Before a single tree comes down or a stump is ground, your project lives or dies on planning. The very first steps are understanding lot clearing permits and scheduling utility markouts—and doing them in the right order. At Burch Excavations, we guide homeowners, builders, and property managers through this pre-work so the actual clearing goes fast, safe, and compliant.
Why permits and markouts must come first
Skipping permits or digging before utilities are marked can derail your job with stop-work orders, fines, damaged lines, injuries, or costly redesigns. Permits confirm you’re allowed to clear and grade; markouts confirm where you can safely work. Together, they:
- Prevent service outages, injuries, and liability.
- Keep your project on schedule by avoiding red tags and rework.
- Protect trees, wetlands, and drainage features you planned to keep.
- Document compliance—crucial for resale, inspections, and insurance.
Common permits you may need (and what they cover)
Every jurisdiction is different, but these are the usual suspects:
- Land Clearing / Tree Removal Permit
Covers removing trees and brush. Some areas require an arborist report or specify replacement plantings. - Grading / Excavation Permit
Required when moving earth above a certain cubic yard threshold or altering drainage patterns. Often tied to a stormwater plan. - Erosion & Sediment Control (E&SC) Plan
Outlines silt fencing, inlet protection, construction entrances, and stabilization to prevent off-site runoff. - Stormwater / NPDES Compliance
For larger sites or sensitive areas, you may need a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) and inspections. - Wetlands / Riparian Buffer Approval
If your parcel touches wetlands, streams, or floodplains, expect setbacks, buffers, and possibly state/federal review. - Zoning / Site Plan Approval
Confirms land use, setbacks, tree save areas, and buffers. Sometimes bundled with building permit review. - Driveway / Right-of-Way Permit
Needed if you’re adding or altering an entrance off a public road.
Tip from Burch Excavations: Apply for permits as a package whenever possible. Submitting grading, erosion control, and tree removal together speeds review and limits conflicting comments.
Utility markouts: how they work (and what they don’t cover)
Before anything touches the soil—mulchers, excavators, stump grinders, even fence augers—schedule a utility locate. In most places, one ticket notifies all member utilities to mark their lines on your property. The service is typically free and required by law.
- How to schedule: Request a locate through your state’s 811 center. You can learn more at Call811.com.
- What gets marked: Public utilities—gas, electric, communications, water, and sewer—up to the meter or demarcation point.
- What doesn’t get marked: Private utilities you own beyond the meter: propane lines from the tank to the house, well lines, irrigation, landscape lighting, septic, pool utilities, and detached building feeds. These require a private locator or your own as-built documentation.
- Tolerance zone: You must hand dig or vacuum excavate within the required distance (often 18–24 inches on either side of marks). Mechanical excavation inside this zone is a violation in many jurisdictions.
- Color codes (the basics):
- Red = Electric
- Yellow = Gas/Oil/Steam
- Orange = Communications
- Blue = Potable Water
- Green = Sewer/Drain
- Purple = Reclaimed/Reuse Water
- White = Proposed work area (your responsibility to pre-mark)
Burch tip: White-line the work area before the utility locator arrives. It clarifies the scope and reduces missed areas or re-tickets.
The correct sequence: what to do first
Follow this order to reduce delays and surprises:
- Define your scope on a simple site sketch.
Show tree save areas, access paths, staging zones, and where you’ll clear or grade. - Check zoning and environmental constraints early.
Look for setbacks, buffers, and wetlands. Adjust the plan now—before you file. - Pre-meet with your contractor (Burch Excavations).
We review your plan for constructability, equipment access, erosion control, and realistic sequencing. - Submit permit applications together.
Include grading, tree removal, and erosion control. Provide a site plan, silt control details, and any required reports. - While permits are under review, request 811 markouts.
Tickets have validity windows (often 10–21 days). Time your request so marks are fresh for the start date. - Arrange private utility locating.
If you have septic, irrigation, propane, wells, or pool lines—book a private locator. We can coordinate. - Install erosion controls once permits are approved.
Silt fence, construction entrance, inlet protection—photograph these for your records. - Hold a pre-start safety walk.
Walk the site with the marked utilities map. Confirm tolerance zones, tree save fencing, and access. - Begin clearing with the right machines in the right order.
Start with access paths, then bulk clearing, then stumping/mulching, minimizing trips across installed controls.
Timelines most owners don’t expect
- Permit review: 1–4+ weeks depending on jurisdiction and complexity.
- Utility markout window: Typically 2–3 business days after the ticket; marks expire, so plan start dates accordingly.
- Private locate scheduling: 3–7 days lead time is common.
- Weather holds: Rain can pause clearing and require re-inspection of erosion controls.
Burch Excavations builds these windows into your schedule so equipment, crews, and inspectors line up without downtime.
Costs to plan for (ballpark, not quotes)
- Permit fees: From a few hundred dollars for small residential clears to several thousand for larger grading permits.
- E&SC installation: Silt fence, inlet protection, and entrances vary by site size; expect materials + labor + maintenance.
- Private utility locate: Typically a few hundred dollars, depending on the number of lines and tracing complexity.
- Tree protection/retention: Fencing and root-zone protection may be required and are worth it to avoid fines or replacement costs.
What happens if you skip steps
- Stop-work orders and fines. Inspectors can halt the job and require restoration before you restart.
- Utility damage and liability. Line strikes are expensive and dangerous—injury risk, emergency response, and repair bills.
- Drainage and erosion issues. Poorly staged clearing can move sediment onto neighbors’ property or public streets.
- Lost design options. Clearing outside approved limits can remove trees or buffers you needed for shade, privacy, or code.
How Burch Excavations makes this easy
- Permit navigation: We prepare site diagrams, coordinate with your designer/engineer, and submit bundled applications when possible.
- 811 + private locating: We schedule public markouts, arrange private locates, and map tolerance zones for the crew.
- Compliance-first clearing: Our operators follow the plan: access first, stabilize early, protect trees and buffers, and document everything.
- One point of contact: You’ll have a single project lead for updates, inspections, and schedule coordination.
Owner’s pre-start checklist
- Site plan with proposed clearing limits and access path
- Permit applications filed (tree removal, grading, erosion control)
- 811 ticket scheduled and confirmed
- Private utility locator booked (if needed)
- Erosion controls staged (materials on site)
- Tree save areas fenced and labeled
- Neighbors notified (optional but courteous)
- Start date aligned with markout validity window
FAQs
Do I always need a permit to clear brush?
Small hand clearing may be exempt, but mechanized clearing, tree removal, or any work that changes drainage usually requires permits. When in doubt, ask your local office—or let Burch Excavations check for you.
If 811 marked the lines, can I dig anywhere else freely?
No. You must respect the tolerance zone and remember that private utilities aren’t included in public markouts.
How long are paint/flag marks valid?
Typically 10–21 days, depending on your state. Rain and traffic can fade marks; you may need re-tickets.
What if my start date slips?
We’ll re-time your 811 requests and coordinate inspectors so your marks and permits are current on day one.
Ready to clear your lot the right way?
Kick off your project with permits and markouts done before boots hit the ground. Burch Excavations can handle the paperwork, schedule the utility locates, and deliver fast, compliant clearing with safety baked in.
One helpful resource to bookmark: Call811.com for free utility locate requests and state-specific safety guidance.
Want us to handle everything end-to-end? Contact Burch Excavations and we’ll build you a simple, code-compliant plan that keeps your schedule—and budget—on track.