Commercial & civil only — no residential 1300 387 713 · Mon–Fri 8:00–16:00
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Commercial, industrial & civil only — no residential sales@sweepers.com.au Depot 122 Bromley St, Cornubia QLD 4130 · ABN 51 144 050 751
Wombat Sweepers mascot waves from a branded street sweeper truck as it is dispatched from the depot gates in the morning
Common question

How much does street sweeping cost?

Nobody publishes a real price for sweeping, because the honest answer is that four things drive it and the mix is different on every site. Here is what those four things are, so you can read a quote properly instead of guessing.

In short

Street sweeping cost is driven by four things: machine hours on site, travel to get the machine there, the number of hopper tips the job needs, and disposal of the captured material. Area matters less than obstacles, because machine hours are what you pay for. Contract cycles cost less per visit than one-off cleans on the same site.

Written by Mark Scull, founder of Wombat Sweepers · Published · Last updated

How much does street sweeping cost?

The four cost drivers

Machine hours on site is the big one — how long the machine actually runs, not how big the area is. Travel to get the machine there and back. Hopper tips — a job that fills the hopper three times costs more than a long thin job with one tip. And disposal, because captured material is a waste stream that has to go somewhere that accepts it.

Why hourly rates differ so much

A truck-mounted regenerative-air street sweeper is a very different asset to a walk-behind sweeper, and the rate reflects the machine, not the contractor's mood. Be suspicious of a road sweeping rate that looks like a car park rate — it usually means a smaller machine is coming than the one you pictured.

What makes a site expensive

Clutter and access. Parked cars, trades, pallets, speed humps, tight turning circles and height limits all slow the machine down, and machine hours are what you are paying for. A site that can be cleared for an hour is dramatically cheaper than the same site half-occupied.

How to compare two quotes fairly

Ask three questions of both: which machine is coming, how many hours are allowed, and whether disposal is included. Two quotes that look 30% apart are usually quoting different machines or different hour allowances — and the cheaper one often comes back for a second visit you also pay for.

Where contracts save money

A one-off clean carries the full travel and a full hopper. A contract cycle means less material each visit, shorter machine hours, and travel shared with other sites on the run. Most clients who move from ad-hoc to scheduled sweeping end up paying less per visit and getting a cleaner site.

How much does street sweeping cost?

Short answers

Something else? Call 1300 387 713 and talk to someone who runs the machines.

Can you give me a ballpark over the phone?

Usually yes, if you can tell us the suburb, the approximate sealed area, the surface and what is on it. For anything large or complicated a free site inspection gets you a real number instead of a range.

Is there a minimum charge?

There is a practical minimum — the machine still has to be loaded, floated and returned. That is why very small one-off jobs price better when they can join a run already heading your way.

Is disposal included in your quotes?

Yes, and it is shown as its own line so you can see it rather than finding it in the hourly rate.

Wombat Sweepers mascot checks a clipboard beside a branded street sweeper truck in the depot yard at dusk
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Want a real number?

Tell us the suburb, the area and the surface. We would rather give you an honest price than a range that means nothing.

How much does street sweeping cost?

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