Snow Removal Pricing Calculator
Work out a seasonal contract price for a driveway or lot from the visits you expect, your time per visit, salt and fuel. The calculator shows the season price and what that works out to per visit, so you can compare a seasonal contract with per push pricing.
| Labour cost | $150 |
| Overhead | $54 |
| Total job cost | $414 |
| Price to quote | $591 |
| Profit | $177 |
| Markup on cost | 42.9% |
| Price per visit | $49.29 |
| Revenue per labour hour | $99 |
Before sales tax, GST or HST. Works in any currency: the $ is just a label. Example numbers only: replace them with your own costs.
What to count in a snow removal price
- Total hours for the season: visits times time per visit, including the drive between properties
- Salt or ice melt per application, times the applications you expect
- Fuel, blade or blower wear, and equipment repairs spread over the season
- Insurance and overhead, which are high in snow work, spread across your accounts
- A margin that still holds if the winter brings more storms than you planned for
Worked example
With one person for 6 hours at $25 an hour, $120 in salt, sand and ice melt for the season, $90 in fuel and plow or blower wear for the season, 15% overhead and a 30% margin, the job costs $414 and the price comes to $591. That is $49.29 per visit for 12 visits in the season, $177 profit, and a 42.9% markup on cost.
Margin is not markup
Margin is profit as a share of the price; markup is profit as a share of your cost. A 30% margin needs a 42.9% markup, because the profit is measured against a smaller number. Mixing the two up can leave a busy season with less money than you planned. This calculator asks for the margin you want and shows the matching markup.
The Snow Removal Pricing & Job Costing workbook (C$19.00, Excel, also opens in Google Sheets) keeps your rates in one price book, builds a printable client quote, and tracks what each job really cost and made, so your next price is based on your own numbers.
Questions
SEASONAL CONTRACT OR PER PUSH?
A seasonal price gives you steady income but you carry the risk of a heavy winter. Run the calculator with a light and a heavy season to see the range before you commit to a number.
HOW MANY VISITS SHOULD I PLAN FOR?
Use your own records for the area if you have them. If you do not, run two or three visit counts and price for the higher one or add a per visit charge above a cap.
This calculator is a planning tool, not financial or tax advice. Check the results against your own records before you rely on them.