Land Clearing Contractors in Michigan
Find land clearing contractors serving Michigan properties for brush clearing, lot clearing, tree and stump removal, forestry mulching and full site clearing. We list 32 land clearing contractors across 2 Michigan metros, each confirmed on the company’s own website (checked October 2026). Choose a city to compare them.
Browse Michigan Land Clearing Contractors by City
- Detroit land clearing contractors: 15 verified
- Grand Rapids land clearing contractors: 17 verified
Michigan Land Clearing Contractors at a Glance
| City | Contractors | Also forestry mulching | Also stump grinding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 15 | 8 | 9 |
| Grand Rapids | 17 | 3 | 8 |
| Total listings | 32 | 11 | 17 |
Counts come from the listings on each city page. The Contractors column is the number of land clearing companies listed; each confirms land clearing on its own website. The other columns count companies whose sites also confirm that service, so one company can appear in more than one column.
How Much Do Land Clearing Contractors Charge in Michigan?
Angi reports an average land clearing project cost of $3,780 in 2026, and HomeGuide estimates $1,200 to $8,000 per acre. These measure different things: one is per project, the other per acre. Stump removal, debris haul-off and grading are often priced separately. No published source gives a reliable Michigan-specific average, so use these as national planning figures and get local quotes. See land clearing cost per acre for prices by vegetation, lot size and method.
Michigan Rules That Affect Your Project
| Rule | What it requires | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Call 811 before digging | An excavator must notify MISS DIG 811 at least 3 business days before excavating or blasting. Notice can be given by calling 811 or through the MISS DIG website. | Source |
| Construction stormwater permit | EGLE’s Water Resources Division requires NPDES stormwater coverage for construction that disturbs one acre or more and has a point-source discharge to waters of the state. Coverage comes through Permit-by-Rule and depends on first getting a Part 91 soil erosion (SESC) permit. Sites of 1 to 5 acres are covered automatically once the SESC permit is issued; sites of 5 acres or more must also file a Notice of Coverage with EGLE. Separately, a local Part 91 SESC permit is typically needed for any earth change over 1 acre or within 500 feet of a lake or stream. | Source |
| Burning cleared brush | EGLE says open burning of trees, logs, brush and stumps must be done more than 1,400 feet from the boundary of an incorporated city or village. A burn permit is required when the ground is not snow-covered (from DNR offices in the north, local fire departments or municipalities in the south), and local laws may ban open burning. Demolition and remodeling waste should go to a construction and demolition landfill. | Source |
Local rules vary by city:
- Detroit: Clearing or grading that adds or replaces 21,780 square feet (half an acre) or more of impervious surface triggers Detroit’s post-construction stormwater rules, which do not apply to building a single detached house.
- Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids requires a soil erosion (SESC) permit before any earth change over 2,500 square feet, or any earth change within 500 feet of a wetland, stream, lake or floodplain.
How to Choose a Contractor in Michigan
Walk the property with each bidder or send the same marked site plan. Ask what happens to stumps and roots, whether debris is hauled, burned or mulched, who checks tree, grading and stormwater permits, and what condition the site will be in when the crew leaves. Compare written quotes for the same scope, not headline prices.
For background, read the land clearing guide, land clearing cost per acre and land clearing permits.
Sources
- Michigan: 811 requirement (no date)
- Michigan: Construction stormwater permit (no date)
- Michigan: Open burning rules (no date)
- Angi: How Much Does It Cost to Clear Land? (updated September 28, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does It Cost to Clear Land? (written November 20, 2025)
Reviewed October 16, 2026. Confirm permit requirements for your parcel with the city or county.