Excavation in Clermont, FL
Land clearing, grading sloped and sandy lots, septic tank and drainfield digs, pools and utility trenching across Clermont and south Lake County.
- Hillside lots, acreage and new builds
- Clearing, grading, septic, pools and trenches
- Free quote requests
Excavation in the Gem of the Hills
Clermont's population grew more than 250 percent between 2000 and 2020, and suburban development is one reason its citrus groves dwindled. These are the jobs that turn land into homesites.
01Land clearing
Lots and acreage, with Lake County's tree exemptions and burn rules.
02Lot grading
Leveling sloped, sandy ridge lots and moving water off them.
03Septic excavation
Tank and drainfield digs where sewer doesn't reach.
04Pool excavation
Digging in sand, and Florida's pool safety law.
05Trenching
Water, sewer and power lines to the house.
06Lake County tree rules
The 30-inch, three-year exemption, explained.
Citrus groves to subdivisions
Clermont was founded in 1884, incorporated as a town in 1891, disbanded in 1895 and reincorporated as a city in 1916. Citrus groves carried its economy through the mid-20th century, until recurring freezes and suburban growth made them dwindle. The Florida Citrus Tower dates to 1956.
It's Lake County's most populous city: 43,021 residents in 2020 and an estimated 52,812 in 2025, per the Census Bureau.
Questions worth asking first
What's it going to cost?
Orlando-area and national prices, gathered in one place.
Who has to approve it?
City, Lake County and Florida rules for digging and clearing.
How many trees can go?
Lake County's exemptions, and the state's risky-tree law.
What's buried in the yard?
Sunshine 811 timing, marks and the 10-inch exemption.
The work in a few lines
Clearing
Lawn Love's December 2025 guide puts most land clearing at $1,565 to $4,520, and brush removal at $330 to $630 an acre. Land clearing debris needs a Florida Forest Service burning authorization. Land clearing.
Grading
The Lake Wales Ridge is very deep, porous sand. Angi's Orlando guide lists grading and leveling at $410 to $6,600. Lot grading.
Septic
Where there's no sewer, a septic permit starts with a site evaluation of the soil and terrain. Septic excavation.
Pools and trenches
Angi prices a pool dig in sand at $8 to $40 per cubic yard; HomeAdvisor puts standard trenching at $5 to $12 a foot. Pool excavation and trenching.
Order of operations
- City or county.Inside Clermont, ask the city; outside it, Lake County's rules apply.
- Count the trees.Lake County's lot exemption caps removals at 30 inches of combined caliper in three years.
- Plan septic early.The site evaluation can decide where the house, drive and pool go.
- Watch the acreage.1 acre or more of disturbance can need Florida DEP's stormwater permit.
- Request locates.Sunshine 811, two full business days before digging.
Clermont in numbers
Nearby towns include Minneola, Groveland and Montverde, all in Lake County. See all areas.
For land outside south Lake County, there are separate referral sites for excavation in Fort Myers and, in Arizona, for excavation in Scottsdale. The Phoenix area also has sites for Queen Creek (queencreekexcavation.com), Gilbert (excavationgilbert.com) and Goodyear (goodyearexcavation.com).
Questions and answers
Is Clermont Excavation a contractor?
No. Clermont Excavation is an independent referral service. A local contractor gives the quote and does the job, and we make no guarantee about their work.
Is a quote request free?
Yes. Owners pay nothing to send a request; our income comes from contractors who pay for referrals.
Can I take trees off my lot in Lake County without a permit?
Lake County's exemption form covers a single-family lot of 2 acres or less with a house: removing non-required protected trees is exempt up to a combined 30 inches of trunk caliper in any three-year period. Inside Clermont, ask the city. See tree rules.
Why is Clermont hilly?
Clermont sits on the northern part of the Lake Wales Ridge, a band of relic sand dunes about 100 miles long. Its rolling hills are unusual for the Florida peninsula.
Are there sinkholes in Lake County?
WKMG's 2018 look at Florida DEP data described a sprinkling of reported sinkholes across Lake County, most near major roads such as State Road 44.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Clermont, Florida
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Clermont city, Florida
- Wikipedia: Lake Wales Ridge
- Lake County Office of Planning & Zoning: Tree Removal Permit Exemption form (revised 2019/12)
- Lawn Love: How much does it cost to clear land? (Sinziana Spiridon, updated December 27, 2025)
- Florida Forest Service: Forest Fire Laws & Open Burning Regulations (DACS-P 00149, revised 5/2015)
- Angi: How much does excavation cost in Orlando, FL? (updated June 17, 2026)
- Florida Department of Environmental Protection: Onsite Sewage FAQ, Permitting
- Angi: How much does pool excavation cost? (Scott Dylan Westerlund, updated October 19, 2026)
- HomeAdvisor: How much does trenching cost? (updated June 19, 2026)
- Florida Department of Environmental Protection: Construction Activity (stormwater Construction Generic Permit)
- Florida Statutes 556.105 (2025): Procedures (notice to Sunshine 811)
- WKMG ClickOrlando: A county-by-county look at reported sinkholes in Central Florida (Tara Evans and Emilee Speck, May 21, 2018)
Reviewed October 20, 2026. Rules, prices and contacts change, so check the source before relying on it.
Let's get it quoted
Call, or fill out the form, and a contractor who digs in south Lake County will contact you. Quotes are free.
Got voicemail? Leave your name, number, the property address and what you need dug.