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Land Clearing Contractors in Rochester, New York

Find land clearing contractors serving Rochester 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 Rochester

27 land clearing contractors serving Rochester 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 Rochester

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 Rochester?

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 Rochester-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.

Rochester Permits and Local Rules

In Rochester, stripping or grading more than 10,000 sq ft, moving more than 50 cubic yards of soil or fill, or doing any site preparation in a floodplain, wetland or on steep slopes requires a City site preparation permit under Chapter 39.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Site preparation permit (clearing, grading, excavation, fill)A site preparation permit is required before stripping or grading that affects more than 10,000 sq ft, excavation affecting more than 50 cubic yards (not tied to building construction), or filling over 50 cubic yards on a parcel or contiguous area; stripping is defined to include clearing and grubbing (Sec. 39-404, 39-405). Permits are issued by the Commissioner of Neighborhood and Business Development after Stormwater Management Officer review, and the City may require a financial guarantee for erosion and stormwater controls (Sec. 39-403, 39-406, 39-409).Source
Floodplain, wetland and steep-slope site workAny site preparation within the floodplain of a watercourse, within wetlands, or on slopes steeper than 1.5 feet of rise per 10 feet of run (shown by a topographic survey) needs a site preparation permit regardless of size (Sec. 39-405). Approved work must keep erosion and sedimentation to a minimum and must not block watercourses or drainage (Sec. 39-408).Source
Stormwater plan for one acre or moreChapter 39 Part II applies to land disturbance, including clearing, grading and excavating, of one acre or more, or less if part of a larger common plan of development or sale (Sec. 39-442). A SWPPP signed by a New York licensed professional engineer must be approved (or waived) before the City issues building, grading or site plan approval (Sec. 39-444, 39-448).Source
Tree protection during grading and constructionDuring grading and construction, a protected zone out to each retained tree’s drip line must be fenced with a barrier approved by the Director of Zoning and Permitting, and no paving, grading or storage of soil, materials or equipment is allowed inside it; failing to keep barriers up can lead to revocation of the building permit (Sec. 120-169). Disturbed ground must be permanently stabilized to prevent erosion.Source
Coastal erosion hazard area permit (Lake Ontario shoreline)Within the Coastal Erosion Hazard Area mapped by NYSDEC, regulated activities need a coastal erosion management permit from the City’s Administrator, and the work must not measurably increase erosion (Sec. 43A-5, 43A-6). On bluffs, excavating is prohibited except for permitted minor alterations, and soil disturbance that sends runoff over the bluff face is prohibited (Sec. 43A-11).Source
Call 811 before diggingExcavators and contractors must contact New York 811 (online ITIC or by calling 811) at least two working days but no more than 10 days before digging, not counting weekends and legal holidays.Source
Construction stormwater permitNYSDEC issues SPDES General Permit GP-0-25-001 for construction stormwater (effective Jan 29, 2025, expires Jan 28, 2030). Coverage is required for soil disturbance of one or more acres; 5,000 sq ft or more in the NYC East of Hudson watershed; and, inside New York City, 20,000 sq ft or more (or 5,000 sq ft or more of new impervious area), including smaller parts of a larger common plan of development.Source
Burning cleared brushStatewide, burning trash, leaves and treated or painted wood is banned. Downed limbs and branches under 6 inches in diameter and 8 feet long may be burned on site only in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents, and never from March 16 through May 14. Open fires of organic agricultural waste are allowed on contiguous farmland over 5 acres. The DEC page does not list land-clearing or construction debris as an allowed exception, so large land-clearing burn piles are not authorized by these rules.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 Rochester

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 Rochester?

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 Rochester-specific average is published, so compare written quotes for the same scope.

Do I need a permit for land clearing in Rochester?

Often yes. Rochester requires a site preparation permit for stripping (including clearing and grubbing) or grading more than 10,000 sq ft, excavation or fill over 50 cubic yards, and any site work in a floodplain, wetland or on steep slopes. Disturbing one acre or more also requires a City-approved SWPPP, and NYSDEC construction stormwater coverage applies at one acre. Work near the Lake Ontario shoreline may need a coastal erosion management permit.

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 Rochester?

Statewide, burning trash, leaves and treated or painted wood is banned. Downed limbs and branches under 6 inches in diameter and 8 feet long may be burned on site only in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents, and never from March 16 through May 14. Open fires of organic agricultural waste are allowed on contiguous farmland over 5 acres. The DEC page does not list land-clearing or construction debris as an allowed exception, so large land-clearing burn piles are not authorized by these rules.

More Directories

Sources

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