Inputs

Job assumptions

Acres

Use the net area to be cleared from a map or survey, excluding buffers and retained vegetation.

Hours per Acre

Base the estimate on completed work with similar stems, terrain, access, disposal, and finish.

Density / Difficulty Factor

Use 1.0 for baseline difficulty, then raise it for thicker growth, larger stems, slope, rock, or wet ground.

Hauling / Disposal ($)

Enter total loading, trucking, tipping, burning, chipping, or processing cost allowed by the scope.

Mobilization ($)

Include transport for each machine, permits, loading, unloading, support vehicles, and setup.

Operating cost

Loaded Hourly Cost ($/hr)

Combine machine, attachment, fuel, operator, maintenance, and overhead cost per working hour.

Profit & protection

Target Profit Margin (%)

Margin is profit divided by the final selling price, not a markup on cost.

Estimate brush removal and land clearing by scope

Acreage sets the size of the job; hours per acre, vegetation density, cleanup, and disposal determine much of the work. Define whether the estimate covers brush cutting, grubbing, stump removal, or haul-away before comparing a price per acre.

Worked example

The illustrative 1.5-acre job uses 7 hours per acre and a 1.2 density/difficulty factor: 1.5 × 7 × 1.2 = 12.6 machine hours. At $125/hour, machine cost is $1,575. Add $550 hauling/disposal and $180 mobilization for $2,305 direct cost.

At 30% margin, $2,305 ÷ 0.70 = a $3,292.86 quote, or $2,195.24 per acre for this entered scope. These illustrative figures are not local clearing rates.

Record whether debris stays, is mulched, or leaves the site. Use the Dump Truck Cycle and Hauling Cost Calculator when repeated disposal trips need more support than a single allowance.

Define what cleared means for this customer

Clarify whether clearing includes grubbing, stump removal, or only brush cutting.
Add disposal cost when material leaves the site.
Use a density factor when walking conditions are not easy.
Price cleanup standards before the work starts.

Common questions

Does brush removal include stumps and grubbing?

Only if you include their time and costs in this estimate. Cutting or mulching vegetation above the ground differs from removing roots, grubbing stumps, hauling debris, and preparing a finished surface. List the included tasks explicitly.

How should I choose hours per acre and the density factor?

Start with comparable machine-and-scope records, then document how the current site differs. If the hours-per-acre input already represents dense brush or difficult access, do not add the same slowdown again through the factor. Split substantially different areas into separate scenarios.

When should I use the forestry mulching calculator?

Use the forestry mulching calculator when acreage, mulcher cost, tooth wear, and cleanup describe the operation. Use this clearing estimate for the broader stated scope, including an explicit disposal allowance when debris leaves the property. Neither tool automatically adds stump removal or grading.

Validate clearing production assumptions

For a repeatable task that can be measured by cycle and capacity, use the Equipment Production and Unit Cost Calculator as a sensitivity check before relying on hours per acre in the clearing estimate.

Important disclaimerPlanning estimate only. Verify current costs, measurements, production, scope, access, customer requirements, contracts, permits, insurance, taxes, and local rules before quoting or committing money. This tool does not determine utility clearance, shoring, slope, ground stability, legal payload, securement, machine capacity, licensing, traffic control, environmental compliance, or safe operating procedure. Follow applicable law, plans, manufacturer instructions, and qualified safety guidance.

Land Clearing Calculator