Snow removal pricing
Snow removal pricing: per push, per season or per hour
Short answer: price snow removal from the areas you actually clear. Per push = (paved sq ft × area rate + walkway ft × walkway rate + steps × step rate) × a snowfall-depth multiplier, never below your minimum charge. A seasonal contract = your lowest-tier push price × the pushes you expect in a season, adjusted up or down. Hourly = (truck rate + crew rates) × billed time.
The calculator below shows every step. It starts with example rates — replace them with yours.
Snow removal price calculator
The rates below are example starting values, not market prices. Replace them with your own costs and rates — the math runs in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.
Price per push
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The three snow removal pricing models
| Model | Formula | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Per push | (area + walkways + steps) × depth multiplier → at least the minimum charge → + fuel % + travel fee | Driveways and small lots where snowfall varies a lot from year to year |
| Per season | lowest-tier push price × expected pushes ± season adjustment % (+ included salting) | Clients who want a fixed budget; steady cash flow for you |
| Per hour | (truck $/hr + crew × crew $/hr) × billed time, rounded up to your increment | Large or irregular commercial sites and cleanup work |
| Ice melt / salting | quantity × price per bag or lb + application fee | Add-on for walkways, steps and lots, priced per application |
Worked example Example — not market prices
A residential driveway of 1,200 sq ft, 40 linear feet of walkway and 4 steps, using the calculator's example rates ($0.04/sq ft, $0.50/ft, $2/step, $40 minimum):
| Step | Math | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway | 1,200 × $0.04 | $48.00 |
| Walkway | 40 × $0.50 | $20.00 |
| Steps | 4 × $2.00 | $8.00 |
| Base push | sum | $76.00 |
| 2–4" storm | $76.00 × 1 | $76.00 |
| 4–8" storm | $76.00 × 1.5 | $114.00 |
| 8–12" storm | $76.00 × 2 | $152.00 |
| 12"+ storm | $76.00 × 2.75 | $209.00 |
| Season (12 pushes, −10%) | $76.00 × 12 = $912.00, − $91.20 | $820.80 |
These numbers are the same hand-checked fixtures the Plowkeep app is tested against, so the website and the app always agree.
What should change your price
- Snowfall depth. Deeper storms take more passes and more time. Depth tiers let you charge for that without renegotiating every storm.
- Trigger depth and service window. A 1" trigger with a 4-hour window costs you far more than a 3" trigger with a 12-hour window. Put both in writing.
- Where the snow goes. Tight lots with nowhere to pile snow, long walkways and many steps all add hand work.
- Your real costs. Truck, plow, fuel, insurance, labor and travel between stops. Start from what you need to earn per hour.
- Salting and ice melt. Price it per application from your material cost per bag or pound plus an application fee.
Measure the snowfall the same way every time
Depth-tier pricing only works if both sides trust the depth. The National Weather Service guidelines recommend measuring new snowfall to the nearest tenth of an inch, as soon as possible after the snow ends, in a spot where blowing and drifting are minimal — and averaging several measurements where wind can't be avoided.1 Note in your contract which measurement you use (your own measurement on site, or a named local report).
Frequently asked questions
- What are the three ways to price snow removal?
- Per push (a price each time you clear the property, usually rising with snowfall depth), per season (one contract price for the winter, sometimes with a cap on included pushes), and per hour (truck and crew time on site, billed in fixed increments).
- How do I calculate a per-push price?
- Multiply each measured area by your rate (square feet of pavement, linear feet of walkway, number of steps), add them up, multiply by the depth-tier multiplier for the storm, then apply your minimum charge and any fuel or travel surcharge.
- How do I turn a per-push price into a seasonal contract price?
- Take your lowest-tier per-push price, multiply it by the number of pushes you expect in a typical season for your area, then apply any season discount or premium. If you cap the pushes included, bill pushes beyond the cap at your per-push rates.
- Are the numbers on this page average market prices?
- No. Every dollar figure on this page is an example used to show the math. Prices depend on your costs, equipment, local competition and how much it snows where you work, so enter your own rates.
- What is a trigger depth?
- The snowfall depth at which you start service, such as 2 inches. Storms below the trigger are not serviced unless the client asks. Write the trigger depth into every contract so both sides know when a push is owed.
Next: free snow removal contract template · commercial snow plow pricing
Sources
- Snow Measurement Guidelines for National Weather Service Surface Observing Programs, NOAA National Weather Service (September 2013).