New construction, Seattle and the Eastside
What It Costs to Build a House in Seattle
$400 to $900 per square foot for construction in 2026. A 2,500 sq ft custom home lands between $1.2M and $2.5M once land, design, permits and site work are in the number. Here is every line of it.
The first feasibility check is free.
Free feasibility check
Send the address and what you have in mind. David replies within one business day with what the site and the code are likely to allow.
- 1996Licensed architect since 1996
- 1992AIA member since 1992
- 20 to 30Projects designed each year
- 3Masonry Excellence Awards, commercial projects
- AIAAIA · NCARB · Washington licensed
Read this first
Per square foot is the wrong number to plan from on its own
Construction cost per square foot is the number everybody quotes and the number that misleads most. It leaves out land, design, engineering, permits and site work, and on a Seattle lot those four can add 40% to the total.
Site work is the one that moves most. A flat lot might need $30,000 of grading and utility connections. A hillside lot with cut and fill, retaining walls and drainage can add $150,000 to $300,000 before a single stud is framed.
So plan from the total, not the rate. The estimator below gives you construction first, because that is what the tiers are priced in, and the full breakdown underneath shows you what sits on top of it.
Estimate
Estimate your build
Set the house size and the tier you are building at. These are the same figures as the tier table below, which covers architecture, engineering, permits and construction. Land is not included.
Construction, architecture, engineering and permits. Land is not included and runs $400,000 for a modest suburban infill lot to $2M and above for a prime waterfront or view lot. Site work on a hillside can add $150,000 to $300,000. Call David on 425 753 6452 to talk about your own lot.
Projects
Selected work
Real houses, real constraints. Photographs and drawings from the practice.
The tiers
Seattle custom home cost by tier, 2026
The jump between semi custom and architect led is where most people’s assumptions break. It is not mostly finishes, it is design time, engineering and the fact that the drawings get bid competitively rather than priced by one builder.
| Tier | Cost per sq ft | 2,400 sq ft total | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production builder | $250 to $350 | $600K to $840K | Standard finishes, plan from a catalogue |
| Semi custom | $350 to $500 | $840K to $1.2M | Modified plan, mid range finishes |
| Custom, architect led | $500 to $800 | $1.2M to $1.92M | Full design, competitive bid, construction administration |
| High end custom | $800 to $1,200 and up | $1.92M to $2.88M and up | Premium materials, smart systems, view or waterfront site |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column
Includes architecture, engineering, permits and construction. Land not included. Source: Piper Cole Architects project data, 2026.
By finish
Cost per square foot by finish level
| Finish level | Cost per sq ft | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $350 to $450 | Production grade finishes, standard appliances, basic millwork |
| Mid range custom | $450 to $650 | Custom cabinetry, higher end appliances, designed lighting, stone counters |
| High end custom | $650 to $900 | Architect designed details, premium materials throughout, smart home systems |
| Ultra luxury | $900 and up | One of a kind homes, exceptional sites, fully bespoke throughout |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column
Construction only. Land, design fees, permits and site work are separate lines, broken down below.
The full breakdown
Where the money goes on a $1.8M custom home
Construction is the biggest line but it is nowhere near the only one. This is the shape of a real project budget on the Eastside.
- Land. $400,000 for a modest suburban infill lot up to $2M and above for a prime waterfront or view lot. Plan $500,000 to $900,000 for a well located lot in Kirkland, Bellevue or north Seattle.
- Architecture and engineering. Roughly 8% to 15% of the construction budget at percentage-priced firms (Piper Cole quotes a fixed fee). On a $1.5M build that is $120,000 to $225,000 covering schematic design through construction administration. Structural engineering adds $15,000 to $40,000 depending on site.
- Permits and city fees. $15,000 to $35,000 for the building permit depending on valuation, plus school impact fees, utility connections and any geotechnical or environmental review. Budget $30,000 to $60,000 for all government fees.
- Site work. $30,000 on a flat lot. $150,000 to $300,000 on a hillside with cut and fill, retaining walls and drainage, before framing starts.
- Construction hard costs. Labor, materials, subcontractors, overhead and profit. For a 2,500 sq ft mid range custom home, $1.1M to $1.6M in 2026.
Why here is expensive
Two things that are specific to this market
Labor. Seattle has some of the highest construction labor costs in the country. Electricians, plumbers and skilled finish carpenters command premium rates, and shortages since 2022 have pushed subcontractor costs up 20% to 30% from before the pandemic.
The energy code. Washington State’s energy code requires very high insulation values, triple pane glazing on many assemblies, heat pump mechanical systems and heat recovery ventilation. Those are not upgrades you choose, they are the baseline, and they are priced into every number on this page.
Neither of those is going to reverse. Plan around them rather than hoping for a softer market.
Complicated lots
Waterfront, steep slopes and teardowns
The lots worth building on around here are often the difficult ones. Lakefront brings shoreline jurisdiction, buildable area limits and view corridor rules on top of the normal code. Steep sites bring geotechnical review and retaining work. A teardown and rebuild brings demolition, and sometimes a Substantial Improvement question if the existing structure is partly retained.
All three add design time before they add construction cost, which is why the architecture fee percentage sits at the higher end of the 8% to 15% market band on this kind of project.
They are also where the design actually earns its money. A straightforward rectangle on a flat lot does not need much help. A steep waterfront lot with a view corridor and a setback problem is a design problem before it is a building problem.
Questions
Building in Seattle, answered
Not answered here? Call David, most calls are answered the same day.
How much does it cost to build a house in Seattle in 2026?
$400 to $900 per square foot for construction depending on finish level. A 2,500 sq ft custom home typically totals $1.2M to $2.5M once land, design fees, permits and site work are included.
What does a custom home cost per square foot in Seattle?
Architect led custom runs $500 to $800 per sq ft. High end custom runs $800 to $1,200 and up. Semi custom runs $350 to $500 and a production builder runs $250 to $350. Those figures include architecture, engineering, permits and construction.
How much is land in the Seattle area?
$400,000 for a modest infill lot in the suburbs up to $2M and above for a prime waterfront or view lot. A well located lot in Kirkland, Bellevue or north Seattle is typically $500,000 to $900,000.
What do architect fees add to a new build?
Roughly 8% to 15% of the construction budget for full service at percentage-priced firms; Piper Cole quotes a fixed fee. On a $1.5M construction budget that is $120,000 to $225,000, plus $15,000 to $40,000 for structural engineering. Complicated lots sit at the higher end of that band.
How much should I budget for permits?
$15,000 to $35,000 for the building permit itself depending on valuation, and $30,000 to $60,000 for all government fees once school impact fees, utility connections and any geotechnical or environmental review are counted.
Why does site work vary so much?
Terrain. A flat lot may need $30,000 in grading and utility connections. A hillside lot needing cut and fill, retaining walls and a drainage system can add $150,000 to $300,000 before framing begins. Have the site assessed before you buy, not after.
Is it cheaper to build new or remodel?
It depends how much of the existing house survives and whether a deep remodel crosses the Substantial Improvement threshold anyway. If a studs out renovation is already triggering full code compliance, run the rebuild comparison properly before committing.
Keep reading
Turning the Number Into a Contract
A cost range tells you what to budget. It does not tell you what a builder is committing to. Two bids for the same house can differ by six figures on allowances and exclusions alone, without either party being wrong. Custom home build estimates and contracts covers fixed price against cost-plus and GMP, and how to level two bids that are not pricing the same house.
The rest of the new build picture
- Architect fees in SeattleWhat the design work costs, with a calculator for your own budget
- Custom home architect, SeattleHow a new build runs, from site selection through construction
- Waterfront and lakefront homesShoreline lots, view corridors and teardown rebuilds on the lakes
- Custom home timeline in SeattleHow long each phase actually takes, from first meeting to move in
- Custom home site selectionWhat to check on a lot before you buy it
- Whole house remodel cost, EastsideThe other side of the teardown versus remodel comparison
- Seattle building permit guideReview times, fees and what the process involves
Keep reading
Related guides
How to choose a waterfront home builder in Seattle and on the Eastside
How to choose a builder for a lakefront house in Seattle or on the Eastside: registration, bond, insurance, equal scope bids, contract and lien points.
Custom home architect in Issaquah, WA
New home or teardown in Issaquah, WA? A Kirkland architect on lake and slope rules, review targets and a free feasibility check in about a day.
Custom home architect on Mercer Island, WA
Custom home or teardown on Mercer Island? Kirkland architect: fixed design fee, the city's own rules, review targets, a free feasibility check in about a day.
Next step
Bring the lot, get a real number
Per square foot gets you a planning range. A conversation about your actual lot gets you a budget you can act on, including the site work nobody else has mentioned yet. Call David Meade directly. The first feasibility check is free and usually takes about a day.
Free feasibility check
Send the address and what you have in mind. David replies within one business day with what the site and the code are likely to allow.