# New to skidsteer snow removal; suggestions welcome



## BrynBaily (Jan 29, 2011)

For some reason I let my buddy who has a landscaping/plowing buisness talk me into helping out during deep snow falls. We've been using two of our new Cat skids with cabs; one outfitted with a bucket and the other with a 73" blower. I've agreed on $65 hr per machine and he foots the bill on fuel and tops off all machines and trucks at the end of the day. A few questions...
Do any of you guys charge more for the use of a blower?
Should I change the agreement as far as hr. rate, more or less?
Anything else I should be aware of or look out for?


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## snocrete (Feb 28, 2009)

BrynBaily;1253930 said:


> For some reason I let my buddy who has a landscaping/plowing buisness talk me into helping out during deep snow falls. We've been using two of our new Cat skids with cabs; one outfitted with a bucket and the other with a 73" blower. I've agreed on $65 hr per machine and he foots the bill on fuel and tops off all machines and trucks at the end of the day. A few questions...
> Do any of you guys charge more for the use of a blower?
> Should I change the agreement as far as hr. rate, more or less?
> Anything else I should be aware of or look out for?


A machine w/blower should get significantly more than a machine w/bucket.


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## excav8ter (Oct 7, 2009)

snocrete;1254204 said:


> A machine w/blower should get significantly more than a machine w/bucket.


Depends where you live and how much people are willing to pay. Can't get over $70/hr for a CTL with a blower here.....


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## Spudgunner (Aug 23, 2006)

I charge $75/hr ($30 min) for Toolcat and blower (or blade). I do not differ in price between attachments as I don't want my customers tempted to choose which equipment I use.


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## maelawncare (Mar 4, 2004)

I could see you charging more for the blower. Its more expensive than a bucket and has wearable parts that will eventually need replaced.

The rate sounds good since he is paying for all the fuel. Fuel can be a pain to pay for.


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## snocrete (Feb 28, 2009)

excav8ter;1254309 said:


> Depends where you live and how much people are willing to pay. Can't get over $70/hr for a CTL with a blower here.....


Where you live dosent change the fact a blower is alot more expensive to run. 
I didnt say anything about specific rates.


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## BrynBaily (Jan 29, 2011)

excav8ter;1254309 said:


> Depends where you live and how much people are willing to pay. Can't get over $70/hr for a CTL with a blower here.....


There isn't much of a market here either, but the sites we do it really does well. Most are private paved condo allotments that drift bad. There is no room for the trucks to push that much in a small area so we used to use a skid with bucket to stack it. With the blower two or three passes will cut right through it and blow it 40ft off the road. Nice and clean looking without the six foot high pile.



Spudgunner;1254607 said:


> I charge $75/hr ($30 min) for Toolcat and blower (or blade). I do not differ in price between attachments as I don't want my customers tempted to choose which equipment I use.


I can understand that. If its to your benefit to use something more expensive to buy you an hour or so you don't want them going cheap dragging you down.



maelawncare;1254804 said:


> The rate sounds good since he is paying for all the fuel. Fuel can be a pain to pay for.


Thats kinda what I was figuring. I know what it cost me run that machine with someone in it regardless what fuel prices do at the time and he know what I need up front without screwing around with how much fuel is that week.


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## EGLC (Nov 8, 2007)

Around here you could get $100hr solid but then you pay for your own fuel...I think if he's paying on time and paying fuel you don't have too bad of an agreement...maybe raise the skid with blower $10.


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## Omran (Oct 10, 2009)

EGLC;1255006 said:


> Around here you could get $100hr solid but then you pay for your own fuel...I think if he's paying on time and paying fuel you don't have too bad of an agreement...maybe raise the skid with blower $10.


100% agreed $75 an hour and he supply the fuel, very fair


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## BrynBaily (Jan 29, 2011)

Great guys, thanks for the input! The snow game is certainly different. Thank God its only a few months of the year; its to hectic to be doing this everyday!


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## excav8ter (Oct 7, 2009)

snocrete;1254874 said:


> Where you live dosent change the fact a blower is alot more expensive to run.
> I didnt say anything about specific rates.


Your right about that.... but you also said SHOULD get a lot more. Try to get the cheap skates around here to pay what its worth. Good luck. There are so many guys around here with Skid steers and CTL's as well as small CUT's that will work for less than what it costs them to be out there. It stupid the range of prices i saw this year.


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## sp6x6 (Jan 14, 2009)

It is the same where Im at. Home construction is really low and alot of small equipment around and starving contractors, rates are set back a few yrs for me


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