Hunter Houses brings demolition and land clearing to Nichols, SC, a small town in Marion County. The 2020 census counted 234 people in Nichols. About a mile southwest of town, the Lumber River ends at the Little Pee Dee River. Nichols was first known as Floydsville, built on Harman Floyd's land that was sold off as town lots. Those lots surrounded depots of the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad. A turpentine boom faded, and the tobacco industry took its place. The town was later renamed for Averett B. Nichols, who built a warehouse and store in the tobacco boom. When an old home is too worn to save, house demolition clears it from the lot. When a lot has grown over, land clearing opens it back up.
Our home base is Florence, in the county that borders Marion County on the west. SC 9 joins US 76 in Nichols, and the two roads share a little more than a mile. Mullins is about 6 miles west of Nichols, and Lake View is about 8 miles north. Zion sits about 10 miles west, and Rains about 14 miles southwest. A New Holland mini excavator does our digging and teardowns, and a track skid steer runs the brush cutter. We also run a tractor, and our dump trailer takes the debris away. We take on mainly residential work. We give every estimate in person, at no charge. Call us, or send the details through our estimate request form.
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Census estimates put the median build year for homes in the Nichols town limits at 1966. About four homes in five there, 148 of 181, were built in 1979 or earlier. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew brought severe flooding from the nearby Lumber River. Five months later, 216 of the town's 261 homes were still vacant. The state notes the area was hit by both Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Florence. Our mini excavator pulls down a house that is past repair. The debris rides away in the dump trailer, and we level the ground. Weighing repairs against a teardown? Our guide covers when to tear down or renovate an old house.
Marion County's demolition permit application covers addresses inside the Nichols town limits. It asks why the structure is being demolished. It also wants proof that the property taxes are current and there is no property debt. So have those papers ready before you apply. A new house on the cleared lot means more paperwork. Marion County requires a permit for any building project over $1,000 in value or 200 square feet, and in the county a zoning permit comes before the building permit. Inside the town limits, ask the Town of Nichols and Marion County which steps apply. Our guide to demolition permits in South Carolina covers the statewide picture.
In November 2022, the South Carolina Office of Resilience approved buyout funding for 23 Nichols properties. The buyouts let residents relocate to safer areas. In July 2025, the state and the town began work on a stormwater park at 406 E Old Stage Road. It sits in a 100-year floodplain, where the Nichols Head Start School Building once stood. Its 1-acre pond is designed to hold about 3.3 acre-feet, over one million gallons. On private ground, land clearing starts with our track skid steer cutting the brush and saplings. Then the mini excavator digs up each stump, and we grade the holes back to level. Before fill goes on a low lot, find out its flood zone.
By Census estimates, nearly half the homes in the 29581 ZIP around Nichols are mobile homes, 1,008 of 2,154. Across Marion County the share is 32.3 percent, against 17.7 percent in Florence County. A worn unit can be torn down and hauled off with mobile home demolition. The spot can then take a new dirt pad. We shave down the high side and use that dirt where the ground dips. Fill is spread one layer at a time, which helps it settle evenly. The finished pad runs wider than the home, and the ground slopes away from it on all sides. Our guide to site prep for a mobile home covers each step.
Communities & areas we serve around Nichols: Mullins, Lake View, Zion, Rains.
Nichols ZIP codes served: 29581.
We tear down houses, barns and outbuildings around Florence. The debris gets hauled off and the lot is left clean.
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We take down single-wide and double-wide mobile homes around Florence, haul the debris off in our dump trailer and level the old pad.
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We clear overgrown lots and acreage around Florence. Underbrush and small trees come out, and the piles get hauled off on the dump trailer.
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We mulch brush, briars and small trees in place and leave the ground covered in mulch. Good for understory cleanup, hunting land and grown up acreage.
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We handle residential excavation around Florence with a mini excavator and a track skid steer. Root digs, buried debris, pad cuts and low spots that hold water.
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We dig stumps out with a mini excavator, root ball and root runs included. The wood gets hauled off, and the hole is backfilled and rough leveled.
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We grade lots, level rough yards and get home and mobile home sites ready around Florence. Free on-site estimates.
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We build dirt pads for houses, mobile homes, shops, barns and sheds around Florence, with the topsoil stripped and the fill shaped in layers.
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We cut and build new gravel driveways, and regrade drives that have washed out or gone to potholes. Work runs from short residential drives to long farm lanes.
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We brush hog overgrown pasture, fields, vacant lots and fence lines around Florence. Book a one-time cut or a yearly maintenance mow.
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We take down yard and lot trees in Florence, SC with a mini excavator, dig the stump out on the same visit and haul the wood off.
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We run our track skid steer on yards and lots around Florence to spread fill and gravel, shape dirt pads, cut brush and clean up after the work.
View DetailsA few of the questions we hear most around Nichols. Don't see yours? Call us and ask.
A structure that needs to come down, an overgrown lot, stumps in the way, ground that holds water, a pad or driveway that needs building? Call or send the form. We come look at the property and hand you a free quote with a real number on it.
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