Purchasing land can be a great way to invest your money — and an almost foolproof method to ensure you keep your neighbors a good distance away.
Buying un-cleared land, though, means you have to spend the money or take the time to clear it before you can do anything with it. If you don't want to spend the extra money to have someone clear the land for you, can you clear a wooded lot yourself? You can, and here’s how.
1. Figure out How Much You Want to Clear
The first step is to figure out how much work you actually need to do. Do you want to clear the entire lot so you can use it for building or agriculture, or would you prefer just to clear the space you need and leave a wooded buffer between you and any potential neighbors?
Take some time to walk your wooded lot to figure out how much work you actually want to do. Just make sure you wear jeans and work boots in case you come across any snakes!
2. Talk to a Lumber Specialist
Depending on where you live and the type of trees that grow on your land, you may be sitting on an untapped gold mine of timber. Some trees are worth more than others, but if you've got a heavily wooded property, selling the timber could help to offset some of the costs of clearing the land.
Talking to a specialist , even if you have to pay for an assessment, can give you a good idea of the kind of timber you have on your property and the kind of money you can make, if any, by harvesting and selling it.
3. Look Into Equipment Rental
You may have some hidden timber gold in your wooded lot, but if you have to pay someone to come in and harvest it for you, you'll cut into your potential profits. Whether or not you can do it yourself will depend largely on the size of your lot, the kind of trees you're harvesting and whether or not you can drive a loader.
If all three of those variables line up, you could consider renting the equipment you need to clear the timber from the land yourself .
4. Start Big and Work Your Way Down
It's tempting to start at the bottom and work your way up, but when you're clearing a wooded lot, it's a better idea to start with the largest items and get them out of the way first. Big trees, boulders and other obstacles make clearing more difficult. Once they are gone, then it’s much easier to tackle removing the smaller stuff.
5. Work in Stages
If you're clearing a lot by yourself, it's a lot of work — and it's easy to overdo it and even end up hurting yourself. Break down the big jobs into smaller ones and work in stages. Make sure you get the right equipment for the job, too — no one wants to try to fell a big hardwood tree with a hatchet, after all. You can do it, but it'll take forever.
If your goal is to clear the entire lot, a good idea is to section it out and complete each section entirely before you start on the next.
It's possible to clear a wooded lot on your own, but it can be a big job. If you get the right tools and don't overdo it, though, you can tackle it like a pro.
Scott Huntington is a writer from central Pennsylvania. He enjoys working on his home and garden with his wife and 2 kids. Follow him on Twitter @SMHuntington
Buying un-cleared land, though, means you have to spend the money or take the time to clear it before you can do anything with it. If you don't want to spend the extra money to have someone clear the land for you, can you clear a wooded lot yourself? You can, and here’s how.
1. Figure out How Much You Want to Clear
The first step is to figure out how much work you actually need to do. Do you want to clear the entire lot so you can use it for building or agriculture, or would you prefer just to clear the space you need and leave a wooded buffer between you and any potential neighbors?
Take some time to walk your wooded lot to figure out how much work you actually want to do. Just make sure you wear jeans and work boots in case you come across any snakes!
2. Talk to a Lumber Specialist
Depending on where you live and the type of trees that grow on your land, you may be sitting on an untapped gold mine of timber. Some trees are worth more than others, but if you've got a heavily wooded property, selling the timber could help to offset some of the costs of clearing the land.
Talking to a specialist , even if you have to pay for an assessment, can give you a good idea of the kind of timber you have on your property and the kind of money you can make, if any, by harvesting and selling it.
3. Look Into Equipment Rental
You may have some hidden timber gold in your wooded lot, but if you have to pay someone to come in and harvest it for you, you'll cut into your potential profits. Whether or not you can do it yourself will depend largely on the size of your lot, the kind of trees you're harvesting and whether or not you can drive a loader.
If all three of those variables line up, you could consider renting the equipment you need to clear the timber from the land yourself .
4. Start Big and Work Your Way Down
It's tempting to start at the bottom and work your way up, but when you're clearing a wooded lot, it's a better idea to start with the largest items and get them out of the way first. Big trees, boulders and other obstacles make clearing more difficult. Once they are gone, then it’s much easier to tackle removing the smaller stuff.
5. Work in Stages
If you're clearing a lot by yourself, it's a lot of work — and it's easy to overdo it and even end up hurting yourself. Break down the big jobs into smaller ones and work in stages. Make sure you get the right equipment for the job, too — no one wants to try to fell a big hardwood tree with a hatchet, after all. You can do it, but it'll take forever.
If your goal is to clear the entire lot, a good idea is to section it out and complete each section entirely before you start on the next.
It's possible to clear a wooded lot on your own, but it can be a big job. If you get the right tools and don't overdo it, though, you can tackle it like a pro.
Scott Huntington is a writer from central Pennsylvania. He enjoys working on his home and garden with his wife and 2 kids. Follow him on Twitter @SMHuntington
