# Going labor prices for plow drivers and labor?



## Ramairfreak98ss (Aug 17, 2005)

What do you pay? New guys, guys you've used several times and your area?

When i post up a craigslist listing for $10/hr labor, i get flooded with emails. A few i've spoken to though immediately said they wanted to know how much it paid, i said $10hr to start, since if theyre reliable, like 99% of them arnt, then i can pay more later or use them for work in the spring landscaping. A few were like oh, " I used to get $15hr, or $16hr, or i got $13 and $20 for food during the shift" etc. I got 2 emails in the last day saying how can you pay $10hr for the job when the going rate is $17+, no one is working for $10/hr these days. WTF? 

Just craigslist aholes or what? Its a bad economy, theres construction guys, engineers, even lawyers that emailed me for $10hr just to get a few extra bucks on a snow day. Who pays their laborers $17 an hour for snow?

Keep in mind, i havnt hired any of these guys, none want to be on the books, lots want cash at days end which i wont do either, i dont have that kind of time to be cashing out before we even get back to the office, since most are picked up near their areas/routes of the trucks...

I even pay an extra $2 per small site plowed, so its a little incentive to not shovel/snowblow/salt the sidewalks slow as molassas. And after 8hours working $15 meal expense reimbursed. I mean after 20 hours, you could have $200/$30/$64 . Sure for us thats peanuts, but just for riding around in one of our trucks, shoveling 2" here and there at a door entrance way, snow blowing with the machine and spreading calcium ice melter, thats all they have to do.

The NJ minimum wage was raised finally a few years back, i used to work in 98 for $6.15 an hour at goddam wendys! That was up from the $5.85 i started at lol. I had cleanup hard labor jobs in 2000 area for $10hr and worked as many hours as i can but it was only temporary too.

If i got an employee starting at $10hr and he was professional, half well spoken, took care of himself and didnt sound like he was from the ghetto, on time and reliable, i would always pay more. 

The guys i get applying for these jobs dont answer the phone, dont return calls, call back 12 hours later, dont have transportation, can only work 6-10am, then 3pm-9pm each day lol, wtf? Others cant work overnight or can only work overnight, that doesnt help at all. cant tell the snow to not fall certain hours.


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## FISHERBOY (Aug 13, 2007)

*labor*

i pay my guys $13.50 an hour for running my trucks and shoveling walkways using the backhoe/w pusher, and i treat them very well and its all cash to payup


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## nhpatriot (Dec 9, 2007)

$15-$20 plus meals, coffee, etc.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

You generally get what you pay for. JMO


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## Blown Away (Feb 1, 2009)

I pay my operators 20 hr to operat a skiddsteer with a blower. worth every penney pay good and get killer service. If not stuff them in the snowblower.


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## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

Ok maybe I am wrong here, but I thought this section was for professional snow contractors. Cash job, means they are not covered by worker comp. Which means if they get hurt you either pay the bill, or you get sued. I am shocked to hear this in this forum. I guess if you want that risk, then it's up to you, but I would never hire someone for cash. I have way to much time, and money invested in my equipment, and building of my buisness to take that chance.


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## augerandblade (Jan 17, 2009)

20 per whether they are running a 11ft plow or using a small tractor with a 6 ft blade clearing sidewalks


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## creativedesigns (Sep 24, 2007)

Rc2505;739266 said:


> Ok maybe I am wrong here, but I thought this section was for professional snow contractors. Cash job, means they are not covered by worker comp. Which means if they get hurt you either pay the bill, or you get sued. I am shocked to hear this in this forum. I guess if you want that risk, then it's up to you, but I would never hire someone for cash. I have way to much time, and money invested in my equipment, and building of my buisness to take that chance.


You can have workmens comp, but not have a payroll plan for temp workers. Thats where cash pay may come in handy sometimes.


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## twinbrothers (Jan 16, 2009)

yep you get what you pay for. I have sidewalk guys that do $20.00 per hour and loader operaters making $30.00 or more but i never have problems they are good what they do. 
Yep lot of people that are worth spit but u should be overseeing your operation to catch it and get rid of them.


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## shovelracer (Sep 3, 2004)

Newbies come in at 15. Unless they really excel than they need to put in a full season before we talk. My current shovelers are getting 18 and have been with me for 3-4 seasons. They arent worth anything for landscaping, but they work hard for snow. i think it is a mental per hour game. My drivers are making a little more. I had a guy making 25 that had more experience than me, but he started causing drama and getting sloppy so he had to go. His replacement is on his second season with me, first driving full time, and is also getting 18 cause he is a little slow but does a good job. These guys earn their money, but I cant get it in their heads that if they want more money they need to pick up production.

Every year I get lots of people asking for work. only 2 of every 10 want to pay taxes. The others simply want to pad their unemployment checks. I turn a lot of people away.


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## Ramairfreak98ss (Aug 17, 2005)

shovelracer;739310 said:


> Newbies come in at 15. Unless they really excel than they need to put in a full season before we talk. My current shovelers are getting 18 and have been with me for 3-4 seasons. They arent worth anything for landscaping, but they work hard for snow. i think it is a mental per hour game. My drivers are making a little more. I had a guy making 25 that had more experience than me, but he started causing drama and getting sloppy so he had to go. His replacement is on his second season with me, first driving full time, and is also getting 18 cause he is a little slow but does a good job. These guys earn their money, but I cant get it in their heads that if they want more money they need to pick up production.
> 
> Every year I get lots of people asking for work. only 2 of every 10 want to pay taxes. The others simply want to pad their unemployment checks. I turn a lot of people away.


Yeah, i understand, to work 10hrs in a storm and only get $100 is low, its work and to be outside for 10hrs isnt easy. We have drivers at $18-$25 an hour, so please dont think im a total cheapo. I have not had one person other than my one guy that works with us full time for landscaping work and maintenance all year at $13 an hour do descent and is always reliable. Honestly, they work for the $10hr and my driver says they did good all day, ill give them an extra $30 at the end of that day. I've hired and started TOO many guys in the past at $12-$15 an hour, the work a week or less, dont show up on time, very unreliable, dont work, have to show them everything after they said they had EVERY prior experience, break stuff and so forth... to the point that they cost me money and i could have not had them on the job and done it ourselves for the same price but without the headache.

If what you guys are saying is that your starting even snow shovelers at 12-15+ an hour then at least i know. We only shovel a little here and there. Most guys will operate the snow blower, shovel for maybe 10-15 minutes per hour, salt the sidewalks and be back in the plow truck until the next site. Were not talking about 60 minutes per hour here for 10hrs straight of constant shoveling, then yeah, id be in the range of $15-20hr easy for that since its so damn hard.


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

Ok I think I know what your problem is. Your in NJ. You really dont seem to get enough snow to support shovelers on a regular basis like say someone in Michigan could. You are getting people answer your ads that are day labors and can make more standing outside the Home Depot and get in door work. Or call the local Day labor place that pays cash. So if you post 10/hr ofcourse you not going to get anyone. They could shovel 3 driveways in less time and get cash.


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## Blown Away (Feb 1, 2009)

re: rc2550
I beg your pardon sir how are you more prof than me! Don't asume that I don't have insurance. Not a very prof attitude. Great way to welcom new Post's It's snow relocation not removal! Now go sit down and suck a Snow ball. 
If you want a good product pay your help. Duh 
I pay my S1's by the peice if you bust ass you get payed more. S1 = Shovel 1 for you gods gift snowplowers

Gehl 6640 turbo w/ 84" FFC high flow Snowblower
Bobcat s220 turbo W/ 84" FFC high flow Snowblower
U1300 Unimog /w 10' plow, side cut snowblower, 96" shmidt snow cutter, 9' broom
2000 Ford F250 with western 9' MVP plus 

Now do you feel better! I have equipment.


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## milkie62 (Sep 1, 2003)

I pay my 2 guys $25/hr plus meals.I bill them out approx $150/hr-$175/hr so they are happy and I am happy.


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## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

Blown Away;739991 said:


> re: rc2550
> I beg your pardon sir how are you more prof than me! Don't asume that I don't have insurance. Not a very prof attitude. Great way to welcom new Post's It's snow relocation not removal! Now go sit down and suck a Snow ball.
> If you want a good product pay your help. Duh
> I pay my S1's by the peice if you bust ass you get payed more. S1 = Shovel 1 for you gods gift snowplowers
> ...


Not one time in my reply did I state anything about you, or the fact that you do or don't have insurance. If you read my reply I stated that paying help in cash was not covering them by worker comp. I see that there is a way to make that happen, but I was unaware of that fact. If you would like to see what unprofessional is read your post again. Going on full attack mode for not a single reason, is UNPROFESSIONAL.


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