Home site clearing is an essential part of preparing a location for construction, especially if the site is currently undeveloped. You will need to do a few things to prepare for the project. Here is a checklist of four items to do to prepare for clearing a site.
Surveying and Staking
You do not want to mistakenly clear land that isn't yours. Ask a surveyor to come in, take measurements, and plant some stakes. In particular, you'll need to know where the boundaries of the property are. If your locality prohibits construction a certain distance from the property line, it's also a good idea to mark the no-go zone.
Existing utility lines can present problems, especially if they're underground. This applies even if there are only main hookups left from previously undone development efforts. Ask utility companies to visit the property and stake out the locations of any lines. This will reduce the odds that a piece of equipment will crash into something like a pipe.
Access
Getting machinery in and out of a site can be challenging, and that's also the case with removing cleared materials. Depending on how difficult the terrain is, you may need to have engineers install temporary access roads. On the upside, these will also be necessary for your construction efforts, so you should get some use out of them.
Contact the home site clearing contractor to learn about the equipment they'll need. You can then engineer the temporary access roads accordingly.
Easements
You might need to bring equipment across someone else's property, too. If this is the case, it's a good idea to obtain an easement. Tailor the easement to the timeframe for your project, and include specific language regarding what will be coming in and going out. You may need to pay for the easement, and some property owners might want you to post a bond to protect their locations, too.
Preservation
If there is anything you want to preserve on the property, you will need to clearly identify it. Otherwise, you can expect the home site clearing crew to knock it down or tear it up. For example, there might be an old-growth tree that looks great. Mark the tree clearly so no one accidentally mistakes it for something to be cleared.
It is also a good idea to clearly mark what needs to go. This will significantly reduce confusion. Make sure the colors you use to mark desired and undesired items are as distinct from each other as possible.
Reach out to a company like Piedmont Site Works to learn more.
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