Snow Removal & Ice Control in Scarborough

Snow removal in Scarborough runs from about $45 to $85 per visit for a standard driveway and walkway, with seasonal contracts typically landing between $400 and $800 for the winter depending on what's included. The range comes down to a few things: the size of your driveway, whether you want walkways and steps cleared as part of the visit, how far the snow has to be moved off the property, and whether you're booking per-visit or locking in a seasonal contract. A single-car driveway in a dense pocket like Scarborough Village costs less to clear than a wide double driveway with a long walkway and multiple entry points. Seasonal contracts usually work out cheaper per visit than paying one at a time, because you're not paying a premium for on-demand dispatch during a storm. Ice treatment and salting are included in what we quote, not billed separately, so the number we give you is the number you pay. We don't ask you to guess at a package online. We look at your property, ask how you use your driveway and whether timing matters to your household, and give you a number that matches the work. If your needs change partway through winter, whether that's adding a walkway you'd been shovelling yourself or dropping to fewer visits, we adjust the arrangement rather than locking you into something that doesn't fit. Get in touch through our free quote form and we'll have a number back to you with no obligation to book.

Yes, seasonal contracts are available and most of our Scarborough clients choose this over paying per visit. A seasonal contract covers the whole winter for one agreed price, so you're not tracking individual storms or wondering what a big dump of snow is going to cost you that week. We come out based on snowfall, not a fixed schedule, which means light winters cost you the same as heavy ones under the contract, and you're covered either way. What's included depends on what you sign up for: driveway only, driveway plus walkway, or a full package with steps and entryways. Ice treatment and salting are part of every contract, not an upsell partway through the season. Contracts are set up before the first meaningful snowfall of the year, so the earlier you get in touch, the more choice you have over what's included and when. If you're not sure whether a contract or per-visit service makes more sense for your property, we'll talk through your driveway, how much you're home during the day, and how much winter typically affects your street, and give you an honest read on which works out better. There's no penalty for switching from per-visit to a contract partway through winter if conditions change. Your property stays on our route for the length of the contract, so whoever clears your driveway in December is the same person doing it in February. Reach out for a free quote and we'll set it up.

A standard visit covers your driveway, the walkway to your front door, and any steps or entry points that need clearing, with salt applied after every clear as part of the service, not an extra charge. We move snow off the driveway and walkway entirely rather than piling it where it'll melt back onto a cleared surface, which is a shortcut some services take that causes ice the next cold snap. If you have a side entrance, a shed you need access to, or a spot by the garbage bins that needs to stay clear through winter, tell us when you book and we'll build it into the visit. We don't treat snow removal as just the driveway and leave the rest to you. For steeper properties or older Scarborough homes with narrower walkways, we adjust how we work rather than rushing through and leaving gaps. If conditions call for hand shovelling alongside the snowblower, that's included in the visit, not billed as a separate service. Ice treatment uses a product suited to the temperature that day, since one type of salt doesn't work the same at minus five as it does at minus twenty. We also check for the ridge the municipal plow leaves at the end of your driveway and clear it as part of the visit rather than leaving you to deal with it separately. If something specific matters to your household, whether that's timing, a particular gate, or a spot that ices badly, let us know and we'll factor it in every time we come.

We work through our client list based on snowfall amount and timing, clearing driveways in the hours during and after a storm rather than waiting for it to fully stop if accumulation is heavy. For most clients, that means a cleared driveway before the start of the day, and we aim to have everyone cleared before 7am on school and work days when snow has fallen overnight. Daytime and evening snowfalls get worked through as conditions allow, with priority given to properties where timing matters most, like a household with an early work start or school drop-off. If timing is critical for you, whether that's an early commute or a medical appointment, tell us when you book and we'll note it against your address so it's factored into the order we work through the list. Heavier snowfalls take longer to get through than a light dusting, simply because every property on the list needs the same attention, not a rushed pass. We don't skip properties to move faster. During an unusually heavy or fast-moving storm, we may come back for a second pass once the snow has stopped rather than clearing partway through and having to redo it. Seasonal contract clients are worked through the same list as per-visit clients, there's no separate priority tier based on how you're billed. If you've had timing problems with a previous service, mention it when you get a quote and we'll talk through what a realistic schedule looks like for your address.

Yes, salt goes down after every single clear, on both the driveway and the walkway, and it's built into the price rather than offered as an add-on. Clearing snow without treating the surface underneath leaves a driveway that looks clear but ices over the moment the temperature drops again, which is one of the most common complaints we hear from people switching from another service. We use a product suited to the actual temperature that day. Standard rock salt loses effectiveness below about minus ten, so on colder days we switch to a product like calcium chloride that keeps working at lower temperatures. If a stretch of extreme cold rolls through and even that starts to lose effectiveness, we'll tell you honestly rather than keep applying product that isn't doing much. Steps and entryways get the same treatment as the driveway and main walkway, since those are usually the spots where someone actually slips. We also check the end of your driveway for the ridge left by the municipal plow, since untreated compacted snow there refreezes into a hard ridge that's worse than the original snowfall. If you notice ice forming on a treated surface, particularly after a sharp temperature drop, let us know and we'll come back out. That's a conditions issue, not something you should have to shovel or chip away at yourself. Salting is part of what you're paying for on every visit, full stop.

Both options are available, and which one makes sense depends on how you use your property and how much certainty you want over the winter. Per-visit service means we come out and clear your property for each snowfall and you're billed for that visit, with no ongoing commitment. It suits people who are only home some of the time, who want flexibility, or who aren't sure yet whether they'll be in the house all winter. A seasonal contract covers the whole winter for one agreed price and includes every visit needed based on snowfall, so you're not thinking about cost each time it snows. Most homeowners who've had a bad experience with inconsistent service in the past prefer the contract, because it means the property stays on our route throughout the season rather than waiting on whoever happens to be available that day. There's no wrong choice here. If you're not sure, we'd rather talk through your actual winter, how often your driveway gets used, whether anyone in the household has mobility concerns, and how much weather typically affects your specific street, than push you toward whichever option is easier for us to sell. You can also start on per-visit and move to a contract partway through winter if it starts to make more sense, there's no penalty for switching. Get in touch for a free quote and we'll walk through both options honestly before you decide.

For contract clients we typically come out at around 5cm of accumulation, since anything less than that rarely justifies a full visit and more often just needs a light touch that can wait for the next clear. Heavier snowfalls get worked through in stages if needed, particularly if the storm is still ongoing, rather than waiting until it fully stops to start clearing everything at once. The exact threshold isn't a rigid number for every property. A steep driveway or one that gets heavy foot traffic in the morning might get cleared at a lower accumulation than a flat driveway that's mostly used in the evening, so tell us about your household when you set things up and we'll factor it into how your property gets handled. For per-visit clients, you decide when to call, whether that's after 3cm because you need to leave for work or after a full 15cm dump because you were away for the weekend. Ice on its own, without fresh snow, is treated separately from a snow clearing visit and we'll assess it on the spot. If a light dusting happens but the temperature is dropping fast, we'd rather come out and treat the surface than let it turn to ice overnight. Freezing rain and ice events get handled differently from snow accumulation, since the risk there is the ice itself rather than the depth of anything on the ground. If you're unsure what threshold makes sense for your property, ask when you get your quote and we'll give you a straight answer.

Fill in the free quote form on our contact page with your address and a bit about your property, or call us directly and we'll talk through it over the phone. We ask about the size of your driveway, whether you want walkways and steps included, and whether you're leaning toward per-visit service or a seasonal contract, since the answer changes what we quote. Most quotes don't require us to visit the property first. A clear description and, if it's easy for you, a couple of photos of the driveway and walkway are usually enough for us to give you an accurate number. If your property has something unusual, a shared driveway, an unusually long walkway, or an access point that's hard to reach with equipment, mention it upfront so the quote reflects the actual work rather than needing to be adjusted later. We'll come back to you with a real number, not a vague range, and there's no pressure to book on the spot. If you want to compare per-visit against a seasonal contract before deciding, ask and we'll run both numbers for your property so you can see which one actually works out better for how you use your home. Quotes are free and there's no obligation attached to asking for one. The sooner you reach out before the first snowfall of the year, the more flexibility you'll have over scheduling and contract terms. Get your free quote here.