The Directory
Land Clearing companies in the Bay Area
55 local operators offer land clearing. Filter by county or search by name — then request a quote.
55 companies
Defensible Space & Land Clearing Systems
Local operator
Licensed Timber Operator specializing in defensible space clearing, forestry mastication, brush mulching, and hand-crew cutting across the North Bay. Owner has 25+ years as a wildland firefighter.
Serves: Sonoma · Napa · Marin · Solano
AJ Property Clearing and Tree Service
Local operator
Suisun City–based tree and lot-clearing company offering tree removal, lot clearing, and stump grinding across Solano, Napa, and Sonoma.
Serves: Solano · Napa · Sonoma
Wallace Tree Service
Local operator
Napa-based tree and lot-clearing company handling land clearing, mulching, brush removal, driveway/road clearing, and stump grinding from Napa to Vallejo.
Serves: Napa · Solano
Johnston General Engineering
Local operator
Napa engineering contractor specializing in excavating, grading, and utilities — including land clearing, building pads, driveway widening, drainage, and defensible space.
Serves: Napa · Sonoma
Demar Inc.
25+ yrs
Sonoma excavation contractor operating since 2000, handling land clearing, site and pad preparation, driveway grading, and drainage across Sonoma and Napa.
Serves: Sonoma · Napa
Tight Access Excavation
35+ yrs
Sebastopol family-owned excavation and directional-drilling firm since 1990, providing land clearing, excavation, utilities, and drainage across Marin, Sonoma, and Napa.
Serves: Marin · Sonoma · Napa
DW Excavation
13+ yrs
Sonoma County excavation contractor since 2013 offering grading, land development and clearing, driveway/road construction, drainage, and erosion control.
Serves: Sonoma
Sasquatch Tree Pros
Local operator
Sonoma County tree service creating defensible space and using forestry mulchers to convert thick brush and small trees into mulch for fire-fuel reduction and lot clearing.
Serves: Sonoma
Adobe Construction
Local operator
Penngrove general engineering contractor providing driveway construction, grading, site prep, and land clearing across Sonoma, Marin, and Napa.
Serves: Sonoma · Marin · Napa
Brush Pros
44+ yrs
Oakland brush clearing and fire-abatement company since 1982, on the Oakland and Berkeley fire departments' defensible-space contractor lists. Serves the East Bay hills.
Serves: Alameda · Contra Costa
Wickersham
Local operator
Tractor-services and construction-trucking operator serving East Contra Costa farmland and the Tri-Valley — mowing, discing, grading, augering, fire breaks, and weed abatement.
Serves: Contra Costa · Alameda
Lisac General Engineering
22+ yrs
General engineering contractor specializing in land clearing, forest mastication, and site prep for homeowners and large property owners across the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Peninsula/South Bay. Since 2004.
Serves: San Mateo · Santa Clara
MGA Tree Services
Local operator
Tree and land-clearing company offering forest mastication, brush removal, wildfire fuel reduction, and defensible space across Santa Clara County and the Peninsula. CSLB #1046813.
Serves: Santa Clara · San Mateo
Sawyers Forestry
13+ yrs
Licensed timber operator providing defensible space, lot and land clearing, and wildfire fuel reduction in the South Bay and Santa Cruz Mountains. Since 2013.
Serves: Santa Clara
Skyline Tree Experts
Local operator
ISA-certified Bay Area tree service offering defensible space, brush clearance, and tree and stump removal across the Peninsula estates and South Bay foothills.
Serves: San Mateo · Santa Clara
EC Tree Service
Local operator
Redwood City tree service creating defensible space through whole-property brush clearance and removal of combustible vegetation, plus stump grinding. CSLB #903257.
Serves: San Mateo · Santa Clara
Precision Tree Care
Local operator
Pacifica certified-arborist firm focused on fire prevention and defensible space for hillside and wooded properties, with brush clearance and stump removal across coastal San Mateo and South SF.
Serves: San Mateo · San Francisco
Harris Excavation
Local operator
Excavation and grading contractor providing site prep, trenching, drainage, and erosion control across Santa Clara and San Mateo. CSLB #1117960 and Licensed Timber Operator.
Serves: Santa Clara · San Mateo
Half Moon Bay Grading & Paving
49+ yrs
Family-owned, four-generation Half Moon Bay contractor offering grading, excavation, site work, land clearing, driveways, and storm-drain systems across the coastal Peninsula. Since 1977.
Serves: San Mateo
Simply Trees
Local operator · CSLB #912462
Livermore tree service offering tree removal, stump grinding, and lot clearing across the Tri-Valley — Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon, Alamo, and Danville.
Serves: Alameda · Contra Costa
Buena Vista Tree Service
25+ yrs · CSLB #815538
Certified-arborist-led East Bay tree care company (since 2001) serving Oakland to Pleasanton with tree removal, stump grinding, and lot clearing; recycles 100% of green waste.
Serves: Alameda · Contra Costa
Stumpy's Tree Service
17+ yrs
Livermore tree service (since 2009) handling hazardous removals, stump grinding, and land clearing across the Tri-Valley; ISA members and certified arborists.
Serves: Alameda · Contra Costa
Livermore Tree Service
Local operator
Tri-Valley tree care company providing tree removal, trimming, and stump grinding across Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, and Sunol.
Serves: Alameda · Contra Costa
Campbell Services LLC
20+ yrs
Full-service excavation contractor (20+ years) offering excavation, limited-access digs, grading, drainage, demolition, and land clearing across central Contra Costa.
Serves: Contra Costa
Have Dump Truck Will Travel
20+ yrs
Bobcat-based excavation and grading operation (20+ years) offering excavation, grading, trenching, site prep, demolition, and debris hauling throughout San Francisco and the East Bay.
Serves: San Francisco · Alameda · Contra Costa
Bay Area Tree Care, Inc.
Local operator · CSLB #848042
Licensed and insured tree care company (C-61/D49) serving Brentwood, Oakley, and wider Contra Costa and Alameda with tree removal, stump grinding, lot clearing, and weed abatement.
Serves: Contra Costa · Alameda
Johnson's Tree Care Inc.
25+ yrs · CSLB #1007582
Family-owned tree care company serving the San Francisco Bay Area for 25+ years; CSLB licensed, bonded, and insured, offering tree removal, trimming, and lot clearing.
Serves: San Francisco · Alameda · Contra Costa
Demolition San Francisco
Local operator
San Francisco demolition and excavation firm handling emergency and hillside excavation, grading, lot clearing, erosion control, and site development across SF and the East Bay.
Serves: San Francisco · Alameda
Contractors in San Francisco
30+ yrs
Excavation and hillside-stabilization specialist (30+ years): precision excavation, grading, drainage, land clearing, soil compaction, and landslide repair across SF, Oakland Hills, Lafayette, and San Ramon.
Serves: San Francisco · Contra Costa · Alameda
Antioch Land Clearing
Local operator
Land clearing service covering East Contra Costa — Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Pittsburg, and Concord — for lot clearing, construction site clearing, brush and stump removal, grading, and debris hauling.
Serves: Contra Costa
SRT Forestry
15+ yrs · CSLB #1096455
Santa Rosa contractor focused on defensible space and fire prevention: brush clearing, ladder-fuel reduction, tree thinning, and stump grinding across Sonoma, with select Napa and Marin work. ISA Certified Arborist, TCIA-accredited.
Serves: Sonoma · Napa · Marin
Taurian Construction
Local operator · CSLB #1112490
Santa Rosa general engineering contractor specializing in excavation, grading, utility trenching, septic, and site prep/clearing on sloped and hillside parcels throughout Sonoma County.
Serves: Sonoma
Farr Construction Co.
Local operator · CSLB #444117
Santa Rosa A & B licensed general engineering contractor: grading, excavation, lot clearing, road construction, underground utilities, foundations, and fire cleanup.
Serves: Sonoma · San Mateo · Santa Clara
Western Land Co.
Local operator · CSLB #1116565
Aptos-based land-management and fire-fuels-reduction specialist: forestry mulching/mastication, brush clearing, defensible space, and invasive-species removal. CAL FIRE Licensed Timber Operator (LTO B013471).
Serves: Santa Clara
Brush Hog Tree Care
Local operator
Peninsula/coastside crew running skid-steer and excavator forestry mulching for defensible space and large-acreage fuel reduction — Half Moon Bay, Woodside, La Honda, Pescadero, Hillsborough, Los Gatos. Led the RCD's 19-mile La Honda fuel break.
Serves: San Mateo · Santa Clara
San Jose Tree Service & Landscaping
60+ yrs · CSLB #985639
Three-generation, BBB-accredited tree and landscaping company offering land clearing, defensible space, weed abatement, poison-oak removal, and stump removal across San Jose, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Morgan Hill, and Gilroy.
Serves: Santa Clara · San Mateo
Independent Contractor Inc.
Local operator
Excavation, demolition, and grading contractor experienced in hillside/steep-lot grading, vineyard lot clearing, and tight-access site work across the Bay Area.
Serves: Santa Clara · San Mateo · Sonoma · Napa
Dirt Works 1, Inc.
Local operator
Excavation contractor serving northern Sonoma County and the Sonoma Coast: land clearing, grading, building pads, roads/driveways, ponds, septic, trenching, and stump removal.
Serves: Sonoma
SkyView Tree Experts
Local operator
Sonoma County tree service offering defensible space creation, CAL FIRE-guideline brush thinning, and stump grinding across Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Petaluma, and Healdsburg.
Serves: Sonoma
Am/Pm Tree Service, Inc.
Local operator · CSLB #1007759
Tree care and land-clearing contractor serving Solano and Napa (plus the East Bay): acreage land clearing, tree removal, stump grinding, and 24/7 storm response.
Serves: Solano · Napa · Contra Costa · Alameda
EZ Tree Inc
Local operator · CSLB #929913
Vallejo-based tree service serving Solano County with weed and fire abatement, brush mulching, tree removal, and stump work. ISA-certified arborist on staff.
Serves: Solano
Pacific Tree Care
43+ yrs · CSLB #672522
Calistoga tree care company (since 1983) serving Napa County: fire mitigation and brush clearing, defensible-space creation, wildfire risk assessment, tree removal, and stump grinding. ISA and TCIA affiliated.
Serves: Napa
A-1 Forestry Group
30+ yrs
Forestry-mulching division of A-1 Tree Service (30+ years): mastication, fuels reduction, fire-break construction, defensible space, and burn-zone restoration with CAL FIRE-qualified crews across the North Bay.
Serves: Napa · Sonoma · Solano · Marin
Treemasters
Local operator · CSLB #660226
Long-established San Rafael ISA-certified tree service — the first green-certified tree company in Marin — handling fire-prone species removal, defensible-space compliance, and stump grinding.
Serves: Marin
Clements Tree Service Inc.
Local operator · CSLB #605793
Mill Valley tree service on the FireSafe Marin contractor list: brush clearing, chipping, and defensible-space work, with maneuverable trucks and chippers for remote hillside access.
Serves: Marin
World Tree Service
Local operator
FireSafe Marin preferred tree service with thousands of hours of contract wildfire hazard reduction, chipper days, and arboriculture work across Marin County.
Serves: Marin
Flores Tree Service
Local operator
Registered and insured San Rafael tree service offering tree removal, trimming, and stump grinding across Marin County.
Serves: Marin
Gonzalez's Tree Service
25+ yrs
Family-owned tree service (since 2001) serving Marin, Sonoma, and Napa — Novato and San Rafael included — with tree removal, pruning, and stump grinding.
Serves: Marin · Sonoma · Napa
East Bay Tree Service
Local operator · CSLB #805794
Orinda-based tree and lot-clearing company serving the East Bay from Berkeley and Oakland to Walnut Creek: MOFD fire-compliance defensible space, brush chipping, lot clearing, and stump grinding.
Serves: Contra Costa · Alameda
Rocha Construction & Earthworks
Local operator · CSLB #838772
Half Moon Bay earthwork contractor serving the coastal San Mateo Peninsula (Pescadero, La Honda, Woodside, Portola Valley) and into Santa Clara: land clearing, grading, excavation, erosion control, culverts, and dirt/gravel roads.
Serves: San Mateo · Santa Clara
Sonoma Marin Arborists
19+ yrs · CSLB #896313
Petaluma woman-owned, BBB-accredited tree and landscaping contractor (since 2007): mastication, mowing, brush chipping, firebreaks, stump removal, and excavator work across Sonoma and Marin.
Serves: Sonoma · Marin
A&E Arborists Tree Care
Local operator
ISA-certified arborists and CAL FIRE Licensed Timber Operators doing land clearing, mastication, fire-fuel reduction, stump grinding, and excavation across Napa and Solano.
Serves: Napa · Solano
SpiderMax USA
Local operator
Forestry mulching and fire-fuel-reduction operator serving Solano County: oak-woodland clearing, riparian and utility-corridor vegetation management for homeowners, HOAs, and agencies.
Serves: Solano
Brush Services
20+ yrs · CSLB #989577
Family-owned masticator/mulcher (20+ years) covering the East Bay and South Bay: brush clearing, forestry thinning, defensible space, fire-risk abatement, and access-road clearing.
Serves: Santa Clara · Alameda · Contra Costa · Solano
JLS Environmental Services, Inc.
24+ yrs · CSLB #812780
Vegetation-management firm (since 2002) offering forestry mulching, brush mastication, CAL FIRE-compliant defensible space, lot clearing, erosion control, and right-of-way clearing across the North Bay.
Serves: Solano · Napa · Sonoma
Removing brush, trees, stumps, and debris so a parcel can actually be used — for a home, a barn, pasture, crops, or a sale. The all-in version of clearing, from standing growth down to a graded, clean surface.
Land clearing is the broad job of getting a parcel from overgrown to usable. Depending on the property that can mean mowing and grubbing light brush, felling and removing trees, pulling and grinding stumps, hauling off debris, and finishing with a rough grade. Where forestry mulching leaves material on-site, full land clearing often involves removal — which is why it costs more and may require permits.
The right approach depends on what you're building toward. A pasture or solar site might only need brush and stumps gone. A home site usually needs trees removed, stumps ground or pulled, debris hauled, and the pad roughed in. Good crews mix methods — mulching the brush, felling and removing big trees, and grading the result — to hit your end use at the lowest cost.
Pricing swings hard with vegetation density. Light brush runs roughly $1,500–$2,500 per acre, while heavily wooded ground with mature trees and stumps can hit $4,000–$6,000 per acre or more. A typical residential lot averages around $2,600. Stumps are often priced separately at $100–$400 each, and many California jurisdictions require a clearing or grading permit costing $100–$500.
How It Works
The Land Clearing process
- 1
Assessment & permitting
The contractor scopes vegetation, trees, and access, flags any permit needs ($100–$500 in many CA jurisdictions), and confirms what stays vs. goes.
- 2
Clear & remove
Crews mulch or mow brush, fell and remove trees, and pull or grind stumps, separating material for mulch, firewood, or haul-off.
- 3
Debris handling
Removed wood and debris is chipped, hauled, or staged per your plan and local burn rules.
- 4
Rough grade
The cleared surface is roughed in and leveled so it's ready for survey, building, or planting.
Who It's For
Common reasons to book
FAQ
Land Clearing questions, answered
How much does it cost to clear an acre?+
Most acres fall between $1,500 and $6,000+. Light brush with few trees runs roughly $1,500–$2,500 per acre; densely wooded ground with mature trees and stumps can reach $4,000–$6,000 or more. A typical residential lot averages around $2,600. The biggest cost drivers are tree density, stump count, slope, and how far debris has to travel.
Do I need a permit to clear my land?+
Often yes. Many Bay Area counties require a grading or land-clearing permit, typically $100–$500, especially when you're moving soil, removing protected trees, or clearing near creeks and steep slopes. Forestry mulching that recycles material on-site sometimes avoids this. Always check with your county planning department before any machine touches the ground.
What's the difference between land clearing and forestry mulching?+
Mulching grinds vegetation in place and leaves it as mulch — fast, low-impact, often permit-free. Full land clearing is broader: it can include removing trees and stumps entirely, hauling debris off-site, and grading. Clearing costs more and is the right call when you need the ground genuinely cleared down to bare, buildable dirt.
Are stumps included in the price?+
Usually not by default. Stump removal or grinding is commonly priced separately at $100–$400 per stump depending on diameter and species. If you want a truly clean pad, say so up front so stumps are in the quote rather than a surprise add-on.
How long does clearing take?+
Anywhere from a day to a couple of weeks. A lightly brushed acre can be done in a day; a wooded multi-acre parcel with trees, stumps, debris removal, and grading can run a week or more. Access, weather, and permit timelines all factor in.
Related Services
Often booked together
Brush Clearing & Forestry Mulching
A single skid-steer or excavator with a drum mulcher grinds standing brush, saplings, and small trees into a nutrient-rich mulch layer left right on the ground — no burning, no hauling, minimal soil disturbance.
Learn more →🪵Stump Removal & Grinding
Mechanical grinding of tree stumps several inches below grade so you can replant, build, mow, or just be rid of the trip hazard — without the cost and disturbance of digging the root ball out.
Learn more →⛰️Grading & Site Prep
Leveling and shaping soil, cutting and filling, building pads, and compacting ground so it drains correctly and supports what comes next — a foundation, a barn, a driveway, or a finished yard.
Learn more →Get matched with a Bay Area clearing pro
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