Snow removal is the winter lifeline for many lawn care and landscaping companies. Customers need it fast, every time it snows, and they are willing to pay for reliability. But snowfall is unpredictable. A contract that looks profitable in a light winter can lose money in a heavy one, and the reverse. Pricing is about choosing who carries the weather risk.
In this article
The main pricing models
- per push or per visit: a fixed price each time you plow or shovel, usually after a trigger depth;
- per inch or per event: the price grows with the snowfall, in ranges such as 2 to 4 inches and 4 to 8 inches;
- seasonal contract: one price for the whole winter, paid in installments;
- hourly: common for commercial lots, loaders and cleanup after big storms.
Set the trigger
Define the depth that triggers service, often 2 inches for residential driveways and 1 or 2 inches for commercial lots. Write down whether the trigger is measured at the end of the storm or during it, and whether you return when snow keeps falling.
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Price salt and ice melt separately
Salt and ice melt are a separate line, priced per application or per bag. Material prices rise during a heavy winter, so avoid including unlimited salt in a fixed seasonal price.
Protect seasonal contracts with caps
Add a cap on the number of events included and charge per push above it. Without a cap, a record winter can turn a seasonal contract into a loss.
Commercial vs residential
Commercial lots pay more and need faster response, documented service times and often salting before the business opens. Residential driveways are smaller and more spread out, so route density matters more than the price per driveway.
Liability and documentation
Slip-and-fall claims are the biggest risk in snow removal. Confirm your insurance covers snow and ice work, write the scope clearly, record service times with photos and GPS and do not promise bare pavement unless you price for it.
Calculate your real cost
Add truck and plow costs, fuel, labor at overtime rates, salt, insurance and equipment repairs. Divide by the expected number of events in an average winter in your area to find your minimum per push.
An example
A landscaping company in Michigan moved 120 residential customers from loose per-push pricing to seasonal contracts with 12 events included and a per-push charge above that, plus salt billed per application. In a winter with 17 events, it billed the five extra pushes and ended the season with a 24% margin instead of the loss of the previous heavy winter.
Common mistakes
Seasonal contracts without caps, unlimited salt included, no written trigger, routes too spread out, no service records and insurance that does not cover snow work.
Price every call so it pays.
We help service businesses set clear policies, book better jobs and turn more calls into profitable work.
Frequently asked questions
Is a seasonal snow removal contract better than per push?
It depends on who should carry the risk. A seasonal contract gives you steady income and the customer a fixed cost, but you lose money in a very heavy winter unless the contract has a cap. Per push pays you for every visit, which protects you in heavy winters but brings less income in light ones. Many companies offer both and add a cap or a per-push charge above a set number of events.