Overgrown acreage, a wooded building lot, a pasture lost to blackberries: before anything gets built, the land has to be opened up. Reach Dirt Works clears land for homeowners, builders and small commercial owners across Snohomish County. We’re a family-owned excavation contractor based in Snohomish, and we clear with the next step in mind, whether that’s a house pad, a driveway, a shop or usable yard.
What’s Included
- Brush and blackberry removal. We take out thickets, scrub and invasive growth down to workable ground.
- Tree and stump removal. Trees inside your clearing limits come out, and stumps are ground or dug out so the ground is ready for grading.
- Debris handling. We haul or stockpile cleared material on site, depending on your plans and site conditions.
- Selective clearing. We can leave trees and native vegetation you want to keep, and work around marked buffers.
- Clearing as the first step of site prep. We can move straight into rough grading, a building pad or a gravel driveway.
Common Projects
- Opening up a wooded rural lot for a new home, ADU or shop
- Reclaiming pasture or yard from blackberries and alder
- Clearing a route for an access road or driveway
- Clearing commercial and light-industrial pads ahead of construction
- Fence-line, view and fire-safety clearing on acreage
Local Considerations in Snohomish County
Clearing permits. In unincorporated Snohomish County, a Land Disturbing Activity (LDA) permit is generally required once a project disturbs 7,000 square feet or more, among other triggers, unless it falls under a listed exemption. Smaller exempt projects still have to control erosion and sediment. Cities have their own rules, so check with your city if you’re inside city limits.
Converting forest land. Clearing forested land to build a home, put in pasture or another non-forestry use generally requires a Class IV-General Forest Practices permit from Snohomish County. It’s usually submitted together with the LDA permit. Timber logged under a regular state harvest permit without planning for conversion can trigger a six-year development moratorium on the property. Sort this out before trees come down.
Wetlands and streams. Much of the county has wetlands, streams and their buffers. Buffer widths depend on the stream type and wetland category, and work inside a buffer generally needs a critical area study and mitigation. We stay within the clearing limits shown on your approved site plan.
Wet-season limits. From October 1 through April 30, the county applies seasonal limits on land disturbance. Work goes ahead only when muddy runoff can be kept on site. On small projects, exposed soil can’t sit unworked for more than two days in the wet season (seven days in the dry season). We plan clearing so ground is covered or worked promptly.
Land Clearing FAQ
Do I need a permit to clear my lot? It depends on how much ground is disturbed, whether trees are being converted from forest use, and whether critical areas are nearby. In unincorporated areas, Snohomish County PDS can tell you what applies (Ask Permit Tech, 425-388-3311). Inside a city, ask that city’s permit center.
Can you clear in the winter? Sometimes. Wet-season rules require keeping sediment on site, so winter clearing depends on slope, soil and how close the work is to streams or wetlands. We’ll give you a straight answer after seeing the site.
Do you remove stumps too? Yes. Stump removal by grinding or digging is one of our services, and it’s usually part of clearing for a building site.
What happens after clearing? Most clients go straight into grading, site prep, retaining walls or a driveway, and we can handle those too.
Areas We Serve
We work within about an hour of Snohomish, including Snohomish, Monroe, Lake Stevens, Marysville, Everett, Arlington, Granite Falls, Mill Creek, and unincorporated communities such as Machias, Cathcart, Clearview and Maltby. See all areas we serve.
Get a Free Quote
Reach Dirt Works is family owned and operated in Snohomish, WA. We’re licensed, bonded & insured (WA contractor license #REACHDW771Q7) and rated 5.0 stars on Google.
Call 360-512-2225 or request a free quote. Tell us where the property is and what you’re planning, and we’ll set up a site visit.
