# By the Acre? or the hour?



## cheesycash (Oct 9, 2009)

I am new to plowing and I am looking to pickup some sub work here in KC. One contractor offered me $80 an acre. I would rather work by the hour so....

Roughly how long does it take to plow an acre? Keep in mind we don't get a lot of snow here and when we do it normally starts with rain, sleet, or ice. 

If that is the per acre price what type of hourly rate can I ask for? Again, it doesn't snow a lot here.

I am assuming this contractor is focusing on parking lots. I drive a 88 F-250 7.3l diesel (non turbo) with an 8ft blade. 

Thanks for your time.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

If you do some searching or reading you will see that some folks plan about an acre an hour or so, plus or minus, in that neighborhood, with equipment similar to yours. Of course it depends on the amount/type of snow, operator experience, lot configuration, day or night, storm conditions or sunny.

Also, the normally aspirated diesel will be dependent on atmospheric pressure to determine true power developed.


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## LoneCowboy (Jan 2, 2007)

It takes about an hour to plow 1 to 1.5 acres of wide open parking lot with little in the way with 2 to 5 inches or so of snow.

There's NO WAY i would bid a by the acre price without knowing how much snow and what the lot looks like.

a 1 acre lot could take 2 hours if it's all back dragging and tiny spots and 12" of snow, it could take 30 minutes.

You need more information to bid it.


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