Glasgow's Site Clearance Specialists Since 2005
Site Clearance & Land Preparation Glasgow
✓ Trading since 2005✓ BS3998 standard✓ Fully insured✓ Free quotes
Trading Since 2005
BS3998 Standard
Fully Insured
Free, No-Obligation Quotes
Introduction
Before a driveway, extension, car park or new-build plot can go ahead, whatever's standing on the site - trees, scrub, old stumps, overgrown boundary hedges, sometimes a stretch of derelict hedgerow that's been left to itself for years - has to come out cleanly enough that the next trade can start without tripping over what's left behind. Glasgow Trees handles that stage: felling and stump removal carried out to British Standard BS3998, with any protected or veteran trees identified and managed properly rather than guessed at from the roadside.
Sites vary enormously in what they actually need. A back garden being cleared for a two-storey extension might have three or four garden trees and a boundary hedge to deal with; an infill plot on the edge of an industrial estate might have decades of self-seeded scrub, old stumps from previous clearance work, and ground that needs rough grading before a contractor can bring in plant. Both get the same process - a site visit before anything is priced, felling and grinding carried out properly, and the ground left in a state the next trade can actually work with - just scaled to what's there.
Key Selling Points
- BS3998-compliant tree and vegetation clearance carried out by an NPTC-qualified team
- Fully insured for felling and ground clearance close to buildings, boundaries and other site works
- Free, no-obligation site visit before any quote goes in writing
What's Included in a Site Preparation Job
- Felling and removal of trees and scrub standing in the way of construction, access roads or plant, taken down in whatever sequence keeps neighbouring structures, fences and overhead lines clear
- Stump grinding and root removal so foundations, drainage runs or hard standing aren't left with buried timber underneath
- Selective clearance that keeps specimen, veteran or protected trees standing where a client or planning condition requires it
- Root protection measures around retained trees during nearby works, with access routes agreed with whichever contractor is on site next
- Removal and chipping of felled timber, brash and green waste from site, taken away or left for the client depending on what's wanted
- Identification and management of problem species found during clearance, such as Japanese Knotweed, Giant Hogweed and Rhododendron
- Basic ground preparation - rough grading and clearing surface debris - ahead of contractors bringing in drainage or hard standing
- Removal of overgrown or dead boundary hedging that's grown out past a fence line, including grubbing out the root line
- Coordination with a felling licence or Tree Preservation Order application where protected trees are involved
- Coordination with known underground and overhead service locations, so felling and stump grinding are planned around them
- Temporary fencing and signage where a partially cleared site needs to stay secured before groundworks begin
- Marking and photographing retained trees and root protection areas before construction traffic arrives
Not Included / Costed Separately
- Ecological surveys and Environmental Impact Assessments, carried out by specialist ecological consultants
- Planning application fees, felling licence applications and Tree Preservation Order consent fees payable to the local authority
- Laying drainage pipework, foundations, hard standing or tarmac - a separate groundworks or construction contractor takes it from there
- Removal of contaminated soil or large volumes of hardcore and subsoil off site, priced separately once the volume is known
- Demolition of existing structures such as sheds, outbuildings, fencing or garden walls
- Structural engineering assessments of trees or ground conditions for building design purposes
- Ongoing maintenance of the cleared site once building work finishes - a separate arrangement under commercial ground maintenance
How We Take a Site From Overgrown to Ready to Build On
- Initial call: Tell us what the site's being cleared for and roughly what's on it - trees, scrub, old stumps, fencing, or ground untouched for years. It helps to know the construction timetable at this stage too.
- Free site visit: We walk the site, identify which trees are protected, veteran or sit in a conservation area, check access for machinery, and note anything nearby that needs care during the work.
- Written quote: You get a written price broken down by area or per tree/stump, with anything needing separate arrangement flagged up front rather than added later.
- Permissions and scheduling: Where trees are protected, we submit the Tree Preservation Order or conservation area notice to the council before work starts, and agree a start date around weather and site access.
- Clearance work: Felling, stump grinding, root removal and ground clearance carried out to BS3998, with brash chipped and stumps ground out as we go.
- Site handover: Timber and green waste removed or stacked as agreed, the cleared area left graded and tidy for the next trade, with a photographic record kept.
What Affects the Price of a Clearance Job
There's no flat rate for site clearance because the things that drive the price - how many trees are involved and how big they are, how much stump grinding and root removal is needed, how easily a stump grinder or excavator can actually get onto the site, and how much brash, timber or subsoil has to come off it afterwards - are different on every plot.
Access tends to matter more than most people expect. A site that a stump grinder or mini excavator can drive straight onto costs less to clear than one where machinery has to come through a domestic gate, down a narrow lane, or be craned over a building. Protected trees tend to add time rather than always adding cost, since a Tree Preservation Order or conservation area check has to be resolved with the council before felling can start.
The only way to get an accurate figure is a free, no-obligation site visit, after which the quote is broken down clearly enough to see what each part of the job is costing. If a construction start date is already booked, it's worth getting the site visit done as early as possible.
Plant and Ground Skills, Not Just a Chainsaw
Clearing a site for construction is as much a plant-and-ground job as a tree job - once trees and scrub are down, the stumps, root balls and any hardcore still have to come out before a groundworks contractor can start on foundations, drainage or hard standing. Plenty of tree work outfits stop at felling and log removal, then hand the rest of the site over expecting someone else to deal with the stumps and the grading.
The team's NPTC/Lantra tickets cover the machinery that closes that gap: stump grinder, 360 excavator, timber crane and forwarder trailer among them, so root removal and material handling generally stay with the one team rather than needing a second contractor brought in partway through.
Felling itself is carried out to BS3998 whether it's a boundary hedge coming out for a driveway or mature trees on a development plot, and the NPTC Professional Tree Inspection qualification means anything with a Tree Preservation Order or conservation area status gets assessed and reported on properly rather than felled first and questioned afterwards.
The business has traded as Glasgow Trees since 2005 and is registered at Clyde Offices on Glasgow's West George Street. Everyone working near boundaries, scaffolding or a neighbouring build is fully insured, and quotes are free and no-obligation.
Site Preparation Across Glasgow, Lanarkshire and the Surrounding Council Areas
Most site clearance jobs are within Glasgow itself - tenement backcourts and infill plots in the city, or a driveway or extension in the suburbs - where access is often the real limiting factor. Glasgow's tree canopy runs to around 15% of the city, above the UK's urban average of 10%.
Cover extends south-east through Cambuslang, Blantyre and Hamilton and west through Renfrew, Clydebank, Paisley and Johnstone. North of the city, Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch, Bearsden and Milngavie sit closer to open ground, where clearance more often turns up mature hedgerow or boundary trees rather than scrub.
East and south, work along the M74 and A82 corridors takes in parts of South Lanarkshire and reaches as far as Stirling and Falkirk, including Bo'ness. The full footprint runs across eight council areas: Glasgow City, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, parts of South Lanarkshire, and Stirling and Falkirk as far as Bo'ness.
Tree and Vegetation Clearance vs a General Groundworks Contractor
| Glasgow Trees | General groundworks/landscaping contractor | |
|---|---|---|
| Tree felling to British Standard BS3998 | Standard practice on every job | Depends on who's doing the work that day |
| Protected and veteran trees, conservation area consent | NPTC Professional Tree Inspection qualified, handles the council paperwork | Often needs to bring in a specialist |
| Stump grinding and root removal | Own stump grinder, done as part of the clearance | Frequently a separate hire or subcontractor |
| Recognising invasive species (Japanese Knotweed, Giant Hogweed, Rhododendron) | Identified, correctly disposed of and managed during clearance | May not be trained to spot or handle safely |
| Insurance specific to tree felling near buildings and boundaries | Fully insured tree surgeons | Worth checking the policy actually covers tree work |
| Moving felled timber and clearing large sites | 360 excavator, timber crane and forwarder trailer among the plant the team's trained on | Usually needs a plant hire subcontractor brought in |
| Root protection during nearby construction | Root protection areas fenced and agreed before groundworks traffic arrives | Sometimes overlooked until roots are already damaged |
| Felling licence applications for larger volumes of timber | Handled as part of the job, with realistic timescales built into the schedule | May not flag the licence requirement until it becomes a problem |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you do site clearance for smaller jobs like a driveway or a single building plot, or is this only for large developments?
Most of our site preparation work is smaller-scale than a large development: clearing a garden or plot before an extension, taking out trees and scrub ahead of a driveway or car park, or clearing ground for general building work on a single plot. The process is the same regardless of size - a free site visit, a written quote, and clearance carried out to BS3998 - just scaled to what's actually on the site.
What happens to the wood and green waste after a clearance?
Felled timber and brash are usually chipped on site, which cuts down the volume that needs taking away. Timber can be left stacked for the client if there's a use for it, such as firewood, or removed along with the chippings if the site needs to be left completely clear. Green waste, chippings and timber leaving the site are documented under standard duty of care paperwork.
If there are trees on the site, do I need permission before they can be cleared?
It depends whether the trees are protected. If a Tree Preservation Order applies, or the site sits in a conservation area, felling needs council consent - or in some cases a Forestry Commission felling licence where enough timber volume is involved - before work can start, and that can add time to the schedule. At the site visit we check what's protected and handle the relevant application.
How soon can clearance work be scheduled once we've had a quote?
That depends on whether any trees need council consent first, how much is involved, and the time of year - bird nesting season, roughly March to August, can affect when certain vegetation clearance is carried out. Straightforward jobs with no protected trees can usually be booked in fairly quickly; anything needing a Tree Preservation Order application or felling licence will run to that body's own timescale.
Do you clear invasive species like Japanese Knotweed as part of a standard clearance quote?
Where Japanese Knotweed, Giant Hogweed or Rhododendron turn up during the site visit, they're identified and flagged as part of the walk-round, and management gets planned into the clearance rather than left as a surprise once digging starts. Japanese Knotweed has to be bagged, tracked and taken to a licensed facility rather than binned with ordinary green waste.
What machinery do you actually bring onto a clearance site?
It depends on the site - a stump grinder and chipper cover most garden and infill clearance, while a 360 excavator, timber crane or forwarder trailer come in for larger jobs with more timber to move or ground to clear. The mix of machinery gets decided at the walk-round based on what's actually there and how it can get in.
Is the clearance work covered by insurance if it's right next to a boundary wall, fence or a neighbour's building?
Yes - felling and clearance close to a boundary, garden wall or a neighbouring building is exactly the situation the team's insurance is there for, and it's factored into how a tree is taken down. It's worth asking any contractor quoting a boundary job to confirm their policy actually covers tree work specifically.
Can clearance start before planning permission for the site is fully finalised?
Sometimes, but only if no protected trees are involved and clearing the vegetation isn't itself a planning condition - some permissions are granted on condition that specific trees are retained, in which case felling them before consent is confirmed can cause problems with the permission itself.
Will clearing a site damage trees or hedges I want to keep on neighbouring boundaries?
That's exactly what root protection measures are for - fencing off the root protection area of any tree that's staying, sized to that tree's own trunk diameter, and agreeing where plant and material storage can go so roots aren't compacted or cut through during the clearance.
Get the Site Walked Before a Groundworks Date Is Booked
Clearance involving protected trees or a felling licence application needs lead time with the council before work can start, so it's worth getting the site walked and a written quote in place early rather than once a groundworks contractor is already booked and waiting on a clear plot. Get in touch to arrange a free, no-obligation site visit and find out exactly what's involved before committing to a date with anyone else.
Get Your Site Cleared and Ready to Build On
Free, no-obligation site visits with a written quote before any work is booked - felling and clearance carried out to BS3998 by an NPTC-qualified team.
0141-483-7485
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