How Much Does It Cost to Clear Land in 2025?
This project can cost anywhere from $400 to $15,000, so take a look at what could affect this price and get a quote from a pro.
Clearing land involves complex tasks like structure demolition, topsoil stripping, excavation, grading, and hauling dirt. Professionals ensure efficient, safe operations.
Clearing land typically costs $1.30 to $2 per square foot, with additional costs for specific tasks like tree and stump removal.
The cost of land clearing is affected by the site's topography, vegetation density, structure demolition, and required excavation.
Clearing land offers benefits like preparing a construction site, creating a finished lot, and removing unwanted vegetation.
This article was updated using automation technology and thoroughly reviewed for accuracy by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.
Clearing land costs most homeowners around $3,804, with prices ranging from $1,403 to $6,211 depending on size, condition, and location. On average, you can expect to pay $1.30 to $2 per square foot or $500 to $5,600 per acre. If your land is heavily forested, costs can triple due to the extra work involved. Consult a local land clearing professional for a more accurate quote based on your project.
Cost Factors for Clearing Land
Your total cost depends on your land's topography and the amount of vegetation. Heavily forested lots cost significantly more than sites with shrubs and grasses. Keep in mind that these prices don't include additional tasks like structure demolition, topsoil stripping, excavation, hauling dirt to a landfill, grading, and more needed to create a finished lot.
Cost of Clearing Land by Lot Size
The cost to clear a half-acre of land ranges from $250 to $2,800, depending on the amount of trees, debris, and other land features required to remove. On the other hand, you can expect to pay $500 to $5,600 to clear an acre of land, with the final price determined by the amount and type of vegetation to clear.
| Lot Size | Average Cost to Clear |
|---|---|
| 1 acre | $500 – $5,600 |
| 2 acres | $1,000 – $11,200 |
| 3 acres | $1,500 – $16,800 |
| 4 acres | $2,000 – $22,400 |
Cost of Clearing a Forested or Wooded Lot
Clearing costs depend on how heavily your land is wooded. Removing a single tree costs around $700 on average, while stump removal ranges from $100 to $150 per stump. The exact price varies based on the tree's size, condition, location, and diameter. If you need to remove fallen trees, expect to pay between $75 and $150 per tree.
| Acreage | Lightly Wooded Lots | Heavily Forested Land |
|---|---|---|
| ⅕ acre | $100 – $499 | $600 – $1,120 |
| ¼ acre | $125 – $500 | $750 – $1,400 |
| ½ acre | $250 – $1,000 | $1,800 – $2,800 |
| 1 acre | $500 – $2,000 | $3,600 – $5,600 |
| 2 acres | $1,000 – $4,000 | $7,200 – $11,200 |
Cost of Forestry Mulching
Forestry mulching costs between $400 and $1,500. The exact cost depends on the size of the area and the density of the vegetation. Forestry mulching is using heavy equipment to cut trees and brush flush to the ground and mulching the material as it is taken down. If you go this route, you will end up with a healthy layer of mulch on your ground, and you won’t have to pay as much for debris removal.
Cost of Brush Removal
You will pay between $20 and $200 per acre to clear the land of plants, shrubs, and smaller-scale overgrowth. You can get simple yard cleanup by using a landscaping company.
If you decide to do some of the clearing work on your property yourself, you can tackle the brush and fallen branches and logs and leave the tree work to the professionals. You can source the needed pruning and cutting tools for around $100 to $200. You should factor debris removal into your budget, which can run anywhere from $100 to $800.
Lot Clearing, Grading, or Leveling
Grading and leveling costs range from $1,000 to $3,300, not including land clearing. If your site is level and grassy, you’ll be on the low end. If you have a heavily timbered parcel, bank on the higher side. Land clearing costs are provided elsewhere, with an average of $3,805.
"If you are building on a hillside, be advised: Your site preparation bid may include line items for topsoil stripping, excavation, and export. These are for excavating dirt from the hillside and trucking it to a clean-fill dumpsite. This process can add a surprising amount of expense to your project," says Cati O'Keefe, Expert Home Building & Sustainability Contributor.
Commonly, you will see "lot clearing" and "grading or leveling" as line items on your preparation and excavation bid. These tasks usually include grubbing and refer to removing all timber, bushes, debris, rocks, and using heavy machinery to sculpt the existing soil into a buildable site.
Preparation & Excavation
Land clearance costs don’t include preparation services. You can expect to pay about $1.30 to $2 a square foot to prepare land for a build. If your site requires excavation, keep in mind that excavation costs between $1,660 and $6,730. Most companies charge $40 to $150 per hour.
Permits
Don't forget to budget for permits, which typically range from $200 to $2,500. Depending on your local regulations, you may need permits for land clearing, demolition, or construction.
Land Surveys
Getting a land survey ensures you know your lot's boundary lines and other legal restrictions or easements. The cost ranges from $800 to $5,500.
Demolition
If there’s an existing structure on your land, you might need to arrange its demolition and removal. Average house demolition costs range from $3,600 to $15,100 in total.
Erosion Control
If your land is prone to soil erosion, you'll need to take extra precautions. This might include planting additional ground cover, compacting the area, or hiring a landscaper near you to regularly irrigate the area until construction begins.
Cost to Clear Land for Other Uses
Clearing land for other uses typically costs the same, around $1.30 to $2 per square foot. Remember to ask your pro if they have a minimum charge for smaller projects to avoid surprises.
Mobile Home: Expect to pay $650–$2,400 for a single-wide or $1,300–$4,000 for a double-wide. The process is similar to clearing land for a traditional home.
Driveway: Clearing land for a typical 640-square-foot driveway costs between $850 and $1,300. If your driveway is longer or cuts through dense woods, costs can reach $4,000 or more.
Overgrown Fence Lines: $200–$1,200, depending on the thickness of the plant growth. If trees or sturdy bushes have entwined themselves with the fence, you will probably pay on the high range for this service.
Decks, Porches, or Patios: $200–$1,200. If the area is wooded, the rule of thumb is that it will cost an average of $700 per tree for removal.
Hardscaping or Landscaping: Prices vary. Preparing land for hardscaping and landscaping costs the same $1.30–$2 per square foot, but total project costs depend on the size of walkways, lawns, gardens, and other features you want to install.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
If you're dealing with light brush or small rocks, you might handle some land-clearing tasks yourself. However, for most projects, it's best to hire a local land-clearing professional. Pros have the equipment and expertise to remove large trees, transport boulders, and operate heavy machinery safely and efficiently. Without the proper tools and experience, attempting major land-clearing projects on your own can be risky.
How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data
No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. We surveyed thousands of real customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
A professional team can clear an acre of land in as little as two to twelve hours, depending on your land's condition. You'll need to consider factors like vegetation density, terrain features, and obstacles such as trees, stumps, rocks, or existing structures can increase the time required. If your land is heavily wooded or has uneven terrain, expect the process to take longer and require more effort.
If you're looking to clear land for a pasture, expect to pay between $400 and $600 per acre for forestry mulching or $500 to $5,600 per acre for conventional land clearing. When choosing a method, consider:
Forestry Mulching: Leaves organic material in the soil, promoting new ground cover growth.
Conventional Clearing: You might lose valuable topsoil during this process.
A land-clearing project typically involves several key steps to prepare your property for construction or landscaping. First, assess your land and obtain any necessary permits from your local building department. Then, professionals use specialized equipment to remove trees, stumps, brush, and vegetation. After clearing, they haul away debris and may perform grading to level the land, ensuring it's ready for your intended use.
Preparing land to build a house typically costs between $1,000 and $4,000, depending on your land's size and condition. This includes clearing space for the foundation, which may involve removing trees, stumps, brush, and leveling or grading the site. Don't forget to budget for additional costs like permits, fees, and installing utility connections such as gas lines, water lines, and sewer mains.
