Land work is priced more ways than almost any other trade: by the acre, by the hour, and by the day. This guide gives typical Tennessee ranges so you can plan, explains what moves the price, and helps you compare quotes on equal terms.
Vol Land Clearing is a directory and listing service. We do not clear land ourselves, and the numbers here are general planning information, not quotes. The operator you hire sets the real price after seeing your property.
Forestry Mulching: Typical Ranges
Forestry mulching is commonly billed one of two ways:
- By the hour: roughly $150 to $300 per hour for the machine and operator, sometimes with a half day or full day minimum
- By the acre: roughly $400 to $1,500 per acre for brush and light growth, and $1,500 to $2,500 or more per acre for thick, heavy growth with lots of small trees
The spread is wide because thickness is everything. An acre of briars and saplings is a different job than an acre of dense young forest. As a rough guide, a mulching crew often covers one to three acres a day depending on growth.
Full Land Clearing: Typical Ranges
Clearing that removes trees and stumps and leaves workable dirt typically runs about $2,000 to $6,000 or more per acre. Heavy timber, steep ground, stump grinding, and hauling debris off site push toward the top of the range and beyond. Light clearing that leaves stumps in place costs less, but then the land is not ready to build or till.
Bush Hogging and Routine Upkeep: Typical Ranges
- By the hour: roughly $60 to $125 per hour
- Per job: small to mid size fields often land in the $300 to $1,500 range per visit, depending on acreage and thickness
Maintained fields on a schedule cost less per visit than fields that have grown up for years.
What Drives the Price
Thickness and tree size
The single biggest factor. Brush and saplings mulch fast. Mature trees need cutting, handling, and often separate stump work.
Slope and ground conditions
Steep or wet ground slows machines down and rules out some equipment. Parts of Campbell and Scott counties are steep enough that this is a real line item.
Access
Can the machine get to the work? Narrow gates, soft ground, and long carries from the road all add time.
What happens to the debris
Mulching leaves material in place, which is part of why it costs less. Clearing that includes hauling debris off site costs more than piling or burning on site where allowed.
Stumps
Leaving stumps flush, grinding them, or digging them out are three different prices. Decide which one your plans need before comparing quotes.
Mobilization
For small jobs, getting the machine to your land is a real cost. Half day or day minimums are common, and combining several small jobs in one visit is usually better value than three separate trips.
How to Compare Quotes
- Get every quote in writing with the same scope: acreage, what gets cut, stump handling, debris handling, and finished condition.
- Ask whether the price is per acre, per hour, or per day, and what happens if the job runs long.
- Ask what machine is coming and the largest tree size it handles.
- Walk the property with the operator when you can. Surprises in the woods are where budgets go sideways.
Find an Operator Near You
Browse by service: Forestry mulching – Land clearing – Land management – Excavation. Coverage by county is on the service area page: Service Area