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King County, Washington

Excavation & Tree Service in Seattle, WA

In Seattle, DirtRaptor mostly works the north end, from Lake City and Wedgwood to Greenwood and Ballard. Seattle lots are tight, access is often by alley, and the city has detailed rules for trees and steep slopes.

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What We Do Here

Services in Seattle

Hills and ridges between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, with steep slopes and ravines through many neighborhoods.

Excavation Contractor in Seattle

Foundations, trenches and pads dug for Seattle ground. Glacial till and outwash across most of the city, with landslide-prone slopes and soft fill in some lowlands.

Typical jobs here

  • New home and ADU foundationsFootprints for new houses, ADUs and garages on infill and teardown lots around Lake City and Wedgwood, dug to the elevations on your plans and ready for forms.
  • Hillside cuts and daylight basementsExcavation on sloped Seattle lots, with spoil hauled off as it is dug instead of stockpiled on the slope, and temporary erosion control in place first.
Excavation Contractor in Seattle

Land Clearing in Seattle

Lots, pastures and acreage cleared, stumped and hauled out. Thornton Creek, Piper's Creek, the Sound and lake shorelines carry critical-area rules, and Seattle maps Environmentally Critical Areas for steep slopes and landslide-prone ground.

Typical jobs here

  • Building site clearingClearing the footprint, driveway and utility corridor for a new home or ADU in Seattle, keeping the trees that are meant to stay and protecting their roots.
  • Selective clearing and thinningTaking out brush, small trees and hazard trees while leaving a healthy stand, the way most homeowners around Wedgwood want their property cleaned up.
Land Clearing in Seattle

Tree Removal in Seattle

Arborist-led removals and hazard trees. Large Douglas fir, western red cedar and bigleaf maple in established neighborhoods.

Typical jobs here

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

Grading & Drainage in Seattle

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

Typical jobs here

  • Wet yards and crawlspacesRegrading and French or curtain drains for Seattle 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 Seattle yards and driveways, built with drainage behind them so they last.
Grading & Drainage in Seattle

Demolition Contractor in Seattle

Houses, sheds, slabs and driveways taken down and hauled. Craftsman and mid-century homes on small lots, with a lot of ADU, townhome and redevelopment work.

Typical jobs here

  • Older home teardownsFull demolition of older homes in neighborhoods like Lake City, with the asbestos survey, utility disconnects, haul-off and grading handled in order.
  • Sheds, garages and carportsOutbuildings taken down to the slab, the slab broken out and the debris hauled, leaving the Seattle yard graded and clean.
Demolition Contractor in Seattle

Hauling & Dump Truck Service in Seattle

Spoil haul-off and rock, fill and topsoil delivery via I-5 and SR 99.

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 Seattle sites never have a pile sitting for weeks.
  • Gravel and crushed rock deliveryCrushed rock for driveways, pads and paths delivered across Seattle via I-5, and spread with the machine if you want it placed.
Hauling & Dump Truck Service in Seattle

Local Conditions

Working the ground in Seattle

The ground

Glacial till and outwash across most of the city, with landslide-prone slopes and soft fill in some lowlands.

Water and buffers

Thornton Creek, Piper's Creek, the Sound and lake shorelines carry critical-area rules, and Seattle maps Environmentally Critical Areas for steep slopes and landslide-prone ground.

Trees

Large Douglas fir, western red cedar and bigleaf maple in established neighborhoods. Seattle's tree protection code covers many trees on private property.

Homes and lots

Craftsman and mid-century homes on small lots, with a lot of ADU, townhome and redevelopment work.

Cost

What moves the price in Seattle

Slope and access

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

Tight lots

Narrow side yards and alley access in Seattle mean compact equipment and shorter truck loads. We plan it so it costs less than it could.

Soft ground

Where Seattle soils are soft or wet, over-excavation, fabric and imported rock are often part of the job, and we price that in up front.

Buffers and permits

Work near Seattle'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 Seattle jobs.

Timing

When to schedule work in Seattle

In Seattle, 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 Seattle's till soils show where water collects. Note the wet spots, then fix them in the dry season.

Permits & Rules

Permits in Seattle

Inside city limits, permits come from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI). Outside them, the King County Department of Local Services takes over. Seattle's tree protection code covers many trees on private property, and removal often requires a permit, notice or replacement. Steep slopes add more review. We confirm requirements before scheduling.

Demolition in King 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

  • Lake City
  • Wedgwood
  • Maple Leaf
  • Northgate
  • Greenwood
  • Ballard
  • View Ridge
  • Magnolia

Main routes for our trucks: I-5, SR 99, SR 522 (Lake City Way), NE 125th St.

Seattle is part of our King County service area.

Real Jobs

Recent DirtRaptor work near Seattle

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

Seattle FAQs

Can you work on a tight Seattle lot with alley access?

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Yes. Compact tracked machines and our own trucks let us dig, demo and haul off from alley access, with the alley protected and kept open as much as possible.

Do you handle site prep for ADUs in Seattle?

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Yes. ADU site prep usually includes small demolition, tree work, excavation for the foundation and utility trenching. We do it all with one crew.

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

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Yes. Inside city limits, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) handles permits. Outside them, the King County Department of Local Services does. We check the parcel before quoting so the right rules are planned for.

What does a typical Seattle project cost?

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It depends on the site, so every quote follows a free site walk. In Seattle, the things that move the number most are slope and access, soft ground, buffers and permits.

Which parts of Seattle does DirtRaptor serve?

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All of it, including Lake City, Wedgwood, Maple Leaf, Northgate, Greenwood, Ballard, View Ridge and Magnolia, 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 Seattle?

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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 Seattle

Get a Free QuoteCall (425) 232-4858