Did you know the average price to clear land is over $2,000 and can cost over $8,000? No wonder people looking to clear land do a little research to stay on the lower end of the price spectrum.
Clearing land may seem straightforward, but there are many factors you need to consider. Keep reading to learn some crucial steps you’ll need to take.
Clearing Land: Steps to Ensure Your Project is Successful
Clearing land can be a big job but having an idea of what it entails will make it a smoother project. When building on any property, having a solid foundation is key. This is where clearing land correctly plays a major role; it's essential to clear land correctly in order to have a solid foundation when construction begins.
1. Do You Need Help?
First, you want to inspect the land you’re clearing to see if there’s anything that will make it more difficult to clear. Look out for steep hillsides or extra large trees. If you’re clearing a large area of land it can take a lot of time. If you feel that it will take more time than you have or you don’t have the tools then contacting an expert might be the best way to go. You might need help once you have cleared the land either renting a dumpster or hiring someone to come dump everything for you. Clearing land might sound simple but if you don’t know how to do it this project can turn out to be a disaster. You might only need a professional to take care of some of the land clearing. Maybe you have the tools and feel comfortable clearing small trees and hire a professional to take care of the larger trees.
2. Do You Need a Permit?
Some areas have protected land and vegetation, soil erosion concerns or something else that will affect clearing the land. Before starting your project contact your local land planning agency to determine if your land will need permits. Find your local zoning and building department to see what ordinances are in place where your land is. Not checking local requirements can be a headache in the future. The last thing you want is to be liable for any damages if you destroy protected vegetation or protected land.
3. Begin Clearing
When you have figured out if you need help and learned if you need any permits it’s time to get rid of anything on the land you need removed. If there are any old buildings or structures, start by knocking these down. To get the removal done quickly use a bulldozer, wrecker or hire a professional with the tools. After you remove all the structures, remove rocks, brush limbs, and trees. If there are large trees you can’t do yourself, contact a local professional to take them down for you. If you have large boulders that need to be removed and have a heavy duty chain you can wrap it around the boulder and drag them out with a tractor.
Grub Remaining Tree Stumps
If you have any remaining tree stumps removing them is called grubbing. You start by digging down to the roots around it with a shovel. Attach a heavy duty chain and pull it out with a tractor. After removing the tree stump, fill in the land and grade it. Keep in mind if you hire a professional they will handle all of this for you.
Clear Remaining Brush
To clear our vegetation you can use hand-held trimmers to cut the vegetation if it’s not a large piece of land. If it’s larger you will want to rent a brush machine to make the job quicker. Once you remove the brush you have the option to either shred the debris, burn it, or compost it. Some areas rent grazing animals to clear the land. Sheep and goats are great to clear low ground vegetation. They also work quickly and give you one less thing to think about. Goats are able to eat poison ivy without it harming them.
Fill in Holes
Once you clear and remove everything it’s time to fill any holes left behind. You can shovel loose dirt into the holes and pack the dirt down until it’s compact. Repeat this until the surface is level with the rest of the ground. If your plan is to construct something once the land is cleared a contractor will more than likely use a professional grader to smooth the entire land out.
Plow the Land
Once everything is cleared, and holes are filled you can turn the soil with a plow to make sure the ground is even. Any grass or leaves that are on top of the soil will mix into the land as it’s plowed. This will add extra nutrients back into the land. If you’re plowing on your own instead of hiring an expert make sure you avoid wet or steep land. Let the vegetation that’s native to the area cover that area. This will help prevent soil erosion.
Now It’s Time to Start Clearing
As you can see there are a few steps involved in clearing land. Although it’s a massive undertaking taking the steps above will make your project more enjoyable and smoother. The key is to do your homework and be prepared for the amount of work you will need to do. Finding a professional that’s been there, done that will make your life a bit easier because they will know what the laws are, and what permits you need in your area. They will also have all of the equipment needed to clear the land. If you prefer to hand it over to an expert, contact us today to come to take a look at your property and give you our professional advice. We can work with any property!