Anyone pay for snow removal at their home?

[kkandaj]

My uncle does this and charges $40 per snowfall. He uses a small john deere with a blade on it.

 

[jedijill]

I have nothing to add about cost, but you may want to check the "rules" for liability. Where I live, if someone slips and falls on my uncleared sidewalk, it's not my fault. If I clear/treat the sidewalk and someone falls, it is my fault. Act of God sort of thing.

City of Denver requires me to have my sidewalks clear within 24 hours or I can be ticketed.

Jill in CO

 

[jdcthree]

City of Denver requires me to have my sidewalks clear within 24 hours or I can be ticketed.

Jill in CO

They will give you a ticket?? That's crazy! What happens if you're out of town?

 

[jedijill]

They will give you a ticket?? That's crazy! What happens if you're out of town?

Well, if someone turns you in, its a $150 fine. Pays to be nice to your neighbors.

Jill in CO

 

[davedmaine]

My DH just about refuses to clear snow off the driveway and sidewalks. I'd do it myself but I'd need the snowthrower to work and DH refuses to fix it. The best I can manage on my own with a shovel (after a heavy snowfall) is keeping the sidewalks clear and salted. Besides, in our division of houshold labor, he gets the outside stuff, I do 90% of the stuff inside.

I've just about had it with having snowy/icy walks and driveways (not to mention potential liability). I'm think of next year hiring a company to do it for us. I know I'd only have to pay per snow event but I have no idea what they charge.

We have a long single width driveway, I'd guess 50 yards give or take. And two walks, one going from the driveway to the front door and the other going from the front door to the main sidwalk for our street, I'd guess the two would equal 25 yards together.

We're in the far NW burbs of Chicago.

Sounds like your husband needs a good kick in the a**

 

[dsneprincess]

We could, but we don't pay for snow removal. I do it with our snowblower. Sometimes it is just a path to the bus for DS#1 until DS#2s naptime, when I can got out & get it done. We had a service once upon a time, but it was a nightmare because we had 2 cars in the driveway so it was never done! Always charged though & the worst was coming home from 14+ hour days at work & not being able to pull into the driveway! Ugh, never again! Now I do!

 

[shortbun]

Right now, there's always a teen lurking who needs the money. DH has done it once. DS can't even get the jump on his friends for the cash, it's funny. Snow removal is for pay around here. We also have an ordinance requiring clearance of sidewalks. Luckily, we have no public sidewalks in our neighborhood.

 

[ManyMinnie]

Sounds like your husband needs a good kick in the a**

That's what I was thinking.

Oh, to answer the original question, we have a wonderful neighbor who loves to use his snowblower and does our driveway for us, no matter how little snow we get. He does 4-5 driveways in the neighborhood, without expecting anything in return. He is just being neighborly.

I know DH is thankful for his help and we do pay him at the end of the season, typically with gas giftcards.

 

[firecracker725]

My DH also isn't a fan of shoveling, but I want it done. He tried putting it off on our last good snow, so I started getting myself dressed to go out and do it. I'm 5 months pregnant, so I was all dramatic about it. He got his tail out there and started shoveling real quick like. I guess he didn't want the neighbors to think less of him for letting his pregnant wife shovel the driveway.

 

[aprilgail2]

For a one car driveway, a sidewalk that is just 60 feet long, a path that is about 20 feet long and another path about 30 feet long the neighborhood kids get 50.00 to showel you out. Most of he time my neighbor takes care of it with his snow blower though but if they happen to be away we pay someone- shoveling snow isn't at the top of my list as things I like/want to do, especially now that I hit 50 and lots of friends are having heart attacks (friend just died at 47 of heart attack-worked out, perfect shape, ate only healthy food)-after every snow storm you read about all the people who had a heart attack and died while shoveling and since I already have a murmur I don't push it with shoveling snow!

 

[Minnie_me]

Times like these I love my little rural town.........I pay $15 to have my driveway plowed, and it's pretty long (winds back behind my house where it's double-wide in front of my garage). He even shovels the paths from my driveway to my front door (for visitors, UPS, etc.) and the back door (for us).

 

[gardengalB4]

I have nothing to add about cost, but you may want to check the "rules" for liability. Where I live, if someone slips and falls on my uncleared sidewalk, it's not my fault. If I clear/treat the sidewalk and someone falls, it is my fault. Act of God sort of thing.

yes...My insurance guy pretty much told me not clear my sidewalks for this reason.

 

[pearlieq]

We pay $33/session for a 2 standard 2-car driveway, sidewalks, and walkway out in the far Western suburbs.

If one has the means, I can't see judging someone for using a service. Most people don't really enjoy shoveling show, cutting grass, or cleaning the house. I prefer economizing in other places and liberating myself from yucky chores.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We pay $33/session for a 2 standard 2-car driveway, sidewalks, and walkway out in the far Western suburbs.

If one has the means, I can't see judging someone for using a service. Most people don't really enjoy shoveling show, cutting grass, or cleaning the house. I prefer economizing in other places and liberating myself from yucky chores.

Just to clarify, I'm not against people hiring a service for anything if both spouses are in agreement that it's worth the $. We had a cleaning service for several years when my kids were toddlers until around age 10 &13. With working FT & chasing babies, it would never get done. It took most of my weekend just to get laundry done. When they were old enough to really help, we dropped it.
What shocked me was OP's dh just refusing to deal with it and here she is inquiring about hiring a service. I wonder, is he at all concerned or getting prices for a service? If she didn't want to pay and chose to do it herself, would he not help her out? Would he sit inside on his duff still refusing?
This wasn't the only issue he was refusing to take care of either. JMHO, but I work too dang hard to have my 'better half' keep dumping it all on me. If she doesn't mind, that's fine.

 

[Kellydelly]

yes...My insurance guy pretty much told me not clear my sidewalks for this reason.

That doesn't make sense. If we don't clear our sidewalks we can be ticketed by the city.

 

[Maryr1]

I pay $45/visit with each storm for my 3 car circular driveway. That being said-it doesn't get it down to the pavement and needs some "cleaning up" after the plow guy is here. My husband is no help at all so I do it myself. It's a big driveway and can take some time but I look at it as a free trip to the gym. Burning calories, enjoy the cold fresh air-it's all good.

 

[pearlieq]

Well, if it helps anyone, we got 3 offers today here in Chicagoland from kids home from school on a snow day-- $3.00, $5.00, and $15.00 for the whole job.

 

[Mary2e]

Wow... you guys are getting away cheap. The last I paid someone, they charged something like $10 AN INCH and he would do anything over 3 inches without asking us. The driveway is a bit wider than 2 car and about 50 ft long.

I wish a kid would come around for $15.

 

[Callie]

I've wondered about this stuff as well. My mom has a bigger driveway, with a bit of a hill, and she can't really do it much anymore. Also, the snow blower never likes to work. I try and help out when it snows, but I won't be here much longer. I'll make sure to save this thread.

 

[RitaE]

There's a guy who owns a yard service company around here who does snow plowing in the winter. He has a pick-up with a plow attached. He charges $20 a driveway and then I always tip another $5 to $10 depending on what's in my wallet.

I expect he'll probably be by tomorrow. I was just thinking about this awhile ago.