Two counties, one city, and a permit path worth checking
Bothell is split across King and Snohomish counties, and while the City of Bothell issues permits for addresses inside its limits regardless of which county they sit in, the surrounding unincorporated areas are handled by their respective counties. People whose mailing address says Bothell are not always inside the city. The first thing we establish on a Bothell project is which authority actually reviews it.
The housing is mixed in a useful way. Downtown and Westhill have genuinely old homes; the north and east — Canyon Park, North Creek, Thrashers Corner — filled in through the 80s, 90s and 2000s with larger houses on smaller lots. The remodels those two groups need are almost opposites: one needs systems and structure, the other needs layout and finish.
Neighborhoods we work in
Downtown Bothell · Westhill · Canyon Park · North Creek · Thrashers Corner · Queensborough · Fitzgerald · Maywood · Norway Hill
Permits and inspections in Bothell
Inside city limits, Bothell's own permit center reviews and inspects the work. Outside them, you are dealing with King County or Snohomish County depending on where the line falls. Sloped lots on Norway Hill and the ravines feeding North Creek can trigger critical-area, drainage or geotechnical requirements. Older properties toward the valley floor sometimes have soil conditions worth a look before you design a large addition.
We confirm all of this against your parcel at the start. It is a short conversation that prevents a long one later.
What we build in Bothell
- Kitchen and bath remodels in 1990s and 2000s Canyon Park and North Creek homes
- Additions and second-story build-outs where the lot cannot go sideways
- Detached ADUs and garage conversions for family or rental use, where code allows
- Whole-house renovations of older downtown and Westhill properties
- Deck replacement with proper ledger flashing — the single most common failure we find
- Basement and bonus-room conversions into usable, permitted living space
Bothell at a glance
- Based in Kirkland — Bothell is a core service area
- We pull the permits and meet the inspectors
- Written, itemized estimates — no verbal numbers
- Bonded and insured in Washington
- Free walkthrough, written estimate
What Bothell lets you build in the back yard, in 2026
Washington rewrote the accessory dwelling unit rules statewide. Bothell has not yet rewritten its code to match — so what the city's published code says and what state law entitles you to are two different things. Here is both.
| What people ask | Bothell, 2026 |
|---|---|
| How many you can build | State law requires two. Bothell's published code still says one |
| Biggest detached unit | State law bars a cap below 1,000 sq ft. Bothell's published code still says 800 sq ft |
| Height | 25 ft for a detached unit, 28 ft over an existing accessory structure |
| Parking | Bothell's code still requires one additional paved off-street stall. State law bars that within half a mile of a major transit stop |
| Owner occupancy | Not required. Washington abolished it statewide under RCW 36.70A.681 — you do not have to live on the lot to have an ADU, and you may rent both units |
| Who issues the permit | City of Bothell Community Development |
Worth knowing in Bothell
Bothell's ADU section, BMC 12.14.135, has not been amended since 2019. It still requires the owner to live on the property for six months of the year — a requirement Washington abolished statewide under RCW 36.70A.681. State law wins, but the counter staff are reading the old text. This is the one city on our list where we tell you to expect a conversation, and we have that conversation for you.
Ready-made plans
Bothell has no pre-approved plan programme.
Source: BMC 12.14.135, last amended by Ord. 2277 (2019) — pre-dating the state ADU law, plus RCW 36.70A.681. Checked 4 September 2026. Codes in this region are being rewritten faster than any web page keeps up with — we verify your parcel against the code in force on the day we submit, not against a summary.
Four ways to add a unit — a new detached building, the garage, the basement or a suite inside the house — with a calculator that takes your own numbers: see all four and what each returns →
What it costs: a new detached unit on the Eastside runs roughly $325,000 to $550,000 all in, and advertised "starting at" prices leave out $120,000 to $180,000 of site, utility and permit work. Here is the whole number, line by line →
Building in Bothell: what works in your favor
- Bothell permits are filed through the regional MyBuildingPermit portal — one system we work in every week.
- Bothell straddles King and Snohomish counties — requirements differ by side, and we confirm which rules apply to your exact parcel before design.
Statewide, Washington law (HB 1337) is on your side in Bothell: up to two ADUs are allowed on most residential lots, a detached ADU may be up to 24 ft tall with side and rear setbacks of no more than 5 ft, units up to 1,000 sq ft must be permitted, there is no owner-occupancy requirement, and no parking can be required near major transit.
Rules change and every lot is different — we verify your exact address with the city before any design work. This page is information, not legal advice.
Bothell questions we get asked
My address says Bothell but I'm not sure I'm in the city. Does it matter?
Can we add a second story instead of extending out?
Do you build ADUs in Bothell?
Nearby areas we serve
Building in Bothell? Let's talk.
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Tell us about your project — we'll come out, listen, and give you an honest number.
Call or text(425) 866-3940Email: office@nwhomesremodel.com
Hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM · Sat by appointment
Based in Kirkland, WA — serving the Eastside and Greater Seattle