# Hourly rate for snowplowing



## TheSnowGuy (Nov 4, 2003)

This is my first year in the snowplowing business and I was wondering if someone could tell me how much I should be making per hour, plowing residential driveways?? I understand that there is a substantial amount of overhead (i.e. gas, break downs, insurances, equip. maintenance etc.) and want to make sure I am making enough money to cover everything.


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## drafto (Dec 30, 2003)

This is right out of the Means national cost data catalog, it is the 2001 edition (keep in mind it is based on a natioanl average, so some areas are higher than others and so on):

2"-4" Single driveway 10'x50' is $45.00
Double drive $79.50

4"-10" Single $59.50
Double drive $110.00

10"-15" Single $89.50
Double drive $159.00

I am sure there are many on the site that will argue these numbers but facts are facts and that is right from the national average. That price includes all overhead, labor, and equipment costs, and profit. It also says for heavy wet snow to add 20%.

I use this book as guide.


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## Big John (Nov 12, 2003)

Drafto, are you saying that if you have an event with 12" you charge $89.50 or do you charge $45.00 up to 4" then charge an additional 59.50 up to 10" and so on? Just curious.

I'm just north of you by the way, in Kennett Square.


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## Mdirrigation (Dec 12, 2003)

You charge the most the market will bear. You shouldn't be selling price you are selling a service .


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## drafto (Dec 30, 2003)

Well Mdirrigation I am looking for additional work if you have any, I have a couple small acounts a church and half a dozen driveways. The numbers are total, do not add one to another.


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## drafto (Dec 30, 2003)

I meant to address that last reply to Big John, sorry. But I do agree with the above statement. Last year during the big storm we had (yes big to us is 24") I was on my way home from a 32 hour plow tour and my phone went off, this guy, I don't know how he got my number, asked me to plow out the pastor of his church. Since it was on my way home I decided to check it out, as delerious as I was, I noticed not only was his driveway about 100' feet long but DelDOT (Delware Department of Transportation) had piled a bank in front of his house about 4 feet high. I wanted to just drive away, I called the guy back and told him it would be $325, he told me I was crazy (and he was right at the time!), I told him to call someone else then, I was continuing home and he calls again and says $300? I told him okay. All I wanted to do was get in bed but I did the drive the guy paid no problem, he called me this year to see if I would do it everytime it snows and the church lot too................That story is ridicuously long, sorry, but the point is, get what you can get on the high side, never go low. If i would have busted something on my truck I would have felt much better knowing it was worth it.


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