Most homesite problems we get called into are sequencing problems. Someone cleared before the survey, or graded before the septic evaluation, or found the gopher tortoise burrows the week the foundation crew was booked. The work itself is straightforward. Doing it in the wrong order is what costs money.
The Sequence
1. Survey and stake the parcel
Before anything comes down, know where your corners are. Boundary surveys settle setbacks, easements and the one thing you cannot undo, which is clearing across a property line. If the parcel is heavily overgrown, a light brush pass along the lines first makes the survey faster and cheaper.
2. Check what is regulated before you touch it
- Trees. In unincorporated Alachua County, single-family parcels over one acre need a permit for every tree 8 inches in diameter or larger. Inside Gainesville city limits, single-family properties need permits only for champion or heritage trees. Full thresholds here.
- Gopher tortoise. Common in local sandhill soil. Any work within 25 feet of a burrow is a disturbance, and tortoises must be relocated under an FWC permit by an authorized agent before clearing. This has lead time.
- Wetlands. If any of the parcel is low or wet, get a delineation. The water management district's jurisdiction is not something to discover after the pad is in.
- Septic and well. Soil evaluation drives where the drain field can go, which often drives where the house can go.
3. Clear and grub the building envelope
The house footprint, driveway and any area getting fill needs full clearing and grubbing, meaning stumps and root balls out, not ground down. Organic material left under a slab decomposes and settles. This is the one part of the parcel where grinding is not good enough.
4. Mulch the rest
Everything outside the envelope usually only needs to be usable, not bare. Mulching the remainder costs a fraction of clearing it and leaves a mat that protects sandy soil from erosion while the build happens. This split is the biggest single cost saving available on a homesite job.
5. Rough grade and drainage
Grading sets the pad elevation and, more importantly, moves water away from the house. In Florida this is the step that determines whether you have a dry crawlspace or a standing problem every August. Swales, slope away from the structure on all sides, and a plan for where the roof water goes belong here, not later.
6. Driveway and access
Get the driveway base in early. Concrete trucks, lumber deliveries and the well driller all need to reach the pad, and a driveway built after the first rain event is a driveway built twice. Culverts at the road connection may need county approval, so ask before you dig.
7. Erosion control
Bare sand moves. Silt fence, seeding, or leaving mulch cover in place protects the site and keeps sediment off the road and out of the neighbor's ditch. On a summer build this is not optional.
What Order Actually Costs You
| Mistake | What it costs |
|---|---|
| Clearing before the survey | Removals over the line, and no way to undo them |
| Clearing before the tree permit | Mitigation, replanting and fines on trees already down |
| Finding tortoise burrows late | Weeks of delay with crews already scheduled |
| Grinding stumps instead of grubbing the pad | Settlement under the slab, discovered years later |
| Grading before drainage is planned | Regrading, or living with water against the house |
| Driveway last | Rutted access and a base that has to be rebuilt |
Timing
Dry season, October through May, is the better window for the earthwork on most Alachua County parcels, particularly anything low. Permits and tortoise relocation have their own timelines that do not care about the weather, which is why they belong at the front of the project. More in the seasonal guide.
FAQs
How much does it cost to prep a homesite?
Pad and driveway site prep commonly runs $2,500 to $8,000 and up depending on pad size, fill needed, culvert and access length, with clearing priced separately. See the cost guide.
Do I need to clear the whole parcel?
Almost never. Clear and grub the envelope, mulch the rest. Clearing acreage you do not need buildable is the most common way homesite budgets blow out.
How long does lot prep take?
The machine work on a typical one-acre homesite is often a few days to a week. The schedule is usually set by permits, surveys and evaluations, not by the equipment.
Can I live on the parcel while it is being prepped?
Often yes, if access is kept open. Tell us at the site walk so the sequence keeps a usable route in and out.
Who pulls the permits?
We handle the county tree permit as part of the clearing scope. Building, septic and driveway connection permits typically sit with you or your builder.
General guidance current as of August 2026, not legal or engineering advice. Confirm requirements with Alachua County and your design professionals before starting work.