Site Clearing for New Construction — Trees, Stumps and Topsoil
You have a lot and a house plan. Before the foundation can be dug, the trees, stumps and topsoil inside the building area have to come out and trucks need a way in.
JMB Builders does site clearing for new construction across the Twin Cities metro and north to St. Cloud. We take out the trees, brush and stumps inside the building area, strip the topsoil and stockpile it on the lot for final grade, and rough in the building pad and a gravel access so trucks can get in. Priced per project after a site visit.
- Priced per project after a site visit
- Trees, brush, stumps and topsoil stripping
- Topsoil stockpiled on site for final grade
- Gopher State One Call before any digging
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
A new house starts with a cleared, stripped building area. Trees and stumps come out of the house footprint, the driveway and a working strip around the house. Topsoil gets peeled off and piled where it will not be in the way, because it is organic and will settle under a footing or a slab. It goes back on at the end for the lawn.
Clearing done badly costs money later. Roots left in the pad rot and leave soft spots. Topsoil mixed into the fill has to be dug back out. A stockpile dropped in the wrong corner gets moved twice. We walk the lot with your plan first and mark what comes out, what stays, and where the piles go.
Before any digging we call Gopher State One Call (811) so the buried utilities are marked. If the lot borders a wetland, keep in mind that Minnesota protects wetlands, and a delineation or a permit may be needed before clearing near one.
What you supply
- The site plan or survey showing the house, driveway and setbacks
- Stakes or corners set by a surveyor, if the lot is not staked yet
- Any permits your city or county requires for the build or for tree removal
- Which trees you want saved, flagged or pointed out on the walk-through
What JMB supplies
- A walk-through of the lot with your plan before the quote
- Gopher State One Call (811) locate request before digging
- Tree, brush and stump removal inside the clearing limits
- Topsoil stripped from the building and driveway area and stockpiled on the lot
- Rough building pad and a gravel access for delivery trucks
- Hauling, chipping or mulching of the brush and wood, as agreed on the quote
- Photos of the cleared site in your job folder
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- How many trees and how big they are, and how many stumps
- How much of the lot has to be cleared: house footprint only or house, driveway and yard
- Depth of topsoil to strip and how far it has to move to the stockpile
- Hauling the wood and brush away vs. chipping or mulching it on site
- Access: road frontage, slope, soft ground, overhead lines
- Whether fill has to be brought in to raise the pad
Send the address, the site plan and a few photos of the lot. We set up a site visit before the quote is firm.
How long it takes
A typical wooded residential lot: a few days of machine work once the locates are marked. Heavily wooded or wet lots take longer.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Building footprint and working strip
Trees, stumps and topsoil out of the house footprint plus room around it for the foundation crew and the backfill. The rest of the lot stays as it is.
House, driveway and yard
The full cleared area for the house, garage, driveway and the lawn you plan to seed or sod. Topsoil stockpiled for final grade.
Wood handling
Brush and trunks hauled away, chipped, or mulched on site with a forestry mulcher. Burning is only an option where your city or county allows it and a burn permit is issued.
Construction access
A gravel pad at the road so concrete and lumber trucks do not rut the lot or track mud onto the street. A culvert or a new approach needs the road authority's approval first.
Site Clearing for New Construction — Trees, Stumps and Topsoil: questions, answered
What does site clearing for a new house include?
Site clearing removes the trees, brush and stumps from the building area, strips the topsoil, and leaves a rough pad and an access for trucks. The topsoil is stockpiled on the lot and spread back at final grade. The exact limits come from your site plan, so we walk the lot with it before quoting.
Why do you strip the topsoil before building?
Topsoil is full of roots and organic material that breaks down and settles. Under a footing, slab or driveway that settling shows up as cracks and low spots. It is stripped, piled on the lot, and put back on top at the end where the lawn goes.
Do you need to call 811 before clearing a lot?
Yes, before any digging or stump removal. Minnesota requires a Gopher State One Call (811) locate so buried power, gas, phone and cable lines are marked. Private lines, like a line to a well or an outbuilding, are not marked by 811 and need to be pointed out by the owner.
Can you burn the brush from clearing a lot?
Burn permits and city and county rules vary, and most metro cities do not allow open burning of land-clearing brush. Hauling it away or chipping and mulching it on site is the default. If your township allows burning, you get the permit and follow its conditions.
Can I clear trees near a wetland on my lot?
Be careful. Minnesota protects wetlands, and clearing or filling near one can require a wetland delineation and a permit first. If the lot has low, wet ground, cattails or standing water, check with your city or county before anything is cut.
Do you need a site visit to quote lot clearing?
Yes. Tree count, stump size, soil, slope and how far the brush and topsoil have to move decide the price, and photos do not show all of that. Send the address, the site plan and some photos first, and we set up a time to walk the lot.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All excavation pages
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