Facts from public sources, not quotes. Where these numbers come from
Home / Cost guide
Everything on this page is an estimate from a published guide or a local company's stated rates, not a quote. Homeyou's Grand Rapids page lists $30 to $45 to plow a driveway per storm, and HomeGuide's Grand Rapids page puts a seasonal contract at $200 to $600.
| Service | Estimated range | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway plowing, per storm | $30–$45; longer or steeper $50–$65+ | Homeyou, Grand Rapids |
| Per visit, West Michigan | $40–$100 | Rely Snow Removal stated rates, 2025–26 |
| Seasonal contract | $200–$600 a season | HomeGuide, Grand Rapids |
| Unlimited season, West Michigan | $350–$700 flat | Rely Snow Removal stated rates |
| Hourly minimum, driveway or sidewalk | $30–$70 an hour | HomeGuide, Grand Rapids |
| Sidewalk shoveling | $25–$75 an hour | HomeGuide, national |
| Roof snow removal / raking | $95–$175 an hour | Kleen Roofs, Grand Rapids |
| Roof snow, national | $200–$500; $1,000–$2,000 large or steep | HomeGuide, national |
| Commercial lots | $50–$150 an hour plowing; $80–$200 an hour removal | HomeGuide, national |
Estimates only, from Homeyou, HomeGuide, Rely Snow Removal, Kleen Roofs and HomeGuide. A local crew quotes your property for free.
Your price depends on the size of the area, the equipment it takes, how fast you need it done and whether salting is included. In Grand Rapids, two local factors matter: a 77.6-inch average season means a lot of visits, and the 24-hour, full-width sidewalk rule means walks need clearing fast, not just the driveway. Some local plans cap regular plowing at the 77-inch average and charge per plow beyond it.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Area and layout | Long driveways, wide lots, tight cul-de-sacs and lots of sidewalk take more time and more machine. |
| Trigger depth | A lower trigger means more visits in a season. |
| Timing | Lots that must be open before the first shift or first customer need crews overnight. |
| Salting | Material, number of applications and whether walks get treated as well as lots. |
| Snow piles | Where snow can go on site. Keep it out of the street and off the sidewalk, and big lots sometimes need piles moved or hauled. |
| Contract type | Seasonal, per visit or per hour. Seasonal prices spread the cost and lock in your spot. |
| The winter | Grand Rapids averages 77.6 inches (NOAA), but seasons vary. Per-visit costs rise in a heavy winter. |
You can see what the gear costs in the Ice Fighter shop, from shovels and ice melt to snow blowers and truck salt spreaders. For a driveway, a blower can pay off over a few winters. For HOA drives and commercial lots, the machines, insurance, crews and overnight hours are why contracts exist.
Every fact in the ticker and on our pages comes from one of these public sources. Figures are typical or historical, not promises about your property or the next winter.
| Fact shown | Source | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids averages 77.6 inches of snow a season (airport, 1991–2020 normals) | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford Intl (USW00094860) |
| January is the snowiest month at 22.6 inches; December averages 20.8 and February 17.2 | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford Intl (USW00094860) |
| About 23.5 days a year bring 1 inch of snow or more at the Grand Rapids airport | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford Intl (USW00094860) |
| Normal January high 31.0°F and low 18.6°F in Grand Rapids | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford Intl (USW00094860) |
| East Grand Rapids station: 74.9 inches a season and 24.7 days with an inch or more | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, East Grand Rapids (USC00202375) |
| Median first measurable snow at the Grand Rapids airport: November 9 (29 seasons, our count) | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, GHCN-Daily, Grand Rapids airport (USW00094860), our median of 29 seasons |
| Clear the full width of the sidewalk down to the concrete within 24 hours after snowfall ends | City of Grand Rapids | City of Grand Rapids, "Streets and Sidewalks" |
| After a complaint, owners get 48 hours from a mailed notice, then a city contractor clears it at the owner’s expense | City of Grand Rapids | City of Grand Rapids, "Report a Snow or Ice Covered Sidewalk" |
| Sidewalk Snow Support covers 200+ of 922 sidewalk miles after 3 inches, leaving up to half an inch | City of Grand Rapids | City of Grand Rapids, "Sidewalk Snow Support Program" |
| Odd/even parking Nov. 1 to April 1, 1 a.m. to 6 p.m.; $20 ticket, snow or not | City of Grand Rapids | City of Grand Rapids, "Street Maintenance" (odd/even parking) |
| Odd-even winter parking Dec. 1 through March 31, 12 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Wyoming | City of Wyoming, "All About Snow" |
| No parking on public streets 1 a.m. to 8 a.m., Nov. 15 to March 15 | Kentwood | City of Kentwood, "Winter Maintenance" |
| Mi Drive: live map with incidents, cameras, closures and plow locations | MDOT | Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), Mi Drive |
| Grand Rapids seasonal snow contract estimate: $200–$600 a season | HomeGuide | HomeGuide, "Snow Removal in Grand Rapids, MI" |
| Snow and ice customers are retained 93% of the time year over year | SIMA | Turf Magazine, "SIMA Industry Impact Report: Average snow and ice revenue" |
| Estimate: driveway plowing $30–$45 per storm; longer or steeper $50–$65+ (Grand Rapids) | Homeyou | Homeyou, "Snow Removal Services Grand Rapids Costs" |
| Stated West Michigan rates: $40–$100 a visit; $350–$700 flat for an unlimited season | Rely Snow Removal | Rely Snow Removal, "Residential Snow Removal" (stated West Michigan rates) |
| Estimate: Grand Rapids seasonal contract $200–$600; $30–$70 an hour minimum for a driveway or sidewalk | HomeGuide | HomeGuide, "Snow Removal in Grand Rapids, MI" |
| Regular plowing covers up to the 77-inch average, then $15 a plow; unlimited add-on $45 | Jack's Lawn | Jack's Lawn Service, "Unlimited Plowing" add-on |
| Estimate: roof snow removal or raking $95–$175 an hour (Grand Rapids) | Kleen Roofs | Kleen Roofs, "Roof Snow Removal" (Grand Rapids) |
| National estimates: sidewalk shoveling $25–$75 an hour; roof snow $200–$500 ($1,000–$2,000 large or steep); commercial plowing $50–$150 an hour, removal $80–$200 an hour | HomeGuide | HomeGuide, "Snow Removal Cost" (national) |
| Average monthly snow, Grand Rapids airport: Oct. 0.3 in, Nov. 7.1, Dec. 20.8, Jan. 22.6, Feb. 17.2, Mar. 7.6, Apr. 2.0 | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford Intl (USW00094860) |
| Jan. 19, 2026: treacherous conditions west of US-131, with a 100+ car pileup on I-196 in southern Ottawa County | NWS Grand Rapids | National Weather Service Grand Rapids, "Winter Storm January 19-21, 2026" |
| Forecasts, watches and warnings for West Michigan | NWS Grand Rapids | National Weather Service Grand Rapids, forecast office home page |
| Keep a clear path from the street to a hydrant on your property, and three feet around it | Kentwood | City of Kentwood, "Winter Maintenance" |
| Grand Rapids population estimate, July 1, 2024: 200,117 | Census | U.S. Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, Vintage 2024 |
| 88,200 U.S. snow and ice businesses; more than half are lawn and landscape companies | SIMA | Turf Magazine, "SIMA Industry Impact Report: Average snow and ice revenue" |
| The average operator earns 37% of revenue from snow; about 4 in 5 businesses are sole proprietors | SIMA | Turf Magazine, "SIMA Industry Impact Report: Average snow and ice revenue" |
Sources checked October 9, 2026. Snow normals are for the NOAA Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford International Airport station (USW00094860). Cost figures are estimates from published guides or stated company rates, not quotes.
