# Pricing Help New England



## rlmlandscape (Sep 22, 2011)

Hi guys, I'm expanding my list of services this winter to include snow management for my residential customers. I will be plowing with an 06 F350 Dump with a 9' Fisher Straight blade. I had one lady call me from my angieslist ad the other day looking for a quote on plowing her driveway. The driveway is 500' long and 9' wide with two bay garage to clear at the house. I have no idea what is a sufficient price on this. I would like to price in increments as 2-6"=x, 6-10"=x, 10-15=x and blizzard clause after that. I was thinking for 2-6" $80 just wondering if this is to high or to low, and maybe adding 10-15 for each other incremint. Thanks for any of the advice. Also I have minimal plowing experience so I know I will be taking it slow at first.


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## THEGOLDPRO (Jun 18, 2006)

Most people wont go for that kind of pricing structure.Without actually seeing the driveway i cant say for sure what i would charge but in my area of CT my average driveway is 50 bucks to plow. Thats without getting out of my truck, i dont shovel walks or in front of garages.


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## ponyboy (Dec 19, 2006)

I do seasonal contact base price on 12 events charge for 10 then if they go over 12 events it is x extra per time 
0-4 is one storm
4-8 is 2 storms
8-12 3 storms 
12-16 4 storms
Ets...
Simple drive way 600 for season upfront
Shovel stoop 320 for season front walk only
I charge to mark out drive way also


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## mpgall26 (Aug 19, 2011)

I'm so new to the business that I'll speak as a consumer and say I would pay the $80 and consider the tiered pricing to much to digest. Over 6 I would understand changes in price since I should have had you push at 4" and again at another 4" so I would say winter sucks and shell out the $160. 
The rest would be a basis for *****ing about depth and I could due w/o that no matter who is right, just frustrating.


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## THEGOLDPRO (Jun 18, 2006)

This is how we price residential driveways. commercial is priced differently.

Breakdown of billing for storms per inch.
0-12 inches we charge one time.
13-15 inches we charge time and a half.
15+ inches of snow we charge double.


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## BuffaloSnow11 (Sep 17, 2011)

rlmlandscape;1311415 said:


> The driveway is 500' long and 9' wide with two bay garage to clear at the house. I have no idea what is a sufficient price on this. I was thinking for 2-6" $80 Also I have minimal plowing experience so I know I will be taking it slow at first.


Around buffalo, ny an average drive can be around 30 or 40 bucks per push or 300-400 a season, but most drives are not very large. your drive is 500', a substantial size and 2 bays to clear. 80/push does not sound high at all for something like that. not to me anyway, but you have to take into consideration how difficult it would be for you to complete. impossible to say all the variables that can make it harder/cost more. i do think its wise to state you will clear after x inches and if you have to return a second time due to x many inches more, than they are charged a second time. it doesnt have to be complicated with tiers. if you charge by the season then its unlimited unless you state otherwise (first 20 or whatever)

The most important thing, since you say you have minimal experience, is dont ever push snow toward a garage doors even if you intend and customer oks to leave the pile just in front of it. you wont see where the base of the pile actually is, youll only see the top of it. the base of the snow mound being pushed will hit the garage first and damage it easily. always pull up to a garage, drop the blade and backdrag about 1 1/2 vehicle length. then turn around and push it away from the house. you may already know this, but id hate to see you damage a garage and lose the money you make for the season on it. speed increases the amount you make per hour, but it also increases the chance you damage the property, the plow, the truck, yourself. not to mention it tends to look more sloppy. most detail oriented jobs take more time for any line of work and details make customers happy. go a steady pace, ask if they are satisfied the way you do it after one or two times. dont wait for a complaint.


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## Wayne Volz (Mar 1, 2002)

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