Ideally, you’ve already arranged commercial snow removal before you look outside and realize you can’t see your car beneath the drifts.
If not, the place to start is to understand snow removal pricing.
Let’s learn more about snow removal pricing, including:
- Let’s Get Right to the Cost of Snow Removal
- Hourly Rate for Commercial Snow Removal
- Snow Removal Pricing: Extra Services
- Ice Melt Application
- Snow Removal Pricing: Snow Hauling Costs
- Pay Per Push or Choose a Seasonal Snow Removal Contract
- Why Do Commercial Snow Removal Prices Vary?
What’s the average cost of commercial snow removal in Idaho Falls — and what factors go into that pricing?
Prices vary, but generally expect to pay $125 to $250 per hour for large parking lot clearing, and a minimum of $125-$150 per visit on a small commercial account — depending on the loader or plow size.
Read on to learn more:
Let’s Get Right to the Cost of Snow Removal
Finding the true cost of commercial snow removal can be a hassle. Most commercial snow removal services in Boise and Idaho Falls don’t list the cost on their websites, so you’re faced with many phone calls. Who has time for that?
So, here you go. Let’s start with the pricing, then we’ll explore the details, including why the cost of snow removal can vary so much.
Hourly Rate for Commercial Snow Removal
At Outback, we offer per-visit pricing or seasonal snow removal contracts, depending on the scope of work.
Pricing varies per visit, depending on the size of the site and the complexity of the work needed to clear it. Contact us for customized estimates, but in general, expect to pay $125 to $250 per hour for large parking lot clearing and a minimum of $125-$150 per visit on a small commercial account, depending on the loader or plow size.
Why does equipment size matter? Larger snow removal equipment clears snow faster but also costs more to operate.
Snow Removal Pricing in Boise and Idaho Falls: Extra Services
Not all snow can be cleared with a plow. Sometimes, hand shoveling is the only way to safely clear entrances, pathways, steps, and stairs.
Not all commercial snow removal companies offer hand shoveling, but Outback does.
The minimum charge is $75 per stop for commercial properties.
Ice Melt Application Costs
Unless you’re an ice skater, you probably hate ice. It’s slick and treacherous and can quickly make your commercial property dangerous, creating a huge liability headache.
What’s the cost to get rid of the slippery stuff? It varies based on the size of the area, the difficulty of ice melt application, and other factors, but in general:
- De-icing sidewalks starts at $50
- Parking lots start at $150
Pricing for ice melt is based on several factors:
- Per ton applied - It’s cheaper when lighter applications will do the trick, like when the ice is thinner.
- Temperature plays a significant role—colder weather requires more ice melt products.
Warmer temperatures above 25 degrees allow for reduced application rates. Outback’s team is trained in efficient application techniques to optimize costs.
Snow Removal Pricing: Snow Hauling Costs
When your snow is plowed, the snow stays on your property, pushed out of the way.
But what if you run out of room to store the snow pushed aside? Then, it has to be hauled away from your property.
There’s an extra charge for that. Hauling snow is expensive, requiring extra crew time and equipment.
This is heavy work, requiring at least one loader and one dump truck. For larger sites, using multiple trucks with a single loader can improve efficiency.
Snow hauling is billed hourly. Expect to pay $225 or more per hour for a truck and loader.
In addition, there are dumping fees for disposing of the snow.
Expect to pay $5 to $25 per load in the Idaho Falls area. Fees may be higher in other areas.
Some city-designated snow dump areas don’t allow private contractors, which can make finding suitable dump sites challenging.
Pay Per Push vs Seasonal Snow Removal Contracts
You can pay a commercial snow removal contractor in Boise and Idaho Falls “per push,” paying each time they plow your property through the winter months.
Per push is exactly what it sounds like: you pay for commercial snow removal services every time crews show up at your property to plow.
How often they plow depends on the “trigger depth” you and your contractor agree on beforehand. Trigger depth is the amount of snow accumulation that needs to fall before plowing begins. Typically, it’s between one and two inches.
The per-push system is super straightforward: snowplows show up when it snows an inch—or whatever trigger depth you settle on. Then, you pay the bill.
Meanwhile, you’re crossing your fingers for a mild winter. If the white stuff really piles up, commercial snow removal crews show up dozens of times. Yikes. Pay up.
That’s rough on your snow budget.
Or you can opt for a seasonal snow removal contract. Pay one set price to have your property plowed for the season, no matter how many times it snows.
Seasonal snow removal contracts for small parking areas start at $5,000 to $10,000 per year, and they include clearing sidewalks and using ice melt. Payments are split into even monthly installments.
For larger commercial sites, the payment range is $50,000 to $350,000 per snow season, depending on the site size and service complexity.
The beauty of a seasonal snow removal contract is you pay one fixed price to have your property plowed for the season, no matter how many times it snows.
You lock in the price for the time you agree on in your contract. Then, relax. Commercial snow removal crews will show up every time it snows at least one inch or whatever trigger point is specified in your contract.
You pay the same fixed amount no matter how often your commercial snow removal contractor plows your property.
But what if you paid your money, and it turns out to be a mild winter? No fair, right?
That’s why seasonal snow removal contracts are multi-year. It all evens out over time, as the next year or two are bound to be plenty blustery here in Idaho.
Why Do Commercial Snow Removal Prices Vary?
Commercial snow removal rates vary because not all companies offer the same quality and service.
Here are some factors that help determine commercial snow removal pricing — and why some companies may cost less:
Maybe They Don’t Have Required Insurance
If a company doesn’t have snow removal insurance and one of their crew members is injured on your property, you’ll be liable. Trust us — that’s no cost savings.
Do They Have GPS?
If a commercial snow removal company has GPS systems installed on their equipment, they can track where their machines are at all times and how long they were there.
This comes in handy if you ever have questions about when and where the equipment was on any given day.
And, if someone is injured and says they slipped on the ice in your parking lot, your commercial snow removal service in Boise and Idaho Falls should be able to provide court-admissible GPS reporting on their plowing and deicing crews.
All Equipment Is Not Equal
Not every commercial snow removal company has top-notch equipment, and that may be reflected in their lower price.
You want a company with a variety of snow removal machines, all in good working order. When the snow moves in, you want to be sure they’ll show up, equipment ready to tackle the snow.
If your property has parking lots, sidewalks and walkways, it’s going to take a mixture of plows and blowers to maintain the site.
Do They Train And Certify Their Crews?
The best commercial snow removal equipment is only as good as the operators behind the wheel. Employing and training top-notch crews costs money — an investment not all commercial snow removal companies may be willing to make.
Are You Really Saving Money?
You might think you’re saving money by hiring the snow removal company that charges $25 per push less than everybody else.
But is it really a good deal when they miss a plowing because they don’t have back-up equipment, or their crews don’t have the training or skill to handle a big storm? And do they understand the damage that improper snow removal can cause to landscapes below?
Ready for Experienced Commercial Snow Removal — and Peace Of Mind? Trust Outback
At Outback Landscape, we know you’re paying for more than just commercial snow removal — you’re paying for peace of mind.
Safety and accessibility are crucial for a commercial property owner. It has a huge impact on your business.
Our team monitors the weather and prepares for storms three to four days out for our clients.
Our staff includes certified snow professionals, and we’re also insured for snow removal. All of our commercial snow removal equipment has GPS systems on board and is well maintained.
We give you what you pay for — a complete menu of snow removal services, including snow plowing, hauling and ice melt applications. We only use environmentally friendly de-icing products, so they won’t harm your property’s turf or plant materials.
Located in Idaho Falls, Idaho, we serve residential and commercial properties in Idaho Falls, Rexburg, Pocatello and Bonneville, Madison and Bannock counties. Contact Outback Landscape for a free snow removal estimate at 208-656-3220, or fill out the contact form to schedule an on-site consultation. We’d love to hear from you.
