The first snow does not wait for a board meeting.
If ploughing, gritting and roof snow removal are not agreed yet, this is the last moment to lock the winter season. This page covers what winter maintenance includes, who is responsible for what in Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa, and when the work should be ordered from a professional.
Sun Piha handles snow removal and winter maintenance across the Helsinki region around the clock. For contract customers, hauling snow away is a fixed price for the whole winter.
What winter maintenance includes
Winter maintenance is not just a plough after the snow.
A proper contract covers:
• ploughing yards, driveways and emergency routes
• clearing pavements and steps
• gritting and ice control
• snow off roofs and eaves
• stacking snow and hauling it away
• warning signs when snow can fall from the roof
• storm clearance and fallen trees
All of this sits in the same property maintenance. One number, one contact.
The emergency route has to stay open all winter. That is a legal duty of the property, not an optional extra. If a rescue vehicle cannot enter the yard, the housing company is responsible.
Who is responsible for snow in Helsinki
In Helsinki the duty is split between the city and the property.
In the inner city the city looks after the carriageway. The pavement in front of the property is the owner's job. Elsewhere the city usually looks after both. The driveway into the plot still has to be opened after the plough has passed.
In Espoo and Vantaa the model is closer to the latter, but the plot, the yard, the steps and the roof are always the property's responsibility.
In practice:
• a house yard, paths and roof are yours
• a housing company yard, emergency route, bin shelter and roof are the company's
• snow or ice falling from the roof is always the property's risk
That is why services in Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa should be agreed before the snow is on the ground.
Snow in the yard and snow on the roof are different jobs
Ploughing the yard is a machine and timing job. Roof snow is a safety job.
Snow and ice falling from a roof can injure people and damage cars and eaves. The owner is liable even if no contractor was booked.
Order roof clearing when:
• there is clearly more than 30-40 cm of wet snow on the roof
• icicles form at the eaves
• snow guards are not holding the load
• a path runs under the eaves
• the roof leaks heat and the snow melts in patches
Do not go up on a wet metal roof yourself. Harnesses, fall protection and a method that does not damage the roof belong to a professional.
We wrote the difference in January: Snow in the yard and snow on the roof are different jobs. The same rule holds every winter.
When to make the winter contract
The best time is September and October.
When the first sleet falls, good drivers are already booked. What is left is one-off jobs, not season contracts.
Agree these in the contract:
1. Snow limit. A common yard limit is about 5 cm. Below that, grit. Above that, plough.
2. Response time. 2-6 hours on weekdays is realistic in the Helsinki region. Night and weekend on-call separately.
3. Grit. Chippings or sand, and who collects it in spring.
4. Where snow is stacked on the plot, and when it is hauled away.
5. Roof snow. In the contract, or a separate order.
6. The emergency route. Always open. Not negotiable.
Contract customers get snow haul-away at a fixed price for the whole winter. No per-load invoice in the middle of a February job.
Request a winter quote or call 041 312 1139.
Gritting is not a spring problem
Gritting is done in winter. The cleanup is done in spring.
Too much grit, or grit in the wrong place, washes into drains and sits on the lawn. In spring the same grit has to be swept or collected.
That is why a winter contract also includes spring grit removal. We wrote about it in April: Winter grit still on the yard in spring.
A good contractor already thinks in January about what the yard will look like in April.
What winter maintenance costs
Do not trust a fixed public price list blindly. The price depends on area, the number of routes, haul-away, and whether the roof is included.
As a guide in the Helsinki region:
• a house season contract (ploughing and gritting) is often a few hundred euros a month over the winter
• a housing company yard is priced by square metres, routes and haul-away
• roof snow removal is a separate job, not an hourly rate in a field
We do not publish a ready price list, because a wrong price online creates the wrong expectation. The quote is free and based on the site. Request a quote or call 041 312 1139.
Household deduction on snow work in 2026
Snow work, gritting, yard care and clearing at a house or holiday home qualify for the household deduction when the company is in the prepayment register.
According to the Tax Administration, maintenance and household work in 2026 is deductible at 35 percent of the VAT-inclusive labour. The maximum is 1,600 euros per person and the excess is 150 euros. Spouses can claim separately.
Always check the current limits on vero.fi before the tax return. Raises have been proposed for 2026-2027, so the percentage may still change.
We wrote about the deduction earlier: Household deduction in 2025. The same logic applies to yard work this winter.
A housing company's shared snow work does not usually transfer to a shareholder's household deduction. A shareholder gets the deduction only for their own yard, or for apartment maintenance they order and pay for themselves.
How to choose a contractor
Three things matter more than a brochure.
Local machinery. If the plough comes from Kirkkonummi into the Vantaa morning traffic, the yard is cleared third. The base is Riihimiehentie 2, Vantaa, so Espoo, Helsinki and Vantaa are the same drive.
On-call that is real. A number on the wall is not enough. Ask who answers at two in the morning when ice falls from the eaves in front of the door.
Fixed haul-away. In February the hourly rate of a truck goes up. If haul-away is open, the budget breaks.
Also check Tilaajavastuu and Luotettava kumppani. We are on both. About us and the team are on the site.
Frequently asked questions
How much snow has to fall before ploughing?
The contract sets a snow limit. A common practice in the Helsinki region is about 5 cm in the yard. Pavements and steps are often cleared at a thinner layer so people do not slip.
Can I clear the roof myself?
You can, but the risk is yours. A wet metal roof, a frozen ladder and the edge of the eaves are typical accident spots. If the roof is high or steep, order the work.
What happens if the emergency route is blocked?
The rescue service cannot get through. The property is responsible. The contractor keeps the route open if that is in the contract. Without a contract, the blockage is still the property's problem.
Is spring grit removal part of the winter contract?
With us it is, when it has been agreed. Always ask. Spring grit is an expensive surprise if it was left out of the contract. See winter grit in spring.
Do you only work in Vantaa?
No. The service area is Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa. See the service areas.
Can a skip be ordered with snow work or a spring cleanup?
Yes. Order a skip for a volunteer day, a renovation, or a spring yard cleanup. The same chain also handles bulk bags.
How to proceed
1. Walk the yard now. Where snow is stacked, where the emergency route runs, where the eaves sit over a path.
2. Decide whether you want a season contract or one-off prices.
3. Request a quote. We usually reply the same day, and within 24 hours at the latest.
Request a quote or call 041 312 1139.
If the yard still needs autumn work before the frost, read Autumn yard work before the frost first. Gutters and leaf piles should be cleared before the snow locks them in place.