Starting a residential land clearing project is an exciting moment, a hint of what is to come. Before you begin contacting contractors, though, it's a good idea to prepare for dealing with these 5 possible issues.
Have the Land Surveyed
You do not want to be on the hook for damages to someone else's property because you were doing work on the wrong side of the property line. Have a detailed survey of the lot completed and entered into the country register. This will provide you with some legal cover in case there are disputes about what was cleared.
Have the surveyor mark the area, too. The markers will help the people doing the clearance work identify the boundaries of the property. If there are already lines for utilities underground, these markers will provide warning.
Check the Regulations
Contact the code enforcement office for your area to learn about what rules may apply to your project. If you need to acquire permits, get them before work starts. You should also ask about things like how close to the property line certain types of work can be done, and what issues might arise from something like a tree that straddles the property line. Learn the procedures and follow them.
Take Photos
It can speed up the process of bidding the project significantly to be able to email contactors with pictures. Likewise, the photos will provide evidence if there are any disputes over your residential low clearing effort. Also, it's nice to have the picture for a before-after comparison that you can show off to other people.
Inquire About Any Timber on the Property
If there are any trees on the property, you may want to get a valuation on them before you start ripping them out. Timber has value, and most trees are identifiable from the photos you'll be taking. Even if you don't want to sell the timber on your own, you can have a conversation with the residential land clearing company about offering the timber rights as partial payment for their services. Get several estimates on the timber prices so you can make a fair offer.
Don't Schedule Other Contractors Too Tightly
Yes, you may want to get rolling on a build, but it's not a good idea to stack contractors one right after the other. If the weather goes bad for two weeks and the area can't be cleared, you don't want to have to call off land grading, for example.
To learn more about what's involved, speak with a residential land clearing professional near you.