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, not a quote. ProMatcher puts a Detroit driveway and sidewalk visit at about $38.29 on average, and HomeGuide's Detroit page puts a full season at $200 to $600.
| Service | Estimated range | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway + sidewalk, per visit | $38.29 average ($34.03–$42.54) | ProMatcher, Detroit |
| Snow blowing | $65.83 an hour | ProMatcher, Detroit |
| Typical driveway | $35–$40 | YourGreenPal, Detroit |
| Hourly minimum | $30–$70 an hour | HomeGuide, Detroit |
| Full-season contract | $200–$600 | HomeGuide, Detroit |
| Roof raking | $200–$500 | HomeGuide, national |
| Ice dam removal | $200–$2,400 | HomeGuide, national |
| Salting | $150–$350 an acre | HomeGuide, national |
| Commercial plowing | $50–$150 an hour | HomeGuide, national |
Estimates only, from ProMatcher, YourGreenPal, HomeGuide and HomeGuide. We found no published Detroit-only commercial salting price. 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 Metro Detroit, two local factors matter: freeze-thaw ice means extra salting visits, and fast sidewalk deadlines (12 hours in Warren) mean walks need clearing quickly, not just the driveway.
| 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 | Detroit Metro Airport averages 45.0 inches (NOAA), but seasons vary. Per-visit costs rise in a heavy or icy 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit Metro Airport averages 45.0 inches of snow a season (1991–2020 normals) | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Detroit Metro Airport (USW00094847) |
| January is the snowiest month at 14.0 inches; February averages 12.5 and December 8.9 | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Detroit Metro Airport (USW00094847) |
| About 13.6 days a year bring 1 inch of snow or more at Detroit Metro Airport | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Detroit Metro Airport (USW00094847) |
| Normal January high 32.3°F and low 19.2°F at Detroit Metro Airport | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Detroit Metro Airport (USW00094847) |
| Average first measurable snow: November 16; first inch: November 30 | NWS Detroit | National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac, "Climate Topics" (first snowfall dates) |
| About 63 freeze-thaw days a winter, November through March (our count) | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, GHCN-Daily, Detroit Metro Airport (USW00094847), our count |
| For all snow events, business owners and residents must clear their sidewalks | City of Detroit | City of Detroit DPW, "Snow & Ice Management" |
| Snow removal companies and owners may not put snow from their property onto public roadways | City of Detroit | City of Detroit DPW, "Snow & Ice Management" |
| Snow-emergency routes get signs up to 48 hours ahead to clear them for plowing | City of Detroit | City of Detroit DPW, "Snow & Ice Management" |
| Sidewalks cleared within 12 hours after snow falls or accumulates (Sec. 34-60) | Warren | City of Warren, "Snow Removal Policy" (Code Sec. 34-60) |
| Sidewalks on all sides of a home or business cleared within 24 hours of a snowstorm | Sterling Heights | City of Sterling Heights, "Snow-Related Policies" |
| Snow over 2 inches and any ice cleared within 24 hours after the event ends | Troy | City of Troy, "Common Codes Enforced" |
| No parking on any public street 2 a.m. to 5 a.m.; $80 civil infraction | Southfield | City of Southfield, "Southfield amends overnight public street parking ordinance 1696" |
| Detroit driveway and sidewalk visit: about $38.29 on average | ProMatcher | ProMatcher, "Detroit Snow Removal Costs & Prices" |
| 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: Detroit driveway and sidewalk visit $38.29 average ($34.03–$42.54); snow blowing $65.83 an hour | ProMatcher | ProMatcher, "Detroit Snow Removal Costs & Prices" |
| Estimate: typical Detroit driveway $35–$40 | YourGreenPal | YourGreenPal, "Snow Removal in Detroit, MI" |
| Estimate: Detroit $30–$70 an hour minimum; full season $200–$600 | HomeGuide | HomeGuide, "Snow Removal in Detroit, MI" |
| National estimates: roof raking $200–$500; ice dam removal $200–$2,400; salting $150–$350 an acre; commercial plowing $50–$150 an hour | HomeGuide | HomeGuide, "Snow Removal Cost" (national) |
| Average monthly snow, Detroit Metro Airport: Nov. 1.9 in, Dec. 8.9, Jan. 14.0, Feb. 12.5, Mar. 6.2, Apr. 1.5 | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Detroit Metro Airport (USW00094847) |
| First 3 inches: December 26 on average; earliest measurable snow October 12, 2006 | NWS Detroit | National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac, "Climate Topics" (first snowfall dates) |
| Forecasts, watches and warnings for Southeast Michigan | NWS Detroit | National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac, forecast office home page |
| For 3 inches or less (about 80% of Detroit snow events), DPW salts major thoroughfares only | City of Detroit | City of Detroit DPW, "Snow & Ice Management" |
| Overnight snow off the sidewalk by noon; daytime snow by noon the next day; no snow onto any road | Livonia | City of Livonia, snow FAQ |
| Snow emergency levels and plowing plan | Livonia | City of Livonia, "Snow Removal" |
| DPW plows and salts emergency routes after 3 inches; sirens announce a snow emergency | Dearborn | City of Dearborn, "Snow Services" |
| Mi Drive: cameras, incidents and closures | MDOT | Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), Mi Drive |
| Detroit metro population estimate, July 1, 2024: 4,400,578 | Census | U.S. Census Bureau, metro area population estimates, Vintage 2024 |
| Detroit metro landscaping services (NAICS 561730), 2023: 1,711 establishments, 8,261 employees | Census | U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, NAICS 561730 (Detroit metro) |
| 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 Detroit Metro Airport station (USW00094847). Cost figures are estimates from published guides, not quotes.
