Land Clearing & Site Prep in Duncan, SC
M&S Land Management clears land, prepares building sites, builds house pads and puts in gravel driveways in Duncan, SC and the western side of Spartanburg County.
- Free on-site estimates
- Owner-run by McKinley
- WNC & Upstate SC
Working in Duncan
Duncan sits on I-85 between Greenville and Spartanburg. The interstate forms the town's southern boundary, and US 29 runs through its northern part. SC 290 and SC 292 meet in the center of town. It is easy ground to reach with a trailer and a track machine.
The town has been growing. The census counted 3,181 people in 2010 and 4,041 in 2020. Several companies keep their North American headquarters here, among them Stäubli, Röchling Group and Dräxlmaier Group. That growth turns wood lots and old fields along the main roads into house sites.
Most Duncan work is building work. A lot gets cleared, the pad gets cut, the drive goes in and the water is sorted before the builder arrives. The rest is land that grew in and needs opening up. We do both, and the same crew can carry a job from the first tree to the last load of stone.
We are based in Asheville and work the Upstate regularly. McKinley walks every job and prices it on site. Call (828) 540-6856 or send the form.
What we get called for
- Land clearing for house lots and building sites
- Building site preparation
- House pads cut and compacted
- Gravel driveways and driveway repair
- Forestry mulching of overgrown ground
- Drainage and culverts
Clearing and site prep in Duncan
A Duncan building lot needs the trees down, and the stumps and root mat out under the house, the drive and any fill. Then the topsoil comes off, silt fence goes in and the ground is shaped. Our site preparation page lays out the full sequence.
Where the land only needs opening up, such as a back lot, a fence line or acreage you want to walk, mulching is often the better fit. It leaves the roots in to hold the soil. We tell you which your ground needs after we walk it.
Pads and drives on Duncan clay
The ground here is red Piedmont clay. It makes a sound pad when the fill is placed in layers and compacted at the right moisture. It makes a poor driveway if stone is dumped straight onto it. So the drive is built on a compacted stone base, then surfaced and crowned to shed water. See house pad construction in Spartanburg County for how a pad is built.
The Middle Tyger River runs through the north of town and forms part of the line with Lyman. Land that falls toward the river or its branches needs the soil kept covered while it is open. We fence the low side before the clay is exposed.
Who to ask about permits
Inside town limits, ask the Town of Duncan. Outside them, Spartanburg County runs a land disturbance permit for lot work under an acre. SC DES stormwater coverage applies when a job disturbs an acre or more, or is part of a larger plan. A new drive onto a state road such as SC 290 or SC 292 goes through SCDOT.
Confirm with the right office for your parcel before work starts. Rules change, and the answer depends on where the lot sits.
A short history worth knowing
Duncan began as New Hope, with a post office in 1811 on what is now SC 290. It was later called Vernonsville. The railroad came through in 1873, and in 1881 the town took the name of Leroy Duncan, who gave land for streets. It was chartered in 1889.
Duncan is on the same run as Greer and Spartanburg. Jobs in Lyman, Wellford and Reidville go on the same trip.
Work like yours, up close
Every photo here is from a real M&S job. See more of our work.
Asked about Duncan.
Not seeing yours? Call or text (828) 540-6856 and ask McKinley, or read the guides.
- Cost GuideWhat Moves the Cost of Land Clearing in Spartanburg, SC
- GuideDo You Need a Permit to Clear Land in Upstate SC?
- Cost GuideSite Preparation Cost for a New Home: What It Depends On
- GuideHow to prepare land for building a home
- GuideBuilding on a Sloped Lot in Western North Carolina
- GuideSite Preparation Checklist for a New House in the Upstate
Do you clear land in Duncan, SC?
Yes. We clear house lots, building sites and overgrown acreage in and around Duncan, with the stumps and root mat out wherever the ground will be built on.
Can you prepare a building lot near I-85 in Duncan?
Yes. We clear the lot, put in erosion control, cut the pad and build an access drive trucks can use. Lots close to the interstate and the main roads are easy to reach with our equipment.
My land in Duncan backs onto the Middle Tyger River. Can it be cleared?
Yes, with care. We keep a strip along the water covered, fence the low side and work so the soil stays on your land. Ask Spartanburg County or the Town of Duncan about any rules near the river first.
Do you build gravel driveways off SC 290 and SC 292?
Yes. A new entrance onto a state road needs SCDOT approval, so settle that first. We then build the drive on a stone base and crown it to shed water.
Is Duncan covered by your Spartanburg crew?
It is the same crew. We come down from Asheville and work Duncan along with Greer, Spartanburg and the towns between them.
Also working near Duncan
Duncan is part of our Upstate South Carolina work. See the full service area.
Nearby communities
Greer
Greenville & Spartanburg counties, SC
ViewNearbyInman
Spartanburg County, SC
ViewNearbyBoiling Springs
Spartanburg County, SC
ViewNearbySpartanburg
Spartanburg County, SC
ViewFrom first call to finished grade
Call or Text
Call or text (828) 540-6856 or send the form. Say where the ground is and what it is doing now.
We Walk It
McKinley walks the ground with you and looks at where the water comes from and goes.
One Number
You get one number for the whole job, measured on site rather than guessed over the phone.
One Crew Does It
Clearing, cut, drainage, base and finish, by the same crew, in that order.
Free estimate in Duncan.
Where it is, how long the drive is, how steep it gets and what it is doing now. We come out, walk it, and give you a real number.
- Free on-site estimates across WNC and the Upstate
- One crew from clearing through to the last load of stone
- Drainage designed in, not sold to you afterwards
Free estimate. Real number.
Call or text McKinley. He walks the ground before he gives you a price.