How to prepare your property for land clearing, grading or gravel work

• Mark your property lines so the work stays inside them.
• Flag the trees, fences and features that must stay. Anything you flag stays, and the crew works around it.
• Note drainage paths and low spots you want kept or fixed.

The more we know, the tighter the bid. Tell us about septic systems and drain fields, wells, buried lines, old fence wire, and any rocks or debris you know about. Hidden hazards are among the things that move a price.

Missouri law requires anyone who digs to notify underground facility owners, and the Missouri One Call System does that for you when you call 811 or 800-DIG-RITE (344-7483). The Missouri Public Service Commission's fact sheet says to contact Missouri One Call between 3 and 10 working days before any digging starts, except in an emergency, and not to begin digging until all the utilities in the area have been located and marked. The call is free.

On a job we do for you, utilities are located before we dig. If you rent a machine and dig yourself, the rental agreement makes the locate request your responsibility.

Permits are the landowner's responsibility, and the rules vary by county, city and use. Burning, creek and floodplain buffers, and clearing for a building site can all involve permits. We flag the common ones during the site visit, but you are the one who confirms local requirements.

• Make sure machines and trucks can get through your gates and along the route to the work area.
• Leave room to stage equipment and, where it applies, to stack or turn material.
• Plan for the weather. Tracked machines handle soft ground better than wheeled ones, but wet ground can still limit what is sensible, and we will tell you when it is better to wait.