Every fall, property managers, condo, co-op and HOA boards, and facility managers face the same budgeting question: should this winter’s snow removal be on a seasonal contract or paid per push? Both options work. The right choice depends on your property, how your budget gets approved, and how much uncertainty your owners or board can live with. This guide walks through the trade-offs for the 2026–27 season in NYC, Westchester, Long Island and northern New Jersey, so you can make the call before the first storm.
If you want the clause-by-clause checklist for the contract itself, see our property manager resources. This article is about choosing the pricing model.
The two models in plain terms
Seasonal contract
With a seasonal contract, you agree on the scope up front and the season is covered as one plan. At JC Snow Removal, a seasonal contract covers 20 inches of snow for the season. If the season goes past 20 inches, the additional snow is billed per inch. That per-inch rate varies by property and scope, so it is set out in your written proposal rather than quoted as one number for everyone.
Per-push service
With per-push service, you pay for each service visit when it happens. There is no seasonal commitment, and your cost tracks what the winter actually brings. We offer per-push service as well, using the same trigger and dispatch as our seasonal clients.
What stays the same either way
The pricing model changes how you pay, not how the work gets done. Whichever you choose:
- Plowing starts at 2 inches. Our plowing trigger is 2 inches of snow, so there is no guessing about when crews roll.
- Dispatch runs 24/7. Storms do not keep business hours, and neither does our dispatch.
- GPS tracking. We use GPS tracking.
- Commercial only. We focus on commercial properties: office buildings, retail and shopping centers, condo, co-op and HOA communities, industrial sites and similar properties.
When a seasonal contract is the better fit
You need one number for the budget
Many owners, management companies and boards approve an annual operating budget in advance. A seasonal contract turns snow removal into a planned line item instead of a variable cost that can swing from month to month. Because the contract covers 20 inches and anything beyond that is billed per inch at the rate in your proposal, you know exactly how overage would be handled before the season starts.
Your property cannot afford a slow or skipped visit
Sites with daily tenant traffic, customer parking, residents coming and going, or deliveries that cannot wait tend to benefit from a planned seasonal agreement. The scope, priorities and site map are settled before the first storm, so service on storm day follows a plan everyone has already agreed to.
Boards want fewer storm-by-storm invoices to review
For condo, co-op and HOA communities, a seasonal agreement usually means less approval work during the winter. The board votes once on the plan, and the property manager is not chasing sign-off after every storm.
When per-push service can make sense
You prefer to pay only for what the winter brings
Some owners would rather accept month-to-month variation than commit to a season. If your organization is comfortable with costs that rise in a heavy winter and fall in a light one, per-push service keeps the arrangement simple.
Your site has flexible access needs
Properties with lighter traffic or more flexibility around opening times may not need a seasonal commitment. Per-push service still follows the 2-inch plowing trigger, so the trade-off is mainly about how you pay, not when crews show up.
Questions to ask before you choose
- How does our owner or board approve spending, annually or as invoices arrive?
- What happens to tenants, residents or customers if a lot, entrance or walkway is not cleared on time?
- Who on our side signs off on service, and how quickly can they do it during a storm?
- If we go seasonal, how is snow beyond the 20 inches covered handled, and what per-inch rate is in our proposal?
- Are the areas to be cleared, the priorities and the site map in writing?
Local considerations across our service area
Commercial properties across our area have different pressures. In the five boroughs, tight lots, sidewalks and busy entrances leave little room to store snow; see our page on commercial snow removal in the Bronx for an example. In Westchester, Long Island and northern New Jersey, larger parking lots, office parks and retail centers often mean more ground to cover and a stronger case for a planned season. A site walk is the easiest way to see which model fits your property.
The 2026–27 offer
For the 2026–27 season, there is no fee to sign your agreement, and salt service for the last snowstorm of the season is 50% off. Ask us how it applies to your property.
Book a free site walk
Still deciding? We will walk your property for free and send a written proposal within 24 hours, so you can compare seasonal and per-push options side by side. Book your free site walk or call 203-539-9752. Commercial properties only.
FAQ
What does a seasonal snow removal contract cover?
Our seasonal contract covers 20 inches of snow for the season. Snow past 20 inches is billed per inch, at a rate that varies by property and is set out in your written proposal.
Do you offer per-push snow removal?
Yes. Per-push service is available for commercial properties that prefer to pay for each service visit instead of committing to a season.
When do you start plowing?
Our plowing trigger is 2 inches of snow, and dispatch runs 24/7 under either a seasonal contract or per-push service.
How do I get a proposal?
Book a free site walk and we will send a written proposal within 24 hours. You can also call 203-539-9752.
