# Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service - Frequently Asked Questions **Do I need a permit to clear land on my property?** Sometimes. Arkansas's ARR150000 construction stormwater permit can apply when 1 acre or more is disturbed, and 5 acres or more needs a Notice of Intent. On the first visit, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you which Arkansas rules may touch your job (burn bans, the 1-acre stormwater permit, septic permits) and who handles each. **What is the difference between land clearing and forestry mulching?** Forestry mulching is one way to clear land. A forestry mulcher grinds brush and small trees where they stand and leaves the mulch on the ground, while other clearing piles the cut material or hauls it away. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service writes which one your job gets on the quote. **How long does it take to clear an acre of land?** It depends on what is growing on that acre, so we don't guess at hours over the phone. After the site walk, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service gives you a written quote with a start week. If the weather moves it, we call you. **Will grass grow after forestry mulching?** It can, but mulched land is not seed-ready dirt. Grass has to come up through a layer of ground-up brush, and many owners mow, spray, or seed afterwards. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service writes about how thick the mulch will be on your quote. **What to do with land after forestry mulching?** Keep mowing it. Landowners who keep mowing after mulching report that the larger brush does not grow back. Before we quote, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you what the ground will look like the day we leave and what it will need afterwards. **Will the stumps sprout back after mulching?** Some can. Landowners report beech and maple stumps sprouting back after mulching, and mowing keeps that regrowth down. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service writes on your quote whether the stumps will be left at ground level, below grade, or removed. **Does land clearing include hauling the brush away?** Only if your quote says so. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service writes what happens to every bit of cut material on the quote: mulched in place, piled, or hauled away. We walk the site with you before we call the job done. **Can you forestry mulch in the rain?** Not when the ground is too wet to work without rutting. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you and reschedules, and any ruts we make are smoothed before we leave. **Is land clearing and grading the same thing?** No. Land clearing takes off the trees, brush, and stumps, and grading shapes the soil underneath so it sits level and drains. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service does both, and the written quote lists every charge, travel included. **What kind of insurance should a tree removal company have?** Liability insurance at the least, with a certificate you can see. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service carries liability insurance and sends the certificate on request. **What are the different types of land clearing methods?** There are three main ones. Forestry mulching grinds brush and small trees where they stand, full clearing takes off trees, brush, and stumps, and brush hogging cuts grass and light brush. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service writes which one your job gets on the quote. **How to clear a piece of land?** Walk it, flag what stays, clear it, then deal with the stumps and the dirt. Before the machine starts, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service walks and flags the boundaries and anything you want saved, and your quote says how the stumps will be left. **Do I need a permit to clear my own land?** Not always. Construction that disturbs 1 acre or more falls under Arkansas's ARR150000 stormwater permit, and a septic system needs an Arkansas Department of Health permit. On the first visit, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you which rules may touch your job and who handles each. **What is bush hogging used for?** Keeping cleared ground from growing back. A bush hog cuts grass, weeds, and light brush, and the stumps and roots stay in the ground. Before we quote, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you what your land will need afterwards to keep the brush from coming back. **Is the hourly rate the final price?** With us, the written quote is the price. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service gives you a written quote before any work, and it lists every charge, travel included. The price changes only if you approve the change in writing first. **Who fixes ruts after the work?** We do. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service smooths any ruts we make before we leave. If the ground is too wet to work without rutting, we tell you and reschedule. **What are the downsides of forestry mulching?** Mulched ground is covered in wood mulch, not bare dirt ready for seed, and the roots stay in the soil. K-State Research and Extension notes that hedge and honey locust sprout back from below ground. Before we quote, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you what the ground will look like the day we leave. **How long does it take a forestry mulcher to clear an acre?** It depends on how thick the brush is and how big the trees are, so we don't guess at hours over the phone. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service walks the land first, and your written quote comes with a start week. If the weather moves it, we call you. **What size trees can a forestry mulcher take down?** Brush, cedars, and small trees are mulcher work, and the largest size depends on the machine and its mulching head. Bigger timber is a tree removal job. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service has the equipment for any land clearing or earth-moving job, so one crew handles both. **What is the difference between land clearing and excavation?** Land clearing works on what grows on the ground: trees, brush, and stumps. Excavation digs into the ground itself, for a building pad, a trench, or a septic tank. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service does both, from the first cleared acre to septic installation. **Can I clear my land myself?** Yes, for small jobs. Plenty of owners clear a fence row or a few saplings with a saw, while stumps and standing timber are machine work. Before we quote, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you what the ground will look like the day we leave, so you can weigh it against doing it yourself. **How to clean up woods?** Clear the underbrush, take out the dead and leaning trees, and keep the ones you want. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service walks and flags the boundaries and every tree you want saved before the machine starts, or sends you photos of them. **Can a skid steer clear land?** Yes, for brush and small trees. A tracked skid steer with a forestry mulcher head grinds that growth where it stands, while big timber and stump removal can need an excavator or a dozer. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service has the equipment for any land clearing or earth-moving job. **Can you clear land without a permit?** Often, yes. Clearing that disturbs less than 1 acre falls under Arkansas's construction stormwater permit only when it's part of a larger plan of development. Septic work starts with an Arkansas Department of Health permit. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service names the rules that may touch your job on the first visit. **How to clear brush from property?** Cut it, then decide where the cut brush goes. A small patch comes out with a saw, while acreage, cedar thickets, and fence rows are machine work. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service writes on your quote whether the brush is mulched in place, piled, or hauled away. **Will a cedar tree grow back after being cut down?** No, not when it's cut below the lowest green branch. South Dakota State University Extension says eastern redcedar won't sprout from the cut stump. Before we quote, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you what the ground will need afterwards to keep the brush from coming back. **Why do farmers cut down cedar trees?** To get their grass back. South Dakota State University Extension says eastern redcedar makes dense shade where few plants grow, which cuts pasture productivity. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service clears cedars from Arkansas pasture and fence rows, and we walk the site with you before we call the job done. **What is considered brush in landscaping?** Brush is the woody growth under and between trees: saplings, shrubs, briars, vines, and young cedars. Grown timber isn't brush. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service clears the underbrush and keeps the trees you want, which we walk and flag with you before the machine starts. **How long does it take to bush hog 1 acre of land?** It depends on how tall and thick the growth is and how rough the ground is, so we won't guess at hours over the phone. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service looks at the land first, and your written quote comes with a start week. If the weather moves it, we call you. **What is the average cost of brush removal?** There's no average that fits your land without seeing it: brush height, cedar size, slope, and the drive all change the price. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service gives a free estimate and a written quote that lists every charge, travel included. **How long does it take to remove a big tree?** It depends on the tree, what stands around it, and where the wood goes, so we won't guess at hours over the phone. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service walks the land first, and your written quote comes with a start week. If the weather moves it, we call you. **Will insurance pay for tree removal?** It depends on your policy, so ask your insurance company before work starts. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service gives you a written quote before any work that lists every charge, travel included, so you have the numbers in hand for that call. **How to remove small trees from property?** A few saplings come out by hand or with a saw. A stand of small trees across a pasture or a lot is machine work. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service has the equipment for any land clearing or earth-moving job, and the estimate is free. **What time of year is best for tree removal?** Any time the ground is dry enough to carry the machines without rutting. If it's too wet, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you and reschedules, and any ruts we make are smoothed before we leave. Your quote comes with a start week. **How much does it cost to have a fallen tree removed?** It depends on the tree's size, where it fell, and whether the wood is mulched, piled, or hauled away, so the estimate is free and comes in writing. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service lists every charge, travel included, and the price changes only if you approve the change in writing first. **How to reduce the cost of tree removal?** Have every tree you want gone done in one visit, and decide up front what happens to the wood. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service writes both into your quote: every charge, travel included, and whether the cut material is mulched in place, piled, or hauled away. **How deep should stump grinding go?** Usually 8 to 12 inches below the surface, with the surface roots that flare out from the stump ground too, according to SDSU Extension. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service puts in writing how each stump will be left (ground level, below grade, or removed) and checks it with you at the walkthrough. **What is a fair price for stump grinding?** A fair price is one written down before any work starts. Our guide to Arkansas stump removal average costs walks through what moves the price. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service gives you a written quote that lists every charge, travel included, and the price changes only if you approve the change in writing first. **Will a tree grow back if I grind its stump?** Some can, from the roots. University of Illinois Extension says roots left underground keep sending up suckers until their food reserves run out, and it suggests grinding out the big surface roots as well. Before we quote, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you what the ground will need afterwards to keep growth from coming back. **What are the downsides of stump grinding?** Mainly the grindings and the hole. Iowa State University Extension says the wood chips and sawdust left in the soil can temporarily reduce the nitrogen available to new grass, and the spot settles. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service puts in writing whether the grindings stay in the hole, get piled, or get hauled away. **What are the common mistakes to avoid after removing a tree stump?** Seeding grass straight into the grindings is the big one. Iowa State University Extension says to remove the chips as thoroughly as you can, add quality topsoil, and mound it lightly above grade for settling. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you up front what the ground will need after we leave. **Can I grind a stump myself?** Yes, for a stump or two, with a rented grinder. Arkansas law still has you contact Arkansas 811 first, and the utilities mark their buried lines within two full working days. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service grinds and removes stumps across Arkansas, from one yard stump to every stump left on a cleared lot. **How to get rid of a stump in 2-3 days?** Grind it or dig it out. SDSU Extension says a stump left to rot can take a decade or more, and the stump-removal products sold in stores (nitrate fertilizers) still take one to three years. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service grinds stumps below grade or digs them out. **How long does it take to grind a 3 ft stump?** It depends on the wood, the roots, and the depth you want, so we won't guess at minutes over the phone. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service looks at the stump first, and your written quote comes with a start week. If the weather moves it, we call you. **What does grading ground mean?** It means shaping the soil to the level and slope a job needs. Rough grade sets the overall shape by cutting high spots and filling low ones, and finish grade smooths the top. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service does both, and before we quote, we tell you what the ground will look like the day we leave. **Do I need a permit to regrade my yard?** It depends on how much ground and where. Arkansas's construction stormwater permit, ARR150000, covers work that disturbs 1 acre or more, and grading or filling in a mapped flood hazard area needs a floodplain development permit first. On the first visit, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you which rules may touch your job and who handles each. **What is involved in grading a yard?** A walk of the yard, flags on what stays, cutting high spots and filling low ones so rain runs away from the house, then a smooth finish grade. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service calls the day before and again when the crew pulls in, and walks the yard with you before calling the job done. **How much does it cost to level land per acre?** It depends on how much soil has to move and how far, so Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service prices each job after walking it. You get a written quote before any work, and it lists every charge, travel included. Our guide to Arkansas land grading fees after clearing explains what moves the price. **What time of year to regrade a yard?** Any time the ground is dry enough to work without rutting. If it's too wet, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you and reschedules. Your quote comes with a start week, and if the weather moves it, we call you. **Can I regrade my yard myself?** Yes, for small fixes. A low spot by a downspout can be filled with a shovel and a rake, while reshaping a whole yard or cutting a building pad is machine work. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service has the equipment for any land clearing or earth-moving job. **How to improve grading around a house?** Slope the soil away from the foundation so rain runs off instead of toward the walls. The International Residential Code, section R401.3, asks for a fall of at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service grades yards, and any ruts we make are smoothed before we leave. **Can you just put gravel down for a driveway?** You can, but it ruts fast if rain sits on it. The Federal Highway Administration's gravel roads guide says water left on a gravel surface softens it and leads to ruts, so the drive needs a crown that sheds water. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service builds gravel roads and driveways across Arkansas. **Do I need a permit to put gravel on my driveway?** Sometimes, depending on the road it meets. A driveway onto a state highway needs an access driveway permit from the ArDOT district's Permit Officer, and counties and cities set their own rules for their roads. On the first visit, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you which Arkansas rules may touch your job and who handles each. **What are the downsides of a gravel driveway?** Upkeep. The Federal Highway Administration's gravel roads guide names potholes, ruts, and washboarding as the usual problems, and says washboarding comes mostly from the gravel itself, not the grader. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service builds gravel roads and driveways, and your written quote lists every charge, travel included. **Who fixes ruts and washouts after the work?** We do, for any ruts we make. If the ground is too wet to work without rutting, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you and reschedules. Any ruts we make are smoothed before we leave, and if we damage anything, we tell you that day and put the fix in writing. **What gravel is best for driveways?** Crushed stone blended with sand and fines. The federal gravel roads guide says good surface gravel uses fractured stone and fine particles that bind into a crust, while base gravel or sandy fill stays loose on top. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service builds gravel roads and driveways across Arkansas. **Is 2 inches of gravel enough for a driveway?** For one layer of 1-inch stone, 2 inches is the minimum. The federal gravel roads guide says each layer should be at least twice as thick as its largest stone. What the whole drive needs depends on the ground under it and the trucks on it, so Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service walks the site before quoting. **Does water pass easily through gravel?** Some gravel does, and that kind belongs under a building, not on top of a road. The federal gravel roads guide says sandy fill drains fast but stays loose on a road, while surface gravel needs binding fines and a crown to shed water. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service builds gravel roads and driveways statewide. **Can I build whatever I want on my land?** Not always. In a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, a floodplain development permit comes before any filling, grading, or excavation, and counties and cities set their own building rules. On the first visit, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you which Arkansas rules may touch your job and who handles each. **How to fix a yard with poor drainage?** Give the water a path off the yard. Find where it comes from and where it can leave, then grade the ground, cut a swale, or open a ditch to carry it there. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service walks the wet ground with you first, and you get a written quote before any work. **How to drain wet spots in lawn?** Fill the low spot or give it an outlet. A shallow dip can be filled and graded so rain runs past it, and a wetter hollow needs a swale or a ditch to carry the water out. If the ground is too wet to work without rutting, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service tells you and reschedules. **How to make water go away from your house?** Grade the ground so it falls away from the foundation. The International Residential Code, section R401.3, asks for a fall of at least 6 inches in the first 10 feet, or a swale or drain where that slope won't fit. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service does the grading and the swale work. **What are the different types of yard drains?** There are surface drains and underground drains. Surface drains are graded slopes, swales, ditches, and culverts that move water across the top of the ground. Underground drains include French drains, drain tile, and dry wells. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service does the surface earthwork. **What is an alternative to a French drain?** Surface drainage is the main alternative: regrade the ground so it sheds water, or cut a swale that carries the water off before it soaks in. Both are dirt work, and Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service has the equipment for any land clearing or earth-moving job. **Do landscapers regrade yards?** Some do, and so do dirt-work crews with grading equipment. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service grades yards, lots, and pasture, and carries the job on into ditches, swales, and culverts when the water needs somewhere to go. Your quote comes with a start week. **Can I put in my own septic system in Arkansas?** Not on your own, in most cases. A Designated Representative certified by the Arkansas Department of Health completes the Permit for Construction, and the Department's rules put a registered installer on the job site during every phase of building the system. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service does the clearing and digging around that work. **How far from a house should a septic tank be placed?** At least 10 feet. The Arkansas Department of Health's rules keep every part of a septic system at least 10 feet from any building and from property lines, and 100 feet from a water well. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service digs to the layout on your approved permit. **How much does it cost to have a septic tank put in in Arkansas?** It depends on your soil and the approved design, so nobody can price it honestly over the phone. For the clearing and digging, Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service gives you a written quote before any work. It lists every charge, travel included. **How many bedrooms will a 1000 gallon septic tank support?** Up to three. The Arkansas Department of Health's minimum tank sizes call for 1,000 gallons for a home with one, two, or three bedrooms, plus 250 gallons for each bedroom past that. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service digs the tank hole to the size on your permit. **Can a 4 bedroom house have a 1000 gallon septic tank?** No. Under the Arkansas Department of Health's minimums, a four-bedroom home needs at least a 1,250-gallon tank, because each bedroom past three adds 250 gallons. Your Designated Representative sizes the tank on the permit, and Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service digs to that size. **How many gallons a day can a septic system handle?** As many as it was designed for, and a home is designed by bedrooms. The Arkansas Department of Health's design flows are 370 gallons a day for three bedrooms and 450 for four, plus 50 for each bedroom after that. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service builds the ground work to that design. **What is the smallest septic system you can put in?** For a home, a 1,000-gallon tank and two absorption trenches. Those are the Arkansas Department of Health's minimums, and the second trench keeps the field working if one is disturbed. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service digs to the design on your permit, not to a guess. **Is there a septic system that doesn't need a leach field?** Not a holding tank, for a home. The Arkansas Department of Health's rules don't approve holding tanks for residences, full or part time. Where the soil won't take a standard trench field, your Designated Representative picks another approved design, and Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service does the dirt work for it. **Will a cut down cedar tree ever grow back?** No, not when it's cut below its lowest branches. University of Nebraska Extension notes that eastern redcedar doesn't sprout from the stump, so trees cut that low don't regrow. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service clears cedar from pasture and fence rows across Arkansas. **What is a reasonable price per acre?** It depends on whether your land needs light or heavy clearing, and the land decides that: its slope, its rock, how wet it is, and how thick the trees grow. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service clears land across Arkansas from three listings, in Hindsville, Greenbrier, and Hot Springs. **How much to clear a 1 acre wooded lot?** Usually more than an open acre. Dense trees call for heavier machines, such as excavators or feller bunchers, and more labor, and steep or rocky ground under them adds more. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service puts the price for your lot in a written quote before any work starts. **Why is stump grinding so expensive?** Size and access set most of the price. A large stump needs bigger equipment, and one close to a building or a utility line takes careful machine work and more time. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service says on your quote how each stump will be left: ground level, below grade, or removed. **Is the hourly rate the final price, or are there fuel, delivery and minimum-hour charges?** With Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service, the written quote is the price. You get it before any work. It lists every charge, travel included, and the price changes only if you approve the change in writing first. **Who answers the phone when I call?** A short recording answers first. Press 1 and you're put through. Every call or text to Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service gets a call back the same working day, from the person running your job. **What parts of Arkansas do you work in?** All of Arkansas. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service works statewide from three Google listings, in Hindsville, Greenbrier, and Hot Springs, and the crew comes to your land. Each region page lists its towns and the line nearest you. **What equipment do you have?** We have the equipment for any land clearing or earth-moving job. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service does forestry mulching, tree removal, stump grinding, grading, site prep, drainage, and septic installation, so a lot that needs clearing, then grading, then a gravel driveway stays with one crew. **How fast can you start on my land?** Your quote comes with a start week. If the weather moves it, we call you. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service calls the day before, and again when the crew pulls in. If we can't take your job, we say so on the first call. **How do I get a quote?** Call or text (479) 304-0400, and the estimate is free. Mark's Arkansas Land Clearing Service gives you a written quote before any work. It lists every charge, travel included, and the price changes only if you approve the change in writing first.