Edmonds view homes above Puget Sound
Architect in Edmonds, WA
View homes on the bluff, waterfront lots, custom homes, additions, ADUs and downtown commercial work in Edmonds, on Puget Sound in south Snohomish County.
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.
- 1996Licensed architect since 1996
- 1992AIA member since 1992
- 20 to 30Projects designed each year
- 3Masonry Excellence Awards
- AIAAIA · NCARB · Washington licensed
Why local matters
Designed for the western view
Edmonds slopes down to Puget Sound. Lots on the bluff above the ferry terminal, the marina and the beach look west across the Sound to the Olympics.
Good design here is about the western exposure: framing the view while handling afternoon glare and weather coming off the water.
Permits go through City of Edmonds Development Services. A few properties inside Edmonds are permitted by Snohomish County, so jurisdiction is checked first.
What gets designed here
Work in Edmonds
Edmonds work falls into four kinds.
- View homes. On the bluff and western slope, sited for the Sound and the Olympics.
- Custom homes and additions. From historic houses near downtown to newer homes in the east of the city.
- ADUs. Edmonds has an established ADU process under state and city rules.
- Downtown commercial renovation. Work that has to fit the historic character of the downtown core.
Projects
Recent work on the Eastside
Real houses, real constraints. Photographs and drawings from the practice.
On the water
On the Sound
Waterfront lots along the marina and the beach below the bluff need a shoreline development permit for significant work, in addition to the building permit.
That adds roughly 3 to 6 months, so it is planned before design.
Permits
Edmonds permit timelines
| Project | Typical review |
|---|---|
| Residential addition | 6 to 10 weeks |
| New single family home | 10 to 16 weeks |
| ADU | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Waterfront or shoreline project | an additional 3 to 6 months |
Typical City of Edmonds review times for a complete application. The shoreline permit runs in addition.
Budget
What projects cost, in round numbers
These are the same figures used everywhere on this site. The estimators on the linked pages turn them into a number for your size and scope.
| Project | Typical range | Estimator |
|---|---|---|
| Architect led custom home | $500 to $800 per sq ft | cost to build page |
| High end custom or waterfront | $800 to $1,200 and up per sq ft | cost to build page |
| Whole house remodel | $300 to $550 per sq ft | whole house remodel page |
| Home addition | $350 to $650 per sq ft | home addition cost page |
| Detached ADU | $200,000 to $400,000 | ADU cost guide |
| Architecture fee | Fixed fee, about ,000 to 0,000 | architect fees page |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column
Eastside figures from the cost pages on this site, each of which has an estimator that gives you your own number. Land, site work and permits sit on top of construction.
Where
Edmonds neighborhoods
The bowl above downtown and the ferry terminal, the marina and beach, and the neighborhoods east toward Highway 99.
Questions
Building in Edmonds, answered
Not answered here? Call David, most calls are answered the same day.
Do you work in Edmonds?
Yes. Piper Cole Architects is based in Kirkland and Edmonds is part of the regular work. View homes, additions and ADUs are the most common projects.
How long does a permit take in Edmonds?
Allow 6 to 10 weeks for an addition or ADU and 10 to 16 weeks for a new house. Waterfront projects add about 3 to 6 months for the shoreline permit.
What does an architect cost in Edmonds?
Piper Cole Architects quotes a fixed fee for design and permit, set by the project budget and location, from about ,000 to 0,000 depending on scope. The first feasibility check is free and usually takes about a day; an in-depth analysis is ,500.
Do I need an architect for a house in Washington?
Not by law. RCW 18.08.410 exempts single family homes and buildings of four units or fewer from the stamp requirement. You will need permitted drawings and usually structural engineering. People hire an architect because the lot, the code or the design is complicated, not because the law requires one.
What happens on the first call?
You describe the property and what you want to do. David Meade tells you what the site and the code are likely to allow, what it tends to cost and what to check first. The first feasibility check is free and usually takes about a day.
Plan the project
Cost and service pages
- Cost to build a house in SeattleNew build cost by tier, with an estimator
- Architect feesWhat the design work costs, with a calculator
- Home addition costEvery addition type, with an estimator
- Whole house remodel costCost by depth, and the code trigger that moves budgets
- Custom home designNew houses on the lakes and on difficult lots
- Home additionsOut or up, and what it costs
- ADU and DADU designGarage conversions to backyard cottages
- Waterfront and lakefront homesShoreline lots and teardown rebuilds on the lakes
Read next
Guides for Edmonds projects
- Washington ADU laws in 2026What state law now allows on almost every lot
- ADU cost, Seattle and the EastsideAttached, detached and garage conversions, in real numbers
- Second story additionsGoing up instead of out, and what it involves
- Commercial and tenant improvementOffices, retail and small mixed use
Nearby
Nearby cities
- Architect in Shoreline, WALocal permits, costs and the kind of work done there
- Architect in Lynnwood, WALocal permits, costs and the kind of work done there
- Architect in Lake Forest Park, WALocal permits, costs and the kind of work done there
- Architect in Kenmore, WALocal permits, costs and the kind of work done there
- Architect in Bothell, WALocal permits, costs and the kind of work done there
- Architect in Seattle, WALocal permits, costs and the kind of work done there
Our Architecture Services
Full-service architecture for Edmonds Architect: View Homes and Additions and the greater Seattle area:
Service area
Other cities we work in
Based in Kirkland. Each city page covers local permits, zoning, shoreline rules and costs.
Studio, KirklandEastsideSeattle and the NorthSouth King and Pierce
Next step
Talk about your Edmonds property
Describe the lot and what you want to do with it. You speak to David Meade directly, and 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.