Not every outdoor space needs to be ten feet in the air. Some of the best-used decks we build are ground-level platforms and garden terraces: a level, dry, beautiful surface that connects the back door to the yard, wraps around a tree, or turns a sloped Seattle lot into a series of usable steps. Alexandria Builders designs and builds garden terraces and low-profile decks across Seattle and the Eastside.
What We Mean by Garden Terrace
- Ground-level and floating decks — platforms under 18 inches high, often freestanding on ground screws or precast footings, which in Seattle usually means no permit is required.
- Multi-level terraces — a stepped series of platforms that follows a slope so you get flat, usable space without a tall deck and a long stair.
- Tree decks and wrap-arounds — a platform built around a mature tree, with a proper gap for growth and drainage.
- Garden rooms — a deck set away from the house, in the sun, with a pergola, built-in benches, and planters.
- Paver and deck combinations — composite or wood decking paired with porcelain or concrete pavers, gravel, and planting beds.
Building Low Decks That Last in a Wet Climate
The enemy of a low deck in the Pacific Northwest is trapped moisture. A deck built an inch off wet soil will rot from below in a few years no matter what you put on top. We build garden terraces differently: footings or ground screws that lift the frame clear of the soil, a weed barrier and gravel bed underneath, a frame of pressure-treated lumber rated for ground contact, joist tape on every joist, ventilation gaps at the edges, and either composite or ground-contact-rated wood as the surface. For a deck this close to the ground, composite or PVC decking is often the right call — it is the one surface that does not care about the damp.
Design Details That Make a Terrace
Picture-frame borders, board direction changes between levels, wide steps that double as seating, integrated planters, step lights, and a transition to a lawn or gravel path are what separate a terrace from a platform. We draw it in 3D first so you can see how it sits in the garden.
Permits
In Seattle, a deck 18 inches or less above grade generally does not need a building permit, though setbacks and environmentally critical areas (steep slopes, wetlands, shorelines) still apply. Eastside cities use similar thresholds — most at 30 inches. We confirm the rules for your lot before we quote.
Call (425) 866-0594 or book a free on-site design consultation below.