Do You Need a Snow Removal Contract or Pay Per Visit?

4 min read · Thames Valley Snow, London, Ontario

Homeowners in London, Ontario often ask whether it's better to sign a seasonal snow removal contract or just pay per visit. The right answer depends on how much snow the winter brings and how much certainty you want in your budget.

A seasonal contract locks in one flat price for the entire winter, covering every visit once the trigger depth is reached. This protects you against a heavy snow year, since your cost stays the same whether it snows five times or twenty-five times.

Pay-per-visit works differently. You're only billed when a crew actually comes out, which can save money in a light winter. The tradeoff is unpredictability. A rough stretch of back-to-back storms can push your total cost well above what a seasonal contract would have cost.

For many homeowners in London, a seasonal contract makes sense simply because London winters vary so much from year to year. Locking in a rate removes the guesswork about what winter will cost.

At Thames Valley Snow, we offer both seasonal plans and per-visit service, so you can pick what fits your budget. The prices below show how the two compare for a typical London driveway.

Seasonal Plan Prices

Seasonal plans run December 1 to March 31 and cover every snowfall of 5 cm or more, automatically. Prices, plus HST, are:

• Single or 1.5-car driveway: $650 to $725
• Double driveway: $815
• 3-car, interlock, paver or stamped driveway: $1,050

Seasonal plans include return visits in long storms, clearing of the City windrow at the end of the driveway, and a timestamped photo after every visit. Seniors and front-line workers, including nurses, firefighters, police, paramedics and teachers, get 5% off.

Per-Visit Prices

Per-visit service is $70 to $85 per visit plus HST, depending on the driveway. You pay only for the visits you get, which suits people who are away for part of the winter or who usually clear their own driveway and only want help after big storms.

Doing the Math

Divide the seasonal price by the per-visit price to see your break-even point. For a single driveway, a $650 plan equals about eight to nine visits at $70 to $85. If a winter brings more plowable snowfalls than that, the seasonal plan costs less. If it brings fewer, per-visit costs less. Because nobody knows in the fall how snowy the winter will be, many homeowners choose the seasonal plan for the fixed cost.

Add-Ons for Either Choice

Walkway and steps start at $150. Seasonal salt is $175 and includes freezing rain and refreeze visits. A pet-safe de-icer option is $120. Priority early-morning clearing is $125, and the season can be extended to November 1 to April 15 for $95.

Getting a Fixed Price

You do not need a site visit to get a price. Quotes are measured from City of London maps and aerial imagery, and you get a fixed price within 1 business day. Before the season starts, edges, steps and drains are marked so the crew can find them under snow. Family members can book and pay for a parent, with invoices and visit updates sent to whoever they choose. That makes it easy to set up help for someone who should not be shovelling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a seasonal plan cheaper than per visit?

It depends on the winter. For a single driveway, the plan pays for itself after about eight or nine visits.

How do I pay for a seasonal plan?

A 30% deposit holds your spot and the balance is due before December 1, by cash, cheque, Interac e-transfer or card.

Want a fixed price for your property? Request a free quote, or call or text (548) 888-8702. You can also read more about our seasonal residential plans and per-visit snow removal.

What's included… and what's extra

A Thames Valley Snow seasonal residential plan starts from $650 for a standard driveway. It covers clearing the driveway every time snowfall reaches the trigger depth in your agreement, plus the windrow the city plow leaves at the end of the driveway. Larger driveways are priced on our snow removal prices page.

Popular add-ons, priced per season: walkway and steps from $150 (walk plus up to 6 steps $175), salting $175 (including freezing rain and refreeze visits), priority early-morning clearing $125, pet-safe de-icer $120, a season extension from Nov 1 to Apr 15 for $95 and city sidewalk clearing $90. Add only what your property needs; everything is listed on the quote so there are no surprises. Get your fixed price or call or text (548) 888-8702.