How much does snow removal cost in Virginia?

There is no set price for snow removal in Virginia. Companies price it per visit, per hour or as a seasonal contract, and two quotes for the same driveway can differ a lot depending on what is included. What you pay comes down to how much surface there is, how much snow falls, how fast you need it gone and whether walks, steps, de-icing and the street plow's ridge are part of the deal. A clear written quote is how you compare one company with another.

How snow removal is usually priced

Most residential snow work is sold one of four ways:

• Per visit, sometimes called per push. One trip to clear the agreed areas. Some companies tier the price by snow depth.
• Per hour. Common for equipment work on long or awkward driveways, or for cleanup after a big storm.
• Per storm. One price for everything a storm needs, however many trips that takes.
• Seasonal contract. A flat fee for the winter, sometimes with a cap on visits and a charge for each one over it.

Ask exactly what one "visit" covers. A company that clears the driveway once at the end of a 14-inch storm and a company that comes twice during it are selling different things at the same nominal price.

What drives the price

The surface. Length, width and slope matter most. A short, flat, paved driveway is quick work; a long gravel lane or a steep drive with a turnaround takes longer and needs more care. Walks, steps and stoops are usually cleared by hand and add labor.

The snow. Depth and weight change the job. The City of Richmond notes that plowing is most useful when the total snow accumulation is above 2 inches, and that on light snow or mostly ice, plow blades are not as effective.^[5] Below that depth the job is often shoveling and treatment instead, which some companies price separately.

Timing. Being cleared before you leave for work at 6 a.m. is a different job from being cleared sometime the day after. Expect to pay more for early or overnight service, and for a promised response time.

The plow ridge. On public streets, crews push snow off the road, to the right. It can end up in gutters, on road shoulders, and can sometimes block driveways, VDOT explains.^[1] If the company clears your driveway before the street is plowed, that heavy ridge lands after they leave. Ask whether a return trip is included or billed as another visit.

De-icing. Salt, de-icer and sand are often extra, priced per application or by the bag. The City of Richmond notes, about its own road treatment, that salt and chemicals help when temperatures are above 20 degrees, and sand helps with traction.^[5] Treatment has a cost to your yard too. Virginia Cooperative Extension notes that salt buildup in the soil usually occurs within 30-50 feet of roads, and suggests using calcium, potassium or magnesium products instead of sodium-based ones, or a 50/50 mix of sand and de-icer.^[6] Ask what the company spreads and how close to the beds.

Hauling. If there is no room to pile snow, it has to be loaded and hauled, which takes a loader and a truck. That is a separate service; see snow hauling.

Why seasonal prices are a bet on the weather

Virginia snowfall swings widely from one winter to the next. At Washington Dulles, the National Weather Service lists a normal season of 21.0 inches, yet the 2022-23 season brought 0.4 inches and 2013-14 brought 52.8.^[3] Your town's numbers will differ, but the swing is the point. A season fee in a winter like 2022-23 buys very little plowing; in a winter like 2013-14 it can be a bargain. Per-visit pricing moves with the weather instead. For the full trade-off, see whether a seasonal contract is worth it.

The cost of not clearing

Some of the cost of snow is set by your locality, not the contractor. In Alexandria, property owners and tenants must clear adjacent city sidewalks within 24 to 72 hours after the snow ends, depending on the storm level, and an owner who misses the deadline may be fined $50 and charged the cost of the city having the sidewalk cleared.^[4] The city adds: "Owners and tenants who may be unavailable or unable to clear sidewalks themselves are responsible for making arrangements to have the work done for them".^[4] In Richmond, City Code requires sidewalks to be cleared within 6 hours of snow stopping or by 11 a.m. the next day if snow falls through the night.^[5] If you travel in winter or own a rental, a deadline like that is part of the price of not having a plan.

Doing it yourself, and getting help

Doing it yourself costs a shovel, some de-icer and your time, and for many people that is the right answer; see the best way to clear a driveway after a big snow. It is not free of risk, though. Orthopaedic surgeons advise that if you have a medical condition or do not exercise regularly, talk with your doctor before shoveling.^[10] Help exists for some residents: Alexandria's Snow Buddy program matches volunteers with low-income seniors and homebound or disabled residents who are physically unable to clear snow, cannot afford to pay for it, or have no one else to help.^[4]

Door-to-door offers after a storm

People with plows and shovels knock on doors after big storms. If you agree to a sale someone solicited in person at your home without an invitation or prior negotiations, Virginia's Home Solicitation Sales Act generally lets you cancel until midnight of the third business day after you sign,^[8] and the seller must give you a copy of the contract and a written notice of your right to cancel.^[9] The cancellation has to be in writing, sent to the address in the agreement.^[8] The law does not cover cash sales of less than $25,^[7] and you lose the right to cancel if you asked for service without delay because of an emergency, the seller has made a substantial start in good faith, and you signed a dated waiver.^[8] Agree on the price before anyone starts.

What a good written quote says

• Which areas are included: driveway, apron, walks, steps, mailbox access.
• How it is priced, and what one visit means.
• The trigger depth that brings them out, and whether ice-only events are covered.
• The response time after snow stops.
• Whether the street plow's ridge is cleared, and at what cost.
• De-icer or sand: included or extra, and which product.
• Who pays for damage to lawn edges, pavement or the mailbox, and proof of insurance. Even VDOT requires vehicle insurance for each piece of equipment from contractors who plow for the state.^[2]
• Payment terms and how either side can cancel.

Stop and call a pro if

• A medical condition makes heavy shoveling a risk for you.
• The driveway is long, steep or gravel, or you need it cleared before work on a schedule you cannot meet yourself.
• Snow is building up on the roof or ice dams are forming. That is roof work for a professional; see roof snow and ice dam services.
• There is nowhere left to put the snow and it needs hauling.

Browse snow removal services and snow and seasonal answers, find seasonal services around Blacksburg, or describe the job once and local businesses quote it.