Snow Removal for Dorchester Commuters

4 min read · Thames Valley Snow, London, Ontario

The commuter's winter morning

When you have a drive ahead of you, every minute in the morning counts. Snow that fell overnight means brushing off the car, shovelling the driveway and fighting through the windrow before you even reach the road. For commuters heading into London, that can easily add half an hour on the worst days, and those are the days the drive itself takes longer too.

The simplest fix is to have the driveway cleared before you need it. Automatic seasonal service is designed for exactly that.

Automatic service, every snowfall

From December 1 to March 31, every snowfall of 5 cm or more triggers a visit. You never need to call. If a storm keeps going, we make return visits so you can get back in at the end of the day. Every visit ends with a timestamped photo, so you can check from your phone that the driveway is open.

For the earliest starts, priority early-morning clearing is $125 plus HST on top of a seasonal plan. It places your property toward the front of the route during overnight snow, which is what most commuters are looking for.

The windrow from the road plow

Roads in and around Dorchester are plowed by the municipality, and plows leave a ridge of compacted snow across the end of each driveway. It is usually the heaviest and wettest snow on the property, and it can freeze solid if it sits. We clear the windrow at the end of the driveway on every visit.

Keep in mind that rural and village roads may be plowed at different times than your driveway is cleared. If the plow comes through after us during a long storm, return visits help catch that second windrow.

Longer driveways and bigger lots

Some Dorchester homes sit on larger lots with longer driveways, parking pads or turnarounds. When you request a quote, mention every area you use in winter. We measure from aerial imagery and return a fixed price within 1 business day.

• Include any parking pad or second apron you use.
• Point out culverts and ditches near the driveway edge.
• Mention landscape features and lights along the sides.
• Tell us about paver or stamped sections near the house.

Before the season we mark edges, steps and drains. On rural-style lots, ditches and culverts at the road are especially important to mark, since they can be hard to see under snow.

Ice on the way out

Freeze-thaw cycles and freezing rain can turn a cleared driveway into a skating rink overnight. Seasonal salt is $175 plus HST and includes freezing rain and refreeze visits. Pay special attention to the slope where the driveway meets the road, where you brake and turn onto traffic. If you have pets, pet-safe de-icer is $120 for the season.

Pricing

Seasonal pricing is fixed: $650 to $725 plus HST for single or 1.5-car driveways, $815 for doubles and $1,050 for three-car, paver or stamped driveways. Walkway and steps start at $150. Front-line workers such as nurses, firefighters, police, paramedics and teachers, along with seniors, save 5 percent on seasonal plans. A 30 percent deposit holds your spot and the balance is due before December 1.

Get a fixed price for your Dorchester property

For Dorchester commuters, the drive into London is challenge enough without starting it with a shovel. Request a free quote and we will measure your property from City of London maps and aerial imagery and send a fixed price within 1 business day, or call or text (548) 888-8702. See our priority clearing option and residential 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.