Brush Removal Cost: What You'll Actually Pay [2026]

Your cost depends on the size of the job and whether you need someone to cut the brush or just haul it away.

Professional brush removal for a residential yard runs $145 to $595 or more, according to FireDawgs Junk Removal. HomeGuide reports the average at $150 to $200 per pickup-truck load, with labor at $50 to $80 per hour. For larger properties, expect $800 to $3,000 per acre depending on brush density.

DIY brush removal with a rented wood chipper costs $200 to $400 per day for a 6-inch to 12-inch towable model, plus your own labor time. Reddit users in r/landscaping report that renting a skid steer and dump truck for DIY brush clearing can save 50% or more versus hiring a contractor.

Many municipalities offer free curbside brush pickup — cities like Irondequoit (NY), Naperville (IL), and San Antonio (TX) collect cut branches at the curb on a seasonal schedule. The catch: you must cut branches to specific lengths (usually 4 to 6 feet), bundle them, and wait for the scheduled pickup window which may be weeks away.

Five factors determine whether your project lands at $150 or $3,000.

Amount of brush is the primary driver. A single brush pile from weekend trimming costs $150 to $300 to haul away. An overgrown quarter-acre lot with dense vegetation runs $500 to $2,000. Multi-acre properties with heavy brush push costs to $2,500 to $5,000 per acre, according to BrushWorks Co.

Brush type and thickness matter. Light undergrowth and small branches clear quickly with hand tools. Dense brush with stems over 2 inches in diameter requires power equipment — a brush cutter, chainsaw, or skid steer with a brush attachment. Equipment costs add $100 to $300 per day to the job.

Accessibility affects equipment costs. If a crew can drive a truck directly to the brush pile, loading is fast and cheap. Brush in a fenced backyard, steep slope, or area without vehicle access requires hand-carrying debris to the truck — doubling labor time.

Disposal method changes the total. Most contractors include hauling to a green waste facility in their price. If the brush contains thorny invasive species (like multiflora rose or barberry), some facilities charge premium disposal fees of $50 to $100 per load.

Season affects pricing. Spring and fall are peak seasons for brush removal. Winter clearing (when deciduous brush is dormant) is often 15% to 25% cheaper because landscaping crews have lighter schedules.

If you're a contractor pricing a brush job, industry rates break down like this.

Labor for brush cutting and removal runs $50 to $100 per hour per worker. Reddit contractors in r/landscaping report charging $75 to $100 per hour when using a small machine and truck, with manual labor extra. Facebook group discussions among contractors price residential brush clearing at $500 to $1,000 for a typical overgrown yard.

For land clearing projects, most contractors use per-acre pricing. Light brush (grass and small shrubs) runs $20 to $200 per acre. Medium brush (shrubs and saplings under 4 inches) costs $600 to $1,500 per acre. Heavy brush and trees pushes costs to $3,400 to $6,700 per acre, according to the SkidSteers.com pricing guide.

A good rule of thumb: estimate the number of truck loads the brush will fill, multiply by your per-load rate ($150 to $250), and add your hourly labor rate for cutting time.

The biggest savings come from doing the cutting yourself and outsourcing only the haul-away.

Cut it yourself, skip the labor markup. Professional brush clearing charges $50 to $100 per hour for labor. If you own or borrow a chainsaw and loppers, you can cut brush to manageable sizes in a weekend. Then pile it at the curb for Dropcurb pickup at $79 — saving hundreds compared to full-service removal.

Check your city's free brush pickup schedule. Over 60% of U.S. municipalities offer seasonal curbside brush collection at no charge. Cut branches to the required length (typically 4 to 6 feet), bundle with twine, and place at the curb before the scheduled pickup date. The downside: windows are often seasonal and you may wait 2 to 6 weeks.

Rent a chipper for large volumes. If you have several truckloads of brush, renting a wood chipper ($200 to $400 per day) turns brush into free mulch for your garden beds. A 6-inch chipper handles most residential brush. Hidden costs to watch: fuel, delivery fees, and overage charges if you go past the rental window.

Combine with other yard work. Many landscapers and junk removal companies offer package discounts when combining brush clearing with other services like tree trimming, stump removal, or general yard cleanup. Bundling can save 10% to 20%.

Time it right. Late fall and winter are the cheapest seasons for brush removal. Landscaping crews have lighter schedules and may offer 15% to 25% discounts to fill their calendars.

These estimates assume medium-density brush (shrubs and small saplings) with professional removal including haul-away.

Clearing time depends entirely on brush density and equipment.

Light brush (grass and small shrubs under 1 inch) can be cleared with a walk-behind brush mower at a rate of about a quarter acre per hour — so 4 hours per acre. Medium brush (shrubs and saplings 1 to 4 inches) takes 8 to 16 hours per acre with hand tools, or 4 to 6 hours with a skid steer and brush attachment. Heavy brush and small trees require a full day with heavy equipment.

For a typical overgrown residential backyard (roughly a tenth of an acre), expect 2 to 4 hours of cutting with hand tools, plus another 1 to 2 hours to pile and haul debris. Reddit users in r/landscaping report that a two-person team can clear a heavily overgrown quarter-acre lot in a full weekend.