Burning vs. Professional Tree Slashing: Your Guide to Cost-Effective Land Clearing

July 11, 2018

You look at it every single day. That plot of land that just looks, well, terrible. Branches, brush, leaves, and weeds. You name it, it’s there.

If this sounds familiar, it’s about time you got moving and cleaned up your land. If you are thinking about clearing some land this summer, you may have spent some time wondering about how to go about it.

Should you do it yourself? Should you hire someone? What method do you want to use?

The great thing is, you do have options when it comes to land clearing, including professionals who’re trained to do the exact job you’re looking to get done.

Burning and slashing are two great methods of land clearing. Each comes with its pros and cons, and one might fit your situation and needs more than the other.

But which one is more affordable?

We’ll answer this question and more in this comparison of burning and slashing. Keep reading to learn more about how you can get your land cleared on a budget.

Burning to Clear Land

Burning can be a good way to clear your land if you’re not afraid to invest a lot of time, and potentially, a lot of funds. Let’s look at the pros and cons of going with this method.

The Pros

  • You can safely burn your land yourself.
  • Burning can be used to clear dead trees, leaves, unwanted vegetation, weeds, and just about any other plant you’d like moved. But, it must be controlled properly.
  • Burning helps the land where simply removing foliage may not. Nutrients are returned to the soil during burning and seeds are released.
  • Some insects and diseases can be controlled with burning.

The Cons

  • Burning does come with inherent risks. If not done properly, burning can result in injury and/or damage.
  • Fire can quickly get out of hand if it isn’t handled properly.
  • If burning gets out of hand, you may have lawsuits to deal with.
  • Burning takes patience and a large amount of time. Be prepared to spend all your free time on this project, or it will be very drawn out.
  • You’ll need to purchase fuel and equipment to get the job done.
  • If you’re doing a large amount of land, the cost of equipment and fuel can be big. Larger plots of land will also take larger amounts of time.
  • You may need to obtain a permit to burn where you live. Make sure you’re aware of local burning regulations!
  • When using fire to clear land you’re sending lots of smoke into the air, negatively impacting the environment.
  • There’s a lot of work to do besides just burning. Stumps and other debris will need to be raked/gathered, and some bulldozing may be in order.
  • Costs can ramp up due to the amount of prep work, equipment rentals and lost time involved.
  • Valuable trees will need to be removed before burning can start.

Hiring a Profesional Tree Slasher

Hiring a professional to clear your land is a far better option than burning the land yourself. Let’s look at some of the benefits and cons that come with this method.

The Pros

  • Professionals have access to many tools you might not, so they can get the job done in ways you cannot — like with amazing mulching equipment!
  • Because they have the right equipment, they’re more able to control the fall of limbs and other debris from foliage.
  • Because they’re professionals they have more extensive knowledge of safe tree removal procedures.
  • Professionals are more likely to know how to prevent accidents and damage to cars, homes, etc.
  • A professional company has insurance, including liability and WCB, just in case anything does go wrong.
  • They can clear large spaces or small. If you don’t have room for the large machinery they can clear land by hand, or with nimbler equipment.
  • Due to the training and tools involved with professional tree slashing, you have a more controlled environment than a resident using the burning method.
  • Letting a professional do the job for you will save you huge amounts of time.
  • Hiring a professional does not have to be expensive!

The Cons

  • The main con to watch out for here is scams. Unprofessional, fake companies will try to get your money without doing the job. Ask for proof of certification and insurance and do your research.

Use a Professional for Land Clearing

In this article, we’ve looked at two methods of land clearing: burning and hiring a professional tree slashing company. Both have their high points, but one definitely has the most.

Consider your situation and decide what is more important to you; time, or saving a few bucks.

While burning your land yourself can save you some money, it will cost you a ton of time. You’ll be spending hours, weeks, maybe months, painstakingly clearing land when you could be spending that time elsewhere.

If you’re wanting to save yourself a lot of time and hassle, hiring a professional is definitely the way you should go. You’ll also benefit from the expertise and care that comes with professional work.

Before choosing a professional to work with, do some research ahead of time and get to know the company. Make sure they’re true professionals who will get the job done.

Nothing feels better than having your land cleaned up and orderly after it’s been sitting in a mess.

We’d love to help with your next land clearing project. Fill out our contact form today and if it’s a work day we’ll get back to you in 24 hours, guaranteed!

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