Get matched with top land clearing pros in Beech Bluff, TN

This is fairly rare, but sometimes the local government or a group like a historical society will label a tree as a landmark, or historical item. These designations almost always come with a small, on-site plaque for identification, but you should also be able to look up protected trees in your area on a city website or similar list. If the tree in question is a landmark, call your local government and ask how to proceed before making any plans.

Land surveys don’t technically expire. They do serve as a point of reference and a snapshot of your property, though, so as soon as you make changes to your property (and even if your neighbor makes certain changes to theirs), your existing land survey becomes inaccurate, and a new one must be done. Even if you don’t make any changes to your property, many states only guarantee the accuracy of a land survey for five to ten years.

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.

You can’t build on undeveloped land without preparing it for construction, which involves running utilities to the site or accounting for private utilities like wells and septic systems and grading and compacting the soil for safe construction. Once you prepare the land, you can build on it as long as the project abides by local zoning regulations.