A snow removal contract is a service agreement between a property owner and a contractor where the contractor agrees to clear snow from the client’s property for a fee. This type of agreement may benefit residential or commercial property owners and will state whether the snow will be removed or cleared from the property. Depending on the client’s preference, contractors will often charge per snowstorm, per inch, or per visit, and this should be clearly stated in the document and how the contractor will be paid.

Snow Plowing vs. Snow Removal

“Snow Plowing” and “Snow Removal” are often used interchangeably; however, they differ:

• Snow Plowing – Refers to clearing the snow out of the way, but the snow remains on site.
• Snow Removal – This is when snow is hauled away from the property to another location.

Most residential contracts will need snow plowing. More significant commercial projects may need snow removal; this is a more costly service as it requires specialized equipment, such as loaders and trucks, to remove the snow from the property.

Types of Snow Removal Contracts

Several factors weigh into the pricing of a snow removal contract, including location, size of the affected area, and seasonal weather changes. Snow removal contracts are generally broken down into five (5) categories.

Seasonal

This contract is used when a client pays a fixed fee for snow removal per season, and it does not change, no matter how much or how little it snows. These are often multi-year agreements, so a lighter or heavier snow year may balance out over time for the contractor. This type of agreement also helps clients avoid vetting new service providers year after year.

Per Event

When a client wishes to pay a flat rate per snow event, no matter how many events occur, this type of agreement should be used. A snow event is a snowstorm where snow removal needs to occur. Contractors will often use the term “trigger depth” to determine how much snow needs to accumulate before plowing needs to begin; often, this is one (1) or two (2) inches.

It should be noted that an “event” usually resets every 24 hours; for example, a two-day snowstorm will be considered two events.

Per Push

This is a pay-per-visit agreement suited for clients who prefer a pay-as-you-go option. This contract is often for commercial clients in places requiring multiple site visits after a snow event. The contractor pushes the snow to an accessible storage location on site, out of the way of cars and pedestrians.

Per Inch

The client will pay the contractor per inch of removed snow with this agreement.

Per Hour

With this agreement, the contractor will bill the client based on the time it takes to remove the snow.