How To Hire a Forestry Mulcher Before Your Next Outdoor Project
Clear overgrown land quickly by hiring a forestry mulching pro
Forestry mulching is the process of clearing unwanted vegetation growth from wooded areas. It’s a big job, and a chainsaw won’t always get it done. Instead, hiring a forestry mulcher with high-powered machinery built to quickly and easily clear land can be a great option. These pros will speed up the process and get it done more cleanly than you could on your own.
What Does a Forestry Mulcher Do?
Your local forestry mulcher will clear brush, small trees, and other unwanted vegetation from your land. As they clear the vegetation, it’s processed through heavy equipment that leaves behind mulched material. Once the area has been cleared, they may leave or remove the mulch, depending on your preference.
A forestry mulcher can clear, on average, between one and five acres a day. Forestry mulching is often done before building, but it can also be done to expand your existing yard or to reduce the risk of wildfires on your property.
Can You DIY Forestry Mulching?
If you have experience with heavy machinery, you can try to tackle DIY forestry mulching, but if you don’t have the necessary equipment on hand, you’ll need to rent a skid steer with a mulching attachment or an attachment for your own tractor or skid steer.
Attachments for smaller equipment are often limited in how much vegetation they can process and what size trees and brush they can handle. In many cases, the cost of forestry mulching may be worth it compared to trying to DIY the job.
Tips for Hiring a Forestry Mulcher
Once you’ve done some basic research and collected names of recommended forestry mulching companies near you, talk with a company representative. You’ll want to get answers to a few basic questions and dig more into their offerings before making a final decision.
1. Plan Your Land Clearing Project for Accurate Quotes
Write down your project details and all your needs and expectations. Take photos of the area and physically mark the trees, shrubs, and other vegetation that you want removed. This will help company representatives understand exactly what you want and expect. This way, they can tell you whether what you’re picturing is possible and what it will take to get results.
Start by getting several quotes from forestry mulching pros. Be sure that each company gives you a written, itemized bid that details the following:
Exactly what they plan to do
What equipment they plan to use
How many crew members will be working on-site
How long the project will take
Whether they’ll make wood chips or mulch out of the vegetation
Whether they’ll remove the wood chips or mulch or leave it on-site
The total expected cost
All possible additional fees and extra charges
Whether they guarantee their work
When you receive the quotes, compare the bids side by side and make sure that each accurately reflects the scope of work you’re hiring for. A lower bid isn’t a value if it doesn’t get the job done the way you want it done.
2. Check Your Forestry Mulcher’s Qualifications and References
In some states, forestry mulchers must be licensed. If that’s true for your area, be sure the company you’re hiring is licensed and that their license is in good standing with the licensing board. Most states have online license check databases for this purpose. You can also ask the contractors for proof of licensing.
No matter who you hire, you should insist that they’re fully insured—including liability and worker’s compensation insurance that covers every employee and worker they send to your property. Forestry mulching can be dangerous, but hiring licensed companies protects you and your property if someone is injured on the job or if the company causes damages.
3. Interview Multiple Land Clearing Companies
It can be tempting to hire the first company you find. However, you owe it to yourself to explore your options. It’s always best to talk with three to five quality companies and ask each for an estimate.
Phone interviews are a great way to get the process started. You may also want to invite your top three to five companies to send a representative to your property to give you a quote for the job in person. This is another chance for you to talk with them, learn more about their companies, and get a feel for how they operate.
Things to pay attention to during interviews include the following:
Is the company representative willing to answer your questions?
Can they give you detailed information about your specific job?
Are they on time, professional, and focused on you and your job?
Do they have the information you need, or can they get it for you?
Do they seem like they want your business?
4. Get a Contract and Arrange Payments
Protect yourself by asking for written bids and signing a contract for any work you’re hiring the land clearing company to provide. This contract should outline all of the responsibilities and rights for both the company and you.
Most average-sized forestry mulching and land-clearing projects take a day or two, and companies may not require down payments or deposits. Instead, most will ask for a complete payment when the work is done. Before the work begins, be sure you understand how much you’ll be paying, when payment is due, and what methods of payment they accept. You may want to ask for these items to be written in the contract.
5. Look for Red Flags and Prepare To Troubleshoot
Good forestry mulching services do their best to uphold their reputations and take good care of their customers. But things can go wrong, even when you’ve done careful research and chosen a qualified company. For this reason, you’ll want to monitor the company’s work and watch out for any red flags you see, including the following:
The company doesn’t arrive or start as agreed upon.
The work done doesn’t match the scope or details in the contract.
The contractor asks for down payments, fees, or a payment amount that differs from what’s in the contract.
The company leaves your property in a different condition than they’d promised.
The company damages any part of your property and fails to inform you or take steps to resolve the problem.
If any of these issues come up or if you have other concerns or questions, it’s always best to call the company right away before the problem gets out of hand. Clearly communicate the issue and how you’d like it resolved. Then, work with your contractor to find a solution that fits the contract agreement and your needs.
Questions To Ask a Forestry Mulcher
Throughout the hiring process, ask questions to get a feel for which company has your best interests in mind and which can give you the safest, best outcome. Here are some questions to ask your contractor:
How experienced are your employees with this type of land-clearing project?
What do you see as the best possible outcome for my job?
When can you start the work, and how long should it take?
Will you need a permit?
Who will be in charge during the job, and who should I call if I have questions or concerns?
What condition will you leave my property in at the end of the job?
Is there anything I need to do before you arrive or while you’re working?
Can you coordinate with other contractors I’ve hired as part of a bigger project?
Is there anything I need to know before we begin?
Choosing the Right Forestry Mulcher
It’s important to choose the right forestry mulcher for your land-clearing project. You want to be sure they can handle the size and scope of your job and have the right equipment to quickly and efficiently process the vegetation. You’ll also want to agree about what will happen with the mulched material—are you keeping it to repurpose on your property, or will they remove it so you have a clean slate to work with?
When you’re narrowing it down to the right pro, ensure all your questions are answered, and you have a clear idea of what the job will entail. It’s a big project, and you don’t want any surprises once the heavy equipment starts up.
After Your Forestry Mulching Service Has Finished
Once your forestry mulcher’s job is done, yours is just beginning. It’s time to look over the work and make sure it meets the contract agreement.
When you’re satisfied with the work and the outcome, you can settle the invoice. At this point, you can also offer to be a reference for future clients and leave an online review for the company if you’re happy with their work. This is a great way to pay it forward and help good companies succeed while helping other homeowners find reliable, honest contractors.