Site Work & Earthwork

Construction site with a worker shoveling dirt near a yellow excavator, surrounded by building materials and unfinished structures.

THE GROUNDWORK THAT MAKES EVERY GREAT LANDSCAPE POSSIBLE.

Before any landscape or construction project can begin, the site has to be ready. Summit Landscape & Construction provides professional site work and earthwork services — clearing brush, grading land, excavating for utilities and drainage, delivering fill material, and removing old structures that are in the way. We operate heavy equipment with skill and care, and we coordinate the logistics that make a project start clean and finish on schedule. Serving Snohomish and King Counties.

Site Work & Earthwork Options

Site Clearing & Brush Removal

A small John Deere excavator working on clear-cutting a hillside in a forested area.

Whether you're preparing a lot for construction, reclaiming a neglected corner of your property, or clearing an overgrown slope before a retaining wall, Summit handles brush removal, shrub clearing, small tree removal, and debris haul-off. We leave the site clean and ready for the next phase of work.

  • Brush, blackberry, and invasive plant clearing

  • Small tree and stump removal

  • Debris loading and haul-off

  • Lot clearing for new construction

Grading & Leveling

A large, open dirt field with visible tire tracks, surrounded by trees and some industrial buildings in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Proper grading is foundational — it determines where water flows, whether a lawn establishes evenly, and how a hardscape or structure performs over time. Summit grades lots, yards, and specific areas to establish positive drainage away from structures, create flat usable spaces, and prepare surfaces for sod, seed, or hardscape installation.

  • Rough grading for new construction sites

  • Fine grading before lawn installation

  • Yard leveling and low-spot filling

  • Drainage slope establishment

Excavation & Trenching

A deep trench dug into brown soil with clear, straight sides and a flat bottom.

Summit operates excavation equipment to dig for foundation footings, retaining wall bases, drainage pipe trenches, irrigation system installation, utility trenching, and pond or water feature preparation. We call 811 before any digging, protect existing utilities, and backfill and compact to the specification the project requires.

  • Foundation and footing excavation

  • Irrigation and drainage pipe trenching

  • Utility trenching

  • Water feature and pond excavation

  • Proper backfill and compaction

Fill Dirt Delivery & Placement

Dump truck unloading a large pile of dirt onto the driveway.

Raising low areas, building up behind a retaining wall, or preparing a pad for a structure all require fill material placed correctly. Summit coordinates fill dirt delivery and spreading, compacting in lifts where required, and grading to final elevation.

  • Fill dirt delivery and placement

  • Compaction in lifts for structural applications

  • Topsoil delivery and spreading for lawn areas

  • Grade establishment to final elevation

Demolition of Outdoor Structures

Backyard deck under construction with some wooden planks and tools, partially disassembled, next to a sliding glass door, with a fence and trees in the background.

Old decks, sheds, patios, fences, and concrete slabs that are in the way of a new landscape project don't have to be someone else's problem to remove. Summit handles the demolition and haul-off of existing outdoor structures as part of a broader project or as a standalone service.

  • Deck and pergola removal

  • Shed and outbuilding demolition

  • Concrete patio and slab removal

  • Old fence removal

  • Debris haul-off and site cleanup

Request A Quote

Call or Text: 425-780-5433 | Serving Snohomish & King Counties

Your Site Work & Earthwork Questions, Answered

  • Grading permits depend on the scope, slope, and proximity to critical areas (wetlands, streams, steep slopes). In Snohomish and King Counties, larger grading projects often require permits. Summit will identify permit requirements during the quote process.

  • Yes — demolition and new hardscape installation is a common combined project for Summit. We demo the existing concrete, prepare the base, and install the new paver surface.

  • It depends on the size of the area and the density of vegetation. A typical residential clearing (5,000–10,000 sq ft of brush) can often be completed in a day or two. Larger or steeper sites take longer. We'll assess and give you a realistic timeline.

  • "We had a yard that was basically a swamp after every rain — water pooling against the foundation, dead spots everywhere. Summit came out, assessed the whole slope, and regraded the property so everything drains away from the house. Night and day difference. Greg was straightforward about what it would take and the crew was done in two days. No surprises."

    Grading & Site Work — Homeowner, Lake Stevens, WA

  • "We needed the lot cleared and graded before we could do anything else with the backyard. Summit handled everything — brush removal, rough grade, the whole thing — and had it ready for the next phase on schedule. Easy to work with, showed up when they said they would."

    Grading & Site Work — Homeowner, Snohomish, WA

  • "I don't even know where to start. Our backyard was a disaster — a rotting deck, a cracked concrete patio from the 80s, a slope that made half the yard unusable, and drainage that sent water toward the house every time it rained. We knew we wanted to start over but weren't sure one company could handle all of it. Summit could, and did. They demoed the deck and patio, hauled everything out, regraded the entire slope, built retaining walls to create a flat usable space, and brought in fill to level it properly before anything new went in. Then came the patio — large format pavers, beautifully laid — a built-in fire pit with a seating wall, and a recirculating water feature tucked into the corner that you can hear from inside the house with the windows open. The lighting is what gets people. At night this backyard looks like something out of a magazine. Uplighting on the trees, step lighting on every level change, warm light across the patio surface. Greg walked us through every phase before it started and checked in with us constantly while it was happening. The project took two weeks and our backyard went from an embarrassment to the thing we're most proud of about our home. Summit earned every bit of what we paid them."

    Full Transformation: Demo, Earthwork, Walls, Patio, Fire Pit, Water Feature & Lighting — Homeowner, Redmond, WA