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Land Clearing Contractors in Detroit, Michigan

Find land clearing contractors serving Detroit for brush clearing, lot clearing, tree and stump removal, forestry mulching and full site clearing. Compare local companies, check which services each one offers, and contact them directly about your project.

Land Clearing Contractors Serving Detroit

15 land clearing contractors serving Detroit confirm on their own websites that they offer land clearing (checked October 2026). Each listing links to the page where the company describes the service, so you can check it yourself.

Land Clearing Services in Detroit

ServiceBest for
Brush clearingOvergrown lots, fence lines, pasture recovery
Forestry mulchingBrush and small trees, with no debris to haul
Lot clearingMaking a residential lot buildable
Full clearing and grubbingRemoving trees, stumps and roots for construction
Selective clearingKeeping chosen trees on a wooded lot

How Much Do Land Clearing Contractors Charge in Detroit?

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 Detroit-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.

Detroit Permits and Local Rules

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.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Post-construction stormwater managementConstruction that is subject to the drainage charge and replaces or creates 21,780 square feet or more of impervious surface must meet Detroit’s stormwater management rules, administered by the Water and Sewerage Department. Building an individual single-family detached house is exempt.Source
Street trees protectedNo one may destroy, cut, injure or deface a shade or ornamental tree standing in a street, avenue or other public space. Anyone removing a live tree or shrub to build walks, drives or structures for their own gain must pay the General Services Department a deposit equal to the tree’s value.Source
Floodplain managementDetroit adopts the FEMA Flood Insurance Study and rate maps for Wayne County (dated October 21, 2021) as its flood hazard map. The city’s Building Official enforces Appendix G of the Michigan Building Code as the floodplain management rules.Source
Soil erosion and sedimentation control (county)Wayne County’s code names its Department of Environment as the county enforcing agency for Part 91 soil erosion and sedimentation control in Wayne County, and adopts the state SESC rules by reference.Source
Call 811 before diggingAn 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 permitEGLE’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 brushEGLE 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

Confirm requirements for your parcel with the city or county before work starts. See land clearing permits for a full checklist.

How to Choose a Land Clearing Contractor in Detroit

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 before you call, read the land clearing guide, land clearing cost per acre and land clearing permits.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do land clearing contractors charge in Detroit?

Published national figures are the best guide: Angi reports a $3,780 average project and HomeGuide $1,200 to $8,000 per acre. No reliable Detroit-specific average is published, so compare written quotes for the same scope.

Do I need a permit for land clearing in Detroit?

Detroit’s code does not require a permit just to remove trees on private land, but cutting or damaging trees in the street or public right-of-way is prohibited, and removing a live tree for construction requires a deposit. Earth changes are covered by Michigan’s Part 91 soil erosion rules, which Wayne County enforces; state guidance says a permit is typically needed over 1 acre or within 500 feet of a lake or stream. Projects creating 21,780 square feet or more of impervious surface also need Detroit stormwater approval, and work in a mapped floodplain falls under the city’s floodplain rules.

Does land clearing include stump removal?

Not always. Some contractors grind or pull stumps as part of the job, others price them separately, and forestry mulching usually leaves stumps at or near ground level. Make sure the written quote says what happens to stumps.

Can I burn cleared brush in Detroit?

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.

More Directories

Sources

Listings checked October 2026 against each company’s website. Prices are attributed national estimates, not Detroit quotes. Permit summaries are a starting point; confirm requirements for your parcel with the city or county.