Quick poll: How much per hour to shovel snow?

[Abuela]

How much per hour do you think is a fair amount to charge/pay for shoveling snow by hand? To adjust for depth/weight of the snow, just assume a moderate effort by a strong, healthy person - not the physical equivalent of a grueling marathon, but enough that you'd say that person's diligently working.

[Danno]

grunt work like shoveling should never be hourly because grunt workers will stretch it out. figure out how long you think it should take and figure based on minimum wage. That being said, I can't see someone working to shovel snow based on those rates, so i'd pay a minimum of 1.5-2hrs and if you think it will be more, then pay accordingly based on Min Wage.

[Abuela]

grunt work like shoveling should never be hourly because grunt workers will stretch it out.

That's what I'm trying to work out -- a flat rate per hour based on how long it SHOULD take if it's not stretched out.

[jeepnstein]

I know guys who would dig out your walks and even a grave for your enemy for fifty bucks. Hire it done by the job. Don't pay them until the job is finished.

If it requires equipment like a Bobcat to dig you out, figure on about a hundred an hour for at least two hours. Can you get to your car? Can you get to the street?

[Abuela]

Actually I'm good - I can get to the car (and even more importantly, Spouse who is on crutches and in an air cast can get there), the snow's cleared off of and and out from around the car, I can get the car to the street (though we're still under a state of emergency and not supposed to be driving yet), and get from the front door to the main road. I'm honestly just trying to gauge whether I overpaid the guys who shoveled me out as much as I think I did, and trying to get a better idea of what to pay for next time, especially since I now have a decent idea of how much time it should take to do things. The first time I paid these guys I paid a flat amount that I came up with, but that that ended up being close to $20 an hour each. Then when I needed them again today they asked for an even higher amount for less work, so I offered them $15 an hour each, and even that seems generous to me.

[Danno]

don't forget about supply and demand. They can find a customer next door, but can you find another person with the time and energy to shovel for you?

[Don M]

One lunch at the local cafe works for me! My son who doesn't cook much appreciates it! Don

[lavender_bush]

Actually I'm good - I can get to the car (and even more importantly, Spouse who is on crutches and in an air cast can get there), the snow's cleared off of and and out from around the car.

Oh no! It does sound as though the last thing she needs is being out in this weather

We pay a flat fee of $50 a time for our mechanic to plow the Purple Houses' driveway, seriously it's too long to shovel. He only plows once we have 3" and if he plows more than once a day, he doesn't charge extra. Since we don't live in the Purple House he knows that It's not an urgency for us but still he plows more than once if the snow continues and he's in the neighborhood.

My DH shovels at home and hates it even though he has 2 snow blowers and a thrower thingy for the deck so we can clear space to let the dogs out. Having someone plow the drive is priceless for him. I think once we move into the Purple House he'll sell the plows and never clear the drive again.

I don't know why we don't pay someone to clear this driveway - other than whilst it's wide it's not that long and it doesn't seem worth it - We already owe Mike the mechanic $200 for this season

I certainly wouldn't offer an hourly rate but how much would YOU want to clear your drive?

[matchbookhouse]

Around here people mostly charge by the job to shovel. You know, like a bunch of kids knock on your door and say "Shovel your walk. lady?" I had two guys do my front walk for $18 on Sunday, but did the top layer myself yesterday. However, I just called my lawn guy to come and dig a parking space out for my car, which has been parked in my neighbor's large driveway since last Saturday. Since the lawn guy doesn't have much work (obviously) in the winter, I think he regards me as his "cash cow" when he needs to make some bucks. He'll probably charge me $45 to dig a space out. It's ridiculous, but I can't dig out heavy snow because cervical spinal stenosis impacts my left shoulder, and I'd rather be broke than in pain.

[carol ny]

I have a ATV with a plow on the front for my long driveway. I love that thing! It's better than a snowblower because come summer I can remove the blade and use it to pull my lawn tractor around when doing yard work. It typically takes about an d hour to an hour and a half to plow my drive this way.
A few years ago before the ATV with plow we were paying at least 50 dollars a shot to have a guy come in with a plow on the front of his truck to do the drive.