Close to home, and changing fast
Kenmore sits at the north end of Lake Washington, a short run up Juanita Drive from our office, and it has been steadily reinvesting in itself for years. The housing is mostly mid-century through 1990s, with waterfront and near-waterfront properties along the Northlake shore and larger wooded parcels up on the Inglewood and Moorlands slopes.
Two site realities shape work here. The lower ground near the Sammamish River delta and the lake edge can have soft or saturated soils, which matters for foundations and additions. The upper slopes bring grade and drainage questions instead. Same city, opposite engineering problems — we establish which one you have before designing.
Neighborhoods we work in
Inglewood · Moorlands · Uplake · Arrowhead · Northlake · Kenmore waterfront · Juanita Drive corridor
Permits and inspections in Kenmore
The City of Kenmore permits residential work within its limits. Waterfront and near-shore parcels fall under shoreline regulations, which adds review time and sometimes studies. Low-lying properties near the river delta may need geotechnical input on soils for structural work, and the wooded slopes above can bring critical-area or drainage review into play.
Kenmore, like most Washington cities, has been working through the state ADU requirements, and detached units are a live option on many lots — but the local specifics are what decide it, and we check them against your parcel.
What we build in Kenmore
- Kitchen and bath remodels in mid-century and 1980s–90s Kenmore homes
- Detached ADUs and garage conversions where the lot and current code allow
- Additions on sloped Inglewood and Moorlands parcels
- Deck and outdoor living space with proper drainage detailing
- Whole-house renovations including insulation, windows and systems
- Waterfront-adjacent renovations planned around shoreline review
Kenmore at a glance
- Based in Kirkland — Kenmore 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 Kenmore lets you build in the back yard, in 2026
Washington rewrote the accessory dwelling unit rules statewide, and Kenmore rewrote its code to match. Most of what homeowners here believe about ADUs is two or three years out of date.
| What people ask | Kenmore, 2026 |
|---|---|
| How many you can build | Up to two, attached or detached, with no minimum lot size |
| Biggest detached unit | On a lot of 6,000 sq ft or more: 17 percent of the lot area up to 1,500 sq ft — the largest allowance on this list. Below 6,000 sq ft: 1,000 sq ft |
| Height | 35 ft, but no more than one storey over a detached garage, or two storeys at ground level |
| Parking | None. No additional off-street parking is required for an ADU |
| Can you sell it separately | Yes, explicitly — an ADU may be sold individually, and a condominium unit built as an ADU may be conveyed on its own |
| 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 Kenmore Development Services |
Worth knowing in Kenmore
Kenmore has waived the building permit fee for new ADU construction since July 2023, and the waiver still stands in 2026. Between the fee waiver and the 1,500 sq ft allowance, Kenmore is the most generous jurisdiction we work in.
Ready-made plans
Kenmore has no pre-approved plan programme.
Source: Kenmore Municipal Code Chapter 18.73, amended by Ord. 25-0630 (June 2025), 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 Kenmore: what works in your favor
- Kenmore permits are filed through the regional MyBuildingPermit portal — one system we work in every week.
- Compact lots near Lake Washington reward careful siting — setbacks and trees decide the design, so we measure first.
Statewide, Washington law (HB 1337) is on your side in Kenmore: 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.
Kenmore questions we get asked
How soon could you look at our project?
We're near the water. Does that complicate things?
Can we put an ADU in the back yard?
Nearby areas we serve
Building in Kenmore? Let's talk.
Tell us about your project — we'll listen, come out, and give you an honest number.
Get a Free EstimateGet a free estimate in Kenmore
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