Land Clearing
We clear overgrown lots, acreage, fence lines and trails in Oak Hill and across Greene County. The brush is mulched on site or hauled away, whichever fits the job.
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The Town of Durham climbs from the Catskill Creek near East Durham to about 2,900 feet on Mount Pisgah. Much of the ground between is stony till over a dense layer that holds water in spring. Old hay fields fill in with brush and saplings, and steep driveways wash out in hard rain. That is when owners start looking for an excavation contractor in Durham, NY.
Doberman Excavation and Services serves the whole Town of Durham, which sits at the center of our service area. Here we take on land clearing, gravel driveways, drainage, septic systems and demolition. That includes Oak Hill, East Durham, Cornwallville, West Durham and Sunside. Call or text (518) 281-8003 with the location and a few photos for a free estimate.
Tell us about the job and where the property is. We look at the job and put a free estimate in writing.
About 2,600 people lived in the Town of Durham at the 2020 Census, spread over about 49 square miles. Most homes are single-family houses, and about a quarter were built before 1940, Census estimates show. A house that old may still run on drainage or a septic system from long before today's rules.
Durham is also a second-home town. At the 2020 Census, about one home in four was a seasonal or weekend place. Owners who live hours away can't see a washout or a fallen tree until the next visit. Our property maintenance for second homes covers that gap, with photos sent by phone before and after the work.
New homes go up one at a time here. The Census Bureau counted six permits for new single-family homes in the town in 2025. We clear building lots and dig the footings and utility trenches before the builder starts.
The NRCS soil survey maps much of the town as Lackawanna and Wellsboro channery loam. Channery means the soil holds flat pieces of sandstone and shale. Both soils have a dense layer called a fragipan that starts about 14 to 36 inches down. On Wellsboro soil, the survey puts a seasonal water table about 18 inches down from April to June.
That water shows up as soggy yards and driveways that turn to mud. A French drain or a graded swale gives it a path off the lot. Every drain needs an outlet, so the plan starts with where the water can go.
The town's scenic byway page describes working hay fields and old stone walls across the Durham Valley. The federal description of Lackawanna soil says a lot of its old farmland has gone back to brush or woods. Brush hogging cuts saplings up to 4 inches across, and forestry mulching takes on heavier growth. Our CAT 255 skid steer and its CAT HM215 forestry mulcher grind that growth into mulch on site.
The town's Building and Code Department reviews permits across the Town of Durham. The town's permit application covers septic and demolition work too. For a new or replacement septic system, the town asks for stamped engineered plans. Under the town's sewage law, a plot plan must be filed with the Town Clerk and approved first.
The town's sewerage inspector then checks the system after it is installed and before it is covered. Our septic system installation work builds to the engineer's plan, from the tank to the leach field.
The town's building law lists demolition among the work that needs a building permit. Older buildings may also need an asbestos survey, and the code office can say what applies. After an old barn comes down, we haul away the debris and grade the ground.
The town highway department keeps up 84 miles of road, and 14 miles are unpaved. Route 145 runs through East Durham and the hamlet of Durham. Route 81 crosses the north side through Oak Hill, and Route 23 clips the south end at East Windham.
Before a new driveway goes in off a town road, the town asks you to call the highway superintendent. The superintendent inspects the spot to decide whether it needs a culvert. A driveway onto a state route, like Route 145 or Route 81, needs a state Department of Transportation permit. We build and repair gravel driveways, with culverts and ditches where the water needs them.
The town keeps a 25-foot right of way from the center of its roads. It asks property owners to keep fences and other items out of that strip. Its highway page also reminds owners that pushing snow onto the road breaks state law. On the driveways we plow, the snow gets stacked on the property.
Communities and areas we serve around Durham: East Durham, Cornwallville, West Durham, Sunside, East Windham, Point Lookout, Mount Pisgah, Durham Valley, Catskill Creek, Route 145, Route 81.
Durham ZIP codes served: 12422, 12423, 12418, 12460.
Durham is part of our service area. We look at the job and put a free estimate in writing.
(518) 281-8003 We clear overgrown lots, acreage, fence lines and trails in Oak Hill and across Greene County. The brush is mulched on site or hauled away, whichever fits the job.
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Our CAT 255 skid steer with a CAT HM215 forestry mulcher grinds brush and saplings into mulch where they stand. The mulch stays on your land, and the trees you want kept stay standing.
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We brush hog overgrown fields and pastures across Greene County and the northern Catskills. Saplings up to 4 inches thick come down with the grass and brush.
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We build new gravel driveways and repair rutted, washed-out ones in Oak Hill and across Greene County. We shape the crown and the ditches so rain and snowmelt run off the drive.
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French drains and culverts for yards and driveways that stay wet after rain or snowmelt. We find where the water runs and give it a way out.
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We clear the lot and cut a level building pad for homes, garages, barns and sheds. Then we dig the footings and the utility trenches for the build.
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We level yards and fields and slope the ground so water runs away from the house. We also bring in fill and topsoil and finish the grade smooth.
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We install new and replacement septic systems across Greene County, built to the engineer's plan. We also repair septic tanks and leach fields.
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We take down old barns, sheds, garages and outbuildings, plus concrete slabs and old foundations. The debris gets hauled away, and the ground is graded after the demolition.
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We take down hazard and fallen trees with our machines and pull the stumps out with their roots. The wood and debris get hauled away when the work is done.
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We keep up Catskills vacation homes, rentals, second homes and land for owners who live out of the area. We mow fields, fix driveways, clean ditches and clear storm damage, then send you photos.
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We plow driveways, private roads, parking areas and lots across Greene County and the mountaintop. We plow by the season or by the storm, and gravel drives keep their stone.
Learn MoreReal reviews from real jobs, 2 reviews on Google.
Great service on time and was quick to get quotes over compared to waiting for 2 weeks for 2 others to get back
Highly Recommend.
A few of the questions we hear most around Durham. If yours is not here, call or text and ask.
Tell us where the property is and what you need done. You can also call or text (518) 281-8003 for a free estimate.
Tell us about the job and where the property is. We look at the job and put a free estimate in writing.