# Rate for shovelers



## ServiceOnSite

what is the going rate for just shovelers?? we have a crew of guys that are getting 12 an hour from one of the contractors i work with. is thisan ok rate or not enough. i know its not skilled labor but it does suck being out in the cold all the time???


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## captfudd

I am paying my guys between $11 & $15 depending on how many years they have been with me


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## ServiceOnSite

seems fair


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## dutchhook

Pay between 10 and 15. 
Here's a great idea( in my mind)
we call roofers. They have hard working crews, and guess what? They can't work on the roofs during a snowfall! They usually get a day or two off. You might be able to work a deal with the roofing company. It helps them to give their guys hours when winters are generally slower!

Steve Hoogenakker


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## BlackIrish

tymusic
Well I probably pay too much but $18+ an hr seems fair for 20+ hrs in gross weather plus they seem eager for the work. I only know that I wouldn't do it for 10-12 an hr


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## mulcahy mowing

have been paid $22 an hour here


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## dunlaps lawncare

$10 to $12 a hour


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## DirtyJerzey

Im paying 2 guys here, to snowblow $20 bux and hour, some tell me thats an awesome price, others tell me Im too cheap


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## iceyman

20 is perfect for our area. we give mexicos 15


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## NJ Plowman

You Iceyman, go easy on that $15 stuff. I give my 36 Mexicans $8.5 an hour, if they see your post they might want a raise!!


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## yamaguy

iceyman;466920 said:


> 20 is perfect for our area. we give mexicos 15


What are you trying to do make them kings back home?


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## yamaguy

mulcahy mowing;466511 said:


> __________________
> 2003 Ford F 150 Fx4 blizzard speedwing 760SW
> 2005 shovel Good one
> 1998 craftsman II tractor 48" plow with strobes (sidewalks)
> 2007 Ford mustang -summer ride
> 
> ***Warning truck and Driver Built Ford Tough for those cold nights***


Wow that 05' shovel must showing it's age. Hopefully the note's paid off soon so you can get a new one! :salute:


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## Gicon

I pay no less than $15 for shovelers, 17.50 for drivers and 20.00 for foreman.....dont worry though, they all still ***** and think they are worth $500 a storm.


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## lmarine

well two $13 an hour guys did not show up for the new years day shoveling but the $17 all there Hmmm ....


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## poncho62

NJ Plowman;467693 said:


> You Iceyman, go easy on that $15 stuff. I give my 36 Mexicans $8.5 an hour, if they see your post they might want a raise!!


*You guys are hilarious........You pay them less for the same work, but if they were to undercut you on their own, you would cry like babies.........:crying::crying:

*


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## Snowguy01

I pay no less that 20 per hour


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## amendoza83

I PAY MY MEXICAN LABORERS $20 BUCKS AN HOUR AND MY MEXICAN FOREMEN $30....... GEEZ I WONDER HOW MANY WHITE GUYS GO OUT FOR $8.50 AN HOUR? AND IF YOUR NOT NATIVE AMERICAN THEN YOUR AN IMMIGRANT JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DONT TRY TO MAKE YOURSELF LOOK BETTER THEN ANYONE ELSE WE ARE ALL THE SAME. 

:angry::angry::angry::angry


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## blowerman

I pay all my guys $20 hr. Shovelers, truck drivers, skidloader and wheel loader drivers. Never have a problem getting guys (or girls) to work for me. Will pay them when the work is finished or at the end of each week. Now, for my customers to pay our snow removal bills, that's a different story.


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## cet

poncho62;474839 said:


> *You guys are hilarious........You pay them less for the same work, but if they were to undercut you on their own, you would cry like babies.........:crying::crying:
> 
> *


I second that, you just give them a reason to go and get their own work.


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## karol

*Shovelers*

Once a shoveler always a shoveler. Pay them well. There hard to find and keep. Maybe we should breed the good ones and open up a shovelers kennel.


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## oman1999

*Shovelers*

Right now, I'm charging out $40.00 an hour for shovel / blower work. 2 guys, 1 truck, 2 blowers, many shovels, weapply salt provided by the plowing contractor.

I do mostly the fill in work this year. I was plowing last year but switched to full-time truck repair and part time walks and logistics.

Straight shovel crews are paid $15.00 per hour and use a snowblower about 60% of the time.

I get a little more because it's my truck, my blowers and shovels, my fuel, etc. Isn't subcontracting as a snowshoveler the weirdest thing ever? Oh well. Keeps the contractor happy that he has a run-around guy to pick up slack and also check up on the other drivers' progress along with making fuel stops in the middle of the night.


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## Travel'n Trees

15 to 22 a hour and they still don't show more than two storms at a time.


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## gd8boltman

*We pay our shovelers*

$25.00/hr. Works well for everyone.


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## merrimacmill

WOW, I feel like I'm lowballing our guys now. The guys on our maintenance crew are the ones that plow. I pay them the same to plow as I do to perform building maintenance. 11-15 an hour. Do you guys have different pay rates for when it snows as opposed to them just doing normal work? I don't have a big crew like you guys do. Barely a "crew", yet...


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## 3311

My shoveller gets paid a flat rate per site. Some times he makes out good, and sometimes so so depending on the amount of snow. I supply the van and de-icer and the equipment. He probably makes on the average of $ 50.00 an hour.But our agreement is the walkways have to be done without complaint from the customer our he re-dose them at his cost !!! Walkways are very important to high traffic businesses.


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## bizmarkdroops

*snow*

no matter what we pay them they don't show up when we need them the most


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## karol

bizmarkdroops;478596 said:


> no matter what we pay them they don't show up when we need them the most


That's what I said before we Breed the good ones and start up a North American Shovelers Kennel Club. I know of a good stud to get the club going.


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## poncho62

karol;478686 said:


> That's what I said before we Breed the good ones and start up a North American Shovelers Kennel Club. I know of a good stud to get the club going.


*I would offer for stud service, but not before I see what muscle bound Russian "woman" you are using.......................She at least can't have a mustache...........*


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## karol

poncho62;478709 said:


> *I would offer for stud service, but not before I see what muscle bound Russian "woman" you are using.......................She at least can't have a mustache...........*


Here is the pic. The stud i can't show. I can assure you the stud is top blood line.


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## NootDogg

Hey blowerman, Are you looking for help?? I live just north of you in Hartford


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## Burkartsplow

i thought this thread had to do with a shoveler rates. not studing out animals???


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## Scottscape

$12.00 per hr. They ride along in the trucks passenger side. In residentials they jump out for about 5-10 mins, snow blow the sidewalks, shovel the front steps into house. Done, back in the truck in the heat. Now the guys that are out shoveling there asses off at big lots and stuff for hours, they I'd say atleast $15.00 per hr.


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## DJ Contracting

So do you guys pay your shovelers from when they leave the shop until they get back minus food breaks and what not or do you guys pay them actual time? What i mean is pay them for each job they go to say one job take a shoveler 15 min. and the next one takes them 15 min. therefore the actual work time is 30 min. with lets say 1 hr total with drive time. I like the fact that if you pay somebody for actual work time it gives them the incentive to work faster as i have seen way to many people milk the clock.


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## gd8boltman

*I am blessed with a great crew that*

uses their own vehicles. I still make $, they make $25.00 hr, it keeps my Customers happy, and myself and others in the trucks productive.


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## gd8boltman

*And in all honesty, I have no desire to*

be out shoveling when it is colder than hell, and the winds blowing like crazy.


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## GFX

*gd8boltman and blowerman
*
What are you billing out for sidewalks guys if you don't mind me asking? A PM will work if you don't feel like posting it.


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## andrewlawnrangr

i pay my guy (guatamaulan) sp? 15 an hours, but i just bought him a new carhart, redwing boots, good socks and a beenie hat. i think thats dam good. he works hard everyday so i have no problem buying him those things.


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## cod8825

I will say that most of you guys are are paying insanely cheap but I don't know the situation like what the jobs are, where they at, scrap vs ice melt and on and on and on. I do only sidewalks for the company that I work for. I carry my own insurance for the equipment I run ATV w/plow, snowblowers and the such. I supply all of my equipment and the maintanence there in. They only thing that is provided is ice melt. I am paid a flat rate per job for scraping and ice melt. Scraping is paid by inch accumulation 1-4 4-6 and so on. 

If I go out and only do ice melt on all of the properites I am responsible I will make about 400 and snow at 100% and it is around 1100. I agree with anybody that states shovelers should make as much as plowers cause we do freeze are back ends off out there. 

Look pay your workers flat rates and you'll be amazed at how much faster they'll get done.


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## TurbDies2500

I pay my friends that shovel for me about 15 an hour.


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## scoopdog

*shovel pay*

We pay $65 per hour for a 3 man crew. This to a sub. The only problem is that most shovel subs do not carry insurance so you risk it if you can not find someone with business insurance. Most of the time the main guy that uses his car/truck to get around takes $35 and pays his buddies $15.


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## Oasis

I have one guy who is one of our landscaping manager that I pay 15$/hr and a buddy that we pay $12.50 an hour. This is from the second they are picked up till they are dropped off. They get free snacks during work hours and a free meal (Mickes/Timmies/Harveys etc.)


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## JRSlawn

Wow I am going to have to come to work for you guys I pay 8-10 for walks and 12-15 for drivers


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## cet

You get what you pay for. I pay more then the #'s posted. It is tuff working conditions and hard work.


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## svelasquez

amendoza83;477643 said:


> I PAY MY MEXICAN LABORERS $20 BUCKS AN HOUR AND MY MEXICAN FOREMEN $30....... GEEZ I WONDER HOW MANY WHITE GUYS GO OUT FOR $8.50 AN HOUR? AND IF YOUR NOT NATIVE AMERICAN THEN YOUR AN IMMIGRANT JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DONT TRY TO MAKE YOURSELF LOOK BETTER THEN ANYONE ELSE WE ARE ALL THE SAME.
> 
> :angry::angry::angry::angry


Don't mean to split hairs with you but a short history lesson might help you. The THREE types of people that didn't require a trip to Ellis Island or a Green Card are:

Native Americans
Eskimos
Puerto Ricans

Puerto Rico is a "Territory" of the US; as such, we are not "immigrants." We have served with honor in every war dating back to the Civil War yet we hold no seat in the Senate and can not vote.

Regarding pay, I've never established a Mexican rate, a Guatamalan rate or a Honduran rate. Christ, I'm 1/2 Peruvian and 1/2 Puerto Rican; what would I pay myself?! And would 1/2 of me strike if they found out what the other 1/2 was making? Hmmmm

I believe in paying a person according to their merits. It's America. We have a market driven economy. If it snowed every day throughout the winter and there was an increased demand for this type of labor, their rates would increase as would ours. "A rising tide raises all ships." I think most of the people here treat their laborers well. I read one post where a person purchased clothing for their laborer. I feed mine, provide adequate rest and safety equipment. When they do a great job that makes me look good, I pay them a few hours more than what they actually worked. Amazing what compassionate capitalists will do out of their own good nature without the federal gun pointed at their head. I wish my f/t job would treat me the way I treat others.

Respectfully,

Steve


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## MileHigh

I pay my shoveler 25 an hour.
He always answers his phone.
But then again he is my friend.

Next year I'll have a few shovel guys
at prob 15-25 an hour depending on how good they are.
It sux to shovel.


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## DFLS

yamaguy;467708 said:


> Wow that 05' shovel must showing it's age. Hopefully the note's paid off soon so you can get a new one! :salute:


I have one shovel bought in the early 90's, my father picked it up in St. Zenon, Quebec, a little wear but still no cracks and the handle is not loose. Can't get them anymore. The crap I buy around here doesn't last 3 storms. I did find through this site a lead for http://www.cleaningsolutions4u.com/page2.html. These really are excellent. But if you get them, screw and GLUE the fiberglass pole to the handle and the shovel brace. Very, very good shovels. Plus the height of the shovel is a little taller than most. They come in assorted widths. Unbreakable for me so far, even chop icy slush with them. Highly recommended.
To answer the shoveler question, If I have a guy available who does a super job I make it worth his while and effort, $20 / hr or more. I figure that if he wasn't there *I* would be doing all the shoveling myself, therefore lengthening my route time and making customers wait longer, plus the strain on my body. I like to shovel, probably more than most people, and it is good to get out of the truck once in a while when I have help with me to shovel and stretch. If I ever used someone new I would start them at $15 / hr and if they just couldn't seem to do a good job I would just pay them and wouldn't use them again. Try again.


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## Gicon

bladescape2;499384 said:


> I pay my shoveler 25 an hour.
> He always answers his phone.
> But then again he is my friend.
> 
> Next year I'll have a few shovel guys
> at prob 15-25 an hour depending on how good they are.
> It sux to shovel.


Your not making money paying a shoveler $25 an hour.


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