

Land Clearing project guide
Land Clearing contractors cost and hiring guide
Brush, trees, stumps and roots removed by mulcher, dozer or excavator, sized to the lot and what you plan to do with it.
Key facts
Land Clearing numbers you can check
Rules and figures that come up in nearly every land clearing quote, with the public source for each one.
| Fact | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stormwater permit trigger | Land clearing counts as construction disturbance: 1 acre or more needs NPDES stormwater permit coverage. | EPA, Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities (NPDES)As of September 2026 |
| 811 locates | Call 811 a few business days before any digging, including stump removal and trenching for fence lines. | Common Ground Alliance, 811 Before You DigAs of September 2026 |
| Operator wages | The median construction equipment operator earned $58,320 per year in May 2024. | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook HandbookAs of September 2026 |
Project guide
Hiring land clearing contractors
Land clearing removes trees, brush, stumps and roots so a parcel can be built on, farmed, fenced or simply seen. The method drives the price. A forestry mulcher grinds standing brush and small trees into chips in a single pass and leaves the ground surface intact; a dozer with a root rake pushes everything into piles for burning or hauling; an excavator with a thumb pulls stumps and stacks logs. Grubbing, which means pulling stumps and roots, is a separate step from clearing and is required anywhere a foundation, driveway or septic field will go. Selective clearing around trees you want to keep takes more hand work and more time than clearing a lot wall to wall.
GradeLine lists 6,437 land clearing contractors.Compare their work and equipment, then confirm availability and service area before requesting a quote.
Listed businesses are based in , Los Gatos, Rainelle, Knoxville, Mount Hope, Topeka, though most crews travel well beyond their home city.
What land clearing work costs
Forestry mulching typically runs $150 to $250 per hour or $1,500 to $4,000 per acre for light to moderate brush. Full clearing and grubbing of a wooded acre commonly costs $3,000 to $8,000 and can exceed $10,000 for dense hardwood or steep ground. Individual stump grinding is usually $100 to $400 per stump depending on diameter.
Ranges are national and approximate; regional labor rates, material prices and site conditions move them in both directions.
Common projects
- Brush, undergrowth and small-tree clearing by forestry mulcher for pasture, fence lines and views
- Full lot clearing and grubbing for house sites, barns, driveways and septic fields
- Right-of-way, trail and access lane clearing on rural and timber parcels
What affects a quote
- Acreage, tree density and trunk diameter: a lot of 12-inch hardwoods costs far more than one with saplings
- Slope, soft ground and how close a machine can get to the work
- What happens to the debris: mulching in place, burning, chipping, hauling to a landfill or selling merchantable timber
Land Clearing FAQ
What does land clearing work cost?
Forestry mulching typically runs $150 to $250 per hour or $1,500 to $4,000 per acre for light to moderate brush. Full clearing and grubbing of a wooded acre commonly costs $3,000 to $8,000 and can exceed $10,000 for dense hardwood or steep ground. Individual stump grinding is usually $100 to $400 per stump depending on diameter.
What should I share when requesting a land clearing estimate?
Flag the boundaries and the keep trees with tape, share the survey if you have one, and tell the contractor what the land is for; a pasture and a house site call for different finish work.
What can change the cost of land clearing work?
The main cost items are acreage, tree density and trunk diameter: a lot of 12-inch hardwoods costs far more than one with saplings; slope, soft ground and how close a machine can get to the work; what happens to the debris: mulching in place, burning, chipping, hauling to a landfill or selling merchantable timber. A site visit helps the crew see which ones apply.
Do land clearing projects need permits?
Many cities and counties require a tree removal or land disturbance permit above a certain acreage or trunk size, and open burning needs a permit almost everywhere. Clearing near a creek, wetland or shoreline can trigger state or federal review, and some counties protect specific species such as live oaks.
Find land clearing contractors near you
Pick a state to see the land clearing contractors listed there. Most crews travel well beyond their home city, so confirm the service area before requesting a quote.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Contractor directory
Browse land clearing contractors
6,437 contractors found



CStille Excavation
Los Gatos, CA
demolition, driveways, erosion control, excavation, grading, hauling trucking


Legacy Excavating LLC
Rainelle, WV
driveways, excavation, land clearing, pond water management, site prep, trenching underground

Miller's Excavation
Knoxville, TN
demolition, driveways, excavation, foundations, grading, hauling trucking

Loiodice Excavating
Mount Hope, NY
demolition, erosion control, excavation, grading, hauling trucking, land clearing

O'Neill Excavating
Topeka, KS
demolition, excavation, foundations, grading, land clearing, pond water management

Crosetti Excavation
Calpella, CA
demolition, driveways, erosion control, excavation, grading, hauling trucking

H&H Land Clearing & Excavation
driveways, erosion control, excavation, grading, land clearing, site prep

Excavator Man
Wellington, FLPalm Beach County
concrete cutting removal, demolition, driveways, excavation, foundations, grading

BigTex Land Clearing
Fair Oaks Ranch, TXKendall County
demolition, driveways, excavation, land clearing, trenching underground

Tampa Bay Bobcat & Land Services
Citrus Park, FLHillsborough County
demolition, driveways, excavation, grading, land clearing, site prep

Howell Concrete & Land Service Inc.
Plantation, FLSarasota County
concrete cutting removal, erosion control, excavation, grading, land clearing, pond water management

Peters Land Services LLC
Wallace, FLSanta Rosa County
demolition, driveways, erosion control, excavation, land clearing

4TP Excavation
Hornsby Bend, TXTravis County
demolition, driveways, erosion control, excavation, grading, land clearing

Wilkinson Excavation LLC
demolition, driveways, excavation, foundations, grading, land clearing

Upchurch Excavating Inc
demolition, excavation, hauling trucking, land clearing, pond water management

Up The Creek Cutting And Excavation, LLC
Lyons, ORLinn County
excavation, land clearing, retaining walls, septic systems

TNTF Services
Kingwood, WVPreston County
demolition, excavation, foundations, grading, land clearing, septic systems
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