While seemingly straightforward on YouTube or Reddit, trying to do land clearing yourself can be a potentially risky endeavor. Especially for property owners in the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding areas like Front Royal, Strasburg, Linden, and Fort Valley, DIY land clearing can produce subpar results and potentially damage property.
At Price Land Clearing, we have aided homeowners in all manner of excavating, mulching, forestry clearing, and land clearing services. As such, we are familiar with the main problems you would encounter by doing land clearing yourself. Here are some of the common problems that are easily solved by hiring a land clearing company.
Safety Hazards and Injury Risk
Land clearing typically requires heavy machinery, which can be difficult to operate by yourself. A solo or inexperienced operator will additionally encounter problems with falling debris, such as tree branches, rocks that could damage equipment, or buried roots and stumps. Without professional training, the risk of serious injuries increases by a substantial margin.
Some common DIY risks also include:
- Chainsaw kickback
- Equipment damage
- Wildlife or poisonous plant encounters
Many individuals underestimate how trees will fall and how much expertise is needed to successfully complete a land clearing project.
Expenses and Hidden Costs
When people typically think about DIY, their first instinct is that it will save money. However, land clearing yourself is not like most DIY projects. A lot of people encounter:
- Rental and maintenance costs: Bulldozers, excavators, and mulchers run high in price, with breakdown repair costs due to improper usage often having to come out of your pocket.
- Property damage: Many DIY users report accidental damage to their property, including subterranean utilities and soil destruction.
- Subpar Completion: Without professional eyes, many aspects of the project can be incomplete, which can complicate future construction and may drive down the cost of your property.
Professional services like Price offer years of experience, which translates to a complete project, with no hidden costs and up-front expenses.
DIY Land Clearing Time Consumption
Although DIY is often associated with saving time, projects of the magnitude of land clearing can drone on from weeks to months without proper training and project management, especially if the project is completed by one or two inexperienced people. Some factors to consider would be:
- Virginia soil: Especially in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia has thick brush, rocky soil, and inconsistent terrain levels.
- Debris clearing: Properly disposing of debris can take weeks in addition to proper grading of the soil.
- Weather: Especially during summer periods, heavy rain can delay the project and cause erosion to the project.
Price can expedite the project and provide clear estimates on the completion of your project.
Legal Issues in Virginia
Virginia enforces strict regulations on land-clearing activities.
- Permits: The majority of land clearing jobs that extend over a certain size need approved plans and ESC (Erosion and Sediment Control) permits. You could unknowingly be in violation, which brings hefty fines.
- Zoning: If you were to accidentally clear anything outside of your property, there could be legal issues with neighbors, national parks, or local government.
At Price, we have intimate knowledge of Virginia regulations and permit requirements, enabling us to automate your project plans and give you peace of mind.
Why Hire Price Land Clearing Instead of Doing it Yourself?
Price Land Clearing has consistently provided quality, affordable, and compliant land clearing services to Virginia for decades. By partnering with us, you will avoid the main problems with land clearing yourself and enjoy:
- Fast project completion
- Lower costs
- No insurance issues
- No risk of environmental damage to property
We graciously serve the many locations in Shenandoah Valley, such as:
- Front Royal
- Strasburg
- White Post
- Linden
- Stephens City
- Winchester
All of which include a wide array of terrain, which, after many years of experience, we are best suited to provide superior excavation services on. We understand how to manage mountainous terrain, slopes, and rugged soil to provide personalized care to your property.
Get your Free Excavation Quote [Here]
- Phone: 540-233-1215
- Email: info@landclearingva.com
- Offices: Front Royal and Fort Valley, VA