Land surveying costs depend on your project and location. Check with a local pro for your specific job.
To figure out how much it costs to clear land in Boston, contractors will consider your project size, land condition, and other factors.
On average, you’ll pay $297 to $3,323 per half-acre or $593 to $6,646 per acre.
You’ll likely spend more if your job requires labor-intensive work (like removing trees or large rocks).
Densely forested lots also cost several times more to clear than lightly forested areas.
In Massachusetts' capital, it costs $593 to $2,373 to clear an acre of light vegetation but $4,272 to $6,646 to clear an acre of dense forestry.
Clearing land in Boston costs an average of $4,482, with most projects totaling between $1,792 and $7,313. Prices depend on the land’s size, condition, and a handful of other factors. Here’s how these variables determine your final land-clearing costs in Boston.
Lot size is one of the main cost factors for clearing land in Boston, MA, but there are other things to consider as well.
Most projects are priced per half-acre or per acre and take into account the level of vegetation and trees to be cleared.
The cost per half-acre is $297 to $3,323. This is only for your basic clearing of trees, brush, and other debris. To get your lot ready for building, there are additional expenses for services, including topsoil stripping, landscape grading (leveling your lawn), digging, hauling yard waste, and otherwise prepping the land.
The cost per acre to clear land is $593 to $6,646. The price accounts for the range of vegetation that will need to be removed, as well as the intended use for the lot.
| Acreage | Cost to Clear Land |
|---|---|
| 1 | $593–$6,646 |
| 2 | $1,187–$13,291 |
| 3 | $1,780–$19,937 |
| 4 | $2,373–$26,582 |
| 5 | $2,967–$33,228 |
For undeveloped land, a good portion of your total will go toward removing trees, stumps, brush, and overgrowth. The total for this portion of the job could fall anywhere between $237 and $6,646, depending on what you need your pros to remove.
| Removal Type | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Tree removal | $593–$2,373 per acre |
| Brush removal | $24–$237 per acre |
| Stump removal | $119–$178 per stump |
| Large rock removal | $771–$1,424 per acre |
| Small rock removal | $142–$178 per hour |
| Waste removal | $154–$439 |
Tree removal poses significant risks, especially when cutting down large trees. To ensure your safety, hire a professional tree removal service and maintain a safe distance from the fall zone during the operation.
One of the most crucial factors to consider when estimating land clearing costs is the condition of your land. Light brush will cost the least to clear, while densely forested plots and those with large boulders scattered throughout will cost significantly more. The slope of your land also plays a role since a steep plot could prevent your professionals from using heavy machinery that speeds up the job.
| Acreage | Cost Clear Lightly Forested Lots | Cost to Clear Densely Forested Lots |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 | $297–$1,187 | $2,136–$3,323 |
| 1 | $593–$2,373 | $4,272–$6,646 |
| 2 | $1,187–$4,747 | $8,544–$13,291 |
| 3 | $1,780–$7,120 | $12,816–$19,937 |
| 4 | $2,373–$9,494 | $17,088–$26,582 |
| 5 | $2,967–$11,867 | $21,361–$33,228 |
If you rent a dumpster to dispose of brush, trees, and other debris, here’s how much you can expect to pay for it in Boston, MA.
| Dumpster Size | Maximum Weight (tons) | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 10 yards | 2–3 | $267–$682 |
| 20 yards | 2–3 | $326–$831 |
| 40 yards | 5–6 | $415–$949 |
Is there a shed, pool house, or an even larger old structure in the way? Demolition costs can change the whole ball game, adding between $5 and $20 per square foot for the job. You may also need to check for underground electrical and gas lines before proceeding.
Before finalizing your project budget, be sure to factor in these final costs.
When you hire land clearing pros in Boston, MA, you can expect to pay anywhere between $131 and $297 per hour for labor. The complexity of the job and the accessibility of the work site (among other factors) will affect your contractor’s rates.
The city of Boston requires permits for many construction projects that involve clearing land. For example, if you’re clearing land for the purpose of building a shed or pool, you’ll need a Use of Premises Permit, which costs $50. Your contractor should include the costs of all necessary permits in your quote.
Depending on the specifics of your project, you may need other pros—aside from your land clearing contractor—to get the job done. These include:
Forestry mulching cost: $475–$1,780
Tree removal cost: $237–$2,373 per acre
Excavation cost: $1,970–$7,986
Demolition cost: $4,272–$17,919
On its own, clearing land can be a valuable project because it improves your property’s appearance and increases your usable space. However, you can get an even better return on investment (ROI) from this project if you use the cleared land for another purpose—like putting in new landscaping or adding onto your house. These kinds of upgrades can boost your home’s appeal in the eyes of buyers, potentially helping you earn more money when you sell.
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to [email protected]. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Hopkins masonry did a wonderful job on our retaining wall. They're pleasant, easy to work with, conscientious, yet affordable. They really know what they're doing... they know the materials, they know how to work with the land, and they know how to plan for water drainage. That's...
Hopkins MasonryOn 10/02/2020 I was riding my bike on the side of South Rd. in Bedford. A dump truck with Iovino Excavating painted on its side drove up behind me, honking his horn even though I was traveling on the side of the road. As he passed, he deliberately swerved his trailer toward me, missing me by...
AJ and the team did an excellent job at tree removal, tree trimming and removing 10 years of debris from the outskirts of a piece of conservation land They were very responsive, wanted to get the job done right, and reasonable from a price perspective I would not hesitate to recommend them
Juarez LandscapingFor 2+ years, we were dealing with intermittent water leaks on the level below our roof deck. Sometimes even heavy rain would result in no leak, other times a relatively mild downpour left us with buckets all over the kitchen and living room for hours. Imagine the anxiety of checking weather...
Viola Roofing & ContractingWe had an excellent house call. Bob was early, knowledgeable, and very personable. He manage to get the remote to work in this antique house, and then did a four floor , outbuildings and outdoor survey with us. It was an eye opening , learning experience. We have already unplugged some things...
Sila Heating, Cooling, Plumbing and ElectricalVendor promptly showed up as requested to provide a survey of the job, and then as promised, they provided a written quotation which quickly came in easily understood language with clear, concise pricing. The vendor then showed up at the agreed time and date to do the work, and performed the...
Premium Q was absolutely amazing. Not only were they before their scheduled time, they were also extremely efficient. They surveyed our place before beginning to move stuff and then immediately began the work of getting things into the truck. Overall, they took 2 hours to clear everything...
Premium Q Moving and StorageKevin arrived on time, ready to go. He was originally scheduled to clean and inspect each of the buildings four dryer vents located in each condo. After surveying the different dryer locations and setup, only two could be worked on. Of the two dryer vents that could not be serviced, he was...
Puroclean Emergency Restoration ServicesOur church was affected by backed up sewer water from recent rain storm. <br /> Called a few places from Angie List. JP was faster in responding and offered a reasonable price <br /> He, John, came on date and time as agreed upon. He surveyed what I wanted him to do. He offered to do...
J P CARPET CLEANINGWeeks after he stopped by, he sent over a report which wasn't what I needed to submit w/ the building permit. He said it'd cost another $1000 for what was needed and in his report, it also said I needed an entire building structural inspection. At this point, I decided to go with another...
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