A Chicago vacant lot often hides old foundations under the weeds. We clear the growth, dig out the buried debris and leave parkway trees for the city.
Land clearing in Chicago usually means clearing a city lot: overgrown vacant lots, volunteer trees along alleys and fences, buckthorn, old brush piles and debris. Many lots also hide old foundations, buried concrete and trash from earlier buildings. We clear the brush and small trees, dig out the stumps where something will be built and remove the buried debris before grading.
In the suburbs, clearing is more often wooded parcels, overgrown fence lines and areas near forest preserves, sloughs and wetlands in places like Orland Park and Schaumburg. Buckthorn and honeysuckle are the main invasive shrubs here, and pulling them by the roots keeps them from coming back. We mark the trees and buffers that must stay and keep machines out of them.
Parkway trees between the sidewalk and the street belong to the city, not the owner, so they are not ours to remove without approval. Work near wetlands, creeks or the Des Plaines River can need village, county or state review. Brush is chipped or hauled, because open burning is restricted in Chicago and most suburbs. Stumps in the parkway are left for the city to handle.
Land clearing in Chicago: common questions
Can you clear a vacant city lot?
Yes. We remove brush, small trees, debris and old buried concrete so the lot is ready to build or grade.
Can I remove a parkway tree?
Parkway trees belong to the city. Ask the city before any work that affects one.
Do you pull buckthorn?
Yes. Pulling it by the roots with a machine keeps it from coming back as fast as cutting it does.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We walk the site with you.
- Written quote: Scope, equipment and price in writing.
- Utility locate & plan: We have utilities marked and plan access, haul-off and erosion control.
- Dig, grade & clean up: We complete the work, grade the site and haul away spoil.