break the 5 an hour. ARound here there is always a few minute drive between, traffic while working the drive and getting to it, getting out to shovel the last foot, etc. I'd love to get 10 an hour but, 80 in 5 hours ....


This same conversation goes around every year, through just about every forum, and the answer remains the same, the price per driveway is based on what the economy in your area can bare, amount of snow and times out plowing. I live in a town with a population of 5000, with one major employer, and literally 8 plow contractors, who all know one another, and yet out of eight you still have 2 lowballers. The rest of us talk amongst ourselves, and try to maintain the price we get, we even sub for one another, and help each other out. We don't have 750000 houses, or people with 2 mercedes in their driveway, it's tough to tell the little old lady on a pension that it's going to cost her $30 per time, 25 to 30 times per year, that's a lot of bread. No I don't clean out in front of the garage, except for a few little old ladies, the rest are capable of shovelling themselves, I can get thew blower right up to the door, so it's only about an inch deep, and at seven feet wide, it requires on average 3 passes, the equivelant of about 2 minutes, and with a 25mph road speed i can get from house to house fairly quickly, the furthest one being about 1.5 miles away. I would imagine that in Chicago, or any other major centre it's tough to make time, but here in rural Ontario you can, and that's the going rate. Now the truth about my situation is, I don't charge per time, I charge $450 per season, and on an averag season it will work out to $15 per time, this year will be less, and some years are more, that's the way it goes.

Anyways, just because my average is $15, doesn't mean I'm a lowballer, I don't do a lousy job, and I'm not going to lose my business, otherwise I wouldn't own that tractor and blower, it's just different here than it is elseware, and guys need to understand that not every town or city can sustain the same rates. Sorry for the novel, I just wanted to get that out.


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## Bajak (Nov 12, 2008)

Yeah!! What my neighbor said.. Last year I did a few drives for nothing here to help out guys that lost their jobs when their plant closed down. I live in a community of only 1800 and the plant used to employ 800. Some of that good will payed off large though for summer work in references.tymusic


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## Dubliner (Aug 20, 2008)

My cheapest drive is 20 but it is only 8 feet long, most are 35 to 45, small commercial lots are 55 to 65 not counting salt or sand which I charge out at the same rate as plowing. I have one 60 dollar drive, but it's a quarter mile long to a horse farm It's a PITA. I average 1600 dollars on an 8 hour run.


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## augerandblade (Jan 17, 2009)

ff1221 YOUR RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Your "novel" best describes the situation in rural or small town Ontariopayup:waving:


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## scottL (Dec 7, 2002)

ff1221;745028 said:


> This same conversation goes around every year, through just about every forum, and the answer remains the same, the price per driveway is based on what the economy in your area can bare, amount of snow and times out plowing. I live in a town with a population of 5000, with one major employer, and literally 8 plow contractors, who all know one another, and yet out of eight you still have 2 lowballers. The rest of us talk amongst ourselves, and try to maintain the price we get, we even sub for one another, and help each other out. We don't have 750000 houses, or people with 2 mercedes in their driveway, it's tough to tell the little old lady on a pension that it's going to cost her $30 per time, 25 to 30 times per year, that's a lot of bread. No I don't clean out in front of the garage, except for a few little old ladies, the rest are capable of shovelling themselves, I can get thew blower right up to the door, so it's only about an inch deep, and at seven feet wide, it requires on average 3 passes, the equivelant of about 2 minutes, and with a 25mph road speed i can get from house to house fairly quickly, the furthest one being about 1.5 miles away. I would imagine that in Chicago, or any other major centre it's tough to make time, but here in rural Ontario you can, and that's the going rate. Now the truth about my situation is, I don't charge per time, I charge $450 per season, and on an averag season it will work out to $15 per time, this year will be less, and some years are more, that's the way it goes.
> 
> Anyways, just because my average is $15, doesn't mean I'm a lowballer, I don't do a lousy job, and I'm not going to lose my business, otherwise I wouldn't own that tractor and blower, it's just different here than it is elseware, and guys need to understand that not every town or city can sustain the same rates. Sorry for the novel, I just wanted to get that out.


I have noticed a similar story with you guys from north the border to me. Different locale for sure. Around here $15 is considered low balling and the results are typically terrible for the homeowner and looses clients for the rest of us for the short term.

A typical 2 car wide by 40' long is $25. Discounts for seniors and those with medical problems, seasonal cap on full charges. But seasonal contracts just haven't happened around here very well. The last 10 years the snows haven't been heavy but, that is no changing in a big way ... so we will probably address our approaches as well.

I've always liked driveways, very quick cash. The down side is that I have a handful or so who take their time paying and require extra invoices and phone calls. That pisses me of as they would be the first to call and ask where we are but, the last to ever pay ( even when they are first on the list ).

I do like that blower on your tractor wesport


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## ncampbell (Jan 5, 2009)

I didn't mean to insult anybody or anything like that, I guess I am just ranting a little. I'm not looking at the big picture when it comes to this recession/depression/the world finally ran outta money part of it. I am still new as well so I guess I need to be patient until people find me. I am rural so it's not as easy to line 'em up like dominos. Maybe better to charge rural drives a little more to cover some fuel expense, and then pick-up more in town at the lower price?  Fun though!


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## ScnicExcellence (Jun 9, 2008)

the recession i don't believe has even hit the east yet.

I just looked up prices of houses in newfoundland and wow what a increase. i lived there just over a year ago and the prices were decent and well priced houses. 

now i look and the prices are more expensive there then it is here. i mean they are charging $800,000 for a two to three bedroom condo downtown st john's. and for the lower level of the condos they are going for about $400,000 

that is rediculous.

from what family has told me The east has not even felt a tad bit brokedown because of the recession.


Also the people that make it through the recession will definitely have a good name for themselves when they come out of it because there are alot of companies who will go belly up.


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## Zach (Nov 19, 2008)

I bet if everyone on the media simply said that the recesion is over, people would go back to spending and things would go back to normal


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## daninline (Nov 1, 2004)

Most of my driveways are about 40 to 50 each but I only do bigger drives.
I also don't do like some of the hacks around here they back up to the garage door and push it out to the street a few times and then leave, nice service.
I even plow out there mail boxes so they can get my bill after 

I like to make 100 to 130 hr if all goes well


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## apik1 (Mar 25, 2007)

The drive bys here are 25 to 30, if I am in one of my trucks with a back blade, it takes about 3 min. to do a driveway, 3 drags to the street, turn and pile. payup


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## RODHALL (Nov 23, 2005)

I have 40 houses with a 8 x 40 driveway with a turn around spot...$35 each

a lot has to do with layout of the drive and house. All these houses have a side load 2 car grauge. so they are easy to plow. push past, back up push past back up push turn around back up widen trun around, back up widen going back out. 7-8 minuets per drive, all side by side, you can knock a lot out in a hour.


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

I think I know why ScottL says it cant be done. Mostly becuase it cant be done usually. Yeah you have 7 houses on one street. But what about cars in driveway? You have to go bak for a clean up. Usually thats part of the cost. So yeah you can sweep out ends. But usually you have to go back for a clean up. If its day time or regualr time you have to wait for them to move cars. Lots of factors in driveway plowing.


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## hedhunter9 (Nov 15, 2008)

car in drive.
Pull up to back of it. Back drag it out.
Whatever is in front doesnt get done.

Billed the same.

All know in advance that cars are to be in garage, not drive.
If you want your drive plowed those are the terms.

Weed out the bad ones. Keep the good ones....

I have timesheets for the all the ones we do, going back years.
Never took longer than the times I said...


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## Sno Biz (Nov 19, 2008)

Zach;745719 said:


> I bet if everyone on the media simply said that the recesion is over, people would go back to spending and things would go back to normal


Exactly...


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## Lencodude (Dec 30, 2008)

If your charging seasonal you know exactly your income for the season and can budget around the winter months.
If year charging per plow if you have a good season great, but if you have less than normal you are scrambling to meet budget needs.
Like few years ago it only snowed 6 times the whole season here. I was smiling to the bank, if I was paid per plow, I would have been in a financial bind in my plow business, Lucky I have a general contractor business that is always busy!


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## scottL (Dec 7, 2002)

Previous years I had looked at residential as gravy ( of sorts ). Now the route has grown and it's more a serious player to commercial. I have been doing a per storm charge but, am getting tired of those folks taking their time paying and nut-balls. I'm wondering if this seasonal deal helps weed out these folks, is it a better clientele ??


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## augerandblade (Jan 17, 2009)

All my residential are a per time charge, with most clearing done after the commercials are well under way of being cleared before we break of to the streets I used to be on contract with the resi, but found out that a little old lady could b e just as demanding as a facility manager, only difference bei ng that little ol lady only gave me 300 to 400 bucks a season.


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## Lencodude (Dec 30, 2008)

scottL;746419 said:


> Previous years I had looked at residential as gravy ( of sorts ). Now the route has grown and it's more a serious player to commercial. I have been doing a per storm charge but, am getting tired of those folks taking their time paying and nut-balls. I'm wondering if this seasonal deal helps weed out these folks, is it a better clientele ??


Residential i don't salt their driveways, never a claim for a fall.
Commercials all the mall here open 7 days a week, not like the old days, sunday their closed.
Must have parking lots open at a certain time every day!

Trick of residential get rid of the complainers keep the quiet people!

I do 4 driveways and it is the same $ as a small commercial lot and a lot less work that I do.


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## creativedesigns (Sep 24, 2007)

Lots here aren't considering depreciation factor in all their equipment. I betcha some guys on PS don't even make in profit what their equipment depreciates! lol How do ya make money that way? LOL


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## augerandblade (Jan 17, 2009)

creativedesigns;746494 said:


> Lots here aren't considering depreciation factor in all their equipment. I betcha some guys on PS don't even make in profit what their equipment depreciates! lol How do ya make money that way? LOL


We plow with old proven equipment it just cant depreciate any more than that We dont have to worry about depreciation like youdo on that good looking Ford Dually I just finished seeing on another threadpayup


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## creativedesigns (Sep 24, 2007)

augerandblade;746540 said:


> We plow with old proven equipment it just cant depreciate any more than that We dont have to worry about depreciation like youdo on that good looking Ford Dually I just finished seeing on another threadpayup


I passed by Renfrew County, the "frew" goin up to Pembroke this mornin! Buyin another truck at Edwards Mazda! payup :waving:


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## Neige (Jan 29, 2008)

scottL;742845 said:


> First off NO ONE gets paid 150 an hour - period. NO ONE can knock off 10 driveways in an hour - this minus a town home community.
> We can, and we do. More like 50 an hour
> At 15 a driveway you are a low baller, you will fail, your client will be mine and you will pick up the damages to the home owner - seen it time and time again.
> I got news for you we average around $5.00 a pass, because we service so often
> ...


 We work on volume, and our service is second to none.



scottL;743874 said:


> I dunno guys ... I'm feeling some big fish stories here. Granted that tractor and blower look to be awesome but, only if your houses are lined up. Can't quite drive that thing on the roads around here.
> Tractors can get anywhere a pickup can. I would say, on busy streets even quicker, because you can turn on a dime.
> I suspect if you have a very tight area, don't get out to shovel the last foot by the garage door and don't do quite the best job then you could break the 5 an hour. ARound here there is always a few minute drive between, traffic while working the drive and getting to it, getting out to shovel the last foot, etc. I'd love to get 10 an hour but, 80 in 5 hours ....


You are right we don't shovel last 2 feet, our clients dont expect it. We don't do sidewalks, around cars, clean of cars, take out the garbage. If that means we give substandard service, so be it.


Lencodude;744285 said:


> The trick is to try to get the customer close as possible. If you have 5-20 houses on each street in a 10 block area your laughing to the bank. If you have one on each street and have to drive 5-10 minutes to your next one etc...... It will take you 2 -3 times as long to do 40 as the guy that has a condense route. When I started plowing, when there was still Dinosaurs around I had to take what I can get and ran around 8-10 hour to do 44 houses and 4 small malls from one end of town to the other. As your business grows and your reputation is known around your area after 20 years you can pick and choose and form your own route. I dump one area 10 house this year to pickup more in my area to cut down on the travel time. I refund all the cry babys right away if they always call complaining for stupid reasons.When I do my route a plow with a piece of mind not having my cell phone ring all the time. If you plow at rush hours it will slow you down, when plowing at 12 am you can fly, no cars around to back into! So there is a lot to take in consideration at how fast you can do laneways. also experience and how you setup the piles you stack and where on the lawn makes a big difference in time.


Excellent advice, smart business practice.


ff1221;745028 said:


> This same conversation goes around every year, through just about every forum, and the answer remains the same, the price per driveway is based on what the economy in your area can bare, amount of snow and times out plowing. I live in a town with a population of 5000, with one major employer, and literally 8 plow contractors, who all know one another, and yet out of eight you still have 2 lowballers. The rest of us talk amongst ourselves, and try to maintain the price we get, we even sub for one another, and help each other out. We don't have 750000 houses, or people with 2 mercedes in their driveway, it's tough to tell the little old lady on a pension that it's going to cost her $30 per time, 25 to 30 times per year, that's a lot of bread. No I don't clean out in front of the garage, except for a few little old ladies, the rest are capable of shovelling themselves, I can get thew blower right up to the door, so it's only about an inch deep, and at seven feet wide, it requires on average 3 passes, the equivelant of about 2 minutes, and with a 25mph road speed i can get from house to house fairly quickly, the furthest one being about 1.5 miles away. I would imagine that in Chicago, or any other major centre it's tough to make time, but here in rural Ontario you can, and that's the going rate. Now the truth about my situation is, I don't charge per time, I charge $450 per season, and on an averag season it will work out to $15 per time, this year will be less, and some years are more, that's the way it goes.
> 
> Anyways, just because my average is $15, doesn't mean I'm a lowballer, I don't do a lousy job, and I'm not going to lose my business, otherwise I wouldn't own that tractor and blower, it's just different here than it is elseware, and guys need to understand that not every town or city can sustain the same rates. Sorry for the novel, I just wanted to get that out.


Well said my friend, and I believe it can work in most areas, not only rural


BigDave12768;745981 said:


> I think I know why ScottL says it cant be done. Mostly becuase it cant be done usually. Yeah you have 7 houses on one street. But what about cars in driveway? You have to go bak for a clean up. Usually thats part of the cost. So yeah you can sweep out ends. But usually you have to go back for a clean up. If its day time or regualr time you have to wait for them to move cars. Lots of factors in driveway plowing.


That's how we do it. Our clients know we always come back for a second pass. In some storms we may hit them 5 times.


hedhunter9;746119 said:


> car in drive.
> Pull up to back of it. Back drag it out.
> Whatever is in front doesnt get done.
> 
> ...


That would never work here, but if you can do it where you are from, great.



augerandblade;746453 said:


> All my residential are a per time charge, with most clearing done after the commercials are well under way of being cleared before we break of to the streets I used to be on contract with the resi, but found out that a little old lady could b e just as demanding as a facility manager, only difference bei ng that little ol lady only gave me 300 to 400 bucks a season.


Again that would never fly here. We have a 4 hour window to do our residential, they are getting done at the same time as commercials.
So like so many have already posted, different areas different prices, different forms of service. As long as you are making money, its working.


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## Grampa Plow (Sep 1, 2008)

In case no one put the math to ff1221's figures...at an average of $15 each he working for a skimpy $240 an hour. That $15 figure lookes pretty good to me. But it all depends on what equipment you use and how stubborn you are about working cheap. Let's see raise your price to $25 and loose 25% of your clients that equals hummm. 60 clients X $25 divided by 3.75 hours = $400 an hour. Less work more money. Work smarter...not harder


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## augerandblade (Jan 17, 2009)

But ya gotta make hay when the sun shines, in your way of thinking taking it to the extreme, why not work 1 hour and make 400 dollars because 400 bucks aint enuf.


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## Grampa Plow (Sep 1, 2008)

Math wizards are everywhere....60 clients X 3.75 hours = $400 an hour. 3.75 hours X $400 an hour = $1500. That's $1500 in 3.75 hours. I'll take that any day!


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## creativedesigns (Sep 24, 2007)

Grampa Plow;746612 said:


> Math wizards are everywhere....60 clients X 3.75 hours = $400 an hour. 3.75 hours X $400 an hour = $1500. That's $1500 in 3.75 hours. I'll take that any day!


They make $1500 and their bills are $3500 LOL


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## ScnicExcellence (Jun 9, 2008)

$25 per driveway is not low balling when you don't shovel the front of garage and even if you do $25 for just the driveway, is good. i wouldn't mind having 60 of them anyday rather than 40 residentials with walkways to shovel.


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

whats a shovel? Does it attach to your plow?


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## Neige (Jan 29, 2008)

Grampa Plow;746569 said:


> In case no one put the math to ff1221's figures...at an average of $15 each he working for a skimpy $240 an hour. That $15 figure lookes pretty good to me. But it all depends on what equipment you use and how stubborn you are about working cheap. Let's see raise your price to $25 and loose 25% of your clients that equals hummm. 60 clients X $25 divided by 3.75 hours = $400 an hour. Less work more money. Work smarter...not harder


I like the way you think, and makes total sense if you can hold onto those 60 clients. But if the going rate is 15.00 and you charge $25.00 (65% more) will you still have any clients to do. Now charge $18.00 and keep 70 clients, and you will even make $40 more in the deal. Or charge $16 keep all your clients and make $80 more. I think we all try to charge the best price that we can get away with. What equipment you use, is the difference on how much is left over in your pocket.


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## Lencodude (Dec 30, 2008)

Neige;746852 said:


> I like the way you think, and makes total sense if you can hold onto those 60 clients. But if the going rate is 15.00 and you charge $25.00 (65% more) will you still have any clients to do. Now charge $18.00 and keep 70 clients, and you will even make $40 more in the deal. Or charge $16 keep all your clients and make $80 more. I think we all try to charge the best price that we can get away with. What equipment you use, is the difference on how much is left over in your pocket.


Usually when I get a new customer, I ask them how much they was being charge by their old plow guy and people see me getting out of my plow truck in the malls and ask for a business card and we talk about how much they are being charge.

I found out that my biggest competitor is asking $100 more than I and others are charging, this gives me a better feel for the market next season for new customer in the competitor area! ( I hear from my customers that his customers are not happy with his service )

Try to be competitive and give good service or you will price yourself right out of the market!


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## Lencodude (Dec 30, 2008)

Also always ask around the competitors customers and potential customers for their pricing, they are less likely to B.S. you than a plow contractor. The plow guy will tell you more so you will price yourself out of the market or on the high end. While others are not greedy and price according to the market and laugh to the bank. I am not suggesting to low ball at $10-15 a plow. But you have to find the right price to have everyone jump aboard and still have a good service and make a killing in the winter months. I would rather charge $25 per push and have 100 custoners or charge $40 and have 40 customers! I look at it this way I am in this for the long haul and want to keep my customers year after year! I have 90 residential this season, next year my goal is 120 res.


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