If you’re preparing to clear a piece of land for sale or personal utility, you benefit from knowing what to expect from the process. After all, land clearing services involve multiple complex steps to protect the environment as much as possible while achieving the desired results.
When property owners know what to expect in advance, they can give as much information as possible to their service provider. In response to this need, the crew at Hannah Forestry and Excavation created a step-by-step guide for basic land clearing services in Oklahoma.
What Happens During an Oklahoma Land Clearing Project?
The land clearing process involves much more than a crew manning heavy equipment and bustling through bushes, trees, and tall grass. It requires careful forethought and planning because a reputable service provider accounts for minimal disruption and wildlife protection. Let’s go through each major step below to give you a better idea of what should happen.
#1 The Initial Consultation
The first step involves speaking with a land clearing company, such as Hanna Forestry and Excavation, about your objectives. The supervisor speaking with you will consider every bit of information you provide. If you want an estimate that closely reflects the final price, you might want to bring:
- Recent land surveys
- Photos of the property
- Photos of the current buildings located on the land
- Information about nearby utility infrastructure
- Detailed plans regarding what you want to do with the land after clearance
- Images and details of obstacles like boulders, waterways, or building remnants
Your provider can use this information to plan more effectively and provide you with a broader project itinerary earlier in the process.
#2 Strategy Development
The second step in site preparation involves crafting a strategy that efficiently removes detritus, allowing grading to begin if applicable. Your service provider will likely:
- Map the land into zones
- Prioritize the zones by the work needed to clear them
- Account for obstacles within those zones
- Inventory the number of crew members and equipment needed
- Develop a comprehensive timeline for project completion
They’ll share their plans with you so you know what to expect throughout each project phase.
#3 Permit Acquisition
If you choose to move forward with your project, you’ll likely need to obtain municipal or state permits to ensure its legality. The permits detail what your provider should do to:
- Protect and minimize harm to the environment
- Preserve protected species of plants and animals
- Create a solid site for building foundations and other structures
The permits you need for your Oklahoma land clearing services depend on whether you’re developing residential or commercial land.
#4 Equipment and Crew
Now, your land clearing company can break ground on the project. The supervisor will assemble the crew members and the equipment necessary to move forward. The machinery needed to move forward with your project depends on your primary objectives.
For instance, you might just want an open piece of land to grow hay for farm animals. Your service provider will focus on clearing away brush and trees that would hamper grass growth. Tractors with bush hogging attachments or forestry mulchers work well for these projects.
Alternatively, a project that eventually leads to building construction will require excavators, bulldozers, and skid steers. The end goal is more technical, and you require a wider range of machinery to achieve it.
#5 Vegetation Removal
Most land clearing projects require the removal of certain types of vegetation. Even if you don’t aim to build a new house or commercial building, you want to carve out a more manageable, accessible property. Therefore, your service provider will employ brush and tree removal techniques accordingly.
#6 Debris Clearance
Clearing a plot of land leaves plenty of vegetative debris in the service’s wake. Plus, you might need other rubbish hauled away, like big boulders or building remains. The service provider’s crew will collect these materials into dump trucks to take them to an appropriate facility.
They’ll also remove the cut vegetation. If you opt for forestry mulching, you can have the vegetation spread across the property to enrich the soil.
#7 Land Preparation
Now that your property is obstacle and debris-free, your land clearing crew can begin grading and excavation. This step prepares the land for new buildings or infrastructure by sculpting platformed hills and trenches for better drainage. You may not need extensive land preparation if you don’t plan to build, dig, or otherwise erect any structures.
#8 Service Wrap-Up
The supervisor for your service will conduct the last step by inspecting the land to ensure it meets their specifications. The crew will haul any leftover detritus, smooth out the exposed dirt, and remove their machinery.
Learn More About Your Service Process Through a Consultation With Hannah Forestry and Excavation in Oklahoma
Want to learn more about the land clearing process in Oklahoma? Discuss your project with Hannah Forestry and Excavation. Call 405-920-3332 to speak with our team about your plans.
