Shovel snow - $ question

[sunlover13]

I've asked a neighbor (4th grade boy) to shovel the front of our house while we are on vacation. This includes the driveway, sidewalk, and walkway to the house.

What's the going rate?

We haven't discussed price yet, but I know he is interested.

I'm not sure if I should pay him per shovel or just a set price for the duration of the vacation (10 days).

What do you think?

P.S. It's not a ton of shoveling. Our driveway is short.

 

[Fyrefly]

We have no shovelable driveway (just gravel we sort of wing it with) but we have a length of sidewalk which must be kept clean by law. I'd say it's about the same length as your average suburban house road.

When we went home for 3 weeks over break, we negotiated with the neighbor's kid. He would clear the sidewalk for $5 per shovel if it was 6 inches or less, and $10 if it was any deeper. We didn't get any snow while we were gone, but we paid him $10 and some homemade cookies when we got back just as a goodwill gesture, a "thanks for looking out for us anyway" payment.

Maybe for a little driveway + sidewalk you could go $10 for some small amount or less, $20 for larger? I think it's fair to pay per shovel and based on how much snow there is, because moving large amounts of heavy snow is a lot harder than just scraping up an inch or two in fifteen minutes.

 

[beansmom]

you coudn't get me outside for $5 in 6inches of snow.

I would set a fair price for the entire trip...say $50. How are you REALLY going to know how many times he shovels??

 

[runwad]

Why does it need shoveled while you're gone?

4th grade is like 10 yrs old. My son shoveled last year when he was 10 and got around $10 per driveway. He was as happy as a pig in mud. I'd pay him so much for each time he shovels. But I'd want a good accumulation, not a dusting.ha

 

[scrapquitler]

I've asked a neighbor (4th grade boy) to shovel the front of our house while we are on vacation. This includes the driveway, sidewalk, and walkway to the house.

What's the going rate?

We haven't discussed price yet, but I know he is interested.

I'm not sure if I should pay him per shovel or just a set price for the duration of the vacation (10 days).

What do you think?

P.S. It's not a ton of shoveling. Our driveway is short.

I'd say probably $20 per 'storm'. So if it snows twice the week you are gone, I'd give him $40. I'd pay that because here if you don't have your sidewalk shoveled within 12 hours of the end of a storm, you can get fined like $100 or something, and I wouldn't want to risk the boy flaking out and not doing it.

 

[mjkacmom]

Why does it need shoveled while you're gone?

4th grade is like 10 yrs old. My son shoveled last year when he was 10 and got around $10 per driveway. He was as happy as a pig in mud. I'd pay him so much for each time he shovels. But I'd want a good accumulation, not a dusting.ha

Around here, you are fined if you don't shovel your walk. OP, how long does it usually take you? I'd probably give $20 per shovel, if it will take under 45 minutes.

 

[Fyrefly]

you coudn't get me outside for $5 in 6inches of snow.

Well, this kid is literally right next door. It's his chore to shovel, so for him to do our bit of sidewalk was literally ten minutes or less just doing a continuation of what he was already doing in front of his own house. It was his price suggestion, not ours. But we're also in a small college town in PA so prices may be different here.

If he's making a special trip over to your house then probably should be paid a little more. Apparently other people pay more, I was just sharing mine.

 

[WantToGoNow]

A 4th grader is generally 9-10 years old. He probably didn't realize that he was greatly under-pricing himself. I would think atleast $10 a shovel would be a fair price. Shoveling is not easy work.

 

[sunlover13]

Thanks for the responses!

My Mom is going to be staying at our house for the majority of the week taking care of the cat, house, etc. so it needs to be shoveled. Plus, we live by the train and have a lot of people walking on our sidewalk to the train so I'd like for it to be shoveled. Third, my husband doesn't want to come home to a huge snowstorm and have to shovel after the fact, especially if it turns into ice.

The boy, we know his family well. They used to watch my daughter before & after school. So, the Mom will make sure he shovels.

I'll probably go with $25 - $50 for the week if he shovels 2 or more times. I'm sure if there is a huge snowstorm, his Dad will help him out.

If it doesn't snow at all, I'll give him a small thank you of something for agreeing to shovel in the first place. Not sure what, but my DD is 9 so I'm sure she'll help me pick up something for him. Something at Disney.

 

[NYEmomma]

I'd say probably $20 per 'storm'. So if it snows twice the week you are gone, I'd give him $40. I'd pay that because here if you don't have your sidewalk shoveled within 12 hours of the end of a storm, you can get fined like $100 or something, and I wouldn't want to risk the boy flaking out and not doing it.

We rarely, rarely, rarely have someone else shovel our snow for us but there's been a couple times when it stormed when we were both sick or right after DD was born that when the neighborhood boy knocked on the door we said, "yes, please!"

Each time we've paid him $20 to do the length of the driveway, the path to the front porch, the front & side porches and the sidewalk.

 

[mrodgers]

I guess it hasn't kept up over the years, has it? I use to get $20 for shoveling a driveway back in the early 80's.

 

[JustineMarie]

Maybe things are more expensive in NJ but kids around here charge $20+ to shovel a driveway and sidewalk. The kids usually go around in groups of 2 and then split the 20$(or more depending on the size of the area that needs to be shoveled.)

When we shoveled in the 90's we always got 20$ or more.

 

[tms295psu]

Hubby does commercial snow removal in NE Pennsylvania... Rarely touchs a residential property, mostly maintains Corporate Centers/Office buildings and warehouses... Just for some realistic prices...

His rates all by the hour (except salt which is by the ton)
Plowing is $75/hr (one hr minimum)
Shoveling/Laborer is $30/hr (1/2 hr minimum)

 

[beansmom]

Third, my husband doesn't want to come home to a huge snowstorm and have to shovel after the fact, especially if it turns into ice.

that would be reason enuff for me. We went to Italy for 2 wks last winter and when we got back, I had about 10 inches of snow---melted, frozen to crust, melted, frozen again--on my car. It took me nearly 30 mins just to be able to pull OUT of the driveway.