Land Clearing contractors cost and hiring guide

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 Culpeper, Sumrall, Nerstrand, Park View, Benton, Cabool, 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.