INFILL SITE PREP
IN AUSTIN, TX.
Your pro forma doesn't have room for a drainage resubmittal or a tree violation. You need one partner who walks the lot, pulls the demo, clears to grade, and hands off a graded pad with the records your reviewer and GC ask for. We walk the lot before we dig.
Clear Ground preps Austin infill lots: house demolition, lot clearing and grading under one contract. A typical lot with a house to remove adds up to about $13,500–$37,000, a sum of two ranges. Most jobs start 1–3 weeks after approval. Includes a site walk, tree-protection plan and cut/fill records. Optional: drone scan and 3D surface model of the site, $500–$1,500 per scan.
Get Site Prep QuoteCentral Austin · Pflugerville · Round Rock
Drainage review killed your timeline.
The city rejected your grading plan because the grade doesn't match the drainage study. Your sub said it was "close enough." Now you're re-engineering, re-submitting, and bleeding holding costs while the review cycles again. A tape measure and a good attitude aren't verification.
A damaged protected tree stalls your permit.
Someone nicked the critical root zone. Maybe they didn't know it was there. Maybe they didn't care. Either way, you may be looking at mitigation, a stop-work order, and a city arborist who just became the most important person in your project.
Three subs. Zero coordination. One mess.
Demo crew left rebar in the ground. Clearing crew didn't know about the drainage easement. Grading crew showed up before demo was finished. Every hand-off is a risk, and every risk hits your pro forma. You need one partner who owns the sequence from scan to handoff.
ONE PARTNER. ONE PLAN. ONE HANDOFF.
From existing structure to graded pad, this is the sequence. One crew owns every phase, grade is checked at each milestone, and your reviewer gets records to work from.
We walk the lot, note trees, existing structures and CRZ boundaries before anyone touches a machine. Optional: drone scan and 3D surface model of the site, $500–$1,500 per scan. Heritage trees are flagged for protection from Day 1.
Concrete, foundation and structure removal. Rebar pulled and material sorted.
Learn about demolition →Clear, grub, and prep to construction-ready finish. CRZ setbacks maintained. Root zones protected. Lot cleared to spec.
Learn about land clearing →Grading checked against your drainage plan with RTK and InSite elevation data. Your reviewer gets a cut/fill comparison instead of a tape-measure claim.
As-built surface record delivered. Cut/fill checked. CRZ setbacks recorded. Your foundation contractor starts from a documented surface.
See the technology →
AT ANY PHASE OF YOUR PROJECT
SEE THE SITE AS IT IS
WE WALK YOUR LOT BEFORE WE TOUCH IT.
We walk the lot for trees, slopes, surface utility marks and drainage lines that affect site prep. An optional drone scan maps the surface. RTK-corrected drone photogrammetry, checked against ground points on site. Heritage trees get flagged with CRZ boundaries. Existing structures get measured. You see the plan and approve it before a single piece of concrete moves.
ONE CONTRACT. EVERY SERVICE.
Skip coordinating three subs who don't talk to each other. Clear Ground bundles demolition, land clearing, excavation and grading under one contract, with one contract and one invoice.
Structural Demolition
Foundation removal, concrete demo, and structure teardown for infill redevelopment. Material sorted on-site. Rebar pulled. Nothing left behind that delays the next phase.
Learn more →Land Clearing
Clearing, grubbing, and construction-ready lot prep. Heritage tree CRZ protection is built into the clearing plan from the site walk.
Learn more →Tight Lot Excavation
CAT 305.5E2 mini excavator with hydraulic hammer for lots with adjacent structures close by. Compact machines, less footprint.
Learn more →Grading & Drainage
Final grade checked against your drainage plan with InSite elevation data. A cut/fill comparison is delivered for your review package.
See the technology →Typical infill lot with a house to remove
| Scope | Range | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| House demolition | $9,000–$25,000 per house | Size, foundation type, haul distance (about $5–12 per sq ft) |
| Lot clearing (0.25–1 acre lot) | $4,500–$12,000 per lot | Tree count and size, access, rock |
| Bundle: sum of the two ranges above | $13,500–$37,000 per lot | Sum of ranges, not a quote. Most lots land inside it. |
| Rough grading, if needed | $2,500–$8,000 per lot | Rock and drainage plan (to $12,000+ with rock) |
Prices reviewed: September 2026. Ranges for Austin and Central Texas; your site walk sets the final number.
Our drone scans measure surfaces, quantities and grades. They are not a boundary survey or a sealed survey by a licensed surveyor, and a drone cannot see below the ground surface.
We check grade to plan with RTK, not a tape measure. Heritage trees are flagged before clearing starts. One partner, one plan, one handoff.
— Cody Baird, Owner
Austin rules that affect an infill lot
Which trees does Austin protect?
A protected tree is 19 inches or more in diameter, any species, measured 4.5 feet above ground. A heritage tree is 24 inches or more and a listed species. Removing a heritage tree 30 inches or larger takes a variance under LDC 25-8-641. The critical root zone radius is 1 foot per inch of trunk diameter, and ECM 3.5.2 allows limited work inside it. Source: City of Austin City Arborist.
Do Pflugerville and Round Rock follow Austin's tree ordinance?
No. Both are outside Austin's ordinance and have their own rules. We check with the city before we plan tree work there.
What is Austin's HOME Initiative?
HOME is a set of City of Austin zoning changes. Phase 1, adopted December 7, 2023, allows up to three housing units on lots zoned SF-1, SF-2 or SF-3. Phase 2, adopted May 16, 2024, allows one unit on a lot of at least 1,800 square feet but under 5,750 square feet. That is why smaller and older lots are being cleared for redevelopment. Source: City of Austin HOME Amendments.
What does a house demolition need in Austin?
A demolition permit, utility disconnects and release, and Historic Preservation review for structures 45 years or older. Austin's asbestos notice exempts single-family homes and buildings with four or fewer units. We walk through the list with you before we quote. Last reviewed: September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does infill site prep cost in Austin?
House demolition is $9,000–$25,000 per house and lot clearing is $4,500–$12,000 per lot. A lot needing both is about the sum of those ranges, before any grading. A site walk sets the number.
How long does an infill lot take?
Most jobs start 1–3 weeks after approval. A single lot is typically a matter of days once machines are on site, and rock or protected trees can add time.
Do you handle the permits?
We support the process with site notes, tree-protection plans and records. The demolition permit, tree permit and drainage review stay with you, your engineer or your GC.
Can you work around protected trees?
Yes. We flag trees on the site walk, mark critical root zones, and keep machines out of them. Limited work inside a root zone follows City of Austin ECM 3.5.2.
What do I get at handoff?
A georeferenced as-built model, a cut/fill comparison against your plan, and a record of the tree-protection setbacks. Our drone scans measure surfaces, quantities and grades. They are not a boundary survey or a sealed survey by a licensed surveyor, and a drone cannot see below the ground surface.
Book Your Free
Site Walk.
Every project starts with a free site walk. We send a written proposal before you commit to anything. Optional: drone scan and 3D surface model of the site, $500–$1,500 per scan. Written quote within 48 hours of the site walk.
Free Site Assessment · No Obligation · Most jobs start 1–3 weeks after approval