Snow Plowing

[Jake]

I know of you guys plow snow in the winter when work slows down. I was just wondering that you charge an hour for a pickup truck with a plow? What do you charge an hour for hand shoveling? Things are going to be tight this winter for dirt work so everyone need to be creative to help subsidize their imemployment. If you respond pleace put down price with area of the country.

Jake

 

[pushcat]

Plowing snow is a desperate mans work. We let the concrete guys and landscapers cut each others throats just to keep their guys busy. Now saying that we do some snow removal, but it's large scale. Like digging out stuck trains, cleaning blocked sidings and stuff like that with dozers and excavators and loader cats. Usually charge 20% over the machines hourly rate just because it's usually pretty brutal conditions, and to give the operators a little bonus.

 

[Steve Frazier]

Desperate???? I think not!! I'm not going to publish the rates I earn with my equipment, including the trucks, but it's well over double the rate I make during the construction season. I typically earn more money during our 3 months of winter than I do the remaining 9 months of construction.

 

[pwrstroke6john]

Yea you can make decent money with a truck and a plow in the winter, it takes 2-3 minutes to plow a city driveway.

 

[qball]

plowing is blood money. that being said, i love it. 35 foot big blades at ohare or a grader at the rail yard, it is all good.

 

[King of Obsolete]

snow is where the money is, you can clean a yard and then it snow again and you do it again. in the great white north, we work more in the winter then in the summer thansk to snow. also in the summer we don't work when it gets to +34C, it is way too hot, but we work at -34C no problem because that is where the money is.

also in the summer we work on the equipment and get ready for snow, we love snow and can't wait for snow.

thansk
KoO
Published Author

 

[PETE379]

I took care of 2-5 shopping centers a year for about twelve years. All of them were no more than fifteen minutes from the yard which was great if you needed another piece or had to fix something. I found some of the best $$$ was in the salting and sanding part of the storm. If it took us six to ten hours with four or five trucks to clean the lots, it would only take two hours to sand and salt them with one or two trucks for about the same amount of money. Plus we would sand lots for other people on a regular basis to add to that revenue. Loved those icy nights!! ......Gave those lots all up when I was having trouble getting drivers for snow work, especially at night. PLUS..Going on vacation was never an option. Now we put the loaders out for hire if needed and sell salt and sand to contractors during storms. It barley snows anymore down here anyway it seems. :beatsme

Jake, Around here it seems alot of guys will charge a minimum per push for lets say 6" or less, than another price for 6-9, 9-12 etc. Then, sand and or salt by the application and loaders by the hour.

The other method around here, mostly for condo complexes, is get paid one figure if it snows or not. Sometimes you win, other times you lose. I know some guys that got killed some years because you'd have to low bid to get the job in the first place. ointhead

 

[kamerad47]

I just wonder if these Co's & retails will pay for snow removal ? with the economy in the crapper, fuel so high I wonder if they'll pony up the $$$$$ ?

 

[Turbo21835]

I just wonder if these Co's & retails will pay for snow removal ? with the economy in the crapper, fuel so high I wonder if they'll pony up the $$$$$ ?

They will. The savings that they would get would be negated by the lawyers suing for a slip and fall accident. The hardest part may be finding salt depending on your location.

By the time you figure in insurance, your fuel costs, you driver, and your wear and tear on truck/equipment, I dont think its worth it to pull out of the driveway for less than $60. I know of several guys in my area that were getting $70 an hour for trucks last year, and around $100 an hour for a backhoe with a snow pusher.

 

[pwrstroke6john]

yea they have to do something with the snow.

 

[skyhightree1]

Plowing snow is a desperate mans work. We let the concrete guys and landscapers cut each others throats just to keep their guys busy. Now saying that we do some snow removal, but it's large scale. Like digging out stuck trains, cleaning blocked sidings and stuff like that with dozers and excavators and loader cats. Usually charge 20% over the machines hourly rate just because it's usually pretty brutal conditions, and to give the operators a little bonus.

I don't know about a desperate mans work but here in Va. with a tandem or greater size dump truck to plow and drop sand we get 115.00 a hour from the State Dept of Transportation. I have been plowing for 10 years for them. I love it getting paid around the clock as long as you are on call suits me just fine for myself and my 3 trucks. I will say this there is alot involved with snow plowing though you have to account for breakdowns equipment repairs as well as do you have someone to take over your customers if you cant complete the work. If anyone has questions on plowing shoot me a PM if you like I have a wealth of knowledge on it.

 

[skyhightree1]

I try not to bid on Locations such as business by the hour I try to get them to give me a flat rate for some many inches of snow each time i come out to remove it but this is also due to my experience with it and knowing how long it takes and having the equipment to do so but I am listing my general prices below.

Pickup $70.00 an hour used for banks and other small businesses
Tractor/bobcat/backhoe $100.00 an hour
Dumptrucks whatever the state is paying now $115.00 an hour

 

[Bartlanz]

I know the town I live in contracts alot of its work out, and its not good money, but its enough to pay the bills int he winter.

 

[OCR]

Montana Department of Transportation snow plows:

Well I did take my camera.




Gps read out of my shift.

A grader....


We have five plow trucks... 2 Internationals... Ford LT 8000, I think...
A Sterling... and guess what? LOL... an Autocar.

The A-Car has an 855 cummins... with a 13 speed under drive...

Any one ever seen that type tranny??

It's a rather odd configuration IMO.

When I first started with the state, 15 years ago... , that's the the truck I drove most of the time... mainly because it was one of the only 2 tandems they had.
The other tandem was a GMC Top Kick, ( I think that's what it was called, anyway ) about like an over size pickup.... It was not... LOL

But I digress...

I thought some body had fooled with the splitter button, and hooked the air lines up backwards...

I was about ready to switch the lines, until I read the placard.... Yup, 15 speed under drive.... They're actually some what akward...IMO

And now, I have to go in to the State Shop... right now.


OCR...

 

[JTL]

I used to plow snow when I'd get laid off in the winter. I dont worry about it to much anymore!

 

[LowBoy]

Well I did take my camera.

The A-Car has an 855 cummins... with a 13 speed under drive...

Any one ever seen that type tranny??

It's a rather odd configuration IMO.

I thought some body had fooled with the splitter button, and hooked the air lines up backwards...

That's funny, brings back some precious memories. When I was a young wet-behind-the-ears pup I had a bunch of jobs as I was a bit of a work-o-holic in my teens and twenties before I plunged into self employment.
I worked for an excavator by day, and drove part time for 3 different guys at night till midnight usually, hauling stone to stockpiles, and #6 fuel oil to wherever it went.
I hauled fuel for this old crusty guy that had 3 of the worst junks that was ever to touch the highways. I didn't give a hoot, long as I was working. He bought this old wore out 69 Brockway tractor with a 238 Detroit and a 13 speed "under" that I didn't realize the underdrive part till I got up to speed and went to grab the last cog.
You gotta picture this OCR...this old black with red, orange and yellow striped Brockway that was so wore out you had to tow it around the yard to start it cause the compression was so low...and the cab was so loose there were household deadbolts (I didn't stutter, you heard me,) holding the doors closed on the inside.
Here I go, all 18 yrs. of me, getting the old Yamaha all wound out to grab that top hole....flipped the button, let off the pedal and DARNED NEAR went straight through the windshield!!!! Didn't have a clue that those underdrives shifted DOWN, not UP...The tachometer cable took a fit, that poor 238 never saw RPM's like she did that day and never did since. You wanna talk about a SURPRISE. Mister, did that ever frighten me against those underdrive transmissions.
Hah, those were the days...

BTW: Those are some beautiful pictures of your work, and the landscape. You're a lucky man to be there.:usa

 

[OCR]

Montana Department of Transportation snow plows:

Well, thank you LowBoy.

Couple corrections to my post:

Ford LT 8000... should read, Ford L 8000.

Yup, 15 speed under drive

Should read 13 speed under drive.


OCR...

 

[Grader4me]

Well I did take my camera.
[We have five plow trucks... 2 Internationals... Ford LT 8000, I think...
A Sterling... and guess what? LOL... an Autocar.
OCR...

Nice pictures OCR! Does the wing setup on the body work well? Ours are mounted up front. With the body mount I would think it would work really well with an underbody plow(underslung we call it). The wing would catch the snow/slush from the underbody plow.
Have you tried both types of wing set up? If so which one do you prefer?

 

[LowBoy]

Well, thank you LowBoy.

Couple corrections to my post:

Ford LT 8000... should read, Ford L 8000.



Should read 13 speed under drive.


OCR...

That's OK OCR...I figured it out way before the correction anyways.

 

[stretch]

I don't get it...what exactly is an under drive and how does it work?