Lynnwood homes, ADUs and station area projects
Architect in Lynnwood, WA
Custom homes, additions and ADUs in Lynnwood’s neighborhoods, plus commercial and mixed use projects around the Lynnwood City Center light rail station.
The first feasibility check is free and usually takes about a day. You speak to the architect, not a salesperson.
Why local matters
Light rail changed what makes sense here
Lynnwood is a major hub for south Snohomish County. Light rail now connects Lynnwood City Center to downtown Seattle in under 30 minutes.
That makes ADUs near the station strong rentals, and it has made the station area one of the most active places for mixed use development in the region.
Permits go through the City of Lynnwood Community Development Department.
What gets designed here
Work in Lynnwood
Lynnwood work falls into three kinds.
- Custom homes and additions. In the established mid century neighborhoods in the south of the city and on infill lots.
- ADUs. Attached and detached units under state law, well placed for renters who use the train.
- Commercial and mixed use. Tenant improvements and small mixed use buildings along Highway 99, the I-5 frontage and the station area.
Permits
Lynnwood permit timelines
| Project | Typical review |
|---|---|
| Residential addition | 6 to 10 weeks |
| New single family home | 10 to 16 weeks |
| ADU | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Commercial tenant improvement | 4 to 8 weeks |
| New commercial or mixed use | 12 to 20 weeks |
Typical City of Lynnwood review times for a complete application.
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 | 8% to 15% of construction | 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
Lynnwood neighborhoods
The mid century neighborhoods in the south of the city, the City Center station area, and the Highway 99 and I-5 corridors.
Questions
Building in Lynnwood, answered
Do you work in Lynnwood?
Yes. Piper Cole Architects is based in Kirkland and Lynnwood is part of the regular work. Additions, ADUs and small mixed use projects are the most common.
How long does a permit take in Lynnwood?
Allow 6 to 10 weeks for an addition or ADU and 10 to 16 weeks for a new house. New commercial or mixed use buildings take 12 to 20 weeks.
What does an architect cost in Lynnwood?
Typically 8% to 15% of construction for full service, toward the top of that range on waterfront, steep or otherwise constrained lots because they take more design time. The architect fees page has a calculator for your own budget.
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 Lynnwood projects
- HB 1110 middle housingWhat the new state law lets you build on a single family lot
- Triplex and fourplex designSmall multifamily under HB 1110
- ADU cost, Seattle and the EastsideAttached, detached and garage conversions, in real numbers
- Commercial and tenant improvementOffices, retail and small mixed use
Nearby
Nearby cities
- Architect in Edmonds, WALocal permits, costs and the kind of work done there
- Architect in Shoreline, 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 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 Seattle, WALocal permits, costs and the kind of work done there
Next step
Talk about your Lynnwood property
Describe the lot and what you want to do with it. You speak to David Meade directly, not a salesperson, and the first feasibility check is free and usually takes about a day.
Our Architecture Services
Full-service architecture for Lynnwood Architect: Homes, ADUs and Mixed Use and the greater Seattle area: