Edmonds · Snohomish County
Grading & Drainage in Edmonds, WA
Grading, French drains, retaining walls and RV and equipment pads across Edmonds, from the Edmonds bowl to Five Corners. Built so water moves away from the house instead of toward it.
Why drainage matters on Edmonds properties
Glacial till and outwash sands over much of the city, with layered silts and clays in the bluffs that become unstable when saturated. That is the root of most wet-yard, wet-crawlspace and failing-patio problems we see. Water that cannot soak in runs along the surface or perches on the hard layer until it finds the lowest point.
The downtown "bowl" faces Puget Sound, and the land climbs steeply east to Five Corners and Westgate. North toward Meadowdale and south toward Woodway the shoreline is high bluff with mapped landslide hazard areas. Slopes push water downhill onto the next lot, and flat ground leaves it nowhere to go. Getting the grade right is cheaper than fixing what water does to a foundation.
Puget Sound shoreline, Shell Creek, Perrinville Creek and the Lake Ballinger edge all carry critical-area or shoreline rules. Drainage on the slopes is a big deal here, because water in the wrong place moves hillsides. Where drainage can legally discharge depends on these features, so we plan the outlet first and the trench second.
Common grading projects in Edmonds
Wet yards and crawlspaces
Regrading and French or curtain drains for Edmonds yards that stay soggy all winter because water perches on the hard till below.
Retaining walls on slopes
Block and rock retaining walls that hold back sloped Edmonds yards and driveways, built with drainage behind them so they last.
Grading away from the foundation
Reshaping the ground around Edmonds homes in Downtown Edmonds and the Bowl so it falls away from the house, the cheapest fix for water at the foundation.
Ditches and culverts
Cleaning and regrading drainage ditches, and setting culverts under driveways, on the low, wet ground around Edmonds.
Downspout tightlines
Connecting downspouts to solid pipe that carries roof water to an approved outlet instead of dumping it next to a Edmonds foundation.
What our grading work in Edmonds covers
- Retaining Walls
- French Drains & Footing Drains
- Rough & Finish Grading
- RV & Equipment Pads
- Yard Drainage Correction
- Erosion Control
Permits & Rules
Grading and retaining wall permits in Edmonds
Inside city limits, the City of Edmonds handles grading permits; outside them, Snohomish County Planning and Development Services (PDS). Small regrading and yard drains usually do not need one, but larger volumes of cut or fill, work in a critical area, or changes to how water leaves the property often do.
Retaining walls taller than about four feet, or walls holding back a driveway or slope, typically need engineering and a permit. We build to the approved plan and can tell you on the site walk when a wall is likely to need one.
Cost & Timing
What affects the cost of grading in Edmonds
We do not publish flat prices because no two Edmonds sites are the same. These are the things that move the number most here.
Slope and access
Steep Edmonds 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 Edmonds mean compact equipment and shorter truck loads. We plan it so it costs less than it could.
Soft ground
Where Edmonds 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 Edmonds'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 Edmonds jobs.
When to schedule grading in Edmonds
Grading in Edmonds goes best in the drier months, when soil compacts properly and trenches stay open. Wet-season work is doable with erosion control and the right material, and we plan for it in the quote.
Edmonds's till soils hold water through the winter, which is when drainage problems show up. That is a good time to see where water goes, and the dry season is the time to fix it.
Where We Work
Grading and drainage across Edmonds
Edmonds is a waterfront city with a ferry dock, a walkable downtown and a lot of view property. Much of the work here is on steep or tight lots, where access, slope stability and the neighbors' view all matter as much as the digging.
We regrade yards, install French drains and curtain drains, build block and rock retaining walls, and set gravel RV and equipment pads across Downtown Edmonds, the Bowl, Five Corners, Westgate, Perrinville, Seaview, Firdale and Meadowdale.
Everything from 1920s bungalows near downtown to mid-century view homes and new construction replacing them. Teardowns and driveway replacements on steep lots are typical Edmonds work. Older lots often have no real drainage at all, while newer ones sometimes have drains that were never connected. We find out which before we dig.
We also do grading nearby in Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood, Shoreline and Brier. See everything we do in Edmonds, read our full guide to grading, or browse all service areas.
Why DirtRaptor
Why Edmonds owners call us for grading
Owner on the machine
On Edmonds jobs you talk to the person who walks the site, writes the quote and runs the equipment.
Trees and dirt, one crew
If trees are in the way of your Edmonds project, we take them down ourselves instead of waiting on a separate tree service.
Our own trucks
Haul-off and deliveries run on our schedule along SR 104 and SR 524 (196th St SW), not a subcontractor's.
Built for slopes
We plan machine placement, drainage and erosion control for Edmonds's sloped ground before we start.
How a grading job runs
- 01
Site Assessment & Water Tracing
- 02
Design & Elevations
- 03
Excavation & Base Preparation
- 04
Build, Drainage & Backfill
Real Jobs
Recent DirtRaptor work in Edmonds
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.
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
Grading & Drainage in Edmonds: FAQs
Why does water collect around homes in Edmonds?
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Glacial till and outwash sands over much of the city, with layered silts and clays in the bluffs that become unstable when saturated. When water cannot soak in, it follows the surface toward the house. Regrading so the ground falls away from the foundation, plus a drain where needed, usually solves it.
Do retaining walls need a permit in Edmonds?
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Walls over about four feet, or walls supporting a driveway, building or slope, usually need engineering and a permit from the City of Edmonds (or Snohomish County Planning and Development Services (PDS) outside city limits). Shorter landscape walls often do not. We confirm before building.
Where can drainage water go on my Edmonds property?
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It has to go somewhere approved: an existing storm system, a dispersion area or an infiltration trench where the soil allows. Puget Sound shoreline, Shell Creek, Perrinville Creek and the Lake Ballinger edge all carry critical-area or shoreline rules. Drainage on the slopes is a big deal here, because water in the wrong place moves hillsides. We plan the outlet before we trench.
How much does grading cost in Edmonds?
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It depends on the site, so we quote after a free site walk rather than guessing on the phone. The biggest drivers in Edmonds are usually slope and access, tight lots, soft ground. You get a written number with inclusions and exclusions spelled out.
When is the best time to schedule grading in Edmonds?
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Grading in Edmonds goes best in the drier months, when soil compacts properly and trenches stay open. Wet-season work is doable with erosion control and the right material, and we plan for it in the quote.
Can you work on a steep Edmonds lot?
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Yes. On steep ground we choose machines by footprint and weight, control water during the job, and avoid stockpiling soil at the top of a slope. If the lot is in a mapped landslide hazard area, a geotechnical report may be part of the permit.
How did you handle the Edmonds driveway job?
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We broke out the old asphalt with the excavator, loaded it straight onto our own trucks and hauled it off, then prepped the base for the new surface. One crew and one schedule from tear-out to clean ground.
How much does a retaining wall cost per foot?
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Face square foot is the usual unit, but cost per foot rises steeply with height because the work behind the wall grows faster than the wall itself. A two-foot garden wall and a five-foot structural wall are different trades. Site access and drainage requirements move it further.
Ready for a real number in Edmonds?
Send the address and a few photos. We walk the site for free and come back with a written quote.
