Waterfront Homes
Houses shaped by the water they sit on.
Lakefront and waterfront homes on Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish. The heart of the practice since 2000, principal-led by David Meade.
Free 30 minute consultation. You speak to the architect, not a salesperson.
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Waterfront is a different project.
On a normal lot, zoning sets your envelope. On a shoreline lot you have zoning plus the Shoreline Management Act, a local Shoreline Master Program, critical areas rules, often tree retention, and sometimes a geotechnical requirement.
Each one subtracts from buildable area before a single line is drawn. Knowing that map is most of the job.
Buildable area
Check the lot before you buy it
The single most valuable hour on a waterfront project is the one spent mapping what the shoreline and critical areas rules actually allow, before an offer is made.
Shoreline setback is measured from the ordinary high water mark, not the property line, which is why buildable area is often far smaller than buyers expect.
- Shoreline jurisdiction on Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish
- Vegetation conservation areas that limit clearing
- Steep slope and critical areas buffers
- View corridor and privacy constraints from both neighbours
What it costs
Waterfront custom home cost, 2026
| Well built Eastside custom home | $300 to $500 per sq ft |
| High finish, structural glass, difficult site | $400 to $900 per sq ft |
| Medina, Clyde Hill and prime waterfront | Regularly above $800 per sq ft |
| Typical new home we design, to build | $2M to $6M |
| Architect design fee, custom home | 10 to 15% of construction |
| Design through permit, waterfront | 12 to 20 months |
Market ranges for planning, not a quote. Shoreline permitting, geotechnical and shoring, moisture detailing and glazing push waterfront to the top of the range.
Before you buy
Send us the address.
A short conversation on a specific parcel can save you from a lot that will never build the house you want. Free, no obligation, straight to David.
Kirkland shoreline
KZC Chapter 83, in practice
In Kirkland, shoreline jurisdiction on Lake Washington, Forbes Creek and North Creek is governed by the Shoreline Master Program under KZC Chapter 83.
Development inside that jurisdiction triggers a separate substantial development or exemption review on top of the building permit, which is why waterfront timelines run longer.
How to choose
Three questions to ask any architect
Have you taken a shoreline substantial development permit through this specific jurisdiction. What did the last waterfront geotechnical report change about your design. Who will actually draw my house.
Here the answer to the last one is always David.
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Let us design your waterfront home.
Free 30 minute consultation with David Meade. No obligation, no pitch. Call or WhatsApp direct.
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