snow removal

[phpanda.livejournal.com]

Can anyone tell me the going rate for snow removal for a season and also recommend anyone?  It is one long driveway at a 2family with a small parking area just big enough for two cars in the back. it was $860 last year and the price this year is $1100 by the same people.  It seems a big jump>  I am happy to pay for a light season again but would love to know options.  Thanks!

Comments

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

That is a LOT. We use A1 Landscaping (as do several of our neighbors on our street). I recently just scanned all our condo's historical bills, so I can give you a general idea of what we paid. They have a rate by the inch, and in 2011 that was:

2-4" = $60
4-6" = $65
8-15" = $75

In 2012 we paid $75, one snowfall (so far.)

In 2011 we paid $765, ten incidents.

In 2010 we paid $360, six incidents.

Their number, if you care, is 781-662-8700. I have never, ever spoken to them on the phone. The association already had this relationship when we bought here.

FWIW, it's a corner lot with a two-car driveway, and they also remove from the stairs, porches, sidewalks, etc. They're also our landscapers, and mow and mulch and suchlike all year.

[phpanda.livejournal.com]

Thanks. This is really helpful for comparing. Do you live in the Teele/Davis area?

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Between Ball and Davis, yes.

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

ya know, for that kind of money, if you have the means: 24" 2 stage Ariens at Home Depot $799.

that should do you right quick, do the neighbors (charge them!), clear out the berms from idiot plows, help people on the street :>

i'm buying a slightly bigger one (300 foot driveway)... i'm told i should be able to do all that in well under an hour with the one i'm looking at :D

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[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

all i know is, for some reason this has become a big business with big prices. last year -> shovel a double-width sidewalk in front + regular sidewalk on side + clear wide single driveway and car was ~$1000 for the season. this year -> shovel a regular sidewalk (about a third the sidewalk area or less from last year) + clear tiny driveway and car was quoted at about the same price. ???

[somervilleguy.livejournal.com]

Snow removal is very hard to get comparable prices. For one thing the location of the work may allow a contractor to price things more competitively. If he is traveling to your house from say Arlington or Medford and he goes right back to his home area you will pay more than some one that is servicing two or three other homes in the area. The truck and labor make no money traveling to a job.

That said the contractor that is servicing the property for 60-65-75 is quite honestly giving his time away regardless of how many homes are in the area. Consider that he is charging $15 more for what could be 8 times the work. He is clearly interested in the landscaping as opposed to the snow work.

[dahdahdahdancer.livejournal.com]

"Somerville Snow" has a graded system - you pay less if there's less snow per season, and more if there's more. It's not figured by incident but rather by total snowfall amounts over a period of months. If there's a lot of snow, yeah, snow removal for the season does cost more than a thousand bucks.