From the field
Articles & Guides
GuideDemolition in North Carolina: What Has to Happen Before the Machine Arrives, and How to Check Who Does It
Tearing down a house, garage or slab in NC: the asbestos notice the state wants, the local permit, utility shutoffs and NC 811, where the debris goes, and how to check the contractor.
October 18, 20263 min read
GuideLand Clearing in North Carolina: The Methods, the Rules That Come First, and How to Check Who Does It
The ways to clear land in North Carolina, when each fits, what to check first (burning rules, the one-acre erosion plan, water and trees), and how to find and check a contractor.
October 18, 20263 min read
GuideDo I Need a Permit to Move Dirt in North Carolina? Erosion Control, Stormwater, Buffers and Wetlands
When grading, clearing or filling land in NC needs a permit: the state's one-acre erosion law, stricter local programs, the NCG01 stormwater permit, stream buffers and wetlands.
October 18, 20263 min read
DrivewayDriveway Permits in North Carolina: Whose Road Is It, and Who Decides?
Do you need a permit to connect a driveway to a road in NC? How to tell a state road from a city street, what NCDOT's rule says for one house, who sets the ditch pipe, and who to call.
October 18, 20263 min read
GuideWhat Excavation Costs in North Carolina, and Why Two Quotes for the Same Dig Can Be Miles Apart
What moves the price of an excavation job in NC: access, soil and rock, depth, hauling the dirt away, trench safety, permits and weather. How contractors price it, and how to compare quotes.
October 18, 20263 min read
HiringHow to Look Up a North Carolina Contractor: The License, the Company, the Insurance and the Record
Step by step, how to check a North Carolina contractor at each public source: the licensing board, septic certification, the Secretary of State, the Industrial Commission, OSHA and local permits.
October 18, 20263 min read