What clearing a lot in Kenmore involves
Tall Douglas fir, western red cedar and bigleaf maple on the hillsides, often over homes on the slope below. Clearing a lot here means deciding which trees stay, felling the rest safely, pulling stumps whole and handling the brush underneath.
Mostly 1950s to 80s homes on sloped, wooded lots, with newer infill and redevelopment near downtown. That decides whether a job is a footprint clear for an ADU, a full clear for a new house, or a lot cleanup before a sale.
Glacial till and outwash on the slopes, with soft, wet lake and river deposits along the shoreline. Topsoil is stripped and stockpiled where the plan needs it, and the lot is rough-graded so it does not turn to mud in the first rain.
Common lot clearing projects in Kenmore
New home and ADU lots
Footprints for new homes and ADUs cleared around Downtown Kenmore and Inglewood, protecting the trees meant to stay.
Overgrown lot cleanup
Brush, blackberry, dead trees and junk piles cleared off Kenmore lots before a sale or build.
Clearing up to buffers
Lots near Kenmore creeks, wetlands and shoreline cleared up to the buffer line, never into it.
Clear-to-dig packages
Clearing, stump pulling and rough grading on Kenmore lots, with the same crew ready to dig the foundation.
What our lot clearing work in Kenmore covers
- Building Footprint Clearing
- Selective Tree Removal
- Stump Pulling
- Topsoil Stripping
- Debris Haul-Off
- Rough Grading
Permits & Rules
Lot clearing rules in Kenmore
Lake Washington shoreline, the Sammamish River, Swamp Creek and Little Swamp Creek carry shoreline and stream buffers. Many slopes are mapped critical areas. Buffers around these features usually cannot be cleared, so we mark them before any machine moves.
Inside city limits, the City of Kenmore sets clearing and tree rules. Outside them, the King County Department of Local Services does. Larger timber removals can also need a Washington DNR forest practices application.
Cost & Timing
What affects the cost of lot clearing in Kenmore
We do not publish flat prices because no two Kenmore sites are the same. These are the things that move the number most here.
Slope and access
Steep Kenmore lots take smaller machines, more careful staging and sometimes engineering, which adds time compared with flat, open ground.
Soft ground
Where Kenmore 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 Kenmore'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 Kenmore jobs.
When to schedule lot clearing in Kenmore
Lot Clearing in Kenmore 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.
Kenmore'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
Lot clearing across Kenmore
Kenmore sits at the north end of Lake Washington where the Sammamish River enters it. Much of the city is steep, wooded hillside above the lake and the Burke-Gilman Trail.
We clear building lots across Downtown Kenmore, Inglewood, Moorlands, Arrowhead, Uplands and Northshore Summit.
Logs, brush and stumps leave on our own trucks via SR 522 (Bothell Way) and Juanita Dr NE, and because we also run excavation, the same crew can start the foundation dig as soon as the lot is clear.
We also do lot clearing nearby in Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Brier and Mountlake Terrace. See everything we do in Kenmore, read our full guide to lot clearing, or browse all service areas.
Why DirtRaptor
Why Kenmore owners call us for lot clearing
Owner on the machine
On Kenmore 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 Kenmore 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 522 (Bothell Way) and Juanita Dr NE, not a subcontractor's.
Built for slopes
We plan machine placement, drainage and erosion control for Kenmore's sloped ground before we start.
How a lot clearing job runs
- 01
Site Walk & Limits
- 02
Trees & Brush Down
- 03
Stumps & Topsoil
- 04
Haul-Off & Rough Grade
Real Jobs
Recent DirtRaptor work near Kenmore
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
Lot Clearing in Kenmore: FAQs
How much does lot clearing cost in Kenmore?
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It depends on tree size and density, stumps, slope and haul-off volume. Two lots of the same size can differ by several times. A free site walk is the only way to an accurate number.
Do I need a permit to clear a lot in Kenmore?
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Often. Inside city limits the rules come from the City of Kenmore; outside them, the King County Department of Local Services. Buffers around streams, wetlands and shorelines limit what can be cleared.
Should stumps be pulled on a building lot?
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Yes. Roots left in the ground rot and settle under foundations, slabs and driveways, so on a lot being built on, stumps come out whole.
How much does lot clearing cost in Kenmore?
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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 Kenmore are usually slope and access, soft ground, buffers and permits. You get a written number with inclusions and exclusions spelled out.
When is the best time to schedule lot clearing in Kenmore?
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Lot Clearing in Kenmore 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 remove a tree above my Kenmore house on a steep slope?
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Yes. On slopes we usually take trees down in sections and leave stumps and roots in the ground to hold the soil. If the slope is a mapped critical area, we flag what review is needed.
Do you work along the Kenmore shoreline?
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Yes, within the shoreline rules. Work near the lake or river can need approval, so we check before starting.
Can you also dig the foundation?
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Yes. Because we also run excavation, the same crew can go straight from clearing to foundation excavation and utility trenching.
Ready for a real number in Kenmore?
Send the address and a few photos. We walk the site for free and come back with a written quote.
