Clear defensible space around a house

Tom Hanks, owner, 24/7 Express Handyman Service · Updated September 2026

24/7 Express Handyman Service clears defensible space in Salt Lake, Park City and Heber. 30 feet around buildings is the minimum area USU Extension says to clear of excess brush and small trees. (Firewise Landscaping: The Basics | USU Extension Forestry)

What defensible space costs

Salt Lake City & Millcreek	from $205
Park City & Summit County	from $225
Heber Valley & Wasatch County	from $225

Defensible space in Salt Lake City & Millcreek starts at $205: the 2-hour minimum at $95/hour ($190) plus the $15 fuel surcharge, with no dispatch fee. Time past 2 hours is billed in 30-minute steps. Larger parts are billed at cost plus 25%.

Full price sheet and estimator

Call now

(801) 999-0827 Text photos

Answered 24/7 by Tom or his dispatcher.

24/7 Express Handyman Service confirms the address, the zone rate and the dispatch fee, and takes a card, before rolling.

Quick answers

What is defensible space around a house?

Defensible space is the area around a home kept free of dense, dry fuel so a wildfire loses strength before it reaches the walls. USU Extension says the first 0 to 5 feet should be mostly free of anything combustible, and excess brush and small trees should be cleared out to at least 30 feet.

Should bark mulch be removed next to the house?

Yes, in the first few feet it is safer to replace wood mulch with stone or gravel. USU Extension suggests stone instead of wood mulch right around the house and removing firewood piles stacked against it, since that strip is where wind-blown embers land.

How often does defensible space need upkeep?

Check it every month through the dry season. USU Extension recommends inspecting landscapes monthly and dealing with problems before they become serious hazards, because grass, needles and leaves build back up every year.

Cut brush gathered into piles on a cleared, wooded hillside after fuels reduction work — Photo: BLM Oregon & Washington, Public domain

What 24/7 Express Handyman Service does on site

Cuts dead grass, weeds and brush and rakes up leaf and needle litter in the first 30 feet around the house.
Pulls bark mulch, dead plants and stored combustibles back from the foundation and swaps bark for gravel on request.
Trims low, dead branches reachable from the ground or a short ladder and hauls all cut material away.

How it works

The yard is walked with the homeowner, or reviewed from photos, to mark what stays, what goes and where debris is hauled.
The cleanup is priced in writing.
Work moves from the house outward: the first 5 feet, then out to 30 feet, then any extra area agreed on.
Referred out: tree work near power lines or above ladder reach (arborist), pesticide or herbicide application, and irrigation backflow testing or repairs to the potable connection.

When to stop and call

If dry brush, dead limbs or piled debris are touching the house as fire season starts, call. 24/7 Express Handyman Service can clear the strip next to the walls first, where embers do the most harm.

What happens next

The written scope and price come first; photos of the cleared zones and a list of anything referred out follow the visit.
Photograph the damage before anything is moved and keep every receipt; 24/7 Express Handyman Service provides an itemised invoice your insurer may ask for. The dispatch fee and job cost are paid by you on the day.

Every job 24/7 Express Handyman Service takes on is under $3,000 including labor, materials and any change orders (Utah Code §58-55-305); a change that would push a job over that line is referred to a licensed contractor, not written up as a second job. plumbing, electrical, HVAC, gas appliance / combustion system work is referred to a licensed trade.

Sources

Firewise Landscaping: The Basics | USU Extension Forestry — retrieved 2026-09-23
Ask an Expert: Wildfire Safety Starts at Home | USU Extension — retrieved 2026-09-23

All sources