What this service is
A seasonal contract covers your property for the whole winter at a set price, billed at the start of each month from November through April, regardless of how many times we come out. Heavy winter or light one, the number on your budget doesn’t move.
That’s the point. You’re not really buying snow removal. You’re buying a fixed line item and the certainty that comes with it. In a business where a bad February can double a variable cost, a lot of property managers would rather pay slightly more in a light year to be protected in a heavy one.
The other half is priority. Contracted properties are on the route before anyone else, and the commitment is that your property is finished before your opening hours. When a storm hits and every contractor in Bismarck is at capacity, that ordering is the difference between opening on time and not.
What a full-service contract includes
It’s built to what your property needs, but a full-service contract covers three things:
Plowing at a one-inch or two-inch trigger, whichever you choose. Sidewalk clearing on the same trigger. And salt sand on the lot for ice control after every time we plow.
Snow hauling and relocation is the exception. It’s always billed separately, because the volume varies too much between properties and seasons to price into a flat rate honestly.
If a late-October storm arrives before the contract period starts, we take care of it. The November-April window is for billing simplicity, not a refusal to turn up.
How it compares to pay-per-push
| Seasonal contract | Pay-per-push | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost in a heavy winter | Fixed. No change | Rises with every storm |
| Cost in a light winter | Fixed. You may pay more than you used | Falls; you pay only for visits |
| Budgeting | One known number each month | Varies month to month |
| Scheduling priority | First on the route | After contracted properties |
| Completion commitment | Before your opening hours | No guaranteed window |
| Best for | Properties that must open on time | Lower-traffic properties, flexible budgets |
What affects the price
- Property size and layout - the same drivers as plowing
- What’s included - plowing alone, or full service with sidewalks and salt sand
- Your trigger depth - one inch means more visits across a season than two
- Your required completion time - earlier means tighter routing
- Stacking room on site - properties with nowhere to put snow carry a hauling cost you should budget for separately
When to schedule it
Now. Commercial snow contracts in the Bismarck area are signed from midsummer through early fall, well before anyone’s thinking about snow. Capacity is finite: every contractor has a fixed number of machines and hours in a storm, and it fills in the order people sign.
If you’re reading this in October, you’re at the back of the queue but not out of it. Call.
Questions
Questions we get asked
Short, plain answers. If yours isn’t here, call or text (701) 390-0630 and just ask.
What if it barely snows?
You pay the contract rate. That’s the trade. You’re protected in a heavy winter and you carry it in a light one. If your budget can handle a bill that moves up and down instead, pay-per-push may suit you better.
What’s included?
A full-service contract is plowing at your chosen trigger, sidewalk clearing on the same trigger, and salt sand on the lot after every plow. Hauling is billed separately.
When does the contract run?
November through April, billed at a set price at the start of each month. A late-October storm gets taken care of even though billing starts in November.
Do I get priority over non-contract properties?
Yes. Contracted properties are serviced first, and the commitment is completion before your opening hours.
Do you offer multi-year pricing?
Yes, on request.
Get a free estimate
Tell us about your property and we’ll get back to you. Serving Bismarck, Mandan and Lincoln.