Every contractor knows the request: the client wants a price before there are drawings. On a remodel or addition, the permit path decides a large share of the cost. A bid built on a guess about what the city will allow is a change order waiting to happen.
1. Can it go where the client wants it?
Setbacks, lot coverage, height and floor area limits decide whether an addition fits at all. In Seattle Neighborhood Residential zones, for example, allowed floor area now scales with the number of units on the lot. Read the zoning for the actual lot before pricing square footage.
2. Does the structure need an engineer?
Removing a wall, adding a large opening or going up a story moves the work outside the prescriptive tables. That means engineering, lateral bracing on the plans and calculations that match the drawings. It also means time for the engineer in the schedule.
3. Does the use change?
A change of use or occupancy can bring in fire, accessibility and, in older Portland buildings, seismic requirements. On commercial work in Washington, a change that raises the occupant load or touches exits counts as life safety, which can put an architect on the set even under 4,000 SF.
4. What is on the site?
Critical areas, steep slopes, large trees and utility limits move footprints and add reports. In Seattle, a Tier 2 tree, 24 inches in diameter or larger, can be removed during development only in limited cases, and a critical area exemption has to be decided before the building permit is filed.
5. How long will review take?
The schedule is part of the price. Seattle's own numbers show single family additions running 64 City-control days at the 75th percentile, with total time roughly double that. Holding a crew, a loan or a rental for the client costs money.
Put it in the bid
Answer the five questions on paper before the number goes out. Then the bid is built on what the city will approve, the allowances are honest, and the change orders are for real changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do remodel bids change after permit review?
Because the permit path decides structure, upgrades, reports and schedule. Zoning limits, engineering, change of use requirements and site constraints often surface only in review.
What should a contractor confirm before pricing an addition?
Whether the zoning allows it on that lot, whether it needs engineering, whether the use changes, what site constraints apply, and how long review will take.
Does a commercial remodel in Washington need an architect?
Not when the building is 4,000 SF or less, or the alteration is 4,000 SF or less and does not affect structural or life safety systems. Changes that raise occupant load or alter exits count as life safety.
Sources
Insights are general information researched from published sources on the date shown. Rules change, so confirm with the permitting authority before you act.
