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Snohomish County, Washington

Excavation & Tree Service in Brier, WA

Brier is a small, quiet, almost entirely residential city between Bothell, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace. It is known for larger wooded lots, and that means tall trees close to houses, long driveways and homeowners who want the woods kept.

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What We Do Here

Services in Brier

Rolling wooded upland cut by small creek ravines that drain toward Lake Ballinger and Swamp Creek.

Excavation Contractor in Brier

Foundations, trenches and pads dug for Brier ground. Glacial till over most of the city, with a seasonal perched water table and wetter ground in the ravines.

Typical jobs here

  • Hillside cuts and daylight basementsExcavation on sloped Brier lots, with spoil hauled off as it is dug instead of stockpiled on the slope, and temporary erosion control in place first.
  • Utility and water line trenchesTrenches for water, power, sewer and gas service from the street to the house or shop, backfilled and compacted, anywhere from Locust Way area to the edge of Brier.
Excavation Contractor in Brier

Land Clearing in Brier

Lots, pastures and acreage cleared, stumped and hauled out. Small creeks and wetlands thread through the city, several of them in protected ravines with stream buffers.

Typical jobs here

  • Selective clearing and thinningTaking out brush, small trees and hazard trees while leaving a healthy stand, the way most homeowners around Brier Road corridor want their property cleaned up.
  • Clearing around buffersWork up to, but not into, the stream, wetland or shoreline buffers that cover parts of Brier, with the buffer line marked before any machine moves.
Land Clearing in Brier

Tree Removal in Brier

Arborist-led removals and hazard trees. Tall second-growth Douglas fir and western red cedar on almost every lot, often within striking distance of the house.

Typical jobs here

  • Hazard trees over the houseLeaning, cracked or dying trees within reach of a roof in Brier Park area or Brier Road corridor, taken down in controlled sections and lowered instead of dropped.
  • Removals on slopesTrees on Brier hillsides and ravine edges, removed with the stump and roots left in place where they are holding the bank.
Tree Removal in Brier

Grading & Drainage in Brier

Grading, French drains, retaining walls and pads that move water away from Brier homes.

Typical jobs here

  • Wet yards and crawlspacesRegrading and French or curtain drains for Brier yards that stay soggy all winter because water perches on the hard till below.
  • Retaining walls on slopesBlock and rock retaining walls that hold back sloped Brier yards and driveways, built with drainage behind them so they last.
Grading & Drainage in Brier

Demolition Contractor in Brier

Houses, sheds, slabs and driveways taken down and hauled. Mostly single-family homes on larger-than-average lots, a mix of 1960s to 80s homes and newer custom builds.

Typical jobs here

  • Sheds, garages and carportsOutbuildings taken down to the slab, the slab broken out and the debris hauled, leaving the Brier yard graded and clean.
  • Driveway and patio removalOld asphalt, concrete driveways, patios and walkways broken out and hauled away from Brier Road corridor and across Brier, with the base prepped for what replaces it.
Demolition Contractor in Brier

Hauling & Dump Truck Service in Brier

Spoil haul-off and rock, fill and topsoil delivery via Brier Rd and 228th St SW.

Typical jobs here

  • Spoil haul-offExcavated soil loaded straight from the machine to our trucks and taken to a legitimate fill or disposal site, so Brier sites never have a pile sitting for weeks.
  • Gravel and crushed rock deliveryCrushed rock for driveways, pads and paths delivered across Brier via Brier Rd, and spread with the machine if you want it placed.
Hauling & Dump Truck Service in Brier

Local Conditions

Working the ground in Brier

The ground

Glacial till over most of the city, with a seasonal perched water table and wetter ground in the ravines.

Water and buffers

Small creeks and wetlands thread through the city, several of them in protected ravines with stream buffers.

Trees

Tall second-growth Douglas fir and western red cedar on almost every lot, often within striking distance of the house. Selective removal and thinning, rather than clearing, is what most Brier owners want.

Homes and lots

Mostly single-family homes on larger-than-average lots, a mix of 1960s to 80s homes and newer custom builds.

Cost

What moves the price in Brier

Slope and access

Steep Brier lots take smaller machines, more careful staging and sometimes engineering, which adds time compared with flat, open ground.

Buffers and permits

Work near Brier's rivers, creeks, lakes or shoreline can need permits and limits on where machines go. That affects scope and schedule more than price.

Haul-off and disposal

How much material leaves the site, and what it is, drives cost. Our own trucks keep that predictable on Brier jobs.

Timing

When to schedule work in Brier

In Brier, the dry months from late spring into early fall are prime time for excavation, clearing and grading, when soil compacts properly and machines leave the ground in good shape. Tree work, hauling and demolition run year round.

Winter is when Brier's till soils show where water collects. Note the wet spots, then fix them in the dry season.

Tree work in Brier often needs a permit first, so start early if you want it done before winter storms.

Permits & Rules

Permits in Brier

Inside city limits, permits come from the City of Brier. Outside them, Snohomish County Planning and Development Services (PDS) takes over. Brier regulates tree removal, and the city places a high value on its tree canopy. Some removals need a permit, especially on larger trees or in critical areas, so we confirm before cutting.

Demolition in Snohomish County falls under the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, which requires an asbestos survey and notice before most structures come down. Every dig starts with an 811 utility locate.

Coverage

Neighborhoods we cover

  • Brier Park area
  • Brier Road corridor
  • Locust Way area
  • Old Poplar Way area

Main routes for our trucks: Brier Rd, 228th St SW, Locust Way, I-405.

Brier is part of our Snohomish County service area.

Real Jobs

Recent DirtRaptor work near Brier

Bobcat E42 excavator prying up old asphalt driveway in Edmonds, WA

Demolition · Edmonds, WA

Driveway Removal & Concrete Prep

Tearing out an old blacktop driveway and prepping the ground for a new concrete pour — broken material hauled off, base left clean and ready.

Condemned 100-year-old shed with caution tape before demolition in Everett, WA

Demolition · Everett, WA

Condemned 100-Year-Old Shed Teardown

A 100-year-old shed, condemned and unsafe, brought down and hauled off — the site left graded flat and clean.

Questions

Brier FAQs

Can you thin the trees on my Brier lot without clearing it?

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Yes, that is most of what we do in Brier. We take out the hazard trees and the ones crowding the house or blocking light, and leave a healthy stand. Thinning also makes the remaining trees more wind-firm.

Can you get equipment down a long, narrow Brier driveway?

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Usually. We use compact tracked equipment for tight access and protect the driveway surface. If access is too tight for a machine, we plan the job around it.

Can one company handle both the trees and the excavation on my Brier project?

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Yes, that is what DirtRaptor is built for. We take down the trees, pull the stumps, dig, grade and haul it all away with one crew, so there is no waiting between trades.

Do you work in unincorporated areas around Brier?

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Yes. Inside city limits, the City of Brier handles permits. Outside them, Snohomish County Planning and Development Services (PDS) does. We check the parcel before quoting so the right rules are planned for.

What does a typical Brier project cost?

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It depends on the site, so every quote follows a free site walk. In Brier, the things that move the number most are slope and access, buffers and permits, haul-off volume.

Which parts of Brier does DirtRaptor serve?

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All of it, including Brier Park area, Brier Road corridor, Locust Way area and Old Poplar Way area, plus the unincorporated areas around the city. This is part of our core service area, so smaller jobs are welcome.

How do I get a quote in Brier?

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Send us the address, a few photos and a rough idea of the job through the quote form, or call (425) 232-4858. We come out for a free site walk and give you a written number with clear inclusions and exclusions.

Nearby

Also serving near Brier

Get a Free QuoteCall (425) 232-4858