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Sitework & Earthworkaka: clearing and grubbingaka: site clearingaka: tree removal

Land Clearing

In Plain English

Removing trees, brush, and vegetation from a construction site before earthwork and building can begin.

Definition

The removal of trees, brush, stumps, roots, and organic debris from a site to prepare it for construction. Land clearing typically precedes all other earthwork operations. Cleared material may be chipped, burned (where permitted), or hauled off-site. Permits may be required for tree removal, and certain trees may be protected by local ordinance.

Why It Matters in Bidding

Land clearing is one of the first cost-loaded line items in a sitework bid, and its price swings widely with vegetation density, tree size, and disposal method, so a thin takeoff here can sink the earthwork margin. Permitting, protected-tree ordinances, and haul-off versus on-site chipping are major risk drivers that must be confirmed before a number is committed.

Example

A sitework estimator walks the parcel, counts large-diameter stumps, and prices grinding plus off-site haul because the local ordinance prohibits on-site burning.

Related Terms

EarthworkGradingTopsoilSite Preparation

Frequently Asked Questions

Key cost drivers are vegetation density, tree count and trunk diameter, stump and root removal, terrain access, and how debris is handled, whether chipped, hauled, or burned where allowed. Permit fees, protected-tree mitigation, and erosion-control requirements add cost that estimators must verify against local ordinances before committing a price.
Light to moderate brush is often priced per acre, while heavy tree removal and stump grinding are frequently priced per item or per tree by diameter. Many estimators combine methods, using an acreage rate for general clearing plus unit prices for large trees, then add separate disposal and hauling lines.
Yes. Disposal cost varies sharply by method and distance, chipping on site, hauling to a landfill, or burning where permitted, so bundling it into a single clearing rate hides risk. Pricing haul-off as its own line with truckloads, tipping fees, and round-trip distance keeps the bid auditable and protects margin.

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