# Price to do this drive



## SnowFakers (Dec 31, 2012)

I already have this drive so I am just trying to see if I was on the money with my price. I know im making money on it so im just curious. Drive in question is the one on the left with the blue marker on the house. Just push off the end(bottom of pic) and shovel the front sidewalk and stairs, no salt, with a 2 inch trigger. Please be realistic with you prices, I want some real answers not jokes and such. Thanks in advance


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

150,000 pennies for the season.


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## SnowFakers (Dec 31, 2012)

How did I know you'd be first GV


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## jrs.landscaping (Nov 18, 2012)

$80...............


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## Buswell Forest (Jan 11, 2013)

Paved, that's nice. As long as it was close by, and I didn't have to travel for it, 60 a shot. 40 to plow, 20 to shovel.


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## skorum03 (Mar 8, 2013)

60 including shoveling. 85 if its 8 inches or more of snow


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## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

$65 with shoveling, unless it was 10 miles away from the nearest job I was doing then it would be more.


I'd offer them a sliding scale.

Tell them to talk to their neighbors, and for every one you get to clear snow for, you'll take $10 off the price. So if you get 60 of their neighbors, you do their plowing for free.....


Incentive to make good money in a cul de sac


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## SnowGuy73 (Apr 7, 2003)

Not sure about east coast pricing, hard to tell from a small picture. Here in MN I'd say about $50 to plow and $15 to shovel, so $65 total. Maybe if she is good looking an even $60 !


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## SnowFakers (Dec 31, 2012)

She is good looking, which is a plus. And I'm feeling better because I priced this at 60 for 2-6", 75 for 6-12" and 12+ Would be discussed later. It's my first year so I am just making sure I'm not too high or too low. Thanks for the responses fellas.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

i'm in CT too. assuming its paved and level as it appears to be, $60-$70 just plowing for a 6" or less storm - no sholving, no sand. my prices ramp up at the 6", 12", 18", etc marks.


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## GreenAcresMike (Nov 21, 2013)

Dogplow Dodge;1681925 said:


> $65 with shoveling, unless it was 10 miles away from the nearest job I was doing then it would be more.
> 
> Tell them to talk to their neighbors, and for every one you get to clear snow for, you'll take $10 off the price. So if you get 60 of their neighbors, you do their plowing for free.....
> 
> Incentive to make good money in a cul de sac


I do this with my lawn care clients


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

Dogplow Dodge;1681925 said:


> $65 with shoveling, unless it was 10 miles away from the nearest job I was doing then it would be more.
> 
> I'd offer them a sliding scale.
> 
> ...


in theory this may make sense, but what happens in the event the customer(s) you picked up either don't like you, or you don't like them and you loose the account? then what? go back to the customer that referred you and tell them they are back to full price again? they won't be too keen on that.

all my drives are within a radius of 2 miles and i just yesterday turned someone away who is a 1/2 mile off my route as i'm accustomed to doing drives right next to one another - guess i'm spoiled in that regard. but i'd never offer discounts to anyone based on proximity. it may be a good way to try to drum up business for someone starting out or expanding, but just be aware of the risks if you and a customer part ways.


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## BC Handyman (Dec 15, 2010)

One way to deal with what linckeil said is to offer them 1,2,3 or what ever you want free plows for every customer/neighbor thats signs up for the season/year, So at end of year, you can say to orig customer here is a bill for only 3 plows insted of 5 cause 2 neighbors signed up....I dont do that, but I'm sure others could make it work.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

linckeil;1683179 said:


> in theory this may make sense, but what happens in the event the customer(s) you picked up either don't like you, or you don't like them and you loose the account? then what? go back to the customer that referred you and tell them they are back to full price again? they won't be too keen on that.
> 
> all my drives are within a radius of 2 miles and i just yesterday turned someone away who is a 1/2 mile off my route as i'm accustomed to doing drives right next to one another - guess i'm spoiled in that regard. but i'd never offer discounts to anyone based on proximity. it may be a good way to try to drum up business for someone starting out or expanding, but just be aware of the risks if you and a customer part ways.


No discounts on plowing. Or if you insist,1 free plow in Aug.


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## BC Handyman (Dec 15, 2010)

grandview;1683250 said:


> No discounts on plowing. Or if you insist,1 free plow in Aug.


Aug. lol How do you feed yourself with such generious offers GV? Just giving away your $


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## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

BC Handyman;1683269 said:


> Aug. lol How do you feed yourself with such generious offers GV? Just giving away your $


he's talking about plowing the wife....

I guess you don't know him that well...


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## Jhowemca (Dec 24, 2013)

SnowFakers;1681981 said:


> She is good looking, which is a plus. And I'm feeling better because I priced this at 60 for 2-6", 75 for 6-12" and 12+ Would be discussed later. It's my first year so I am just making sure I'm not too high or too low. Thanks for the responses fellas.


I price my driveways similar to you.

For a $60 driveway 3"- 6". It would be %50 of the 3"- 6" price additional for 6"- 12". Making 6"- 12" $90. $60 (base)+ $30 (%50 of base). 
For each additional increment of snow I keep adding %50 of whatever the base price is.

3"- 6" $60

6"- 12" $90

12"- 18" $120

18"- 24" $150

24"- 30" $180


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## xalexjx (Dec 8, 2009)

60 for plowing only up to 12". Anything over 12" or to push banks back would be by the hour with front end loader. If I was near or going by drive way in normal route, out of my way would be cost +. Thats what I would charge, I personally dont mess with shoveling.


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## NBI Lawn (Oct 15, 2007)

$60-70 a shot up to 6". After that it's whatever your return visit rate is. I try to never have more than 6" of snow on anything. Harder on equipment and takes just as long to push 12" as it does to push 6" twice.

I don't really break down the shoveling VS. plowing.


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

Here that drive would go for 35-40 for every 6 '' of snow walks could be in it if its under 20ft


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## XYZSnowPros (Dec 16, 2010)

Need more info =

Length and width of the driveway. Not just the driveway itself but the apron space which looks bigger and wider in front of the house.

Slope? Angle? Composition of the driveway? Condition of driveway? 

NEI=

Not
Enough
Information
...


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## Fannin76 (Jan 1, 2014)

linckeil;1683179 said:


> in theory this may make sense, but what happens in the event the customer(s) you picked up either don't like you, or you don't like them and you loose the account? then what? go back to the customer that referred you and tell them they are back to full price again? they won't be too keen on that.
> 
> all my drives are within a radius of 2 miles and i just yesterday turned someone away who is a 1/2 mile off my route as i'm accustomed to doing drives right next to one another - guess i'm spoiled in that regard. but i'd never offer discounts to anyone based on proximity. it may be a good way to try to drum up business for someone starting out or expanding, but just be aware of the risks if you and a customer part ways.


1/2 mile off route and you turned them down? My route is about 30 miles long......next year I am definitely finding a tighter group of customers....


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## 32vld (Feb 4, 2011)

Jhowemca;1696152 said:


> 3"- 6" $60
> 
> 6"- 12" $90
> 
> ...


Customer gets 12". You tell him $120 and he says your list says $90.

Got to read word that list. Say 6" < 12" $90, 12" < 18" $120.

I have people try to nit pick me down like this before.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

How long does it take you to service this account?
To make money, you need around $120hr for a truck and operator.
Then the truck sits while you shovel.

Cost?
What are your operating costs?
You tell us how much you need to make for a profit that you can live on.
Then charge accordingly.

Don't try to be the cheapest guy around just to get an account.
Sell service, then give it.

Forget the incremental rates as there will be an argument on the depth of the snow, I guarantee it.
It's the same charge for 3" as it is for 6"

Charge per push with a heavy snow/blizzard clause.
to CYA during heavy snow events.

Or better yet a seasonal rate with a heavy snow clause.



SnowFakers;1681479 said:


> I already have this drive so I am just trying to see if I was on the money with my price. I know im making money on it so im just curious. Drive in question is the one on the left with the blue marker on the house. Just push off the end(bottom of pic) and shovel the front sidewalk and stairs, no salt, with a 2 inch trigger. Please be realistic with you prices, I want some real answers not jokes and such. Thanks in advance


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## Jhowemca (Dec 24, 2013)

32vld;1716049 said:


> Customer gets 12". You tell him $120 and he says your list says $90.
> 
> Got to read word that list. Say 6" < 12" $90, 12" < 18" $120.
> 
> I have people try to nit pick me down like this before.


I never thought of it that way. I could see someone nit picking that.

When the storm is finished I look at the totals when I'm writing out bills. 
I only charge up to the next tier if the totals are a good inch or two over. 
So I would upcharge 12"- 18" price if the totals were 13.5"- 14" minimum. 
This works well for me. I think my customers like knowing I'm ok with having a little grey area between tiers. To this day I haven't had anyone ask for the lower price. However I would lower the bill if I had a customer who wasn't satisfied (one time).

Work for your customers. Provide a better service than the next guy. 
Be there in time everytime to get them to/from work. 
Do that and leave the whole driveway nice and clean when you're done (clean up after the sidewalk plows too). 
Then you can charge what you want how you want.


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