What Happens If It Snows on a Weekend or Holiday?

4 min read · Thames Valley Snow, London, Ontario

Snow doesn't check the calendar, and one question London homeowners often ask is what happens to their service when a storm hits on a weekend or holiday. The short answer with a good snow removal company is nothing changes.

A proper seasonal contract covers every day of the week, including Saturdays, Sundays, and statutory holidays like Christmas or New Year's. Weather doesn't take a day off, so neither does a reliable snow crew. If snow hits the trigger depth on a Sunday morning, your driveway still gets cleared on schedule.

Some companies do charge holiday premiums or have reduced crews on major holidays, so it's worth asking directly when you sign a contract whether service levels change on specific dates. This is a fair question to ask any provider before committing.

Commercial properties especially need to confirm holiday coverage, since a closed retail store or office on a holiday weekend still needs a clear, safe parking lot when it reopens, and liability doesn't pause for holidays either.

At Thames Valley Snow, seasonal service is automatic for every snowfall of 5 cm or more from December 1 to March 31, weekends and holidays included, and the seasonal price is fixed. Storms do not wait for a weekday, and neither do we.

Holiday storms are often the busiest

Late December brings a lot of travel and visitors. Snow on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Day can mean guests arriving, families leaving for the airport and cars parked where they normally are not. Long storms over a holiday can also need more than one visit, and we return during long storms so the driveway does not fill back in.

How to prepare for a holiday weekend

• Tell us if you will have extra vehicles parked on the driveway, or if it will be empty while you are away.
• Keep bins, decorations and inflatable displays away from the driveway edges and the windrow area.
• Make sure outdoor lights or extension cords are not running across the driveway or walkway.
• If you are travelling, arrange ice control so the walkway is safe for anyone checking on the house.

Away for the holidays? Your house still looks lived in

An uncleared driveway is an obvious sign that nobody is home. Automatic clearing keeps the driveway, the City windrow at the end and, if you have it, the walkway looking like any other day. After every visit we take a timestamped photo, so you can check from wherever you are that the property was done.

Ice over the holidays

Holiday weather in London often swings between snow, freezing rain and refreeze. Seasonal salt is $175 plus HST and includes freezing rain and refreeze visits, so a mid-holiday glaze is handled without a separate call. Pet-safe de-icer is $120 for homes with dogs. If you need the driveway open early for shift work over the holidays, priority early-morning clearing is $125 plus HST for the season.

What about commercial properties?

Businesses, churches and clinics often have holiday hours that differ from normal, but the lot still needs to be safe for staff, deliveries and the first visitors back. Commercial work is priced per site within 2 business days, and holiday schedules can be discussed as part of that quote.

FAQ

Do weekend storms cost extra on a seasonal plan?

No. The seasonal price is fixed and service is automatic at 5 cm or more, any day of the week.

Do I need to tell you if I am away?

You do not have to, but it helps to know about parked cars or empty driveways.

Want a fixed price for your property? Get a free quote, or call or text (548) 888-8702. See how it works and salting and ice control.

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.