Most jobs
By the job: one written price
One price for the whole lot, set before we start, so you know the cost before the deadline does.
Lot clearing and land clearing in Sonora and Tuolumne County
Lot clearing is cutting the grass, weeds and brush on a vacant lot, acreage or the open part of a property, plus fire breaks along drives and fences. We do lot clearing and land clearing in Sonora and across Tuolumne County before a weed abatement deadline, a sale or a build.
We cut, chip and haul, and we grind stumps, dig and grade with our Bobcat when the lot needs it. You get one written price before we start, and some projects are done at a flat day rate.
Last updated October 19, 2026.
- What we cut
- Grass, weeds, brush and trees.
- Fire breaks
- Along drives and fences, around barns, wells and propane tanks.
- Price
- One written price by the job. A flat day rate on some projects.
- Stumps and dirt work
- Stump grinding, digging and grading with our Bobcat. We never spray.
Who needs lot clearing?
Owners of land that has to be cut back but is not lived on or mowed every week. Most lot clearing calls come from one of these.
- A weed abatement noticeTuolumne County's Fire Prevention Division enforces Chapter 8.14, and the county can clear a lot itself and recover the cost from an owner who does not.
- A vacant lot next to a neighborOutside Sonora, any part of a vacant lot within 100 feet of a building on the next parcel has to be kept as a reduced fuel zone.
- A lot inside SonoraInside city limits the code covers lots with or without a building, with a 10-foot strip along lines that border a building or a driveway.
- A sale or a buildLots cut so buyers, a surveyor or a builder can see the ground, with stumps ground out and rough grading done with our Bobcat if you need it.
- A ranch or pasture edgeFire breaks between pasture and tree line, along fences and around barns and outbuildings.
This crew was great. Had to remove tough junipers on a hill. Had a bobcat, trailer and can-do attitude to get the job done.
A 5-star Google review of our crew, quoted word for word.
What does lot clearing include?
Lot clearing includes cutting tall grass, weeds and brush across the lot, taking out trees and grinding stumps, and cutting fire breaks where a fire would travel: along drives and fences and around barns, wells and propane tanks. The cut material is chipped, hauled away or stacked for a permitted burn.
- Tall grass, weeds and brush on vacant lots and acreage
- Fire breaks along driveways, fence lines and around barns, wells and propane tanks
- Weed abatement notices cleared before the deadline
- Trees and low limbs taken out, and stumps ground
| Around | What the rules ask for | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Propane tanks and outbuildings | 10 feet cleared to bare soil, and no flammable plants for 10 feet beyond that | CAL FIRE; County Chapter 8.14 |
| Wood piles | 10 feet cleared to bare soil all around | CAL FIRE |
| Driveways and roads | A 10-foot reduced fuel strip from the edge, and 15 feet clear overhead | County Chapter 8.14 |
| Property lines in Sonora | A 10-foot strip along lines that border a building or a driveway | Sonora Chapter 8.12 |
| Grass | 4 inches or shorter, and 2 inches inside Sonora city limits | CAL FIRE; Sonora Chapter 8.12 |
Lot clearing before and after
Our own photos of one oak stand, before we started and after we finished. They show the same ground but were not taken from the exact same spot.
Oak woodland floor cleared. Grass and brush under the oaks, the fuel that carries fire from tree to tree, cut short across the stand.
Fence lines, yards and dry grass
How does a lot clearing job go?
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Send the lot and the date
Call or send the form with the address or parcel and any deadline on a notice. We call back the same day.
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We walk the lot
With you, or on the phone if you live away. We look at the acreage, slope, rock and where a trailer can get in.
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One written price
By the job, or a flat day rate if your project suits one. Hauling and dump fees are in the price.
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Cut, cleared, photographed
We cut, chip or haul, and send before and after photos you can keep with the notice.
How much does lot clearing cost?
Lot clearing is priced by the job: we walk the lot and give you one written price before we start, with hauling and dump fees in it. Some projects are done at a flat day rate instead. The size of the lot, how tall and dry the growth is and the slope set most of the price.
Some projects
By the day: a crew and gear, one flat rate
A crew for the day with brush cutters, string trimmers, chainsaws and trailers, at one flat rate.
What moves the price of lot clearing
- Acreage, and how much of it needs cutting
- How tall and dry the grass is, and how much brush is mixed in
- Slope and rock, which mean hand work instead of open cutting
- How close a trailer can get
- Whether it is hauled, chipped or stacked for a burn
For examples, see our 2026 guide to brush clearing cost in Sonora, which covers lots and acreage too.
These guys are amazing! Hardworking and responsive to communication. They helped me clear half an acre of accumulated Pine Needles at a reasonable price. I will definitely hire them again and again.
A 5-star Google review of our crew, quoted word for word.
Can you grind stumps, dig and grade on a lot?
Yes. A lot often needs more than cutting, and we do that work on the same job, so you are not waiting on a second contractor to start.
- Stump grinding and root removal
- Digging and grading with our Bobcat
- Moving brush, logs, soil and rock with the Bobcat
We do not spray. Weeds and brush on a lot are cut and hauled, never sprayed with herbicide. For a big tree that needs a climber, we recommend a licensed tree service.
When is the best time to clear a lot?
Late fall through May, so the grass is down before it cures. CAL FIRE's Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit says three of every four large, damaging fires in Tuolumne County since 1951 happened between mid-June and mid-August.
| When | What fits |
|---|---|
| November to January | Brush, small trees and limbing. Burn piles only after CAL FIRE lifts the summer burn suspension. |
| February to April | Book early. The first growth and the brush come down before the grass cures. |
| May | The last weeks before the grass turns. In 2026 CAL FIRE suspended residential burning below 3,500 feet on May 25. |
| Star thistle | Cut at early flower, just as the yellow blooms begin to appear, so it does not set seed (UC pest management program). |
| June to October | Fire season. Grass cut before 10 a.m. and never on a hot or windy day. Brush is hauled or chipped, not burned. |
Where do we clear lots and land?
Across Tuolumne County, from the open grass hills around Jamestown, where the July 2026 Dove Fire ran toward neighborhoods from Highway 108, to the larger lots around Tuolumne and Soulsbyville, and in Calaveras County, including the grass subdivisions at Copperopolis.
Keep reading
- Defensible space rules in Sonora and Tuolumne CountyIncluding the county's vacant lot rule and the city's property line strip
- Brush clearing cost in SonoraOur 2026 pricing guide, with lots and acreage
- Brush ClearingAlso called brush removal or clearing overgrown brush
- Defensible Space ClearingThe 100-foot fire clearance CAL FIRE inspects
- All of our brush clearing servicesThe three services side by side, and the smaller jobs we take on the same visit
Do you clear vacant lots I do not live near?
Yes. Give us the address or parcel number and we walk the lot with you on a phone call, pointing out what needs cutting. The price comes in writing, the work gets done without you there, and the before and after photos come to you when the lot is done.
Can you clear my lot before the deadline on my notice?
Usually, if you call when the notice arrives. We walk most lots within a day or two and give you a work date along with the written price. Tell us the deadline on the first call so we can schedule around it.
Do you mow pasture and fields?
We cut grass on fields and pasture edges and run fire breaks along fences and around barns. That includes the steep, rocky and tight parts a tractor cannot reach, which we cut by hand with brush cutters and string trimmers.
Can you clear a lot for a build?
Yes. We cut and haul the grass, brush and trees so a surveyor or builder can see the ground, and we grind stumps, pull roots and do the digging and rough grading with our Bobcat if the build needs it.
What about the rocks and stumps on my lot?
Your choice. We grind out the stumps you want gone and can move rocks with our Bobcat, or cut around them and leave them in place.
Can I burn what you cut on my lot?
Only with the permits and on a burn day. You need a CAL FIRE burn permit and, for hazard reduction burns, a county air district permit; piles 4 feet across or smaller; and a permissive burn day, posted on the burn line at (209) 533-5598. Burning is suspended through fire season.
Get a free brush clearing estimate
Tell us where the property is and what needs clearing. We call you back the same day, usually within the hour, and set a time to walk it with you, in person or on the phone if you are out of the area.
- Call (209) 243-5574Monday to Friday 7 AM to 6 PM, Saturday 8 AM to 4 PM