Service · Austin & Hill Country

Land Clearing.
Done Right.

Cedar overgrowth or caliche hardpan. A ranchette in Spicewood or a lot in Austin.
We match the method to the outcome — and we prove everything with RTK-grade documentation.
No haul-away surprises. No guesswork on your grade.

Serving Austin & Hill Country Free Same-Week Quote 0.5 – 10+ Acres RTK Verified Every Job
Get a Free Quote See What We Do
48hr Quote Turnaround Most competitors take 2–3 weeks
0 Haul-Away Surprises Mulch-in-place or haul — your call, in the bid
RTK Grade Verified Every job documented — not just the fancy ones
1 Call to Scope CAT equipment + drone in one crew
What we do

Land Clearing Services

Four approaches to clearing land — each matched to a specific outcome. We'll tell you which one fits your project on the site walk.

S1.01

Brush & Cedar Clearing

The FAE mulching head on the CAT 299D3 chops cedar, juniper, and brush down to ground level — mulch stays on-site, feeding the soil instead of a landfill. No hauling fees. No burn permits. The result: a clean, natural-looking property that retains topsoil and reduces erosion.

Park-like result · Soil stays · Nutrients return
$800–$2,200/acre
Density and terrain drive price up
  • Cedar & juniper overgrowth — any density
  • Invasive brush and undergrowth removal
  • Ranchette and estate clearing (10+ acres welcome)
  • Fire mitigation clearing (WUI compliance)
  • No haul-away — mulch returned to soil
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S1.02

Full Site Clearing

When the outcome is bare ground — for a pool, foundation, or new build — we clear to grade. Stumps pulled. Debris hauled or chipped. CAT excavator and skid steer work the site together. RTK drone flies the finish grade and delivers a verified cut/fill report.

Pad-ready · Build-ready · Grade-verified
$1,200–$3,500/acre
Density and terrain drive price up
  • Tree and stump removal with grinding
  • Debris haul-off or on-site mulching (your choice)
  • Rough grading to approved plan
  • Pool excavation and foundation pad prep
  • RTK-verified finish grade delivered as report
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S1.03

Lot Clearing
(Construction-Ready)

Complete vegetation removal and grubbing to bare dirt. Trees, brush, and root systems removed to construction-ready spec. Organic material is processed on-site when feasible — mulched in place or stockpiled for removal. The lot is delivered clean, flat, and ready for the next phase of work.

1–3 Day Turnaround · 0.25–1 Acre Residential Lots
CAT 299D3 XE + FAE Mulcher · Grubbing Attachments
$3,000 – $8,000
Typical residential lot clearing in the Austin metro and Hill Country.
What drives the price up: Lot size is the primary variable — a 0.25-acre infill lot in East Austin runs $3K–$4K, while a full acre of dense cedar and live oak in Lakeway can push past $7K. Vegetation density matters: an overgrown lot with 8-inch cedar takes longer to process than open scrub with scattered mesquite. If the lot has significant debris, old fencing, or dumped material requiring off-site disposal, removal costs add to the base clearing price. Stump grubbing (vs. grinding flush) is more labor-intensive but required for construction-ready spec.
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S1.04

Selective Clearing +
Heritage Tree Preservation

Austin's Heritage Tree Ordinance isn't optional — it's a project-killing liability if you get it wrong. ClearGround flags Critical Root Zones before clearing begins, coordinates with certified arborists, and documents every protected tree's condition with pre- and post-work RTK scans. City compliance isn't something we figure out at the end. It's built into the plan from the first drone flight.

CRZ Flagging + Arborist Coordination
Austin Heritage Tree Ordinance Compliance
Pre/Post RTK Documentation for City Review
$4,000 – $10,000
Per site. Scope depends on tree count, CRZ complexity, and clearing area.
What drives the price up: The number of protected trees is the primary cost driver — a lot with one heritage live oak is a straightforward CRZ flag-and-clear, while a site with four protected trees and overlapping root zones requires precise, slow-speed work with constant boundary verification. Arborist coordination adds a per-tree assessment fee ($150–$400 per tree) that's passed through at cost. If a heritage tree's CRZ extends into the construction zone, the clearing plan has to route around it, which can add a day of machine time. The RTK documentation for city review is included — it's not optional, and it's the piece that prevents the $10K–$50K heritage tree violation penalty.
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S1.05

Rock Milling /
Rock Crushing

Hill Country limestone doesn't have to leave the site. Our FAE rock crusher processes surface rock in place — turning obstruction into engineered aggregate that becomes drainage base, road sub-base, driveway material, or retaining wall backfill. What most contractors haul off at $35–$65 per cubic yard, we turn into a resource that saves the project money.

Zero Haul-Off Waste · FAE Rock Crusher Attachment
0.25–2 Acres · In-Situ Processing
Crushed Limestone → Aggregate / Base Material
$2,000 – $5,000
Per acre of surface rock milling. Actual scope determined by pre-scan rock mapping.
What drives the price up: Rock density and depth are the main variables. A thin 2-inch limestone cap across a half-acre lot mills quickly — under a day. A 6-inch shelf of hard Edwards limestone over a full acre can take 2–3 days of continuous processing. The FAE attachment mills to 4–6 inches of depth; anything deeper requires the excavator and rock hammer, which shifts into excavation pricing. Scattered boulders embedded in soil are more time-consuming per cubic yard than a consistent shelf because the machine repositions constantly. The offset: every cubic yard milled on-site saves $35–$65 in haul-off and tipping fees that you'd pay with a traditional clearing crew.
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S1.06

Rough Grading
to Spec

Cut and fill to the drainage plan or construction-ready grade. Grading is verified with RTK survey data — not a bubble level and a gut feeling. The digital twin shows exactly where material was moved, how much was placed, and whether the final grade matches the engineered specification. Drainage flow lines are confirmed before handoff.

Cut/Fill to Drainage Plan · RTK-Verified Elevations
InSite Elevation Pro Workflow · CAT 308E2 CR
Grade Confirmation Report Delivered
$1,500 – $4,000
Residential lot grading to engineered drainage plan. Often bundled with clearing scope.
What drives the price up: Significant elevation changes require more material movement — a flat lot is a half-day job, but a sloped Hill Country lot with 4+ feet of grade change involves substantially more cut/fill work. Complex drainage plans with multiple flow paths, swales, or retention features take longer to grade precisely than a simple positive-slope-away-from-structure job. If rock is encountered during grading, the scope shifts to rock milling or excavation rates. When bundled with lot clearing as a single mobilization, rough grading is significantly more efficient than scheduling it as a separate phase — one crew, one scan, one handoff.
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Who we work for

Your Project. Our Scope.

Three types of buyers hire us for land clearing. Here's how we approach each one.

Pool Builders

Austin MSA · Texas Hill Country

Hit limestone at 18 inches? That's not a surprise — that's a Hill Country Tuesday. ClearGround scans the subsurface before your crew mobilizes, locates rock shelves in 3D, and clears the lot to construction-ready spec. Rock gets milled. Heritage trees get protected. Your pool dig starts on a pad that's been verified, not assumed.

See how we work with pool builders

Infill Developers

Austin MSA · HOME Initiative · Infill Builders

A heritage tree violation kills your permit timeline. A failed drainage review blows your pro forma. ClearGround handles selective clearing, CRZ compliance, and grading verification as a single mobilization — with RTK documentation that gives your engineer exactly what they need for city review. One partner, one scan, one handoff.

See how we work with developers

Estate & Ranchette Owners

Zero-burn · Zero-permits · Zero headaches

You want a park-like result on your property — not a clear-cut moonscape. Mulch stays on the ground. Topsoil is protected. Desirable trees are flagged before we start. Annual vegetation management available — one call, handled.

Estate Owners page
Predictable, not estimated
TRANSPARENT PRICING
FOR CENTRAL TEXAS.

Every project is unique — but your quote shouldn't be a mystery. We price by terrain density and acreage, not by how long the crew feels like staying. Every estimate is backed by a pre-clearing RTK site scan.

Service Ave. Project Duration Ave. Project Size Rate Basis 2026 Range
Forestry Mulching 1-3 days 0.5-5 acres acres $1,500 - $3,500 / acre
Cedar / Juniper Removal 1-3 days 1-10 acres acres $1,500 - $3,000 / acre
Mesquite Grubbing 1-3 days 1-5 acres acres $1,500 - $3,500 / acre
Dense Trees (Cedar, Juniper, Mesquite) Mulching 1-5 days 0.5-5 acres acres $4,000 - $10,000
Brush / Underbrush Clearing 0.5-1 day 0.25-2 acres acres $800 - $2,000 / acre
Field & Brush Clearing 0.5-1 day 1-10 acres acres $800 - $2,000 / acre
Forestry Clearing & Land Prep 0.5-3 days 0.5-5 acres acres $1,500 - $3,500 / acre
Forestry Mowing 0.5-1 day 0.25-2 acres acres $800 - $2,000 / acre
Tree Mulching & Root Extraction 0.5-3 days 0.5-5 acres per project $4,000 - $10,000
Ranch Pasture Restoration 1-3 days 1-10 acres acres $1,500 - $3,000 / acre
Selective Clearing + Heritage Tree Preservation 1-3 days 1 lot Per lot/site $4,000 - $10,000
Rock Milling / Rock Crushing Access Roads & Pads 1-3 days 0.25-2 acres acres $2,000 - $5,000 / acre
ROW / Easement Clearing 1-5 days 3 linear miles linear miles $2,000 - $5,000 / mile
Wildfire Defensible Space 3-10 days 5-50 acres acres $2,000 - $4,000 / acre
Wildfire Recovery / Rehab 3-10 days 5-50 acres acres $2,000 - $4,000 / acre
Lot Clearing (Construction-Ready) 1-3 days 0.25-1 acre lot 0.25-1 acre lot $3,000 - $8,000
Rough Grading to Spec 1-3 days 0.25-1 acre lot 0.25-1 acre lot $1,500 - $4,000
Mobilization / Transportation 2 hours - 0.5 days 1-3 acres project $500 - $1,500 / project

Pricing includes veteran operators (12–20 years experience) and all fuel/maintenance costs. Projects with significant limestone may require integrated rock milling at a premium rate.

Included Pre-clearing RTK drone scan
Included Post-clearing verification scan
Included Before/after Digital Twin
Included Veteran operator + all fuel
Recurring Maintenance
VEGETATION MANAGEMENT
SUBSCRIPTION.

Cedar and juniper don't clear themselves once. They grow back. An annual maintenance agreement keeps your defensible space intact, your views open, and your fire risk managed — on a predictable schedule.

Tier 01
Buffer
Perimeter fire break maintenance
$1,800 / year
Billed annually
Coverage 1-Acre Perimeter
Frequency 1× Annual
Includes Defensible space zone
Scan Annual comparison
Tier 02 · Most Popular
Protection
Selective clearing + view maintenance
$4,500 / year
Billed annually
Coverage 3-Acre Selective
Frequency 2× Annual (Spring + Fall)
Includes View corridors + fence lines
Scan Seasonal comparison
Tier 03
Estate
Full property + quarterly maintenance
$12,000+ / year
Billed quarterly
Coverage Full Lot (5+ Acres)
Frequency 4× Annual (Quarterly)
Includes Full property management
Scan Quarterly Digital Twin
Every quote starts with a scan.
Book a free RTK site scan and we'll walk your property, map the terrain, and build an accurate estimate — not a guess.
Typical Project Flow

Land clearing is often phase one of a multi-service project. One mobilization, multiple phases, verified handoff at each transition.

01
RTK Site Scan
Subsurface + topo
revealed before work
02
Land Clearing
Clear, grub, mill
to construction-ready
03
Rough Grade
Cut/fill to plan
RTK-verified surface
04
Excavation
Pool shell, pad prep
or foundation dig
05
As-Built Twin
3D model delivered
to next trade
Equipment & Specifications

The iron behind
the precision.

Primary — Clearing & Milling
CAT 299D3 XE

High-flow compact track loader with FAE attachment for vegetation processing and rock milling. Handles clearing, stump grinding, and surface rock in a single machine.

HP Rating
110 HP
Operating Weight
11,574 lbs
Rock Mill Depth
4–6 inches
Primary Use
Clear + Mill
Primary — Excavation & Grading
CAT 308E2 CR

Compact-radius mini excavator purpose-built for tight residential and infill sites. Zero tail swing prevents structure damage on constrained lots. Handles grubbing, grading, boulder removal.

HP Rating
66 HP
Operating Weight
18,101 lbs
Dig Depth
15 ft 2 in
Tail Swing
Zero / Compact
Survey — RTK Mapping
DJI Mavic 3 RTK

Survey-grade drone with Real-Time Kinematic positioning. Centimeter-level accuracy without ground control points. Captures orthomosaics, point clouds, and 3D models.

Accuracy
±0.5 cm
Sensor
4/3 CMOS 20MP
Flight Time
45 min
Output
Ortho + 3D Twin
Primary — Excavation & Grading
Primary — Excavation & Grading
CAT 320

Mass Excavation & Bulk Earthmoving. Heavy Pipeline & Utility Work. High-Volume Truck Loading. Commercial Demolition. Precision Grading at Scale.

HP Rating
172 HP
Operating Weight
49,800 lb
Dig Depth
22 ft
Torque
54,900 lbf-ft
Project Results

Before & After

Documentation is part of every job. Before the first pass and after the final grade — drone flights included.

Before 2.3 ac · Spicewood, TX
After — Day 1 FAE Mulch Head · No haul-away
Before 0.17 ac · East Austin
After — Pad Ready CAT 308E2 · RTK Grade Verified
Service Overview

From raw lot
to construction-ready.

Land reclamation takes an undeveloped, overgrown, or previously abandoned lot and delivers it construction-ready — cleared to bare dirt, grubbed, graded to drainage plan, and verified to spec. This is the first phase of any pool build, infill development, or new construction project in the Austin and Hill Country market.


Unlike forestry mulching — which delivers a park-like finish with soil intact — land reclamation is about preparing ground for what comes next. Vegetation is removed. Stumps are grubbed. Surface limestone is milled in place or excavated. The result is a pad-ready site that your excavation crew, pool builder, or foundation team can mobilize onto without delay.

Traditional "Clear & Grub"
Guess what's under the surface
Hand-level grade checks
Heritage trees discovered mid-clear
No documentation for next trade
Rock haul-off cost surprises
VS
ClearGround Reclamation
RTK pre-scan reveals subsurface
Grade verified to ±0.5cm accuracy
CRZ flagged before first pass
3D digital twin delivered to builder
Rock milled on-site — zero waste
Why ClearGround
Land clearing
is the easy part.
Proving the outcome
is where we
separate from the field.
We quote before they call back
Most Austin land clearing companies take 2–3 weeks to quote. We do a site walk or drone assessment and have your number in 48 hours — before your project schedule is already in trouble.
RTK Documentation on every job
Not just the big ones. Every project gets a pre-job drone survey and a post-job RTK-verified grade report. You get a deliverable, not just a cleared lot.
Method matched to outcome — in the bid
Mulch in place or haul it out. Rock hammer or skid steer. Selective or full clear. You don't guess — it's in writing before the first blade touch.
One crew. CAT equipment + drone.
CAT 308E2 excavator, CAT 299D3 skid steer with FAE mulching head, and a DJI RTK drone. No sub-contractor gaps. One accountable scope from mobilization to final report.
Common Questions

The Questions We Get Every Week

Straight answers. No bait-and-switch quoting language.

What's the difference between land clearing and forestry mulching? +
Around here, people use the terms interchangeably — and that's fine. The real difference is the outcome you want: a park-like cleared property (mulch stays on soil, topsoil protected) or bare ground ready to build on (everything out, grade verified). We scope both and quote both. You don't need to know the terminology — we'll tell you which method fits your project.
Do you haul everything away? +
Your choice, stated in the bid. Mulch-in-place eliminates hauling fees entirely — the FAE mulching head chips everything down to the ground and the mulch feeds the soil. Full haul-off is available for lots where bare ground is the goal. We'll recommend what makes sense for your site and your outcome. No surprise disposal charges after the fact.
What if I hit limestone or caliche? +
Standard in Hill Country work. We do a pre-excavation subgrade scan that shows rock depth before we start — you know what you're walking into before we turn a wheel. The CAT 308E2 with a hydraulic rock hammer handles hard caliche. Crushed rock stays on site as engineered fill unless you want it hauled. No rental equipment surprises.
Will you protect my existing trees? +
Yes — and we document it. A pre-job drone survey flags every tree you want to keep before the equipment mobilizes. Tight CAT equipment works within 24 inches of existing structures and root zones. For Austin infill lots with heritage tree ordinances, we mark every protected tree and include a compliance photo set in the project report.
How big of a job do you take? +
Our sweet spot is 0.5 to 10 acres — residential, ranchette, and infill work where compact-radius equipment and precision matter more than raw throughput. Larger acreage is considered case-by-case. We'll tell you honestly if a job calls for something outside our equipment spec.
How long does a quote take? +
We commit to 48 hours from site visit or drone assessment. Most quotes in Austin take 2–3 weeks from competitors — often because no one answers the phone. We answer, we scope, we send numbers. Call or use the form below and we'll schedule within the same week.

How we work

The 5-Phase Process

Every ClearGround land clearing project — from a quarter-acre lot to a 10-acre ranchette — runs the same documented process. This is why the outcome matches the bid.

Phase 01

Site Assessment & Aerial Survey

Before a quote leaves our desk, a drone survey maps the site. Canopy density, terrain contours, existing structures, and rock indicators are documented. You get a pre-job aerial map — not a guess.

DJI Mavic 3 RTK
1/5
2/5
3/5
4/5
5/5

We let the data
speak first.

Book a free site scan. We'll fly your lot, build the 3D model, and show you exactly what's under the surface — before you commit to anything.

Book a Site Scan