What the machine does
First Responder Transport runs a tracked Kubota skid steer with its operator for land clearing, sod removal, grading, concrete removal and pallet fork work across Central Florida. Every job is priced per job, not per hour. Send photos of the lot and what needs to go and you get a fixed number back, usually inside the hour.
Bucket on
Forks on
Why tracks
The machine runs on tracks rather than wheels, which matters on soft Florida ground. A lot that has had rain on it, sand, or fresh fill will rut badly under tyres. Tracks spread the weight, so the machine keeps working where a wheeled one would dig itself in.
It arrives on our own trailer, so there is no separate delivery to arrange.
Priced per job, not per hour
Ground, access and what is actually in the way change too much from one lot to the next for an hourly rate to be honest. So every job gets a fixed number, agreed before the machine comes off the trailer.
What to send for a price
- Photos of the lot, from a couple of corners.
- What is staying: any tree, fence or slab you want kept.
- What happens to the spoil: spread on site, or hauled away.
- The way in, including the gate width and anything soft.
- The town, and when you need it done.
Hauling the spoil away, if it needs to go, is quoted with the job rather than added after.
Before you clear
Clearing a lot can need a permit, and the permit is the property owner's, not the operator's. Two local examples:
- Plant City requires a permit to clear land, and its grand trees stay protected even where a species otherwise would not be.
- Auburndale requires a permit to remove native vegetation, and during construction nothing can be piled within the drip line of vegetation that has to be preserved.
If any part of a Hillsborough lot is wetland, the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County prohibits development in wetlands without its written authorization, so check with them before any clearing near it. Tell us which trees and areas are off limits and the machine keeps well clear of them.
Getting a lot ready for clearing covers the 811 call, the tree permits and the order to do them in.
Where we work
Across Hillsborough, Polk and Manatee counties, and Lake and Orange as well.
Questions people ask
How much does land clearing cost?
It depends on the size of the lot, what is on it and whether the spoil is hauled away. Send photos and you get a fixed price back, usually inside the hour.
Do you take out stumps?
Yes. Stumps and root balls come out with the rest of the clearing.
Do you remove old sod?
Yes. Old sod and grass are stripped out with the skid steer before new sod, pavers or a slab go down, and hauled away if they need to go.
Can you grade a driveway with asphalt millings or rock?
Yes. Asphalt millings, road base and rock are spread and levelled with the skid steer, and so is fill dirt.
Can you haul the debris away?
Yes. If the spoil needs to go, hauling it away is priced into the job up front.
Can you break out a concrete driveway?
Yes. It is broken out, loaded and hauled off, not left in a heap.
Do I need a permit to clear my lot?
It depends on the town. Plant City and Auburndale both require one for clearing or removing native vegetation. Check with your city or county first; the permit is in the owner's name.
What areas do you cover?
Tampa, Plant City, Thonotosassa, Lakeland, Auburndale, Davenport and Bradenton most often, and the rest of Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Lake and Orange counties.
