Land clearing methods compared

How land gets cleared decides what is left on the ground, whether you can build on it, and much of the price. Say what the land is for when you ask for quotes.

Dozer clearing (push, pile and burn or haul)

A bulldozer pushes trees, brush and stumps into piles that are burned (where a burn permit allows) or loaded and hauled away. Stumps and roots come out, so the ground can be graded and built on. It disturbs the soil, so erosion control such as silt fence may be needed.

Forestry mulching

A track machine with a mulching head grinds brush and small trees in place and leaves a layer of mulch. There are no burn piles and nothing to haul, and the mulch holds the soil. It suits trails, fence lines, pasture recovery, underbrush and view clearing. It is not site prep for a house: stumps, roots and the mulch layer must come out before a foundation goes in.

Selective clearing

Crews remove underbrush and chosen trees and keep the rest. Common on residential lots where shade trees stay. Slower and priced more by the hour.

Stump grinding and removal

Grinding takes a stump below the surface; full removal pulls the root ball. A building pad or driveway needs removal and fill, not grinding.

What drives the price

Tree size and density, the number of stumps, slope and wet ground, access for the machines, and what happens to the debris. Crews quote per acre, per hour of machine time, or a fixed total. Searches for land clearing peak in September and March, so book a few weeks ahead of those.

What to ask for in a quote

• Price per acre, per hour or for the job, and what is included
• What happens to stumps and debris: burned, hauled or mulched
• Whether permits are needed (tree ordinances, wetlands, burn permits, erosion control)
• Whether the lot will be ready to build on, or only cleared