Grouped by when they usually come up: booking, the contract itself, the rules, and the things that go wrong.
Booking
Before the Season
When do I need to have this booked?
Before November 1, and earlier is better. The average date of the first one-inch snowfall in the Twin Cities is November 18, but the earliest on record is September 26, 1942. More to the point, operators fill routes before the snow rather than after it — a route that is full in November stays full. Calling during a storm is the one approach that reliably does not work.
Why does staking happen in October?
Because the ground has to still be soft. Driveway edges, sprinkler heads and the ends of a gravel apron get marked so the first heavy event does not take an edge, a head or a stretch of sod with it — damage that surfaces in April and belongs to nobody by then.
Is it worth getting more than one quote?
Yes, but only if you compare them at the same trigger depth and the same scope. Two quotes $150 apart are frequently a two-inch trigger against a three-inch one, or driveway-only against driveway-plus-sidewalks. Ask both operators to quote the same thing.
The Contract
Terms Worth Pinning Down
What trigger depth is standard?
Two inches, across every Twin Cities operator checked. Commercial contracts commonly run one to two inches, set in the contract. The trigger is the most consequential number in the agreement: the metro averages 7.6 snowfalls of two inches or more per season but 14.3 days of an inch or more, so moving the trigger roughly halves or doubles the service you receive.
What dates does a season contract cover?
November 1 through March 31 is the local norm. Confirm it, because April is a genuine risk tail here — the April 13–18, 2018 storm dropped 15.8 inches on the metro, the largest late-season snowfall on record, and made that April the snowiest ever recorded.
Is a seasonal contract actually cheaper than paying per storm?
In an average winter, no. 7.6 events at $75–$100 a visit is $570–$760; a seasonal contract on the same property is $600–$750. The case for the contract is risk and route priority, not price: the snowiest season on record here was 98.6 inches and the least snowy 14.2, and seasonal customers are the route rather than fitted around it. The full comparison.
Why is my quote so much higher than my neighbor’s?
Almost always sidewalk frontage, and usually a corner. In Minneapolis and Saint Paul the owner must clear the adjacent public sidewalk full width to bare pavement within 24 hours, and a corner lot has two frontages plus the curb cutouts and crosswalk ramps out to the gutter. That is three to four times the work of the house mid-block, which is why corner lots quote at $1,100–$1,400 against $600–$750. The numbers.
The Rules
Ordinances, Statutes and Licensing
Are snow removal contractors licensed in Minnesota?
No. Minnesota issues no license for snow removal, and Saint Paul states plainly that plow companies need no license to operate there. There is no registry to check and no regulator to complain to about workmanship. Ask for a certificate of insurance before the season — it is the only verification that exists.
Can my contractor push snow into the street?
No, and it is a state matter rather than a municipal one. Minn. Stat. § 169.42 makes it unlawful to throw, deposit, place or dump snow on any street or highway; a violation is a misdemeanor and a second offense carries a $400 minimum fine. The statute’s phrase “or cause to be…dumped” reaches the homeowner who hired the plow, not only the operator. The statute.
Does the city plow my alley?
In Minneapolis, yes — roughly 400 miles of them, as a municipal service. In Saint Paul, no, and never has. Saint Paul residents organize block by block through an alley captain, at $500–$1,500 a season for the alley, about $30 a household. How that works, with a cost splitter.
Who clears the public sidewalk in front of my house?
It depends on the city, and the answer flips at some boundaries. Minneapolis and Saint Paul put it on you within 24 hours with cost recovery attached. Minnetonka, Bloomington and Plymouth largely clear their own. Cottage Grove splits it by sidewalk classification. The full table.
When Things Go Wrong
Berms, Roofs and Mailboxes
My driveway was cleared and then the city plow buried the end of it.
That berm is the most common winter complaint in this metro and the answer is unwelcome: the city is not coming back for it. Saint Paul has said so on the record — with 1,874 lane miles, plows must stay focused on opening streets. Whether a return pass is in your contract or billed separately is an October question. Free mitigation: pile your own shoveled snow on the left side of the driveway as you face the street, so the plow’s next pass carries it past your apron.
Is the snow on my roof going to collapse it?
Very probably not. Design roof snow load here is 35 psf and undisturbed roof snow has been measured under 15 — it would take more than two feet of light snow to approach the limit on a code-compliant house. Clear a roof because of ice dams, which genuinely do damage houses here. And do not walk on the roof to do it. What ice dam work costs.
Does insurance cover ice dam removal?
Usually not. Most Minnesota homeowner policies treat removal as a maintenance expense while covering the resulting interior water damage. Some carry a removal rider capped around $500–$1,500. Worth a two-minute call to your agent in November.
The plow took out my mailbox.
Policies vary by city and the distinction is usually blade contact versus force of snow. Oakdale replaces mailboxes toppled by the blade but not those knocked down by snow coming off it. Minnetonka replaces standard mailboxes damaged by direct contact or reimburses up to $200, reported by June 1. Lake Elmo replaces with a standard non-decorative metal mailbox and wants the report within three days. Check your own city’s rule and its deadline.
Still Have a Question?
Ask it before the season. Everyone in this trade is easier to reach in October than in January.
Twin Cities