Land Clearing Weatherford put this guide together for Weatherford and Parker County owners sorting through land clearing estimates. Clearing is priced job by job after someone sees the ground, so you will not find a rate table here. Two five-acre tracts off the same farm road can be priced far apart because of what is growing, how rocky the soil is and what happens to the cut material.
Use the factors below to describe your land in your request, and ask each contractor to split the price into parts so you can see which conditions are driving the total.
What shapes the estimate
Type and thickness of growth
Scattered small cedars and weeds go quickly. A solid wall of mature Ashe juniper, a mesquite thicket with prickly pear underneath, or a fence row grown into a hedge takes many more machine hours. Large post oaks or pecans that must come down near a house or barn can cost more than an acre of brush because they need careful felling.
Rock and soil
Sandy Cross Timbers soil is easy on equipment. Limestone ledges, caliche and loose rock near the surface wear down mulcher teeth and grinder wheels and slow root raking. Clay pockets get sticky after rain, which can push work back several days.
Slope, draws and ponds
Steep banks along creeks and draws slow machines and raise the need for erosion control. Clearing around a stock pond dam takes care so the dam is not damaged, and soft ground near a pond edge may rule out heavier equipment.
Access and distance
A narrow gate, a cattle guard that will not carry a loaded trailer, low power lines or a soft caliche drive can limit which machines reach the work. Tracts far down a county road add hauling time each way.
Debris: mulch it, haul it or burn it
How the cut material leaves the site is often the biggest gap between bids. Mulching leaves a chip layer and skips trucking and dump fees. Hauling leaves bare ground but adds loading, trips and disposal. Burning can save money where it is allowed, but TCEQ outdoor burning rules apply and the Parker County Commissioners Court issues burn bans in dry weather, so check the current county burn ban status before counting on it.
Old sheds, tires, wire, appliances and household trash cannot just be pushed into a burn pile. Sorting them out takes labor and adds cost.
Stumps, pipelines and erosion control
Cutting flush, grinding below grade and pulling stumps out with the root ball are three separate jobs. Building pads and drives usually need full removal; pasture and lawn areas can often be ground. See stump grinding for the trade-offs.
Any digging or root raking near a pipeline means calling 811 first, and some operators want notice before machines cross their easement, which can add scheduling time. Silt fence, rock construction entrances and seeding add to the total, and disturbing about an acre or more for construction generally triggers TCEQ stormwater requirements.
Questions for every contractor
- Where exactly are the clearing limits, and which trees stay?
- Are stumps cut flush, ground or pulled, and in which areas?
- Is the debris mulched, burned or hauled, and who pays disposal?
- Who checks the burn ban, calls 811 and handles any permits?
- How are rain delays, rock and buried junk priced?
- What will the ground look like when the machines leave?
Frequently asked questions
Can a contractor price the job from photos?
Photos give a rough idea, but cedar density, rock and hidden debris usually need a site visit before a firm number.
Is the quote free?
Yes. Asking for a quote costs nothing, and any work is priced and contracted directly with the local land clearing contractor you choose. See how it works.