# What would you charge for this Private Road?



## HappyPlow (Oct 12, 2013)

The total distance of the road is about 3/4 of a mile all together.

The stuff in *red* is *Paved* but part of it pretty ugly stuff. Several ugly speedbumps. No curbs - has slanted, sectioned concrete slabs going up to the lawns. plenty of potholes. A lot of places a plow can get caught.

The *blue* is *gravel* but I think it will be better going than the paved stuff.

What would you guys charge?? I was at around $100-150 per push. All they want is the snow cleared, nothing pretty.


----------



## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

I do something similar to that, and I get $400 per push at 4-6". If it snows 8" that's 2 pushes, 12" 3 pushes and so on....

It takes me anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours to clear, as the road conditions are so terrible. I offered to lower my price if they had the drive re-paved, but they said no...


----------



## HappyPlow (Oct 12, 2013)

Prices are a bit more inflated in NJ tho as I understand it, correct?


----------



## northernsweeper (Aug 26, 2004)

I'd have to agree. I think 150.00 is to low. I see a culdesac. Are you just plowing off to the sides? What about all the driveway openings? How wide are the roads? Is there a trigger, or do you come on call?


----------



## HappyPlow (Oct 12, 2013)

its about a lane and a half on the paved and 2 for the gravel. Will take at least two scrapes to clear. There are a few scarce places to pile snow. From what I understood they just want to roads cleared off to the side. The tenants are responsible for their driveways. Trigger is 2".

It just doesn't seem right to just leave woodrows in front of their driveways like that, but theres almost 60 driveways so clearing them all is out of the question. I hope to pick up a few as customers.


----------



## BC Handyman (Dec 15, 2010)

I'd aggree with dogplow, I'd be charging over $300 prob $400, but certainly not less then $300


----------



## Buswell Forest (Jan 11, 2013)

I am @ $375 to $400. There's 55 trailer homes, figure each pays $200 a year for snow removal, that's $11K. $11K / 30 pushes (As a guess?) = $366.00...now add in the pita charge..
I feel $385 or $400 even is fair, as by the time you are done you will have plowed over 3 miles of bad road.


----------



## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

HappyPlow;1661536 said:


> Prices are a bit more inflated in NJ tho as I understand it, correct?


Yeah... just like our governor.... although he's deflating quite well, lately.

Cost of living here is horrible, but not as bad as Hawaii. Not as many bikini's either, but still expensive to live.

Your situation depends on the client, and how well you do your thing. Being that you're a member here on Plowsite, I can assume that you take pride in what you do..... right ???

Well, that being said.... you do a great job, then $400 is a fair price. If they agree, then you're good to go. I guess you need to feel them out and see what you're dealing with...

Good luck, I wish you well and being able to land this job getting paid what you deserve..


----------



## 90plow (Dec 22, 2001)

Just remember how many edges you might go through or if you rip the edge off how much its going to cost to fix. I know i cringe when i plow gravel with my fishers all that gravel gets in between the edge and the plow when it trips. Plus it scratches the paint right off.


----------



## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

90plow;1661701 said:


> Just remember how many edges you might go through or if you rip the edge off how much its going to cost to fix. I know i cringe when i plow gravel with my fishers all that gravel gets in between the edge and the plow when it trips. Plus it scratches the paint right off.


I would be more worried about the trailer trash.


----------



## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

HappyPlow;1661511 said:


> The total distance of the road is about 3/4 of a mile all together.
> 
> What would you guys charge?? I was at around $100-150 per push. All they want is the snow cleared, nothing pretty.
> 
> View attachment 128759


You're in west/central MN correct, if so your $150.00 is probably pretty close for a couple passes in your area. I'd suggest you go in at $200.00 using the road conditions/speed bumps as the cost drivers, at least it's a place to start negotiations from. They'll probably suck some wind and tell you you're high by X amount, if so you could ask to see an invoice from the previous contractor. You'll have to go pretty slow for the obvious reasons but it shouldn't take more than 45min to do it all. One thing that be concerned about is people parking the vehicles on the road. There's probably no restrictions being a trailer park. Don't worry about the windrow at the apron of the driveway, the County or DOT doesn't.


----------



## HappyPlow (Oct 12, 2013)

Dogplow Dodge;1661679 said:


> Your situation depends on the client, and how well you do your thing. Being that you're a member here on Plowsite, I can assume that you take pride in what you do..... right ???


Yes, I take a lot of pride in doing more than is expected of me.



BUFF;1661754 said:


> You're in west/central MN correct, if so your $150.00 is probably pretty close for a couple passes in your area. I'd suggest you go in at $200.00 using the road conditions/speed bumps as the cost drivers, at least it's a place to start negotiations from. They'll probably suck some wind and tell you you're high by X amount, if so you could ask to see an invoice from the previous contractor. You'll have to go pretty slow for the obvious reasons but it shouldn't take more than 45min to do it all. One thing that be concerned about is people parking the vehicles on the road. There's probably no restrictions being a trailer park. Don't worry about the windrow at the apron of the driveway, the County or DOT doesn't.


I would agree with you on price there. I charge $35 for a driveway here that we would make $75-100 back in Colorado where I grew up. So prices are deflated and we also get no where near the amount of snow 

And yeah I make money on clearing up the woodrows the county leaves behind.. But I, and I would hope we all, hold ourselves up to higher standards than any government entity does


----------



## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

HappyPlow;1661818 said:


> Yes, I take a lot of pride in doing more than is expected of me.
> 
> I would agree with you on price there. I charge $35 for a driveway here that we would make $75-100 back in Colorado where I grew up. So prices are deflated and we also get no where near the amount of snow
> 
> And yeah I make money on clearing up the woodrows the county leaves behind.. But I, and I would hope we all, hold ourselves up to higher standards than any government entity does


I've got friends that are from Staples and the surrounding area, I know what they're getting and you're pretty close to them.

I plow 5miles of roads in subdivisions that have homes in the $900k-1m price range, the homes are on 3-5acre lots so the drives are pretty far apart. As I approach a driveway I straighten out the blade so not to leave a big windrow but there's still something left for the homeowner to deal with. The roads I do take 4 passes to clean ditch to ditch and I use $125 a mile but they are smooth blacktop and I run about 15-20 mph.


----------



## HappyPlow (Oct 12, 2013)

Awesome, Good to know I'm in the ballpark. I started as a shoveler for a friends snow plow business in the Vail Valley. Multi-million Dollar homes with large, open drives, decks and walk ways and they were expected to *CLEAN*. I guess I still hold that standard, even around here.

and hey, that sounds like a good gig. Happy plowin.


----------



## Buswell Forest (Jan 11, 2013)

Don't know how you do it @100 -150. That is worth 250 all day no matter where you are..


----------



## Flawless440 (Dec 6, 2010)

I bided $400 on a smaller one, have a relationship with the HOA as well.. They gave it to a guy in a truck...
So i would say $350.... How many Sq Ft is it? 1 Acre 43,500 sq ft go's for $100


----------

