Facts from public sources, not quotes. Where these numbers come from
Straight answers about cost, contracts, city snow rules and salting, with a link to the source behind every number.
Get a free quote How it worksTreat these as estimates, not quotes. Homeyou's Grand Rapids page lists $30 to $45 to plow a driveway per storm, and $50 to $65 or more for longer or steeper drives. HomeGuide's Grand Rapids page puts a seasonal contract at $200 to $600, and Rely Snow Removal states West Michigan rates of $40 to $100 a visit or $350 to $700 for an unlimited season. Your real price depends on the size of the area, how often you want service and whether salting is included. A local crew quotes it for free.
24 hours. The City of Grand Rapids says clearing ice and snow from sidewalks is the property owner's responsibility, and the full width of the sidewalk needs to be cleared down to the concrete within 24 hours after the end of a snowfall.
After someone reports it, the city mails written notice to the property owner. The owner has 48 hours after receiving the notice to clear the sidewalk. Then an inspector visits, and if the walk still isn't clear, the city hires a contractor to clear it at the owner's expense.
Only on designated routes, and only part of the job. The program covers more than 200 of the city's 922 miles of sidewalk. After 3 inches or more, the city's contractor clears the new snow and leaves up to half an inch. Removing compacted snow and ice is still the property owner's and residents' responsibility.
In Grand Rapids, from Nov. 1 to April 1, park on the even-numbered side of the street on even-numbered days and the odd-numbered side on odd-numbered days from 1 a.m. to 6 p.m. Both sides are allowed from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. unless signs say otherwise. The city says the $20 ticket can be given whether snow is present or not. Wyoming runs its own odd-even rule from Dec. 1 through March 31, 12 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Kentwood bans parking on public streets from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m., Nov. 15 to March 15.
With 77.6 inches of snow in an average Grand Rapids season (NOAA), snow piles up on roofs. Heavy snow at the roof edge can melt and refreeze into ice dams. A roof rake used from the ground keeps the edge clear. As an estimate, Kleen Roofs lists roof snow removal in Grand Rapids at $95 to $175 an hour. Hire a pro for anything that needs a ladder.
A seasonal contract locks in your spot on the route and a set price for the winter. Pay-per-visit means you pay only when it snows. Grand Rapids averages 77.6 inches a season and about 23.5 days a year with an inch or more (NOAA 1991–2020 normals), so per-visit costs add up fast. Some local plans also set a snowfall cap: Jack's Lawn says its regular plowing covers up to the 77-inch average, then charges $15 a plow, with an unlimited add-on for $45.
Before the first snow. Our count of 29 seasons of NOAA daily records puts the median first measurable snow at the Grand Rapids airport on November 9, so October is the time to get on a route.
Keep snow on your own property, not in the street or on the sidewalk. Kentwood's code, for example, has a separate ordinance on the responsibility of commercially operated snow removal services. Ask your crew where the piles will go before the first storm.
Yes. Requests from this site go to a local snow and landscape contractor that quotes HOA and condo drives and walks, apartment and townhome communities, and commercial lots, from small offices to big retail centers, business parks and medical campuses. Commercial and HOA work is priced per site after a walk-through.
It is usually priced per hour, per push or as a seasonal contract after a walk-through. HomeGuide's national guide puts commercial plowing at $50 to $150 an hour and snow removal at $80 to $200 an hour (estimates, not quotes). Ask whether salting is included and what material is used: rock salt, a treated blend or a pet-safe product.
Many do. Industry group SIMA reports that more than half of snow and ice businesses are also lawn and landscape providers, and the average operator earns 37% of revenue from snow. The same crew that plows in January may mow, clean up and plant the rest of the year.
Fill out the free quote form with your name, phone, ZIP code and what needs clearing. A local crew contacts you with questions and a price. There is no cost and no obligation to ask.
Sidewalk Snow Support covers only designated routes after 3 inches or more, and the contractor leaves up to half an inch. The City of Grand Rapids says removing compacted snow and ice is still the property owner's and residents' job, and the 24-hour rule still applies.
Grand Rapids' odd/even rule runs from Nov. 1 to April 1, and the city says the $20 ticket may be given whether snow is present or not.
Grand Rapids' normal January high is 31.0°F (NOAA), so snow tends to stay and build up instead of melting off. The city asks for the full width, down to the concrete, within 24 hours.
Heavy snow at the roof edge can melt and refreeze into ice dams that push water under shingles. A roof rake used from the ground keeps the edge clear. Hire a pro for anything that needs a ladder.
Sources: Homeyou, HomeGuide, Rely Snow Removal, Jack's Lawn Service, Kleen Roofs, NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI, City of Grand Rapids, City of Grand Rapids, City of Grand Rapids, City of Grand Rapids, City of Wyoming, City of Kentwood, HomeGuide, Turf Magazine. Full source list.
Tell us what needs clearing, your ZIP code and anything that helps: driveway length, sidewalks, steps, a parking lot, an HOA or condo association drive or a business entrance. Your request goes to a local snow and ice crew serving Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood and Walker, and they contact you directly with questions and a price.
No cost and no obligation to ask. Seasonal contracts fill up before the first snow, so fall is the best time to ask.
Before you sign, ask for proof of insurance, what snow depth triggers a visit, whether sidewalks and salting are included, and how storm-day calls are billed.
