Land clearing: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What land clearing is

Land clearing removes trees, brush, stumps and rocks from a lot with chainsaws and heavy equipment, so the ground can be built on, farmed or used. The debris is either hauled away, burned where allowed, chipped or stacked for mulch, and the cleared ground is then graded or prepared for its next use.

Signs you need it

  • Brush and young trees have grown over a lot you want to build on, farm or open up for use
  • Dead or leaning trees threaten a house, a fence, a drive or a power line, and they need to come down safely
  • Stumps and roots sit in the footprint of a new building, drive or pad and must be removed before construction
  • Rocks and boulders are in the way of a planned building site, garden, field or pasture
  • Invasive or overgrown vegetation is spreading across a property and needs to be cleared back
  • A view, a fire break or a sunlit area for a garden or pasture is needed on a wooded lot

What the pro does

  • Walk the lot with the owner to mark the trees, stumps and brush to keep, to remove and to protect
  • Check for overhead lines, buried utilities and property boundaries before any cutting or machine work starts
  • Fell the trees with chainsaws or a feller buncher in a planned direction, limbing and bucking them into manageable pieces
  • Grind or pull stumps and remove the root mass with an excavator or a stump grinder, then fill the holes with soil
  • Pile and chip the brush and debris, or haul it away, and handle the logs as the owner has agreed
  • Grub and grade the cleared ground, removing rocks and debris so the surface is ready for the next use

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Acreage or square footage to be cleared, and the density of trees, brush and stumps on it
  • Size of the trees and the number of stumps, since large stumps and old root systems take much longer to remove
  • Access for equipment, including steep slopes, narrow lanes and wet ground that limit the machines
  • Proximity to houses, power lines and fences that require hand work or a crane to remove trees safely
  • Debris handling, such as chipping, hauling, burning where allowed or leaving the logs for the owner
  • Rock removal and grubbing needed for the next use of the land, such as a building pad or a field

What a written quote should spell out

  • Area to be cleared, with the trees and stumps to remove and the ones to keep marked
  • Method for each part of the lot, such as chainsaw felling, mulching, stump grinding or excavator grubbing
  • Debris handling, including chipping, hauling, burning and where the material goes
  • Protection measures for trees, structures, fences and utilities that are to remain
  • Stump and root removal, and the backfill and grading of the holes left behind
  • Permits or burn approvals required for the work, and who will obtain them

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Have the boundaries and buried or overhead lines been checked before the cutting starts?
  • What do you do with the logs, the brush and the chips?
  • Will the stumps be ground or pulled, and how deep do you go?
  • How do you protect the trees I want to keep and the fence and house nearby?
  • What is the plan for the holes left by the stumps and roots?
  • Do I need a permit to clear this land, and who will obtain it?

Red flags

  • Starts felling trees near a house or power line without a planned drop zone and a check of overhead lines
  • Offers to clear everything with no marking of the trees and stumps to keep
  • Says the debris can be burned without checking whether a burn approval is required
  • Leaves stump holes open and unfilled in the cleared ground
  • Works on a property line without confirming the boundary before cutting

What you can do yourself

A homeowner can cut and remove small brush and saplings with hand tools and a chainsaw, if they are trained and wear the right protective gear. Call a pro for any tree near a house, a power line or a fence, any tree with a lean or heavy limbs, any stump removal and any clearing with heavy equipment. Chainsaws kick back and falling trees can kill, so wear chaps, a helmet with a face shield, hearing protection and steel-toed boots.

Licenses and permits

Land clearing is commonly done by licensed contractors, and tree removal near structures or power lines may require specific training or a license in many areas. Check with your state or local licensing agency and your local building department, and confirm any burn or debris rules before the work starts.

Land clearing questions

Do I need a permit to clear my land?

It depends on the size of the clearing, the trees removed, the slope and the local rules, so the answer varies by place. Check with your local building department before the cutting starts.

Can the stumps be left in the ground?

Stumps can be left, but the pro should tell you the risk of decay, regrowth and uneven ground if they are left. Ask whether grinding or pulling is better for the use you plan.

Will the cleared land be ready to build on?

Cleared land still needs grading, compaction and sometimes soil testing before a building goes on it. Ask the pro whether the land will be left in rough condition or graded to a finish.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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