BUILD

Landscape build services in Vancouver, WA

Retaining walls, drainage, sprinkler systems, raised garden beds, fences and decks. The structural work that makes your outdoor space functional, safe, and built to last in the Pacific Northwest.

The infrastructure that makes your landscape work.

Great landscaping starts below the surface. Drainage that keeps water where it belongs. Retaining walls that hold your grade. Irrigation that keeps plants alive through dry summers. Fences and structures that define how you use your property. This is what our Build division does, and has done across the Portland-Vancouver metro since 1999.

We serve both sides of the Columbia River—Clark County, WA and the Portland-metro Oregon side including North Portland, Lake Oswego, Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tualatin. J’s holds both a Washington contractor license (#JCSUSCL919DT) and an Oregon Landscape Contractors Board license (OLCB #8806), so permitted build work is fully covered regardless of which state your property sits in. Every project is managed by a dedicated project coordinator from estimate to final walkthrough. No handing you off. No re-explaining your project to a new face each week.

Five build services, one trusted team.

Every service below can be scoped as a standalone project or combined with others. We handle design, permitting, construction, and cleanup with one point of contact throughout. One contractor, all five services. Most build projects involve more than one service—retaining walls paired with drainage, fencing combined with a deck, or irrigation added during an outdoor living build. We scope and manage multi-service projects so you're not coordinating between multiple contractors and multiple timelines.

01 HARDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION

Retaining & Sitting Walls

Clark County's clay-heavy soil expands under pressure and doesn't drain freely. Combine that with 40+ inches of annual rainfall and the hydrostatic force behind an improperly built wall becomes enormous. We've seen walls fail and we know exactly why: inadequate drainage behind the structure. Every retaining wall we install is engineered with drainage as the first consideration, not an afterthought.

We work in concrete block (Belgard, Western Interlock, Castohn), natural boulder, timber, and poured concrete. We size walls to your slope height, load requirements, and aesthetics, and we handle Clark County permit applications for walls over 4 feet tall so you don't have to navigate the process yourself. Sitting walls for patio framing and garden definition are also a common add-on when a new outdoor living space is taking shape.

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  • • Concrete block systems
  • • Natural boulder walls
  • • Sitting walls for patio and garden beds
  • • Tiered wall systems for multi-level yards
  • • Always engineered with drainage behind the wall
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02 WATER MANAGEMENT

Dry Creek Beds & Drainage Solutions

Standing water, soggy turf, flooded planting beds, and water pooling at your foundation aren't minor inconveniences—they're active property damage. In Clark County, clay soil and heavy winter rainfall create drainage problems that French drains alone often fail to solve.

We start every drainage project with a site assessment, reading the grade, identifying the source, and engineering the right fix for your specific conditions. Sometimes that's a French drain. Sometimes it's a dry creek bed that directs water away while functioning as a landscape feature. Often it's a combination of surface and subsurface drainage working together. We design drainage systems that actually solve the problem long-term, not just move it elsewhere.

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  • • French drain installation and repair
  • • Dry creek bed design and construction
  • • Surface channel and area drains
  • • Downspout redirects and foundation relief
  • • Drainage integration
  • • On-site assessment included
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03 GARDEN INFRASTRUCTURE

Raised Garden Beds & Planters

Clark County's native soil is predominantly heavy clay, it compacts easily, drains poorly, and makes growing vegetables or deep-rooted plants genuinely difficult. Raised garden beds solve this completely: you control the growing medium, the drainage, and the depth, while adding a clean, structured look to your landscape.

We build raised beds and planters in cedar, Douglas fir, stone, block and composite materials sized and configured to fit your space, match your existing hardscape, and suit your growing goals. Taller accessible beds (28–36 inches) work well for homeowners with limited mobility. Integrated drip irrigation connections are available for any planter we build. We can also design raised bed systems as part of a larger backyard project, combining them with pathways, patio paving, or fencing.

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  • • Cedar raised vegetable and herb gardens
  • • Stone and block planters
  • • ADA accessible height beds
  • • Integrated drip irrigation
  • • Single beds to full garden layouts
  • • Weed barrier lining and fill soil placement
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04 IRRIGATION

Sprinkler Systems & Repairs

Pacific Northwest summers are drier than most people expect. Vancouver typically receives under 2 inches of rainfall between July and September, which means a lawn or garden without irrigation either struggles or dies. A properly designed and installed irrigation system isn't a luxury; it's maintenance for the investment you've already made in your landscape.

We design your sprinkler system to provide the right amount of water for your beds and lawns whether it's shady or sunny because each area has its own separate microclimate. We install new systems from scratch and repair or upgrade existing ones. Our repair services cover broken heads, cracked lines, controller replacements, backflow preventer work, and seasonal winterization. We work on all major irrigation brands. If your system is giving you trouble and you're not sure what's wrong, a diagnostic visit is a good starting point, we'll tell you exactly what needs fixing and what's fine.

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  • • Irrigation design
  • • Broken head replacement and line repairs
  • • Controller upgrades and seasonal programming
  • • Backflow preventer installation
  • • Seasonal startup and winterization
  • • Diagnostic services
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05 STRUCTURAL BUILD

Fences, Decks & Wood Structures

A fence does more than mark a property line, it defines the character of your yard, creates privacy, keeps pets and children contained, and frames the whole landscape. A deck extends your living space outdoors and adds real appraised value to your home. These are permanent structures that will be part of your property for decades, so material quality, post anchoring, and construction method matter enormously in Clark County's wet climate.

We build cedar and pressure-treated wood fencing, composite fencing, custom gates, wood and composite decks, pergolas, arbors, and shade structures. All work is designed for the Pacific Northwest, pressure-treated posts, proper drainage around footings, and finish details that hold up through years of rain. Structural projects that require Clark County permits are managed by us from application through final inspection, so you're not chasing paperwork. We can also design fencing and deck work as part of a full backyard project alongside retaining walls, drainage, and outdoor living elements.

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  • • Cedar and pressure-treated fencing
  • • Low maintenance composite
  • • Custom gates and fences
  • • Wood deck construction
  • • Pergolas, arbors, shade structures
  • • Clark County permits handled start to finish
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HOW IT WORKS

Our build services process.

The same project coordinator you meet on day one manages your project through completion. One point of contact. No re-explaining.

Free On-Site Estimate

We assess your site, grade, drainage, and goals and deliver a clear, itemized estimate with no pressure.

Design & Permitting

We prepare permit applications for any project that requires Clark County review. You don’t touch the paperwork.

Build

Excavation, grading, and sub-base work set the foundation. Your dedicated PM oversees every phase, keeping you informed without having to manage the work.

Final Walkthrough

We grade, restore, clean up, and walk through the completed work with you before calling it done.

Featured Projects

Johnson

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Heath

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Olson

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Trusted by Vancouver-Portland Metro Homeowners

★★★★★ 4.9 out of 5 · 200+ verified Google reviews
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If you are looking for a landscape company to come out and either assist with a new yard or completely transform your exiting yard, I would 100% highly recommend J’s Custom Landscaping for your job. From the consultation we had with Jason Berry to the post completion follow through we ... Read more

ALAN G.
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Adolfo, Jose and Jesus were the A-Team for my project!!! Nick was great to talk to and understood what I wanted then moved my project up when the “A-Team” were available!!! I am so grateful to hem for doing such a great job and understanding my budget issues! ... Read more

P. MUNGER
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We loved the work that Pedro, Jose and Juan did! They exceeded all expectations and I highly recommend this company. Jay put together a detailed and professional proposal so that you knew exactly what you are getting. Another proposal we got was just numbers scribbled on a ... Read more

HEATHER M.
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This company is above reproach! We're so excited to see our yard this Spring. It already looks so beautiful. The Team Oscar, Filiberto and Oscar too, were kind and worked so very hard every day. They kept us in the loop the entire projects. Can't wait to work with them ... Read more

AUDRA Y.
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Nick from J's Custom Landscaping operates with high integrity. Before I explain that, I must share a short backstory. For more than a year, my husband contacted countless (10?) local landscape companies to request bids for landscaping and irrigation. Many of them were referrals from friends, yet everyone we contacted ... Read more

STEPHANIE B.
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We have enjoyed working with Jay's Custom landscaping. They put in quite a lot of retaining wall and made our sloped lot much more usable. It is a true joy to work with Jason Berry; he is responsive, and both he and Jay worked with us to ensure ... Read more

PATRICIA J.
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We just had our backyard redone by J's Landscaping. Before it was just a swampy mess of mushy grass that wouldn't drain, even after wasting our money on installing 2 French drains. Just look at it now! Jay and his team made all the difference. Knowledgeable, courteous, creative, flexible, very reasonable, ... Read more

TRISH B.
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We have worked with Jay's Custom Landscaping for many years as we have built homes in the area. They are consistently creative, hard-working, and willing to go above and beyond to create spaces that you will enjoy for years. They have dealt with difficult drainage issues, poor soil, steep ... Read more

EVERGREEN HOMES
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Chris is absolutely amazing! From the moment he arrived, he was patient, attentive, and truly went above and beyond to address every question I had about my sprinkler system. He took the time to explain what he was doing and why, making sure I understood each step of the process. ... Read more

TANGELA S.
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J's Custom Landscape has been an amazing partner in the process of landscaping our new home and property. Even before our house was completed Jay came out and walked the property with us to discuss the vision of what we wanted to do with it and how he could ... Read more

DAVE H.
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I honestly couldn't say enough nice things about the work J's Custom Landscaping did and how easy it was to work with Nick. From the start everything was efficient and he was always available to answer my questions and very flexible when it came to dealing with my indecisiveness over ... Read more

TALARA T.
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Excellent service and results. Rapid installation, pleasant crews, professional team. As a Civil Engineer and satisfied customer I highly recommend Jay and his team.

HOWARD V.
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We had J's Custom Lanscaping out today to take a look at some drainage problems we're having at our new home in Ridgefield. Nick came out and detected a major contractor's mistake that has led to a torrent of water onto our property. His expert observations helped us ... Read more

JOSEPH H.
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Jay and his team were amazing. Our neighbors cut all their trees and Jay and his team came, reviewed and had a plan in mind. His team planted a row of 200+ ft of various evergreen fast growing trees and they are great. During the hot summer he provided the ... Read more

FARHAD D.
JS Landscaping

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Let's create an outdoor space you'll love. Our team is ready to listen to your vision and bring it to life.

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