A Local Land Clearing Contractor in Montrose, MI, Run by the Guy Doing the Work
When you call, you talk to Michael. When the work starts, Michael is the one running the machine.
One owner, on every job, since December 2019.
- Owner-operated since 2019
- Free on-site estimates
- About an hour around Montrose, MI
Onyx Land Clearing and Excavation is a small, owner-operated business based in Montrose, Michigan. Michael Lee started it in December 2019, and he still runs every part of it. He answers the phone, walks your property, writes your estimate, and runs the equipment on your job.
That's not a sales line. It's simply how the business is built right now.
How Onyx Got Started
Michael filed the paperwork for Onyx in the winter of 2019 and went to work clearing land, mulching overgrown ground, and digging for homeowners and property owners in the area around Montrose. Six years later, the core of the business hasn't changed. It's still forestry mulching, land clearing, excavation, and retaining walls, done for people in the farm country, wooded parcels, and small towns within about an hour of home.
This part of Michigan is a mix of woods, fields, horse properties, and growing neighborhoods. That means the work is rarely the same twice. One week might be opening up an overgrown back lot in Lapeer County. The next might be digging for a project closer to Howell or cutting in a wall on a sloped yard near Lake Orion.
Why You Deal With the Owner
Michael puts it simply: Onyx isn't a big corporation. When you reach out, you're going to talk to him, and more than likely, he'll be on your job. There's no call center, no salesperson handing your project off to a crew you've never met, and no guessing about who is responsible for the result.
That matters on this kind of work. Clearing and excavation change the shape of a property, and it helps to talk directly with the person who will be sitting in the machine. You can walk the site together, point out what you want kept, and get straight answers about what's realistic.
Michael has said that even as Onyx grows and adds people, he plans to stay on the jobs until new help is running them the way he expects. The personal side of the business is the part he isn't willing to give up.
What Onyx Works On
Onyx focuses on a short list of services and does them well.
Bobcat Equipment, Dealer-Supported
Onyx also has snow plowing capability in the winter months, depending on the season and the location of the job.
Michael runs Bobcat equipment and has stuck with his local Bobcat dealer because of the service and support he gets there. Keeping machines maintained and ready is a big part of showing up when he says he will.
Who Onyx Works For
Onyx works with both homeowners and commercial property owners. Most jobs are residential, like clearing space for a yard, opening up a wooded lot, or getting a slope under control with a new wall. Commercial and larger multi-day projects are welcome too, including jobs that sit a bit farther out when the size of the project makes the trip worthwhile.
How Michael Approaches Every Job
The approach is straightforward. Estimates are free, and they're written by Michael himself after he understands what you need. He'll tell you what the job involves, what he'd recommend, and what's worth leaving alone. Payment is flexible, with cash, check, and card accepted, and a third-party financing option can be added to your estimate if that helps.
Michael also keeps action cameras rolling on many of his jobs and photographs his work as he goes, so there is a real record of before-and-after results from local properties. You can see some of that work in the Gallery.
Talk to Michael About Your Property
If you have land to clear, ground to dig, or a slope that needs a wall, the next step is a conversation. Call (810) 955-4752 or use the contact form to request a free estimate. You'll hear back from Michael directly.