A snow removal contract is a legal agreement between a contractor and the client to get rid of snow and ice accumulation. It may be for residential or commercial use.
A snow removal contract template makes it easy for you to build your agreement. You can use it in your business to protect your legal rights and foster positive customer relationships.
What Is a Snow Removal Contract?
A snow removal contract is a written agreement to remove ice and snow from a client’s property. Both commercial companies and residential owners hire snow plows and other independent contractors to remove winter accumulation. You may also want to hire employees to help with your snow removal business.
No matter what form of business you have, a written service snow removal agreement is important to protect your legal rights. Snow removal contracts are often called the following:
- Seasonal snow removal contract
- Commercial snow removal contract
- Residential snow removal contract
- Snow and ice removal agreement
When To Use a Snow Removal Contract
You should use a snow removal contract anytime you do a client’s snow or ice removal services. This can include situations like the following:
- Removing snow from parking lots
- Plowing driveways
- Salting sidewalks, parking lots, and other areas
- Hauling snow away
- Working on residential and commercial projects
Why Use a Snow Removal Contract?
Using a snow removal contract template makes it easy to establish a binding legal relationship with your client. It also gives you many benefits like:
- Fewer mistakes about what you are supposed to do on the job
- Clear and established guidelines
- Set start and end dates
- Clear payment and cost details
You should use a written snow removal agreement whenever you do work for a client to protect your business.
What To Include in a Snow Removal Contract
Every snow removal contract should include key provisions that protect your rights. These include the following.
Date and Jurisdiction
The contract should state when it was signed and in what state the signature occurred. This may be important information if there is ever a legal dispute.
Party Information
The snow removal agreement should have the parties’ contact information. This should include their:
- Full legal names
- Business names
- Official titles
- Addresses
Description of Snow Removal Services
The contract should specifically identify what snow removal services you offer. This may include, but is not limited to the following:
- What equipment you will use to remove snow
- A description of the area to be cleared
- Your rate of pay and type of contract
- When payment is due and the method of payment
- Whether or not you sell products related to snow removal (i.e. salt, snow shovels, etc.)
- Property address
- Term of the agreement, or the start and end dates
- Whether this contract is for one-time service or recurring service
Legal Clauses and Provisions
A template snow removal contract provides you with standard legal provisions that protect your business’ rights. These include clauses like limitations on liability, rights to inspection, governing law, and much more.
This makes it easy to protect yourself with enforceable legal provisions without having to hire an attorney to draft them for you.
Signature Lines for the Parties
An enforceable written contract requires the parties to sign it. A snow removal contract should have space for the contractor and the client to print and sign their names.
Different Types of Snow Removal Contracts
There are a few different types of snow removal contracts you might use in your business:
- Time and Materials Contract: A time and materials contract changes the price of the service based on how long it takes and the cost of the materials.
- Per-Inch Contract: This lets a snow removal company charge per inch based on total snowfall accumulation. This is also called a per-event contract.
- Per-Push Contract: This is based on a single rate for each time you come out to do the property. This lets you decide what your flat rate does and does not include. It is a popular contract version for snow removers.
You should make clear in your written contract what type of service you provide. This can avoid serious arguments about what you are owed after you do the job.
Snow Removal Contract Sample
This sample snow removal contract makes it easy to see exactly what you need for your business:
