Permit requirements to clear land vary by municipality, so whether or not you need permits depends on where you live and what you’re removing from the land. Some building departments will require permits for any underground work or excavation, meaning grinding down tree stumps on your property would require permits. Others mandate individual permits for each tree you remove. You can contact your local building department or a land-clearing specialist near you to see if permits are necessary for your job.
When planning for land survey costs, you should consider the following elements as major contributors to the overall cost:
Size of your property in terms of acres or square feet
Complexity of the terrain in terms of hills, elevation changes, rocks, water, and other features
Type of survey you need (boundary survey, topographic survey, or a combination of survey types)
Distance traveled for the professional surveyor
Prior to excavation, you should prepare the dig site and call 311 before you sign anything.
To get your site ready for excavation, you should move anything in the area that isn’t affixed to the land. You can save money on the excavation by removing hardscaping, including walkways, decks, concrete patios, and paver patios.
Before you carry out any digging, you should call 311 to confirm that there are no utility lines running through your excavation site. Skipping this step could lead to severe injury and property damage if your excavator hits a water, sewage, or gas line.
Depending on property size and complexity, usually 1-3 weeks.
Soil testers and licensed excavators are often the professionals you hire if you need a perc test. In some cases, structural engineers will also be able to conduct the test for you. In many municipalities, you’ll need your professional on-site to dig and fill the holes with water, as well as a representative from your local building department or health department. That representative is the individual who will determine whether your test passes or fails.
The Chiloquin, OR homeowners’ guide to land surveying services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Wondering whether you need a land survey or a plot plan? Learn about the differences between the two, when to do each, and what information they provide.