Microsoft's Bill Gates waterfront house.

Washington State waterfront: The Puget Sound and the amazing Columbia River

Washington is well-known for being the Evergreen State. This state has mountains and thick vegetation and has a bordering area with British Columbia on the north side and the State of Oregon on the south side. Washington is also bordered by Idaho on the east side, and when it comes to living waterfront, Washington is home to over 150 miles of coastline and more than 3000 miles of shoreline throughout the state.

Numerous areas of the bordering Pacific region are more than eight thousand bodies of water all over the state, and the Columbia River is the most popular among them. The Puget Sound waterway is also a magnificent body of water. The whole state is composed of a lot of landscapes and preserved natural environments that will make sure you have the best time of your life in Washington.

Some waterfront communities in WA are

  • Portland – Vancouver, WA
    This is the southwest area of the state with mostly the Columbia River and adjacent water bodies coming from that river.
  • Seattle – Bellevue, WA
    With Seattle, Belevue and Redmond as famous towns with some of the largest companies in the country such as Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Nike and others. This is for sure the most expensive area of the state for waterfront houses but sure is pretty.
  • Spokane – Couer d Alene, WA
    East Washington state is an inland paradise along the Spokane River and Spokane Valley.
  • Olympia – Tacoma area, WA
    South of Seattle and bordered by the Puget Sound still. Amazing waterfront towns.

We will get in more detail on each of these regions and towns soon.

Charming waterfront house. Seattle Times.
The stark and all-too-typical concrete bulkhead created a steep drop-off that encouraged erosion and discouraged wildlife. (David’s note: This is the BEFORE image of an Eastside waterfront that Paul Broadhurst remodeled into a lush, ecologically sound, wildlife-friendly garden)

A quick look into the Washington landscape

The state has a perfect blend of everything natural. It is endowed with national forests like the Olympic National Park in the Olympic Peninsula. Many peculiar spots also exist like the very high peaks like Mount Olympus (Zeus isn’t up there) which measures almost 8000ft above sea level. There are also lower points in the Seattle Metropolitan area and the other areas surrounding the Grays Harbour. The vegetation of the state also scattered through the state in areas such as Walla Walla that has some of the densest vegetation of the state. Areas south of the Olympic peninsula such as the Quinault Indian Reservation are also highly dense. These make the state of Washington a complete package of the best nature has to offer.

About 5,500 piers and docks exist in the marine waters of Washington State in 2009. These overwater structures such as piers and docks, boat houses and others can have adverse impacts on the environment, navigation and aesthetics, and because of the that the State has some very strong restrictions and legislations that depend on the state and county level approval, but also local approval.

If a shoreline lacks piers and docks now, what aesthetic impacts would future ones have? Piers in some shallow marine areas provide access to watercraft for limited time periods due to the tides. Are these areas appropriate for piers and docks? Is your local community concerned about aesthetics? If so, should boat houses that can block views be prohibited? These are some questions you will face if you plan to build waterfront in WA.

Dock and Waterfront Home Services in Washington state area

There are also some excellent dock repair services which help the residents of towns too numerous to mention. A significant number of licensed builders and installers who can get the boat dock installation and repair services you need and also great waterfront builders in the state of Washington who can set your waterfront home. Just imagine that milionaires like Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and many others all have waterfront homes and took advantage of Washington’s beautiful landscape to build their houses waterfront.

Bill Gates on his boat dock in the Seattle, Belevue area.
Bill Gates on his boat dock in the Seattle, Belevue area.

How to get a lakefront house

Getting a house by the lake is a dream for many people, but few get ever to own one. If you are in the process of getting a lakefront house, then you are among the select few. Depending on the area, you can get a bargain for your lakefront house. Also, the design specifications and dimensions determine the type of cash you will have to fork out. If the money isn’t the problem, then the rest is easy. The municipal authority has to approve the house you want to build. Then also, the area should be cleared for house construction. Then the next step is to select the waterfront builder. They are many in Washington State that can give you what you need.

Washington State has the best of everything natural. It also has some of the best and most pristine, scenic views in the Pacific West Coast. There are also a lot of business opportunities in the state through tourism. You can set up a lakefront home rental service and reap a lot of rewards. It is also possible for you to get a boat dock built in your waterfront home to add that special connection to the water right in front of your home. This is why you should consider getting Washington State in your plans.

Bill Gates and his wife take full advantage of the Washington state waterfront areas on his Netflix documentary.
Bill Gates and his wife take full advantage of the Washington state waterfront areas on his Netflix documentary.

How to get your boat dock installed or repaired in Washington State

There are many areas you can select from in getting a boat dock installed. The first step in getting the boat dock installed is to get the permission of your municipality. This doesn’t take too long, and after the approval, you will need to provide a floor plan of your desired dock. After the floor plan is approved for construction, nothing is standing between you and your boat dock. Also, many services can also be offered to maintain your boat dock. These services can be periodical, and there can be pieces of advice from your builder on the best type of dock that can be built in the area you have selected. This means that the Washington State is ideal for your boat dock installation, and nothing is stopping you from getting proper repairs and maintenance services for your boat dock.

Max Francisco