OT: What are you getting to plow?

Hey there. I have a couple people who want to get a qoute for plowing. Whats the going rate you guys are charging Just for plowing?

It depends on the tractor the plow and soil and how long you expect to be plowing and how much land.
Really hard to put a price on it.
I would check with the local tractor places and talk to the salesmen they usually have a pretty good idea of what's going on in your neighborhood.
Walt

Sorry, I should have stated my question better.
just asking about plowing a drive and parking area. No removal.

snow plowing, or plowing up a field with like a 2 bottom plow?

I charge about 50$ an hour, unless its piddly, then its 20$ to plow it.

Kelly,

I try to get $120/hour, but most people freak with "sticker shock" if quoted that price. They feel comfortable with a preset fee. We plow at 2.5" to 3" and the "base rate" includes up to 6" unless there is heavy drifting. For most of our customers on small hobby farms with just one driveway and a 2 car garage and a turn around the base rate is $35, and I can do that in about 10 minutes. We upcharge for snow more than 6", usually less than a direct proportion. But if we get 12" of real wet heavy stuff, then the base rate is doubled for that time. Some of our bigger places have 1/4 mile driveways, plus extra drives to barn with a lot of area to be cleared. Base rate on the big ones is $85.

But our customers know we have the investment in equipment to do whatever is needed. We run 2 1-ton PUs with 8 ft blades, and have 1 big tractor rigged with 9 ft front and back blades, and 2 big tractors rigged with 8 ft snowblowers, plus a 900 series Bobcat with a 9 ft snow bucket. Of course we pay liability insurance and do this as a business. We currently do about 30 farm and residential accounts, but no commercial accounts. Many years ago I did business parking lots, but that was just too much grief with high liability insurance costs. My son and I do all the operating and repairs. I do not hire other operators, they are usually very hard on equipment and drive the repair costs like crazy.

I don't look forward to big snow anymore. I've been plowing for 41 years, besides working full time and farming (up until I retired from the "job" 9 years ago).

If you are going to plow, plan on some breakdowns. That needs to be built into the price. Chevy plow trucks have a reputation for eating trannys, but I've never lost one on a Dodge (727) or a Ford. Maybe I just got lucky. But we did lose a clutch on the Ford TW10 last Christmas. Of course it required a split at the bell housing to get to it. If you are going to come out financially, you need to have a shop and do your own work, unless you are really big with commercial accounts.

Paul in MN

Most guys around here in central IL charge $100.00 an hour. With the expenses of fuel, man hours, upkeep, equipment, etc, anything less than that is a loosing thing.
Jim

I plow 3 different places out, mine , in-laws, and a neighbor, all for nothing, takes about two hours a piece,that is with the 4 wheeler, if it gets too bad then i fire up the 3/4 ton chev with the western plow on it, still takes about an hour though with the truck. must just be a nice guy.

Same as any other skidloader job 75.00 an hour with a 2 hour minimum.