Facts from public sources, not quotes. Where these numbers come from
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Everything on this page is an estimate from published sources, not a quote. ProMatcher's Portland, Maine page puts a driveway and sidewalk plow visit at $47.19 on average ($41.94 to $52.43), from a 2018 report.
| Service | Estimated range | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway + sidewalk plow, one visit | $47.19 average ($41.94–$52.43) | ProMatcher, Portland ME (2018 report) |
| Snow blowing, one visit | $86 average ($57–$115); $50 an hour | ProMatcher, Portland ME |
| Driveway, one visit | $30–$70 | CVS Contracting, ME/NH |
| Residential seasonal contract | $300–$1,000 | CVS Contracting, ME/NH |
| Sidewalk or walkway add-on | $15–$50 a visit | CVS Contracting, ME/NH |
| Salting or sanding | $20–$75 an application | CVS Contracting, ME/NH |
| Small commercial lot | $75–$200 a visit; $750–$3,000+ a season | CVS Contracting, ME/NH |
| Roof snow removal | Starts at $350 (residential) | TopDog Roofing, Southern Maine |
| Roof raking / ice dam removal | $200–$500 a visit / $200–$2,400 | HomeGuide, national |
Estimates only, from ProMatcher, CVS Contracting, TopDog Roofing and HomeGuide. Portland prices can be higher or lower. A local crew quotes your property for free.
Your price depends on the size of the area, the equipment it takes, how fast you need it done and how often it needs treating. In Portland, two local factors matter: the 12- and 18-hour sidewalk deadlines, and about 80 freeze-thaw days a winter (our analysis of NOAA data) that call for repeat salting or sanding.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Area and layout | Long driveways, wide lots, tight city lots and lots of sidewalk take more time and more machine. |
| Trigger depth | A lower trigger means more visits in a season. |
| Deadlines | Commercial walks must be clear within 12 hours of the snow stopping, so crews may need to work overnight. |
| Treatments | Salt, sand or both, how many applications, and whether walks get treated as well as lots. |
| Snow piles | Snow can't go onto public sidewalks, ramps or, in South Portland, the street. Tight lots may need piles moved or hauled. |
| Roof work | Roof raking is often priced separately from the driveway. |
| The winter | The Jetport averages 68.7 inches (NOAA), but seasons vary. Per-visit costs rise in a heavy winter. |
You can see what the gear costs in the Ice Fighter shop, from roof rakes and ice melt to snow blowers and truck spreaders. For condo and commercial lots, the machines, insurance, crews and overnight hours are why contracts exist.
Every fact in the ticker and on our pages comes from one of these public sources. Figures are typical or historical, not promises about your property or the next winter.
| Fact shown | Source | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Portland Jetport averages 68.7 inches of snow a season (1991–2020 normals) | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Portland International Jetport (USW00014764) |
| January is the snowiest month at 18.6 inches; February averages 16.6 and December 14.6 | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Portland International Jetport (USW00014764) |
| About 16.4 days a year bring 1 inch of snow or more at the Jetport | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Portland International Jetport (USW00014764) |
| Normal January low: 15.6°F | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Portland International Jetport (USW00014764) |
| Median first measurable snow at the Jetport: November 26 (our analysis, 1991–2019) | NOAA data | NOAA NCEI, GHCN-Daily records, Portland Jetport (our analysis, 1991–2019) |
| About 80 freeze-thaw days a winter, November to March (our analysis) | NOAA data | NOAA NCEI, GHCN-Daily records, Portland Jetport (our analysis, 1991–2019) |
| Businesses: a 4-foot sidewalk path within 12 hours after the snow stops (Sec. 25-173) | City of Portland | City of Portland Code, Ch. 25, Art. VII (Secs. 25-173 and 25-174) |
| Homes (1–4 units): a 4-foot path within 18 hours after the snow stops or the city last clears the street, whichever is later | City of Portland | City of Portland Code, Ch. 25, Art. VII (Secs. 25-173 and 25-174) |
| Sidewalk fines: $75 / $125 / $250 for homes; $250 / $500 / $1,000 for businesses | City of Portland | City of Portland Code, Ch. 25, Art. VII (Secs. 25-173 and 25-174) |
| Parking bans run 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. when called: $130 ticket, $135 tow | City of Portland | City of Portland, "Parking Bans" |
| Overnight parking ban, midnight to 6 a.m., December 1 to April 1, every city street | South Portland | City of South Portland, "Winter Parking Ban / Overnight Parking" |
| Pushing private snow onto a street or sidewalk: fines up to $500 / $750 / $1,000, and the owner is liable for the contractor | South Portland | City of South Portland, "Winter Plow Operations & Snow Removal" |
| 10–12 inches of fresh snow weighs about 5 lb per square foot of roof | MEMA | Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), "Severe Winter Storms" |
| Portland, Maine driveway and sidewalk plow visit: $47.19 average ($41.94–$52.43) | ProMatcher | ProMatcher, "Portland, ME Snow Removal Costs & Prices" |
| Snow and ice customers are retained 93% of the time year over year | SIMA | Turf Magazine, "SIMA Industry Impact Report: Average snow and ice revenue" |
| Estimate: Portland, Maine snow blowing $86 a visit on average ($57–$115); $50 an hour (2018 report) | ProMatcher | ProMatcher, "Portland, ME Snow Removal Costs & Prices" |
| Estimate (ME/NH): driveway $30–$70 a visit; residential seasonal contract $300–$1,000 | CVS Contracting | CVS Contracting, snow removal pricing (Maine and New Hampshire) |
| Estimate (ME/NH): sidewalk or walkway add-on $15–$50 a visit; salting or sanding $20–$75 an application | CVS Contracting | CVS Contracting, snow removal pricing (Maine and New Hampshire) |
| Estimate (ME/NH): small commercial lot $75–$200 a visit, $750–$3,000+ a season | CVS Contracting | CVS Contracting, snow removal pricing (Maine and New Hampshire) |
| Residential roof snow removal in Southern Maine starts at $350 | TopDog Roofing | TopDog Roofing, "Roof Snow Removal in Southern Maine" |
| National estimate: roof raking $200–$500 a visit; ice dam removal $200–$2,400 | HomeGuide | HomeGuide, "Snow Removal Cost" (national) |
| Average monthly snow, Portland Jetport: Dec. 14.6 in, Jan. 18.6, Feb. 16.6, Mar. 13.6, Apr. 2.8 | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Portland International Jetport (USW00014764) |
| About 5 freezing-rain days a season at the Jetport (our count, 2005–2025) | IEM | IEM ASOS archive, Portland Jetport hourly records (our count, 2005–2025) |
| The city may clear a sidewalk and bill the owner its cost plus 10%; snow season Nov. 1–Apr. 30 | City of Portland | City of Portland Code, Ch. 25, Art. VII (Secs. 25-173 and 25-174) |
| Commercial owners must remove roof snow or ice that threatens to fall onto streets or sidewalks (Sec. 25-174) | City of Portland | City of Portland Code, Ch. 25, Art. VII (Secs. 25-173 and 25-174) |
| Ban ticket $130 (reduced to $40 if towed); tow $135, plus $80 for special equipment; 28 on-street ban lots plus garages | City of Portland | City of Portland, "Parking Bans" |
| Residents may take up to two 5-gallon pails of sand from the Payson Park pile; contractors may not. DPW dispatch 207-874-8493 | City of Portland | City of Portland, "Winter Operations" |
| Overnight parking ban midnight–6 a.m., Nov. 15–Apr. 15; widening plows refill cleared driveway openings | Town of Falmouth | Town of Falmouth, "Snow Plowing" |
| The town plows 350 lane-miles with 18 trucks and widens streets after the storm | Town of Scarborough | Town of Scarborough, Public Works Operations |
| Flat and low-pitched roofs are at the greatest risk; 2 ft of old plus 2 ft of new snow can reach about 60 lb per sq ft | MEMA | Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), "Severe Winter Storms" |
| A generator in a basement or garage could raise carbon monoxide poisoning risk up to 300-fold (after the January 1998 ice storm); keep it 15 ft from windows and doors | MEMA | Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), "Carbon Monoxide Safety" |
| Maine road conditions | New England 511 | New England 511 (Maine road conditions) |
| Forecasts, watches and warnings for Portland | NWS Gray | National Weather Service Gray/Portland, forecast office home page |
| Nor’easter safety | NWS | National Weather Service, "Nor’easter safety" |
| Portland population estimate, July 1, 2024: 69,568; South Portland 26,994; Westbrook 21,386; Scarborough 24,010 | Census | U.S. Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, Vintage 2024 |
| 88,200 U.S. snow and ice businesses; more than half are lawn and landscape companies | SIMA | Turf Magazine, "SIMA Industry Impact Report: Average snow and ice revenue" |
| The average operator earns 37% of revenue from snow; about 4 in 5 businesses are sole proprietors | SIMA | Turf Magazine, "SIMA Industry Impact Report: Average snow and ice revenue" |
Sources checked October 9, 2026. Snow normals are for the NOAA Portland International Jetport station (USW00014764). The first-snow date and freeze-thaw count are our own analysis of NOAA daily records, not official NWS figures. Cost figures are estimates, not Portland quotes.
