Site clearing · Monroe County
Site clearing in the Florida Keys
Clearing a lot in the Keys is not the same as clearing a lot elsewhere in Florida. Much of the land is protected habitat, trees have their own permits, and many parcels sit under land-use rules that limit what may be removed.
The first step is to learn what the parcel is. Some lots are mapped as natural habitat and have limits on clearing. Others are previously disturbed, with an old slab, a shed or a fallen structure. On Big Pine Key and No Name Key, the Key deer add a further layer of review. We read the parcel record, then walk it, before any machine moves.
Trees need their own approval. Removing a tree may need a permit, and some species or sizes carry replacement requirements. We coordinate licensed tree work and keep it separate from the demolition so each has its own approval.
What comes out of a cleared lot is varied: concrete, block, wood, metal, old appliances and sometimes fill that was dumped decades ago. We sort it, and we price the haul to the mainland as its own line.
Send the parcel number, photos and what you plan to do with the lot. We will walk it and write a scope that lists what is cleared, what is protected and what needs approval first.
Order of work
- Read the parcel record and the habitat and flood mapping.
- Walk the lot and mark what comes out and what stays.
- Get any tree or habitat approvals the lot needs.
- Call Sunshine 811 and locate utilities.
- Clear structures, slabs and debris in sequence.
- Sort and haul to licensed facilities.
- Grade and stabilize the surface as agreed.
Where Keys jobs stall
The usual trouble spots, and how each is handled
Protected habitat
A lot may be limited in how much can be cleared, and some keys carry species reviews. We read the parcel record first.
Tree permits
Tree removal is licensed work with its own approvals. We coordinate it as a separate item.
Mixed debris
Old lots hold concrete, wood, metal and sometimes buried fill. We sort as we go.
Access across soft ground
Low, wet lots may not carry heavy machines. We plan mats and routes.
What falls outside our hands
Tree removal, habitat reviews and any approvals for work near water are separate and licensed. We do not clear anything that approvals have not covered, and we do not assume a lot may be cleared until the records say so.
Questions
About site clearing
Can I clear my lot entirely?
Not always. Habitat, tree and land-use rules limit clearing on many Keys parcels. We read the parcel record and tell you what is allowed before we price.
Does clearing a lot on Big Pine Key need extra review?
Often, because of the Key deer and other protected species. Check the current review process with the county planning department before you plan any clearing there.
What does a demolition cost in the Keys?
A quote follows a visit to the property, or a review of photos and drawings when those show enough. The figure moves with the building's materials and height, the asbestos survey, the utility disconnects, how equipment reaches the lot, and the haul, because everything leaves the island chain by truck. We do not publish prices, since two lots that look alike seldom cost alike.
Is there a minimum or maximum size of job?
No. A shed, a pool, a slab or one interior wall gets a quote, and so does an entire building, whether the work is selective or structural. Describe what is standing and what has to stay, and we price that scope.
Is Romco Builders licensed?
Yes. Romco Builders is a licensed Florida general contractor, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale. Some trades need a license of their own: asbestos removal, electrical disconnects and tree work are examples. Those are done by firms that hold it, and we fit them into one schedule.
From first call to final
Six stages, always in this order
Send the address and the scope
Phone us or fill in the quote form. Say which key it is on, what must come down and what must stay.
A visit to the lot
Someone from Romco goes to the property. The building, the flood zone, the utility connections, the way equipment and trucks get in, and the neighboring lots all get a look.
The written quote
You get a document listing what comes out, what is kept safe, and what is trucked north off the island chain. Anything that hangs on survey results is marked as such.
Paperwork before machines
If asbestos testing applies, it happens here. So do the utility shutoffs and the filing of your demolition permit with whichever office covers the parcel.
Demolition and haul-off
The crew works through the agreed order. Debris is trucked to permitted facilities, and we keep the load records.
Final inspection
The permit office signs off after its last inspection. You are left with a cleared lot, or the shell you specified.
Site clearing across Monroe, including Key West, Stock Island, Marathon, Islamorada, Key Largo, Ocean Reef, Tavernier, Duck Key, Key Colony Beach, Big Pine Key, and every other Monroe city.
More ways we can help
Other kinds of demolition we quote
- Interior demolitionCondo, hotel and shop interiors and stilt-house living floors cleared out, salt damage and all.Interior demolition in Monroe →
- Selective demolitionRemove one wing, a deck or a floor of a Keys building and protect what stays.Selective demolition in Monroe →
- Commercial demolitionShops, motels, marinas and multifamily buildings, planned around US 1 access.Commercial demolition in Monroe →
- House demolitionBlock ranches, wood cottages and stilt houses, taken down after the permit work is done.House demolition in Monroe →
- Structural demolitionConcrete frames, elevated slabs, piles and unsafe structures, taken down in engineered order.Structural demolition in Monroe →
- Concrete removalSlabs, driveways, decks and caps broken out, sorted and hauled off the island chain.Concrete removal in Monroe →
- Pool removalFill in or fully remove a pool, with the groundwater and the fill planned first.Pool removal in Monroe →
- Mobile home demolitionMobile homes, trailers and RVs removed from park lots and private lots, with utilities handled.Mobile home demolition in Monroe →
- Storm damage demolitionHurricane-damaged homes and buildings, made safe and removed, with the paperwork in order.Storm damage demolition in Monroe →
- Asbestos coordinationSurvey, notice and licensed abatement lined up so the demolition can proceed.Asbestos coordination in Monroe →
- Accessory structure demolitionSheds, carports, garages, screen rooms and dock houses removed cleanly.Accessory structure demolition in Monroe →
- Something else?Do not see your job above? Phone us and describe it. We quote every type and size.Call (239) 510-4206 →
Any type, any size, anywhere in the Keys
Tell us where it is and what has to come down. We will price it.
Romco Builders is a licensed Florida general contractor, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale. From a single wall to a full building, you receive a written scope and a quote.