Lot clearing in North Albuquerque Acres
On a North Albuquerque Acres lot, clearing is the first step of a custom build, and the trick is clearing only what the house, driveway and utilities need.
Clearing a lot for a custom build
This is the usual order on an Albuquerque Acres site.
- 1
Get the plan and staking
We work from your builder's or engineer's site plan and staking, so we know where the pad, driveway and utility runs go.
- 2
Flag what stays
Native plants, boulders and trees you want to keep, along with the edges that frame your views, get marked before any machine moves.
- 3
Clear the footprint
We clear native brush from the build area, driveway line and trench routes, and remove roots wherever fill or a pad will go.
- 4
Haul off or reuse
Brush is hauled away, or mulched for disturbed ground outside the build area if you prefer.
Why two acre lots here can quote very differently
The same size lot can be a quick clear or a slow one.
- How much of the lot you clear
- Clearing only the build footprint is less work than clearing the whole parcel, and it keeps more of the native look.
- Rock
- Boulders and outcrops near the foothills may need a ripper or hydraulic hammer to move.
- Slope
- The land rises toward the Sandias, and steeper lots take more care to clear without starting erosion.
- Arroyos and flood zones
- A wash across the lot limits where machines can go and what can be disturbed.
- Access
- A paved street and a clear entry point make the job faster than a lot reached only by a dirt track.
Keeping the views and native plants you bought the lot for
Most owners here want their lot to feel like part of the foothills when the house is done. Scraping the whole parcel to dirt works against that, and it leaves a lot of bare decomposed granite to wash around in a monsoon storm.
So we clear tight to the plan. Trees and shrubs outside the work area stay, and we keep machine traffic on one route so the rest of the lot isn't trampled.
Arroyos change the clearing plan
If an arroyo crosses your lot, talk to your engineer and the city or county before clearing near it. Work near a wash may need extra approvals, and native growth on the banks helps hold them together. We clear to the approved plan and otherwise leave the channel alone.
Where clearing fits in the site work
Clearing is often booked together with the work that follows it.
| Stage | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Clearing | Brush, roots and debris removed from the build area |
| Driveway cut | Shaping the route in from the street |
| Pad | Building and compacting the pad in lifts at the planned elevation |
| Trenching | Water, sewer and power runs, after a New Mexico 811 locate |
| Final shaping | Grading so runoff goes around the house |
Send us your lot and site plan
A parcel number and the builder's plan are enough to start. If the lot is vacant, you don't need to be there; we'll call you afterward and go through our photos.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (505) 578-0369.
Land clearing questions in Albuquerque Acres
Should I clear the whole acre or just the build area?
Usually just the build area plus the driveway and trench routes. It takes less work, keeps the native look and leaves less bare ground to erode. You can always clear more later.
Can you clear my lot before my builder is lined up?
We can, but clearing without a site plan risks removing plants you'd want to keep or opening up the wrong area. If the build is far off, a light cleanup of debris and dead brush is often the better first step.
Does the community association have a say in clearing?
There is a North Albuquerque Acres Community Association, and some subdivisions in the area have HOAs with architectural guidelines. Check what applies to your parcel before you clear.
More services in Albuquerque Acres
Land clearing nearby
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