Why November is the right time
In November the ground is usually still visible, the leaves are mostly down, and you can see exactly where the driveway ends, where the lawn begins and what is sitting in between. A few weeks later all of that is under a layer of white. Anything you have not noticed by then becomes a hazard for a shovel, a snowblower, a plow and for anyone walking up to your door.
Grab your phone, put on a jacket and walk the driveway, the walkway and the steps slowly. Take photos as you go.
Start at the street
Look at where your driveway meets the road and the sidewalk. Note the curb, any lip where the asphalt meets the concrete, and the location of storm drains nearby. This is where the City windrow lands after the street is plowed, so it gets the heaviest work all winter. If your seasonal service includes windrow clearing, as Thames Valley Snow seasonal service does, it helps the crew to know about any edges or raised sections here.
Walk both edges of the driveway
- Garden beds and borders that sit level with the driveway.
- Landscape lights, irrigation heads and small fences.
- Rocks, boulders and decorative edging.
- Planters, benches or decorations that will spend the winter outside.
- Basketball posts, hockey nets and bikes.
Move anything movable well off the driveway. For anything permanent, make a note. Before the season, Thames Valley Snow marks edges, steps and drains so they are easy to find when buried.
Check the surface
Look for cracks, low spots, heaving slabs, loose pavers or crumbling edges. Water that sits in a low spot today will be an ice patch in January. If a downspout empties onto the driveway or the walkway, add an extension or redirect it onto the lawn. That single change can prevent one of the most common sources of winter ice.
If your driveway is stamped concrete or pavers, note any raised pavers or edges. The seasonal rate for paver, stamped and three-car driveways ($1,050) includes the use of a raised rubber-edge blade near decorative surfaces.
Walkway, steps and the front door
Check handrails for wobble, look for loose step treads, and make sure outdoor lights work. Test that the porch light comes on early enough in the evening. A cleared walkway is only safe if people can see it. If you add walkway and steps clearing (from $150), point out any tricky spots such as a single step that is easy to miss.
Supplies inside, not in the shed
Keep a shovel and a container of de-icer somewhere you can reach without walking through snow, such as the garage or just inside the front door. If you have pets, choose a pet-safe product, or ask about our pet-safe de-icer option ($120).
Book before the season starts
Seasonal service runs December 1 to March 31, with automatic clearing after every snowfall of 5 cm or more. If you want coverage for early or late storms, the extension from November 1 to April 15 is +$95. A 30% deposit holds your spot, with the balance due before December 1.
Keep the photos from your walkaround in a folder on your phone. In spring, walk the same route and compare. You will see quickly whether any cracks grew, whether a border shifted, or whether anything was missed, and you will have a head start on next year's walkaround.
Get your fixed price
Every Thames Valley Snow quote is measured from City of London maps and aerial imagery, and you get a fixed price within 1 business day. Ask for a free quote, or call or text (548) 888-8702. Compare plans on snow removal prices or see how it works.
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 $150–175, salting $175, priority service $125, pet-safe salt $120, driveway extension $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.
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