# Hourly rate to snow throw sidewalks



## dannyc33 (Aug 30, 2004)

Looking to expand and get a nice 2 stage snow thrower to clear sidewalk AFTER I have finished plowing.
Right now I do mostly residential driveways and bill at $225/hr, so Im not clearing the side walks while Im plowing. Im knocking out about 8-10 driveways an hour and figure I could do about the same clearing side walks. Obviously I run a very tight schedule. Drive 2-3 minutes, snow throw for 4-5 minutes or so, and on to the next.
I dont want to be the low balling scrub and it will be after Im done plowing so it wont be cutting into that golden goose.
I was thinking even at $10-15 per home to clear the side walk/walk way Ild be around $75-$115/hr. 

Thoughts?


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## BC Handyman (Dec 15, 2010)

good luck, I couldnt charge by the hour for walks, nor would I want to. I'd charge by the foot if not by the walk. how long are these walks, how wide? Normal size walks would go for $15-$30 each round here.


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## dannyc33 (Aug 30, 2004)

I dont plan to tell them my hourly rate, I break it down by the foot or how much falls, but I still need to know what it comes to per hours.

Just like plowing, most drives ares about $26 for 2-5"....do 9 of those an hour, and boom $234/hr


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## BC Handyman (Dec 15, 2010)

dont forget about loading, unloading, strapping, starting & refueling times, so I think you'll be at each for more time, sure 4-5 min blowing but driving then loading ect, I'd say 10-15 min per. With plowing your in, then out without getting out of your truck, something to think about anyway.


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## Buswell Forest (Jan 11, 2013)

I think you will be doing well to average 60 an hour. Not impossible, but hustling.


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## dannyc33 (Aug 30, 2004)

Looks like its gonna be a lil more slow going than I figured.

Think around $1/10ft would get me around that rate?


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## Buswell Forest (Jan 11, 2013)

$0.10 per foot is kind of short money I would think? That is $10 for 100 feet.
I think if I were doing it, I would want $0.25 a foot. Have to figure the cost of the transportation, the cost of the fuel in the blower, the cost of the blower, the wage you want for doing it, and probably a few things I can't think of just now..like having a backup blower on the truck waiting.
But take my opinion with a grain of salt: I do not do walks, nor use a blower at all.


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## MSsnowplowing (Nov 1, 2012)

dannyc33;1672209 said:


> Looking to expand and get a nice 2 stage snow thrower to clear sidewalk AFTER I have finished plowing.
> Right now I do mostly residential driveways and bill at $225/hr, so Im not clearing the side walks while Im plowing. Im knocking out about 8-10 driveways an hour and figure I could do about the same clearing side walks. Obviously I run a very tight schedule. Drive 2-3 minutes, snow throw for 4-5 minutes or so, and on to the next.
> I dont want to be the low balling scrub and it will be after Im done plowing so it wont be cutting into that golden goose.
> I was thinking even at $10-15 per home to clear the side walk/walk way Ild be around $75-$115/hr.
> ...


So your going to plow say 10 driveways, then go back and do 10 sidewalks.

Waste of your time and gas.

Hire a guy to do the sidewalks and drive with you.

So if your paying him $25 an hour and he's with you say 1 hour, your paying him $25 and your doing 10 sidewalks.

10 sidewalks say at $25 a sidewalk that's $250.

Best CASE: You make $225 profit minus gas for the blower.

Scale the sidewalks like plowing so if you get a lot more snow, then they are paying a bit more.

Mind you, depending on the sidewalk it could be a lot less than $25 or a little more.

Your not going to charge $25 to say do a 5 minute sidewalk, more like $5 to $10.

So your profit could be less or more depending on what you are charging for sidewalks.

That's what I would do if I did residential.

I don't like getting out of my nice warm truck that's why I pay my sidewalk guys $20 to $25 a hour.

plus I give them the incentive if it's 8 hours of sidewalks and they do it in 5 or 6 hours, I still pay them for 8 hours.


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## dannyc33 (Aug 30, 2004)

0.10/ft may be a tad low but. 25/ft seems high. I figure on average maybe $15 to do the sidewalk and walk way and knock out 5-6/hr.
It wouldnt be worth my time to do it while im plowing even if i paid someone to do it. With a full schedule to get 90-100 drive done in 10-12h would be worth the time to unload and wait another few mins for him to finish as im usually done plowing each stop in 2-4mins. Even adding 3 mins per stop for say maybe half my stops adds about 3 hours onto the route. Thats a good 25-30 people that should be done in the 10th to 12th hour whose will now have to wait 15h or so. 
Im looking at this as extra money after the snow, after im done to go around and make some more money for a few more hours instead of going home and to sleep. Nobody care if the side walk isnt cleared till the 18th hour, they do care that they cant get in or out of their driveway to get to work


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## nybuilder (Nov 5, 2011)

I bill a straight not by the hour and even with your break down seems cheap to me 2-6" $75 a home 6-10 $115 and $15 per inch more for- Driveway , walkway , sidewalk and stoop with ice melt. After fuel , man hours, repairs and insurance you make $20 a home if nothing major breaks


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