What clearing a lot in Seattle involves
Large Douglas fir, western red cedar and bigleaf maple in established neighborhoods. Seattle's tree protection code covers many trees on private property. Clearing a lot here means deciding which trees stay, felling the rest safely, pulling stumps whole and handling the brush underneath.
Craftsman and mid-century homes on small lots, with a lot of ADU, townhome and redevelopment work. 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 across most of the city, with landslide-prone slopes and soft fill in some lowlands. 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 Seattle
New home and ADU lots
Footprints for new homes and ADUs cleared around Lake City and Wedgwood, protecting the trees meant to stay.
Overgrown lot cleanup
Brush, blackberry, dead trees and junk piles cleared off Seattle lots before a sale or build.
Clearing up to buffers
Lots near Seattle creeks, wetlands and shoreline cleared up to the buffer line, never into it.
Clear-to-dig packages
Clearing, stump pulling and rough grading on Seattle lots, with the same crew ready to dig the foundation.
What our lot clearing work in Seattle covers
- Building Footprint Clearing
- Selective Tree Removal
- Stump Pulling
- Topsoil Stripping
- Debris Haul-Off
- Rough Grading
Permits & Rules
Lot clearing rules in Seattle
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. Buffers around these features usually cannot be cleared, so we mark them before any machine moves.
Inside city limits, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) 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 Seattle
We do not publish flat prices because no two Seattle sites are the same. These are the things that move the number most here.
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.
When to schedule lot clearing in Seattle
Lot Clearing in Seattle 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.
Seattle'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 Seattle
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.
We clear building lots across Lake City, Wedgwood, Maple Leaf, Northgate, Greenwood, Ballard, View Ridge and Magnolia.
Logs, brush and stumps leave on our own trucks via I-5 and SR 99, 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 Kirkland, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park and Kenmore. See everything we do in Seattle, read our full guide to lot clearing, or browse all service areas.
Why DirtRaptor
Why Seattle owners call us for lot clearing
Owner on the machine
On Seattle 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 Seattle 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 I-5 and SR 99, not a subcontractor's.
Built for slopes
We plan machine placement, drainage and erosion control for Seattle'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 Seattle
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 Seattle: FAQs
How much does lot clearing cost in Seattle?
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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 Seattle?
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Often. Inside city limits the rules come from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI); 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 Seattle?
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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 Seattle 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 lot clearing in Seattle?
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Lot Clearing in Seattle 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 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.
How much does it cost to clear a lot?
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It depends on tree size and density, stumps, slope and how much material is hauled away. Two lots of the same size can differ by several times in cost. A free site walk is the only way to an accurate number.
Ready for a real number in Seattle?
Send the address and a few photos. We walk the site for free and come back with a written quote.
