Soil survey on overgrown property - experiences?

Hello everyone,

we have a 1,000 sqm plot of land in prospect, which has a slight slope and borders a spruce forest. However, the entire plot is very overgrown, and some areas are currently not even accessible. We looked at it from the neighbor's property.

We definitely want to have a soil survey done before considering buying the plot. We can probably take our time with that anyway because the plot has been listed online for three months now. Presumably, many are put off by having to cut down all the little trees and bushes first. Also, because this makes me a bit suspicious, I wouldn't skip a soil survey.

But now I'm wondering how we could go about it. For a soil survey, the expert drills several holes in the ground to take samples. My blonde self quickly realizes that he should be able to physically access these spots. If he cannot, there will be no or an insufficient soil survey. On the other hand, the landowner will probably not be too happy if I show up with a chainsaw and rototiller without having bought the property yet.

And what I also don't know: If the vegetation has grown for so long, how deep does he have to go into the soil? The first 30 cm probably consist of a lot of muck that doesn't say much about the "real" soil, right?

The geologist needs two diagonally offset drilling points, roughly at the corners of the future foundation slab. Talk with one of them about what to generally expect, what type of soils you have. And talk with the owner so that he agrees. Don’t worry about the topsoil layer. He will drill approximately 5 m deep.

It was the same with us regarding overgrowth. We then removed the bushes and blackberry shrubs in the area where construction was to take place in agreement with the city.

I think the stuff can be at most knee-high so that the drilling guys can still get through.

It's just an annoying matter, depending on what has grown there. You first have to clear a path with a cordless hedge trimmer.

If possible, don't use a cordless trimmer, the thing gets very heavy after 5 hours ;)

Oh great, thank you.
Does it drill 5 meters? Wow, then he really knows what’s lurking in the ground :D

We have a chainsaw. My pragmatic self would now wait for the appointment with the financial administrator, if the outcome is positive, ask the realtor and then set off with the chainsaw.
I enjoy stuff like that :D

Talk to the seller. He has no problem if you flatten some overgrowth. And please check with the responsible authority right away whether you are allowed to clear after purchase, if replacement plantings are mandatory, etc. Or is there only scrub on the property?

The real estate agent said that no tree has to remain. Replacement planting is absolutely fine, because we do want trees in the garden. We're not really the "English lawn" fanatics :) Since it is not a forest area and the trees are overall so thin and small (at least the ones we could properly see - but it didn’t look like the ones behind were broader either) that they don’t fall into the category in BaWü that requires approval, I am quite relaxed about it. So overall, where the house should later stand (if everything works out and the ground is good), there are only thin little trees. And after asking the real estate agent precisely, I also found out that the property was forest area about 30 years ago, then cleared, then was not sold after all and has been left to itself for the last 25 years. So they are all saplings that can be cut down. But yes, I would definitely check again with the responsible authority (just to be sure and because I generally don’t believe everything real estate agents say).