Looks like this year i will be plowing the sub division that i live at, first time plowing outside of my own place. Im not really sure what i should charge, not sure if i want to do it a flat rate per storm or do a contract for the season. I am not to sure what the going rate +/- is for snowplowing these days, fuel around here is about 3.60 a gallon. If you guys have any tricks or tips for estimating i would be interested in hearing them. Thanks

 

Don't know what the rate is, but looks like you are going to be busy. Good luck.

 

Thanks, i dont know if there is a general rule of thumb, like xxxx amount for so many feet.

 

100 dollars an hour sounds good to me

 

I was thinking about 150 per storm and plow every time there is 6in or more on the ground. I plowed once today and will probably hit it again either tonight or in the morning.

 

When I was a Road Service Area Comissioner up here, the contractor I used for plowing got $75/ hour for his 3/4 ton plow truck. $154/mile for the grader

 

Well here in Buffalo we get plenty of snow storms, keeps us on our toes. I help my good friend plow when he needs it, since he has a few trucks and a couple commercial accounts. We charge about $600+ per season for your average 50-70ft driveway. The bigger the driveway, the more we charge...want your walk shoveled, its an extra $150 per season, more if its a long walk. Want it salted? Another $250 at least.

Keep in mind ALL of our contracts are written for 3" of snow or more, because when it was 6" we got people calling us constantly for us to plow their driveway, usually because the plow had piled a good foot into the drive, and they couldn't get their cars in or out...so we'd have to go and plow them out, and weren't getting paid for it. This will differ from state to state...town to town, in fact, the south-towns plower's get roughly double what we do, but down there in ski country they get a lot more snow, on a more consistent basis, so they earn their money.

This is just what we go through each season, you should get an idea though. Also, make sure you define when the contract starts and ends...it sounds simple, but some people will expect you to plow if you get a freak storm in may, after the plow has been put away for summer...obviously you're not gonna be able to do it, so we end our contracts after march, which usually clears us of storms.

 

Where at in Maine? My folks live in Van Buren.

My Dad has a plow on a truck and one on a 4 wheeler, 4wd tractor with bucket and snowblower, 2 walk behind blowers, and enough shovels and scoops to the supply the army I think