Now covered in more depth
Now covered in more depth
TL;DR: Piper Cole Architects is a licensed AIA firm based on the Eastside, serving Kirkland homeowners with custom homes, additions, ADUs, and full remodels. David Meade, AIA, NCARB leads every project personally, navigating Kirkland’s permit process, zoning constraints, and Critical Areas regulations so your project moves forward without surprises.
Why Kirkland Homeowners Hire an Architect
Kirkland is one of the most architecturally varied cities on the Eastside. Drive through Houghton and you will find mid-century ranches sitting beside contemporary infill homes. Head up to Rose Hill or Bridle Trails and you encounter split-levels and colonials built in the 1970s and 1980s on lots with significant grade change. Along the waterfront in Juanita and the Moss Bay area, you find some of the most constrained and regulated land in King County, shoreline setbacks, Critical Areas Ordinance buffers, and steep-slope overlays that require careful analysis before a single line gets drawn.
Most Kirkland homeowners come to me at a decision point. They love their neighborhood, they may have equity in their lot, but their house no longer fits their life. The bedroom count is wrong, the kitchen is disconnected from the yard, or the home simply lacks the square footage the family needs. The question is never just “can we build this?” It is almost always “what is the right move for this specific lot, this specific house, and this specific family?”
That is the work I do every day as a licensed AIA architect and NCARB certificate holder. I help Kirkland homeowners figure out what is possible, what it will cost, and how to get it permitted, then I design it.
What Piper Cole Architects Does in Kirkland
My practice focuses on residential projects: the work that changes how families actually live. That means:
Custom homes on vacant lots, teardown lots, and view parcels throughout Kirkland. Kirkland’s lot inventory is diverse, from tight infill parcels near downtown to larger hillside lots in Bridle Trails, and every site demands a design that responds to its specific orientation, topography, and neighbor relationships.
Home additions, second stories, rear additions, primary suite wings, and kitchen expansions. Kirkland’s residential zoning (NR-1 through NR-6) sets the envelope through setbacks, lot coverage limits, and in some zones, floor area ratios. Understanding those constraints before schematic design is what keeps a project from getting redesigned halfway through permitting.
ADUs and DADUs, detached accessory dwelling units, attached units, and garage conversions. Washington’s HB 1337 changed ADU law significantly, and Kirkland has adopted standards that allow up to two ADUs per single-family lot without owner-occupancy requirements. There is real opportunity here for homeowners who want rental income or multigenerational living.
Full remodels and whole-house renovations, structural, systems, and envelope. Many of Kirkland’s 1970s and 1980s homes were built with galvanized plumbing, Federal Pacific electrical panels, and minimal insulation. A renovation that touches walls and floors often becomes the opportunity to fix what was never quite right the first time.
Planning a project?
Working out what your lot will allow, and what it will cost?
Send David the address and a few lines about what you want. The first feasibility check is free and usually takes about a day: what the site and the code are likely to allow, and what to check first.
Architect since 1996. Three Masonry Excellence Awards for commercial projects; the Carr residence was featured in Above The Lake and Lux magazines.
Kirkland’s Architectural Character
Kirkland’s neighborhoods each have a distinct character, and good design respects that context while serving the homeowner’s program.
Houghton sits between downtown Kirkland and the 520 corridor. Lots tend to be modest in size, with post-war and mid-century ranches that are natural candidates for second-story additions or significant rear expansions.
Juanita stretches along the north end of Lake Washington. Waterfront parcels here are subject to Kirkland’s Shoreline Master Program, which imposes setbacks from the ordinary high water mark and limits certain types of impervious surface. Non-waterfront Juanita lots are generally more workable but often have mature tree canopies protected under Kirkland’s tree preservation code.
Rose Hill occupies the higher ground east of 405. Lots are larger and the topography is more pronounced, which creates natural opportunities for view-capturing second stories but also brings the City’s steep-slope regulations into play on many parcels.
Bridle Trails is Kirkland’s equestrian neighborhood, larger lots, wooded, and relatively private. Custom home projects here tend toward the larger end of the program, and the tree-heavy lots require careful coordination with Kirkland’s Urban Forestry division during design.
Permits in Kirkland: What to Expect
Kirkland processes building permits through the regional MyBuildingPermit.com portal, shared with Bellevue, Redmond, Kenmore, and other Eastside jurisdictions. This is a genuine convenience, applications are submitted electronically and review comments come through the same portal.
For most residential addition and ADU projects, expect four to eight weeks for first-review comments. Complex projects involving Critical Areas, shoreline permits, or variance requests take longer, sometimes three to five months for full approval. I manage the permit application from start to finish, including pre-application meetings with City staff when the project warrants it.
One thing I tell every Kirkland client: permit timeline is the longest lead item on any project. We can compress design. We cannot compress a government review cycle. Starting early matters.
Working With a Licensed AIA Architect
My AIA membership and NCARB certificate are not just credentials on a wall. The AIA Code of Ethics requires me to put your interests ahead of my own. NCARB certification means my license record is held in a national database, verifiable, portable, and accountable. When you hire a licensed architect for your Kirkland project, you have legal standing: architectural drawings are professional documents with a stamp, and the architect of record carries professional liability for the work.
For projects in Kirkland, where zoning is nuanced, environmental constraints are real, and construction costs are high, that accountability matters.
Start With a Conversation
I offer an initial consultation for Kirkland homeowners considering a custom home, addition, ADU, or significant remodel. We will talk through your site, your program, your timeline, and a realistic budget range. No obligation, no sales pitch, just a straight conversation about what your project involves.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an architect for a home addition in Kirkland, WA?
Kirkland requires stamped architectural drawings for any addition that involves structural work, changes to the building envelope, or creation of new habitable space. While technically a licensed engineer can stamp structural plans, a licensed architect coordinates architecture, structure, and building code compliance in a single set of documents, which is what Kirkland’s building department expects for residential additions.
How long does a Kirkland building permit take?
Kirkland processes permits through MyBuildingPermit.com. Standard residential additions and ADUs typically receive first-review comments within four to eight weeks of a complete application. Projects in Critical Areas, shoreline zones, or that require a variance or SEPA review take longer, often three to five months. Pre-application meetings with City staff can clarify requirements before you spend money on full construction documents.
What does an architect charge for a home project in Kirkland?
Residential architectural fees in Kirkland typically run 8 to 15% of construction cost, depending on project complexity. A custom home or major addition will be toward the higher end; a straightforward ADU or single-room addition may be at the lower end. Some architects charge flat fees for defined scopes. The fee covers everything from initial feasibility through permitted construction documents, and typically pays for itself in contractor coordination and avoided change orders.
What neighborhoods in Kirkland does Piper Cole Architects serve?
Piper Cole Architects works throughout Kirkland, including Houghton, Juanita, Rose Hill, Bridle Trails, North Rose Hill, Lakeview, Downtown Kirkland, and Totem Lake. We also serve neighboring communities including Bellevue, Redmond, Sammamish, Kenmore, and Bothell.
What is NCARB certification and why does it matter?
NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) certification means an architect has met a nationally standardized set of education, experience, and examination requirements. It makes license reciprocity easier across states and signals that the architect’s credentials are held in a verified national database. For clients, it adds an additional layer of accountability beyond state licensure alone.
Work With Piper Cole Architects
If you are a Kirkland homeowner considering a custom home, addition, ADU, or full remodel, the best next step is a direct conversation. I will give you an honest read on your site, your program, and what the permit process looks like for your specific project, before you spend a dollar on design.
Sources
- City of Kirkland, Development Services, Residential Permit Requirements: kirklandwa.gov
- MyBuildingPermit.com, Eastside Regional Permit Portal: mybuildingpermit.com
- Washington State Legislature, HB 1337 (2023), ADU Reform Act
- American Institute of Architects (AIA), Architect Licensing and Ethics: aia.org
