Landscaping and Drainage on the Sammamish Plateau
Sammamish sits up on the plateau between Lake Sammamish and the Snoqualmie Valley. It's wooded, rolling ground, with neighborhoods like Klahanie, Pine Lake, Beaver Lake, Trossachs, Sahalee and Inglewood Hill tucked between greenbelts, wetlands and stands of big evergreens. It's a great place to live. It's also a place where lawns stay soggy half the year.
Landwork Enterprises builds drainage, full yard renovations, patios, retaining walls, irrigation and lighting for Sammamish homeowners. The same team handles your project from design to finish.
Book a free site visit or call (425) 490-9696.
Why Sammamish lawns stay wet
Much of the plateau was shaped by glaciers, and in many yards a dense layer of glacial till sits not far below the topsoil. Locals often call it hardpan. Rain soaks through the topsoil, hits that layer and has nowhere to go, so it spreads sideways and sits in the root zone. The result is a lawn that squishes underfoot from October to May, moss where grass used to be and puddles that never seem to drain.
Add in lots that back onto greenbelts and wetland buffers, yards that slope toward the neighbor's, and the usual Eastside rain, and drainage is the first thing to look at on most Sammamish properties.
Drainage first
We start by finding where the water comes from and where it can go. Depending on the yard, the fix may include subsurface drains to pull water out of a soggy lawn, French drains along the foundation or at the base of a slope, catch basins at low spots, and regrading so water moves away from the house.
We also tie downspouts into the drainage system and install dry wells where they fit. Whether a dry well is right depends on the soil and how much water the roof and hardscape shed, so we look at the site before recommending one.
Full yard renovation
Many Sammamish neighborhoods were built in the 1980s, '90s and 2000s, and plenty of those yards are tired: overgrown shrubs, a patchy lawn, an old deck or a small concrete patio. A full yard renovation starts over with one plan. We clear what isn't working, grade and prep the site, fix the drainage, and build the new patio, walls, irrigation, lighting and plantings in the right order.
Paver patios and outdoor living
A paver patio is often the centerpiece of a Sammamish renovation, a place for the grill, a table and long summer evenings. We build paver patios, walkways and hardscape on a compacted, drained base. On wet plateau soil, the base is what keeps a patio flat for years.
Block and boulder retaining walls
Rolling lots mean many yards have a slope to hold back, a grade change between the house and the lawn, or a hillside that could become a flat terrace. We build block and boulder retaining walls with drainage behind them so water pressure doesn't push them out of line. Boulders blend well at the edge of a wooded greenbelt.
Irrigation installation
Plateau yards that are soaked in winter can go dry in July and August, especially new lawns and fresh plantings. We design irrigation as part of the landscape we build, with lawn, beds, sun and shade zoned separately. We focus on new systems and upgrades, not small service calls.
Landscape lighting
Under tall firs and cedars, Sammamish yards get dark early. Landscape lighting brings patios and paths back into use after dark and can light up a favorite tree or stone feature. We plan it with the rest of the landscape.
Synthetic turf
Where shade and wet soil make grass a losing battle, synthetic turf over a drained base can give you a usable green space all year.
Read what our clients say on our Google reviews.
One team from design to finish
The people who walk your yard at the site visit design the plan and build it. You deal with one team the whole way through.
Licensed, bonded & insured. WA License #LANDWE*987
Book a free site visit in Sammamish
Soggy lawn? Tired backyard? We'll walk it with you and talk through options.
Sammamish Landscaping FAQ
When is the best time to fix a soggy lawn in Sammamish?
The best time to see the problem is in the wet season, so fall and winter are a great time for a site visit. We work year-round, through winter, and drainage is often best done in the wet season, when we can see exactly where the water sits. Some paver work waits for a dry spell, so we'll plan around the weather.
What does the free site visit include?
We walk your yard with you, check where water collects, look at slopes and soil, ask about HOA rules, and talk through the options. After the visit, we send you a written estimate. We aim to get it to you within a few days, though sometimes it takes a little longer.
What's the process?
1. Call or book online for a free site visit. 2. We walk the property and talk through your goals. 3. We put together a plan. We follow up with a written estimate, which we aim to get to you within a few days. 4. The same team builds it, starting with grading and drainage, then hardscape, walls, irrigation, lighting and plantings. 5. We walk the finished yard with you.
How long does a yard renovation take?
Every project is different. Small jobs can take a couple of days; larger renovations can run a few weeks to a few months. We'll give you a timeline with your estimate.
Will fixing the drainage really save my lawn?
In many cases, yes. Grass and plants struggle when their roots sit in water all winter. Drainage pulls water out of the root zone so the lawn can recover. Sometimes the lawn needs to be rebuilt as well, and we'll tell you honestly what we see.
Questions about your Sammamish yard? Call (425) 490-9696 or book a free site visit.