Backyard Expansion in Cottage Grove, OR
A custom solution built to last
Backyard expansion in Cottage Grove, OR
A custom solution built to last
Backyard Expansion - Cottage Grove, Oregon
Not every excavation project is about digging foundations or moving dirt—it’s about creating usable space where there wasn’t any before.
On this project, the homeowner wanted to expand the usable area off the back of her porch. Originally, she only had about 20 feet of relatively flat yard before the property dropped off into a consistent slope, limiting how much functional outdoor space she could enjoy.
To make this project work, we looked at the surrounding terrain and found an opportunity that benefited everyone involved.
A neighboring property had a hillside that had begun to sluff off toward a shop, creating its own problem. By working with the neighboring property owner, we were able to excavate approximately 200 cubic yards of loam-like material from that unstable area and haul it uphill using our dump trailer.
This allowed us to solve two problems at once:
Remove unstable material threatening the neighboring shop
Repurpose that fill material to create a larger, more usable backyard for our customer
Once the material was brought in, we carefully placed and graded it to create a much wider, stable area behind the home.
The result:
Expanded from roughly 20 feet of usable space
Increased to approximately 50 feet of flat, functional yard
Extended around the back of the home for a much more open feel
This completely changed how the homeowner could use the property.
The customer wanted a finished space that looked clean and attractive without having grass grow back in, so we designed a low-maintenance finish.
To complete the project, we:
Installed landscape fabric across the new yard area
Placed 2- to 3-foot boulders around the entire brow for definition and erosion control
Covered the fabric with a thick layer of bark mulch for a clean, natural look
The boulders not only created a strong visual border, but also helped protect the edge of the newly expanded yard.
What started as a limited backyard with only a small amount of usable space became a large, functional outdoor area with roughly 50 feet of flat yard behind the home.
Projects like this show how excavation can do much more than move dirt—it can completely transform how a property works for the homeowner.
If you have a sloped property, drainage issues, or land that feels unusable, Purdy Land Management can help create practical solutions that maximize your space.
Project Overview
Location: Cottage Grove
Service Type: Excavation / Property Expansion / Site Development
Project Type: Backyard Expansion & Slope Stabilization
Property Type: Residential
Timeline: Approximately 1 week
Scope of Work:
Excavated and removed approximately 200 cubic yards of loam-like material from a neighboring hillside that had begun sluffing toward an existing shop
Hauled and repurposed material uphill to expand the customer’s backyard footprint
Increased usable flat yard space from approximately 20 feet to 50 feet around the rear of the home
Rough grading and finish grading to create a stable, functional outdoor living area
Installed landscape fabric to prevent vegetation regrowth
Placed 2’–3’ boulders around the brow for erosion control and visual definition
Applied a thick layer of bark mulch for a clean, low-maintenance finished surface
Project Outcome:
This project transformed a limited backyard with a steep drop-off into a much larger, functional outdoor space for the homeowner. By strategically repurposing material from a nearby slope issue, we were able to solve two property challenges at once—stabilizing a neighboring hillside while creating approximately 50 feet of usable flat yard space behind the home. The finished result provided the customer with a clean, attractive, and low-maintenance landscape designed for long-term use.