Facts from public sources, not quotes. Where these numbers come from
Straight answers about cost, contracts, sidewalk deadlines, parking bans and roofs, with a link to the source behind every number.
Get a free quote How it worksTreat these as estimates, not quotes. 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, and snow blowing at $86 a visit on average ($57 to $115). A Maine and New Hampshire contractor's pricing page lists $30 to $70 a driveway visit and $300 to $1,000 for a residential seasonal contract. A local crew quotes your property for free.
Portland's code (Sec. 25-173) gives businesses 12 hours after the snow stops to clear a 4-foot path, kept clear of snow the plows push back later. Homes with 1 to 4 units get 18 hours after the snow stops or after the city's last clearing of the street next to them, whichever is later. Ice has to be removed, or sanded and the sand reapplied. The snow season runs November 1 to April 30, and enforcement is complaint-based through Portland 311.
For homes, $75 for the first offense in a season, $125 for the second and $250 after that. For businesses, $250, $500 and $1,000. The city may also clear the walk and bill the owner its cost plus 10%.
No. South Portland's Sec. 23-12 bans moving private snow onto a public street or sidewalk, or across the street. Fines run up to $500, $750 and $1,000, or waiver fees of $150, $250 and $450, and the city says the owner is liable for their contractor's actions. In Portland, snow can't be pushed onto public sidewalks or curb ramps.
Portland calls parking bans as needed, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. They come in three kinds: citywide, peninsula and Yellow Zone (downtown). A ticket is $130 (reduced to $40 if the car is towed), the tow is $135, and special equipment for EVs or AWD adds $80. Cars can use 28 on-street ban lots plus garages. South Portland bans overnight parking on every city street from midnight to 6 a.m., December 1 to April 1, and Falmouth from midnight to 6 a.m., November 15 to April 15.
After big storms, yes, from the ground. The Maine Emergency Management Agency says flat and low-pitched roofs are at the greatest risk of buckling. It says 10 to 12 inches of fresh snow weighs about 5 pounds per square foot, 3 to 5 inches of old, packed snow weighs the same, 1 inch of ice equals a foot of fresh snow, and two feet of old snow plus two feet of new can reach about 60 pounds per square foot, beyond what most roofs are built for. MEMA also says to consider hiring professionals.
In Portland, when snow or ice on a building poses the threat of falling onto streets or sidewalks, Sec. 25-174 says the commercial owner must remove it.
A seasonal contract locks in your spot on the route and a set price for the winter. Pay-per-visit means you pay only when it snows. Portland Jetport averages 68.7 inches of snow a season and about 16.4 days a year with an inch or more (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). With 12- and 18-hour sidewalk deadlines, many owners prefer a contract that includes the walk.
Before the first snow. Our analysis of NOAA daily records puts the median first measurable snow at Portland Jetport on November 26, so October and early November are the time to get on a route.
Yes. Requests from this site go to a local snow and landscape contractor that quotes homes, condo and apartment lots, retail plazas, office and industrial parks and medical lots. Commercial and condo work is priced per site after a walk-through.
Many do. Industry group SIMA reports that more than half of snow and ice businesses are also lawn and landscape providers, and the average operator earns 37% of revenue from snow.
Fill out the free quote form with your name, phone, ZIP code and what needs clearing. A local crew contacts you with questions and a price. There is no cost and no obligation to ask.
Portland's Winter Operations page says the city clears only its mapped city sidewalks. Owners still owe the 4-foot path under Sec. 25-173.
In South Portland, the city says the property owner is liable for their contractor's actions, with fines up to $500, $750 and $1,000.
Portland's code says ice must be removed, or sanded and the sand reapplied. With about 80 freeze-thaw days a winter at the Jetport (our analysis of NOAA data), one pass rarely lasts.
MEMA says 1 inch of ice weighs as much as a foot of fresh snow, and old plus new snow can exceed what most roofs are built to carry. Rake from the ground, or hire a pro.
Sources: ProMatcher, CVS Contracting, NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI, City of Portland Code, City of Portland, City of Portland, City of South Portland, City of South Portland, Town of Falmouth, Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Turf Magazine. Full source list.
Tell us what needs clearing, your ZIP code and anything that helps: driveway length, sidewalks, steps, a driveway, the public sidewalk, steps, a roof, a condo or apartment lot, a parking lot or a business entrance. Your request goes to a local snow and ice crew serving Portland, South Portland, Westbrook, Scarborough and nearby towns, and they contact you directly with questions and a price.
No cost and no obligation to ask. Seasonal contracts fill up before the first snow, so fall is the best time to ask.
Island addresses (Peaks, Cliff and the other Casco Bay islands) are welcome, but trucks can’t reach them, so crews may decline.
Before you sign, ask for proof of insurance, what snow depth triggers a visit, whether sidewalks and salting are included, and how storm-day calls are billed.
