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Before a house, a driveway or a shop can go on a vacant lot, the lot has to be cleared and shaped. FL Patriot Grading clears and grades lots across Southwest Florida, from Naples and Golden Gate Estates to Fort Myers, Marco Island and Immokalee.
Ready to talk about your lot? Call 239-860-1299 or send the form, and we will set up an estimate.
A lot that is cleared and graded without a plan can leave uneven ground, standing water and erosion, and that means delays and rework once building starts. Clearing is the first step of a sequence, so we try to leave the lot ready for whatever comes next: a survey crew, a fill delivery or a house pad.
Rough grading shapes the cleared ground so the next trade can work. The slopes you leave decide where stormwater goes, so it helps to settle that plan before fill is delivered and before a pad is built.
The pad itself is built to the elevation your survey sets, and the ground around it should be shaped so water moves away from the building. See our page on house and shop pads, and our post on drainage solutions in Estero for more on drainage.
Collier County does not let you clear a lot freely, even your own. Here is what the county says on its forms. Rules change, so check the current requirements with the county before work begins.
For a single-family lot, Collier’s vegetation removal affidavit says the clearing is covered by the new-home building permit up to one acre. If the cleared area will be more than one acre, a separate vegetation removal permit is required. If the clearing is not covered by the home’s building permit, a vegetation removal permit is required as well.
The same form says native vegetation cannot be removed before the building permit is issued. It defines native vegetation as all woody non-exotic trees, shrubs and ground cover. That is why clearing is tied to the permit and not just to owning the lot. Violations can bring fines.
The one-acre allowance may not apply in some places: the Rural Fringe Mixed Use district, the Big Cypress Area of Critical State Concern, Special Treatment overlays, or parcels with wetlands. Clearing wetlands needs a Florida DEP permit first.
If you do need a separate permit, Collier’s vegetation removal permit application lists what the county asks for, including proof of ownership, an aerial photo with a vegetation inventory and a site plan.
Lee County works differently. Lee County’s vegetation removal permit guide says that for single-family properties in unincorporated Lee County, a permit is required for 5 acres or more, for more than 2 acres on Pine Island, and on barrier islands. The guide was last updated 6/2026.
Incorporated cities may have their own rules; check with your city. Another Lee County page describes a vegetation removal permit for clearing trees for development. Before you clear a Lee County lot, confirm with Lee County Community Development at 239-533-8585 what applies to your parcel.
We clear lots in Golden Gate Estates. The same Collier rule applies there: up to one acre under the home’s building permit, more than that needs a vegetation removal permit.
Collier’s affidavit also recommends that owners of Estates properties ask the county or Florida DEP for an informal wetland determination. If part of your lot is wet or has wetland plants, find that out before anyone cuts, because wetland impacts are regulated by the state.
Septic matters on an Estates lot too. Collier’s new-home application checklist asks you to show the distance from the proposed structure to the septic field, and to attach the Health Department septic application when building on a site with a septic field. Know where the septic field will go before the clearing and the pad are laid out.
A county fact sheet from 2007 for the Estates describes a minimum lot area of 98,010 square feet (about 2.25 acres) and setbacks of 75 feet in front, 30 feet on the sides and 75 feet in the rear for conforming interior lots. The sheet is old and says the Land Development Code governs if the two conflict, so check the current code.
Large, heavily vegetated lots take longer to clear and leave more debris to deal with. Tell us what is on yours and we can talk through it.
Gopher tortoises are a state-listed Threatened species in Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says a permit is required before disturbing a potentially occupied burrow, and that any type of work within 25 feet of a burrow counts as a disturbance.
FWC also says its staff does not relocate tortoises for private citizens or developers. Relocation is done by an FWC-authorized agent, and the agent needs a relocation permit for the property before capturing anything. If your lot has burrows, the tortoise survey and any relocation are a step you arrange before clearing, and FWC lists authorized agents on its permit page.
Other protected species can also matter. Listed species reviews may apply, especially on lots with wetlands. FWC’s bald eagle guidance recommends a 660 foot buffer from a nest and suggests checking its nesting areas map before clearing or construction.
Burning cleared vegetation is not a default option. Under Florida Statute 590.125, open burning requires authorization from the Florida Forest Service or its designated agent before the burn starts. The statute also requires landowner consent, firebreaks, and someone attending the fire until it is finished.
North Collier Fire Rescue points out that land clearing and tree-cutting debris do not count as yard waste, so the yard waste exception does not apply to it. If burning is something you are considering, check with the Florida Forest Service first. Otherwise, plan on the debris staying on site or leaving the lot, and we will cover which in your estimate.
We do not quote prices on a web page because every lot is different. Looking at the actual lot is how we put a real number on it. Tell us the lot size, what is growing on it and what you want built, and we will take it from there.
The National Weather Service in Miami says the South Florida wet season begins May 15 and ends October 15. During those months, rain can leave lots soft and flooded in low spots, and that slows clearing and makes hauling harder.
Outside that window the ground is usually firmer and easier to work. That does not mean you should wait: surveys, permits and the gopher tortoise check all take time, so starting that paperwork early lets you clear as soon as the lot is ready. If you are clearing in the wet season, tell us about low spots and access so we can plan around them.
Clearing is the first step. A typical lot then goes through these stages:
If you already know the lot will need fill, mention it in your estimate request. Clearing and fill planned together usually go smoother than two separate jobs. Our post on avoiding common site preparation mistakes covers what can go wrong when the steps are done out of order.
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Usually yes, in one form or another. For a single-family lot, Collier says the new-home building permit covers clearing up to one acre. More than one acre needs a separate vegetation removal permit, and native vegetation cannot be removed before the building permit is issued. Check the current rules with the county for your parcel.
Clearing takes down the trees and brush. Root raking is the follow-up that pulls roots and buried debris out of the soil so the ground is clean for fill and a pad. Read more on our root raking page or in our post on root raking services in Naples.
FWC requires a permit before work within 25 feet of a burrow, and relocation is done by an FWC-authorized agent. Have a burrow survey done before clearing so the schedule is not interrupted.
Only with authorization from the Florida Forest Service, and land clearing debris is not covered by the yard waste exception. Confirm with them before planning on it.
Yes. We work from Naples across Southwest Florida, from Fort Myers down to Marco Island and east to Immokalee. See our service area.
Related: Services overview, House and shop pads, Fill dirt delivery and material hauling, Root raking, Gallery, About us. Also serving Ave Maria, Orangetree and Golden Gate.
Tell us the address, the lot size and what you plan to build. Or call 239-860-1299.
