The short version
Moving bins, firewood, and cushions; raking litter; cleaning gutters; hauling to the green-waste bin or a dump run.
Removing foundation shrubs and roots, converting two or three mulch beds to decomposed granite or gravel, cleanup and haul-away.
Replacing the wood section where the fence meets the house with a metal gate and frame. Per attachment point.
Zones 1 and 2 on larger lots: mowing, mastication, thinning, and dead-wood removal. Steep slopes and heavy growth cost more.
Ranges reflect typical San Diego County pricing reported by local operators and cost guides in 2026. Your quote depends on access, slope, vegetation density, and disposal volume. Always get a written quote.
What drives the price
- Woody vegetation volume. A row of mature junipers or a 20-year-old bougainvillea against the house is real work: cutting, grubbing out roots, and hauling a surprising amount of material. This is usually the largest line item.
- Mulch-to-hardscape conversion. Removing bark and installing decomposed granite or gravel with a weed barrier typically runs a few dollars per square foot installed. A five-foot band around a 2,000 sq ft home is roughly 900 sq ft, but most of it is already patio or walkway, so the planted area you actually convert is usually 150–400 sq ft.
- Fence and gate work. Each point where a wood fence meets the house is a small carpentry-and-metal job. Most homes have one or two.
- Trees. Limbing up, clearing the canopy ten feet from the roof, and removing dead wood is standard arborist work. Removing a dead tree is a separate, larger cost.
- Slope and access. Canyon-rim lots in Scripps Ranch, Tierrasanta, and Rancho Peñasquitos, and hillside properties in Alpine, Ramona, and Poway, cost more because crews are working on grade and hauling uphill.
- Disposal. Green waste is cheap to dispose of; treated lumber, old fencing, and rubber mulch are not.
A worked example
A 1,900 sq ft single-story home in Rancho Bernardo on a quarter-acre lot. Front yard has a juniper hedge under the windows and a bark-mulched bed; back yard has a wood fence meeting the house on both sides, a bougainvillea on the side wall, and a deck with garden tools stored underneath.
| Item | Who | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Clear under deck, move bins and firewood, clean gutters, rake litter | Homeowner | $0 (one Saturday) |
| Remove juniper hedge and bougainvillea, grub roots, haul | Crew | $600–$1,200 |
| Convert ~250 sq ft of mulch bed to decomposed granite with weed barrier | Crew | $700–$1,500 |
| Replace two wood fence sections at the house with metal gates | Crew | $800–$2,500 |
| Limb up one tree, clear canopy from roof | Crew | $250–$600 |
| Total | $2,350–$5,800 |
Skip the gates (many owners phase them) and the same lot lands in the $1,500–$3,300 range.
Ways to pay less
- Do the clearing yourself and hire for the removal and hardscape. Labor for picking up stored items and raking is the easiest cost to eliminate.
- Phase it. Vegetation and mulch first (the parts inspectors look at first), gates second.
- Bundle with neighbors. Crews price mobilization into every job. Three houses on the same street on the same day usually get a better rate each.
- Ask about the County's wildfire mitigation program. The County of San Diego participates in the California Wildfire Mitigation Program, a pilot that can pay contractors to create defensible space and make home-hardening improvements for eligible homeowners. Eligibility and funding vary; ask when you request a quote.
- Fire Safe Council of San Diego County. Runs a Defensible Space Assistance Program for homeowners who need help creating defensible space, with priority for seniors and residents with limited mobility or income.
- Insurance discounts. Under California's Safer From Wildfires framework, insurers offer discounts for Zone 0 and related home-hardening work. Ask your carrier what documentation they want before you start, and keep the photos.
What a good quote includes
- Itemized scope: which plants, how many square feet of conversion, which fence sections, which trees.
- Disposal included, with the haul-away volume stated.
- Contractor license number (CSLB) and proof of liability and workers' comp insurance.
- A date. Winter and early spring book up as the deadline approaches.
Request a free quote and we will connect you with a licensed, insured crew that does Zone 0 work in your part of the county.