Buying 10 acres and am lost

[ownels]

A buddy of mine and me are splitting 20 acres in Wallisville TX (southeast TX) to build a couple of houses on for his family and mine and man there are so many options for clearing and building and everything else under the sun!

We will close in about a month and I will finally own my little place close to work and family.

That said anybody do any land clearing and more importantly pond/tank building in the area? I am thinking about renting a skid steer or small dozer to do the work of atleast clearing. But am a little scared to build a pond with all the horror stories I hear about that.

Also any advice would be greatly appreciated for anything from clearing, ponds, shops, houses.

Currently it is all small woods with no under brush. I have looked at mulching and pushing for clearing and fell mulching is just going to make more work for further use down the road. (just 20 acres between us but plan to have 4-6 head of cows) Stumps bother me for using a disk and making decent pasture.

Hoping to clear 4 acres for house and 1 acre pond. I have a high line right through property right now that I will be able to hopefully turn to natural grass in a shorter time frame that other land.

[Paycheck]

Congrats on your own place.

[dbelcher269]

Bulldozer for clearing the actual small trees and stumps. I'd check with outfits in your area to see if anyone needs topsoil or dirt. Many times they will come dig a pond or pool for you so they can keep the dirt to haul to other job sites or customers.

[RiverRat1]

Take your time! You can't replace trees very easy. If you clear too much and then wish you had more trees/brush it will take years to come back.

[tps7742]

Take your time! You can't replace trees very easy. If you clear too much and then wish you had more trees/brush it will take years to come back.

Good advice here, try to think ahead for what you envision for the future of your new home. Congrats on your new place.
Personal experiences from me if you aren’t familiar with the equipment on clearing land will come out ahead on hiring someone. On the pond, as you know it’s more than just digging a hole in the ground with a piece of equipment. Find a local person familiar with the soil. On your dams make them where you can drive on them to keep them mowed.

[MossyRockRanch]

Make a plan of what you want to do to the land on paper . Also unless you are skilled on a dozer I would hire that out. Have fun !

[dpg481]

I with you on not wanting to use a mulcher, they do have a place, but roots and stumps are left and will continue to grow the unwanted vegetation. I have been working my place for over a year now with my personal equipment when I have time, and I will tell you that it is very hard work. I will be hiring a dozer to clear out four acres her in a month or so for where I house is going. Congrats on the new place.

[gander]

Bulldozer for clearing the actual small trees and stumps. I'd check with outfits in your area to see if anyone needs topsoil or dirt. Many times they will come dig a pond or pool for you so they can keep the dirt to haul to other job sites or customers.

I'd imagine in the area that he is planning on building in, he will need the dirt from the pond being dug to build up his pad site several feet high with the amount of flooding that area receives.

[Hart8]

Dozer,and or trackhoe for the clearing.Most land clearing outfit's use both.Save the first 2 feet of topsoil for top dressing the dam.
What part of the state are you in?
There's a company in Hico that does really good work.Hiring it out sounds expensive,but they'll get twice as much done than you can,spending the same amount of money.

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[Hart8]

Edit* Southeast Tx..Long way from Hico

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[zwalker16]

I have been working on my land for a year and a half now. A bulldozer will do the trick but I personally rather a decent size Excavator to do tree removals. Pulls everything out at once. Then use it for the pond and get a skid steer for moving dirt

[toledo]

Just to double check, the land has been divided so you each individually own 10 acres? You dont want to get in to an undivided interest situation.

[Kingfisher789]

There was a great East Texas build post here recently.

[slayr]

I am DIY guy for a lot of things, but with that being said I’d hire someone.

I’ve tried to clear property myself, then ended up with something very sub par and eventually had to get someone else in there to straighten up my mess.

I’ve hired folks for a couple of different properties I’ve owned and would strongly recommend going with someone who can clear, dig your pond and do all of your dirt work too. It’ll save you money in the end on transport fees for equipment and since they’re the professionals you can usually get some prwitty good wholistic views and ideas from them.

[J.C.]

Use professionally skilled people for professional work... my 2 cents.

Congrats!