Fall & Spring Yard Cleanup on San Juan Island
Firs drop all winter and madronas drop whenever they want. Somebody has to pick it up.
- Licensed & bonded
- WA L&I #SANJUJI741OT
- Insured
- Locally owned in Friday Harbor
Island yards don't have one leaf season. Big-leaf maples drop in the fall, firs and cedars shed needles and twigs all winter, every windstorm brings down branches, and madronas drop leaves and bark in summer when you'd least expect it. If nobody's home, all of it piles up on paths, decks, and roofs, and it holds water against everything it touches.
Fall cleanup gets the yard ready for the wet: debris off paths and decks, leaves out of the beds and away from the foundation, drains and ditches cleared so water moves, and anything that'll blow around in a southeaster put away. Spring cleanup deals with what the winter left: branches down, beds overgrown, paths buried, and blackberry starting to move in again.
The foundation part is the one that matters most. Debris piled against siding and sill plates keeps the wood wet for months, and that's where a lot of the rot I repair on this island starts. Clearing a gap around the house is cheap. Replacing a sill isn't.
Everything gets hauled away. I don't leave piles at the edge of the property, and burn piles aren't an option most of the year. Debris goes to the transfer station or composting, and that disposal cost is part of the bill.
What I don't do: tree felling, climbing, cutting anything under tension, or working near power lines. That's tree service work with its own insurance and rigging. I'll photograph it and get a tree service lined up. I also don't spray. Weed control here is pulling and cutting.
What’s included
- Clearing needles, leaves, and debris from paths, decks, and entries
- Picking up and hauling storm branches within reach from the ground
- Clearing beds and pulling debris back from the foundation
- Clearing surface drains, ditches, and culvert ends
- Cutting back overgrowth and blackberry from paths and siding
- Hauling debris to the transfer station
- Photos before and after
What it costs
Billed on the standard $250 minimum visit, which covers up to two hours, then $85/hour in quarter-hour increments. Washington sales tax applies to the total. Full rate card. Disposal fees are passed through at cost.
Pair a fall cleanup with gutter cleaning and the house is ready for winter in one visit.
Full rate cardCommon questions
Do you mow lawns?
Not on a weekly route. I can do a seasonal cut-back as part of a cleanup, but for regular mowing you'll want a landscaping crew.
Can you take down a tree?
No. Felling and climbing is tree service work. I'll photograph it, get a tree service on the calendar, and clean up afterward.
Do you use weed killer?
No. Applying herbicides for hire takes a state license I don't hold. Weeds and blackberry get pulled and cut.
Next step
Want this off your list?
Call (360) 317-0203 or send the details and I’ll tell you what it takes.
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