Excavation Contractor Whatcom County
Whatcom County Excavator and Site Prep Services
Have a job that requires big equipment? With a full fleet of equipment and skilled operators, we are Whatcom County’s trusted excavation company. We help clients, like you, with all their dirt moving needs.
Excavation & Site Prep
Affordable solutions for all your site development and excavation needs.

About Our Site Development and Excavation Services
Whether your project requires clearing vegetation, stripping topsoil, building an access road or driveway, or digging a foundation, we can do it all.
Our experience and equipment range means we can provide a multitude of timely and efficient services, to keep your project moving forward. We pride ourselves in offering fair pricing, dependable scheduling, and constant communication. We offer practical solutions to any problem if unforeseen situations develop.
We treat each project as if we were the general contractor working in the best interest of the client. This is all part of our desire to offer the best customer service through fair dealings, good communication, and timely scheduling.
EXCAVATION SERVICES WE PROVIDE:
- Land clearing
- Stump removal
- Topsoil stripping
- Soil and gravel hauling
- Permanent & temporary roads and driveways
- Retention walls
- Final grading including surface runoff control
- Ecology mitigation

Experience piece of mind when you hire Bellingham’s best excavation company.
Your Job Executed Correctly, Completely & Economically
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What We Do: Excavation and Site Prep
Land Clearing

Subsurface challenges can be the largest unknown in any construction project, so we provide routine updates and offer logical, cost effective solutions to any problems that pop-up along the way. Trust Agate NorthWest to get your job done right.
- Permitting
- Erosion control and inspections
- Tree and stump removal
- Topsoil removal
- Water runoff mitigation
- Culverts and rough driveways
Surface Grading

The final construction process usually includes final grading around newly built structures. This may include backfilling around foundations, bringing in screened topsoil, and smoothing the topsoil to the proper elevation.
Final grading considerations are made with natural water flow in mind, so any rain water is diverted away from buildings and into water catchment structures such as road ditches, catch basins or storm sewers.
Backfilling around foundations
Utilizing onsite topsoil or bringing in screened topsoil
Smoothing the topsoil for the final ground cover
Diverting water runoff away from buildings by creating positive slope and/or cutting swales for directing natural flow
Roads and Driveways

Whether you need a driveway replacement or a new access road, Agate NorthWest has you covered. We can demo your old driveway, haul away the debris and form up and pour your new driveway. If your requirements call for a new driveway or road, we can remove the topsoil down to mineral or clay soil, lay down base cobbles and finish with compacted crushed stone ready for asphalt or concrete.
Agate NorthWest can cater to any need with competitive pricing, quality materials, and workmanship that’s second to none.
Agate NorthWest can cater to any need with competitive pricing, quality materials, and workmanship that’s second to none.
Driveway replacements
New driveway and road construction
Private road maintenance contracts
Topsoil Stripping

Topsoil on undisturbed building sites is mostly a liability. It must be stripped away from the actual construction footprint so the building or roadway is resting on hard, stable subsurface clay. A small portion of topsoil can be stored on-site and used for final grading while the remainder is usually hauled away.
With its high organic and moisture content, topsoil is a poor material for backfilling and must be kept separated from the clay fill material. In fact, we recommend stripping topsoil prior to surveying the building corners for best results. We’re happy to work with the surveyor’s schedule to include this time saving feature. Either way, Agate NorthWest has the experience and equipment to strip and handle topsoil according to your wishes.
- No area is too large or too small to strip
- Permitting, erosion control, surface runoff control, and ecology inspections
- Complete stripping down to clay
- Maintain different material separation
- Haul surplus topsoil eliminating excessive material handling
Soil and Gravel Hauling

Whatever your bulk material needs are, we can deliver. Our experienced drivers can drop material just where you need it. Whether it’s sand, crushed gravel or topsoil, you can depend on Agate NorthWest to get your material to you when you need it.
- Cobbles and boulders
- Crushed gravel
- Pit run
- Sand
- Washed rock
- Topsoil
- Fill material
- Bark and mulch
- Recycled material
- Bulk material disposal
Retention Walls

Retention walls can be constructed in a variety of materials, but all have the same thing in common — to hold back and stabilize soil. We would be happy to discuss the many options for retaining walls and match the best option to your final goal. Agate NorthWest has the experience and know-how to build retaining walls that stand up to the test of time (and the force of gravity).
- Poured walls
- Allen blocks
- Ecology blocks
frequent questions
Get the answers to our most commonly asked questions about Grading and Excavation.
What activities require a land disturbance permit in Whatcom County?
If your project is in one of Whatcom County’s watershed areas you will likely need a permit if you’re doing any of the following: clearing and removal or destruction of trees and other vegetation, excavation, filling, grading, deposition of organic debris or other debris, and earthwork construction.
View Whatcom County’s Land Disturbance & Clearing application.
Who do I contact for land clearing and site development near a Shoreline?
If your lot is within the jurisdiction of the Shoreline Management Program you are required to obtain approval via a shoreline permit. Whatcom County’s Land Disturbance Application will not be accepted.
Who can I contact for help with permitting and county approvals?
Agate NorthWest General Contractor can help you with all your permitting and county approval needs. We will give you a list of permits and timelines for your job. During one of our initial meetings we will lay out who will be responsible for obtaining the different permits and what the process & timeline will be.
Message Us
Get In touch below.
Ask Any Question or Start a Free Quote.
Call Us
(360) 224-5612
Office Location
PO Box 31741
Bellingham, Washington 98228
Open Hours
Sunday: Closed
agatenorthwest@gmail.com
Phone
+1-360-224-5612