
Key Takeaways
- 01The average cost for snow removal is $110, ranging from $49 to $180 for standard driveways
- 02Six pricing models exist: per hour ($25-$75), per push ($30-$50), per event, per inch, full-season ($350-$450), and multi-season contracts
- 03Snow removal costs vary based on location, amount of snow, method used (shoveling, blowing, or plowing), and type of property
- 04Commercial snow removal ($50-$200/hour) costs more than residential ($25-$75/hour) due to larger scale
- 05Key factors include snow location (roof removal costs more than driveways), regional pricing differences, and quality of service offered
Snow is a certainty in the US and Canada during winters. Thus, people will be looking for snow removal services that get the job done at an affordable price. So, if you provide such a service, its cost and effectiveness will determine how many clients you can attract (and retain). Of course, it isn't just about charging the lowest fees among your competitors. This may attract your seekers but repel your profits. Plus, the clients also consider the quality of work done. You won't like incomplete work at the lowest price, right? So confusion may prevail about how much to charge for snow removal. But by the end of this post, it no longer will. Let us start with 6 ways to charge for snow removal services.
6 Ways You Can Charge for Snow Removal
Different snow removal companies have different metrics through which to charge their clients. Here are 6 common metrics you can use for your business as well.
Cost per hour
It is simple to calculate as only five factors are usually considered in it: Number of workers, their cost per hour, the number of hours needed to complete the job, miscellaneous costs like equipment and transportation, and your profit.

To estimate the total cost, multiply workers × hourly wage × hours worked, then add miscellaneous costs and profit. For example, a snow removal service may take three hours to complete with four workers whose hourly wage is $20 each. So multiply the number of hours taken, hourly wage, and the number of workers: 3 × $20 × 4 = $240. Now add other costs and your profit. Let's say both combine to $60. So, $240 + $60 = $300 will be the snow removal cost.
Cost per push
This means that you charge a flat fee for every visit you make. If someone calls you for a snow removal service, you can ask for the fees you have set. However, the scale of your assignments will vary.
Charging a flat fee for a small task will turn out to be very profitable. But there will be hefty ones as well who demand more of your effort and time. For them, you need to count in factors like hours worked or the thickness of the snow layer in inches.
Cost per event
An event here refers to a snowfall or even a snowstorm. In this, the snow removal company and its clients make a deal for removing snow as long as the event exists. Many a time, it is just a light fall. Thus, you need to visit the client site only a single time. But with a forecast for a heavy storm, you may need to go again and again. So charge with keeping this in mind.
Cost per inch
Calculating the snow removal cost based on its thickness is also a way that some snow removal companies use. This means that you charge for each inch of snow you remove.
For example, you may want to charge 2x for removing a layer of snow that is 6 inches thick as compared to a layer with 3 inches of thickness. You can also set different rates for the first few inches and the layer from there on.
Full-season contract
Ever bought a Netflix subscription? Basically, it allows you to use its video streaming service for a set time. Full-season contract for snow removal services are all the same.

Here the client will hire your snow removal company for the whole season. But before joining hands with anybody, we recommend you clarify terms like duration, maximum snow removal sessions, and the end date of the billable cycle. Also, check the weather history of previous years to predict the next season. This will help you keep appropriate pricing for the contract.
Multi-season contract
If someone is interested in making a long-term contract with you, you can offer them a multi-seasonal deal. This is good for both parties. You close a deal to ensure business for the next few years. And the client may also be able to get a personalized deal at a discounted price.
Usually, you have a better chance of striking a multi-season deal with commercial complexes rather than residential buildings for your snow removal services. Now that you have an idea about ways to charge for your snow removal services, you will have to take care of creating estimates for your clients. And this is where InvoiceOwl can come to your rescue. InvoiceOwl is a snow removal contractor software.
Pro Tip
No matter how you charge for snow removal, make your estimates look professional with InvoiceOwl. Creating professional estimates helps you win more clients and get paid faster.
Which Factors You Should Consider for Calculating Snow Removal Cost?
When determining your snow removal pricing, several key factors come into play that will affect your final quote.
1. The location of snow
As you know, snow gets accumulated at various places. But snow removal at each place demands a different amount of effort.

For example, the most common places where the snow gets accumulated are driveways, roofs, sidewalks, and gardens. Now, you can understand that removing snow from a roof is much more difficult and riskier than from a garden.
So the location of snow matters a lot, and thus, you can ask for a higher rate for areas that are hard to reach, demands more effort, or brings in more risk.
2. The location of service
Snow removal services at different geographical locations have different costs. So look out for other snow removal companies in your city, state, or country and see how much they charge for their services. We will show you the average rates at different places. But for now, we suggest you keep your pricing in line with your competitors in your region.
3. The amount of snow
Of course; you need to vary your charges as per the amount of snow as an increased scale demands a higher effort.

So, you need to carefully assess the task at hand to calculate properly how much to charge for it. This will give you proper compensation for your effort and make it worthwhile for your snow removal business.
4. The quality of your work
The quality you provide matters as some people will definitely be looking for a reliable service whereas some will just want to get things done. So, ask yourself whether you want to position yourself as a high-end snow removal company that charges a tad higher for better quality work. Or do you want to be inclined toward the affordable side? The bottom line is to charge proportionally to the quality you offer. And then justify that cost.
5. The method you used
There are 3 common ways you can use to remove snow:
Three Snow Removal Methods
(a) Snow Shoveling: It means removing snow using a shovel. Shoveling snow is the traditional method of snow removal that demands more time and energy. However, it is still an ideal way to remove snow from narrow or small areas.
(b) Snow Blowing: Here, instead of a shovel, you use a modern tool called a snow blower. This helps you finish off the task quickly and with less effort. Snow blowing is a great option for mid-sized areas.
(c) Snow Plowing: It is meant to clear away a large area covered with snow in less time and energy. Thus, it calls for a snow plow truck that you need to use for it.
The snow removal prices vary according to the method you use for it. Now that you know some factors that you should count on while calculating your price, let's move toward the big question - what's the average cost that a snow removal company can charge?
What is the Average Price You Can Charge for Snow Removal?
Pricing appropriately is crucial, as nobody wants to spend a fortune just to remove a layer of snow. Ideally, people want affordable quality. So, have a look at the average cost an American pays for snow removal in 2022.
1. The average cost of snow removal
Even though it is very hard to come to a median price that applies to all the regions, you can get an idea of how much to charge with its average cost. The average cost a client pays for driveway snow removal is $110, as per Forbes. But usually, it can fluctuate in the range of $49 to $180 for a standard driveway, depending upon the scale of snowfall, as the same data suggests. For the larger ones, people even pay up to $400 to clear the snow away.
2. Snow removal cost based on the method used
Remember that different snow removal methods call for different pricing. It varies because each method calls for a varying expense in time and energy. Let's look at their price range one by one.
Snow Removal Methods Pricing
Average hourly costs by removal method
| Type | Cost | Priority |
|---|---|---|
Snow Shoveling Effortful and time-consuming, ideal for small areas | $25-$75/hour | Medium |
Snow Blowing Quick removal for mid-sized areas | $25-$75/hour | Medium |
Snow Plowing Equipment-heavy method for large areas | $30-$95/hour | High |
Pricing varies based on area size, snow depth, and regional market rates
3. Snow removal cost based on the pricing model used
We have already discussed 6 different pricing models that you can offer your clients. So based on those models, this is the average market pricing currently.
Pricing Models Comparison
| Pricing Model | Cost Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per hour | $25-$75 per hour per worker | Variable-duration jobs |
| Cost per push | $30-$50 per visit | Standard-sized areas |
| Cost per event | $30-$50 per visit | Snowstorm contracts |
| Cost per inch | $60-$95 per 6 inches | Deep snow removal |
| Full-season contract | $350-$450 per season | Regular snowfall areas |
| Multi-season contract | $350-$450 per season (discounted) | Long-term clients |
Cost Per Hour Example
It is one of the most common methods used for pricing. You can charge in the range of $25 to $75 per hour for each of your men needed for the task. Let's say that you deploy two of your workers to remove snow that took an hour to complete. So it will cost your client $50 to $150 depending upon your per-hour rate.
4. Snow removal cost based on different areas
The average cost of snow removal for each region in the US varies a little. Keep an eye on this to match your charges with your region of service.
Regional Snow Removal Pricing
| State | Average Cost | Service Type |
|---|---|---|
| California | $48-$60 (avg. $54) | Per session - driveway & sidewalk |
| Colorado | $41 per visit | Snow plowing/blowing - driveway & sidewalk |
| New Jersey | $95/hour blowing, $51 plowing | Hourly and per-session rates |
| New York | $53-$67.5 (avg. $56/hour) | Per session and hourly rates |
5. Snow removal cost based on snow location
Different snow location demands different effort. So you can vary your charges as per that. Here are the common places where you may find yourself removing snow.
Snow Removal Cost by Location
Pricing varies based on difficulty and risk
| Type | Cost | Priority |
|---|---|---|
Driveway Most common snow removal location | $30-$70/hour or $40-$75/visit | High |
Sidewalk Often bundled with driveway service | $25-$75/hour or $40-$80/visit | Medium |
Roof Requires special tools and extra care | $50-$100/hour or $150-$700/visit | High |
Roof snow removal costs more due to difficulty and safety risks. Driveways and sidewalks are often packaged together.
6. Snow removal cost based on the type of area
Residential and commercial areas have varying rates due to the scale of the project.
Residential vs Commercial Pricing
Residential snow removal: Residential areas usually have cheaper rates for snow removal services because they don't demand much time and effort. $25-$75 is the usual per-hour cost clients pay to clear out the snow from their homes. Per visit cost for residential areas can range between $30 to $100.
Commercial snow removal: Commercial properties are often bigger than residential ones. Thus, the cost of removing snow for a commercial property also overtakes it. The per-hour cost for such projects can go from $50 to $200.
So finally, we have covered almost every aspect from which you can decide to price your service. But we anticipate that you may have some questions nagging. Let's tackle them before we conclude.
Streamline Your Snow Removal Business
Try InvoiceOwl and see for yourself how convenient it is to send professional estimates and invoices to your clients. Create professional-looking documents in minutes.
Start Your FREE TrialFrequently Asked Questions
Shoveling snow consumes a lot of effort and time as it relies on your energy. So you should charge higher than you would charge for the other snow removal methods. The typical range is $25-$75 per hour, but you can adjust based on the difficulty and scale of the job.
There are many snow removal companies that make over $50,000 per plow truck per year. So, we can say that if you are running your operations smoothly, then you can earn more in winter than in any season.
There are two types of snow blowers - gas-powered and electricity-powered. A gas-powered snow blower costs around $400 to $1,200. If you find it expensive, then you can buy an electricity-powered snow blower for just $100 to $250.
The price of the snow removal job is estimated on the basis of square foot, per hour, per inch of snow, or per push. To create professional-looking estimates and invoices by using snow plowing invoice template for the snow removal business, you can use InvoiceOwl which makes creating and sending estimates & invoices easier.
Conclusion
Now that you have got an idea about snow removal prices, it is time for you to decide your rates. We suggest you keep it competitive but profitable for your business. Finally, we would like to add that sending professional-looking snow removal estimate template will give you an edge over your competitors. Thus, try InvoiceOwl for free to see how it can ease your business.


![How to Price Commercial Lawn Care [Contractors' Guide]](/images/2022/09/how-to-price-commercial-lawn-care.jpg)


![How to Price Landscaping Jobs [7-Step Pricing Plan]](/images/2022/06/how-to-price-landscaping-jobs.jpg)

