Whole house remodel architect in Sammamish, on the Plateau and on Lake Sammamish

Short answer: if you own a house in Sammamish and plan to spend $750,000 or more remodeling it, call me and I will tell you in about a day, at no charge, whether your plan fits the lot. If it does, I quote one fixed fee for design and permit. In Sammamish the kitchen is rarely what decides the project. The deciders are how the city measures height on your slope, which setback tier your house lands in, how much new and replaced surface trips drainage review, and, on the lake, a 50 foot shoreline setback.

This page is for an owner with a budget from $750,000 who is comparing architects, upland or on the water. Piper Cole designs and administers construction; it does not build. Code figures are as of October 2026 from the city’s own documents; confirm with the city before relying on one.

What an architect does on a Sammamish remodel

I read your lot against the city’s rules before drawing, because a remodel inherits them as the scope grows. The table uses R-4; R-1, R-6 and R-8 differ, and the zone-by-zone numbers are in my Sammamish zoning and building permit guide.

Rule (R-4 shown)	What the city says	Why it matters on a remodel
Height	35 feet; side walls 24 feet. On a slope of 6 feet or more, the house is split into segments at least 15 feet long, each measured from its own average grade.	A raised roof or new story is checked segment by segment, so a sloped lot can pass at one end and fail at the other.
Setbacks by house size	Under 2,500 sq ft: front 15, sides 5, rear 15 average and 12 minimum. 2,500 to 4,000: front 20, sides 10 average and 8 minimum, rear 20 average and 15 minimum. Over 4,000: front 25, sides 12 average and 10 minimum, rear 25 average and 20 minimum. Feet. Front yards on arterial streets are 30 feet.	An addition that pushes the house into a bigger tier may change its yards. I found no code answering that, so I ask the city in writing.
Floor area	50 percent of the lot for the house (garage counts). Upper level floors (any floor more than 5 feet above the main entry floor) capped at 3,000 sq ft per building, plus a one-time 300 sq ft expansion.	A second-floor expansion has to fit the upper floor cap as well as the lot cap.
Hardscape	40 percent of the lot in R-4, 50 percent in R-6. Any impervious surface, gravel, and areas under overhangs beyond 18 inches count.	A bigger footprint and a wider driveway draw on the same allowance.
Drainage review	Single-family projects with 2,000 sq ft or more of new or replaced impervious surface, or 7,000 sq ft of land disturbance, need at least simplified drainage review.	A wing taken down to the foundation and rebuilt counts as replaced surface (city code definition, which matches the county manual: removal of buildings down to the foundation), so a project can reach 2,000 sq ft with no added floor area.

The side wall rule is easy to miss. A side wall is any wall generally parallel to a side lot line within two feet of a 5 foot side yard setback, or within four feet of a larger one. A second-floor addition tends to stack on exactly that wall.

These rules move: height measurement was rewritten in 2025 and the upper floor cap in February 2026, so I recheck the code on the day I write your zoning summary.

When a remodel starts to count as a new house

Several Eastside cities draw a line, by cost or by the share of exterior wall you touch, past which the whole house must meet today’s setbacks. I looked for Sammamish’s line and did not find one. Its nonconformance chapter (SDC 21.09.130) lets the city approve changes to a nonconforming house when the change meets current code, does not expand the nonconformity or create a new kind, and is routine maintenance or corrects the nonconformity.

That is friendly to a big remodel of a house close to a line. A teardown is different. Since June 14, 2025 (Ordinance O2025-583) the chapter says nonconformance status is forfeited when it is discontinued, “which includes demolition of the structure,” and that it shall not be re-established. I read that to mean a new house on the same lot meets today’s setbacks, so I design a teardown to current code unless the city tells me otherwise in writing, and I get its answer in writing before the design locks on any remodel near a line. My copy is the September 2024 print plus that amendment. The comparison across cities is in when a remodel counts as a new house.

If your house is on Lake Sammamish

Shoreline rules sit on top of everything above. The city’s shoreline program (SMC Title 25) reaches 200 feet landward of the ordinary high water mark, so much of a lakefront lot can sit inside it. New non-water-dependent building, houses included, goes landward of the 50 foot setback, and the first 15 feet next to the water is a vegetation enhancement area.

For an existing house the code is more forgiving than that sounds. Legally established homes count as conforming, though additions must meet the program, and a footprint expansion is allowed if the noncompliance does not grow. The setback can also be reduced in steps, the first being 15 feet for planting the 15 foot strip plus 250 sq ft more, down to a minimum of 20 feet. Here is how that compares with the other city I checked on this lake.

Lake Sammamish rule	Sammamish	Issaquah
Standard distance landward of the water	50 foot shoreline setback from the ordinary high water mark (OHWM)	35 foot vegetated buffer plus a 15 foot building setback (Ordinance 3021)
Can it shrink?	Yes, in steps for planting, bulkhead removal and similar measures, to a minimum of 20 feet	No. Issaquah removed buffer reductions from its shoreline program (Ecology approved the change in May 2025); new homes need a shoreline variance to go inside
Expanding an existing house	Allowed if the noncompliance does not grow; one-time and rear “shadow” allowances are listed, with 1:1 planting	No variance if landward of the buffer; if part of the house sits waterward, expand landward of buffer and setback
Planting trigger	Exterior redevelopment that affects the setback; changes that do not expand the footprint are excluded	More than 500 sq ft of new impervious surface in any 5-year period
OHWM elevation	28.0 to 28.2 feet (NGVD29), per the city	28.18 feet (NGVD29), or set in the field by a biologist

On the permit side, state rules exempt an owner’s single-family residence for their own use, up to 35 feet above average grade, from the shoreline substantial development permit (WAC 173-27-040). The exemption is not a pass on the rules: the work must still comply with the city’s program, the director can require a written statement of exemption (SMC 25.08.040), and the 2026 fee schedule lists a shoreline exemption letter at $810. The city construes exemptions narrowly, puts the burden of proof on the owner, and requires a full permit for the whole project if any part does not qualify (SMC 25.08.030). See also the shoreline exemption guide and waterfront remodels on Lake Washington.

One caution on the text. The one-time allowance for adding footprint inside the setback is written as “more than 200 feet” in the code I read, a length where an area is plainly meant. I treat the number and its unit as unconfirmed and do not design to it until the city confirms it in writing through Project Guidance.

The permit steps and the city fees

Applications go in online through MyBuildingPermit, and questions about a specific lot go through a Project Guidance request. The city’s residential addition checklist, marked October 2022, asks for a drainage review determination from Public Works, a critical areas affidavit and an energy and ventilation form. It also lists a water and sewer district certificate when the project exceeds 50 percent of assessed value or adds plumbing fixtures, and possibly geotechnical or arborist reports, peer reviewed at the applicant’s cost.

The city publishes no review time for remodels, and its building pages warn that staff transition may reduce service levels. I will not give you a Sammamish number I cannot source. Seattle remodel permits run about 2 to 3 months, but Sammamish is a separate department.

From the 2026 fee schedule, the building side adds the sliding-scale permit fee, plan review at 65 percent of it, the $91 remodel energy code fee and the $753 planning review for additions and remodels, then the 15 percent technology fee the schedule applies to each line.

If the city values the work at	Building permit	Plan review (65%)	Four lines plus 15% technology fee
$750,000	$5,398	$3,509	$11,213
$1,000,000	$6,061	$3,940	$12,471
$1,500,000	$9,746	$6,335	$19,464
$2,000,000	$13,431	$8,730	$26,456

Assumes the city values the work at the number in the first column. Electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits, inspections, drainage fees and water and sewer district charges are extra. The schedule says all fees assume a typical scope.

Two exemptions help a remodel. Additions to existing homes are exempt from the city’s impact fees (SMC 21.06.045), and since August 29, 2026 additions are exempt from the affordable housing fee. A replacement house applied for within 12 months of the demolition permit pays impact fees only on added floor area.

What changes the cost and the schedule

Planning ranges are $300 to $550 per square foot for a whole house renovation and $350 to $650 for additions; only a builder’s bid on finished drawings is a price. My fee for design and permit is fixed, set by budget and location, about $10,000 to $200,000 depending on scope. In Sammamish these move the number most:

• Rebuilding rather than adding. Replaced surface counts toward the 2,000 sq ft drainage line, so a rebuilt wing plus a new driveway can add flow control work before you add a room.
• Slopes and critical areas. Landslide and steep slope areas carry buffers and may need a geotechnical report. Clearing and grading mostly runs May 1 to September 30, so a late start can push site work to spring.
• The lake. A shoreline exemption letter, a planting plan, a survey tied to the high water mark and a longer conversation with the city.
• Staying in or moving out. More on budgeting for that in planning a million dollar remodel.

What to ask any architect before you sign

• Fee. Is your fee fixed, and does it include the survey, structural engineer, geotechnical report and city fees, or sit outside them?
• Height. How will you measure height on my lot, and will you show me the number for each segment before design starts?
• Setbacks. Which setback tier will the finished house land in, and has the city confirmed in writing how it counts size?
• Drainage. How many square feet of new and replaced surface does the design create, against the 2,000 sq ft drainage line?
• The lake. If I am on the lake, where is the high water mark on my lot, how much of the setback reduction do you expect to use, and who prepares the planting plan?
• Remodel or new. What did the city say in writing about whether my project is a remodel or new construction?
• Schedule. What review time are you planning on, and what is it based on?
• Construction. Who administers construction, how often do you visit the site, and how are change orders priced?
• Bids. If bids come in over budget, who redesigns and who pays for it?

For a budget at this level, the questions about the fee and the bids matter as much as the code questions. A fixed fee means you know the design cost for the agreed scope before you commit. State law does not require an architect for a house (RCW 18.08.410), so the case for hiring one is the budget the drawings and the construction administration protect.

How the work runs with me, in order

Step	Typical time	What you get
First feasibility check	Very quick, about a day, free	Whether the project fits the lot, the zone, the lake rules if they apply, and the budget, at a basic level
In-depth feasibility	2 to 3 weeks, $1,500	A deeper read of zoning, shoreline, drainage and budget before full design
Design to permit submission	2 to 4 months	Drawings, engineering coordination and the permit set
City review	Sammamish publishes no review time	A permit. I tell you what I see on turnaround when I submit
Bidding and construction	Set by scope and the builder you hire	Leveled bids, a contract, and my administration of that contract on your behalf. I do not build

The first check is free. More on my Sammamish architect and Sammamish location pages.

I have been an architect since 1996, an AIA member since 1992 and an NCARB member since 1996, and the Carr residence was featured in Above The Lake and Lux magazines.

Questions

How much does an architect cost for a whole house remodel in Sammamish?

I quote a fixed fee for design and permit, set by the project budget and the location, typically about $10,000 to $200,000 depending on scope. Some firms charge a percentage of construction cost; I quote a fixed number instead so you know the design cost for the agreed scope. Ask any architect which consultants, such as a surveyor, structural engineer or geotechnical engineer, and which city fees sit inside or outside the number.

How long does a whole house remodel take in Sammamish before construction starts?

A first feasibility check takes about a day and an in-depth study 2 to 3 weeks. Design to permit submission typically takes 2 to 4 months. After that the city reviews the application, and Sammamish publishes no review time for remodels, so I do not quote one. Its building pages also carry a notice that staff transition may reduce service levels.

Do I need an architect to remodel a house in Sammamish?

Not by state law. RCW 18.08.410 exempts design work and administration of the construction contract for a residential building of up to four dwelling units. The city’s residential addition checklist asks for a complete submittal through MyBuildingPermit, including plans, a drainage review determination and a critical areas affidavit. On a seven-figure remodel an architect earns the fee by finding the height, setback, drainage and shoreline problems before they reach plan review.

What is the building height limit for a remodel in Sammamish?

In R-4 the limit is 35 feet with a 24 foot side wall limit. Where the existing grade slopes less than 6 feet from the front wall to the back wall, height is measured from the average existing grade at the midpoints of the wall segments. Where it slopes 6 feet or more, the house is divided into segments at least 15 feet long, each measured from its own average grade. Source: SMC 21.04.030.J as amended by Ordinance O2025-583, and the city’s R-4 page, as of October 2026.

Can I expand a house that is inside the Lake Sammamish shoreline setback?

Often, within limits. SMC 25.08.100 allows expanding the footprint of a legally established structure that does not meet current regulations as long as the addition does not increase the noncompliance, and lists allowances for single detached residences, including a rear expansion that stays in the shadow of the existing house, with 1:1 planting of the vegetation enhancement area. Some allowances are one-time. Confirm the wording and the exemption letter with the city through Project Guidance before you design.

When does a Sammamish remodel have to meet today’s setbacks?

I found no cost or wall-length threshold in Sammamish’s nonconformance chapter, SDC 21.09.130. It says changes to a nonconformity must meet current code, must not expand the nonconformity or create a new type, and must be routine maintenance or correct the nonconformity. Since June 14, 2025 (Ordinance O2025-583) it also says nonconformance status is forfeited on demolition of the structure, so I plan a

teardown and rebuild

to current setbacks. Other Eastside cities do set cost or wall-length lines. For a remodel near a line, ask the city in writing.

What city permit fees should I expect on a $1,000,000 remodel in Sammamish?

On the 2026 fee schedule, if the city values the work at $1,000,000, the building permit is $6,061, plan review at 65 percent is $3,940, and the energy code ($91) and planning review for remodels ($753) are flat fees. With the 15 percent technology fee on each line the four come to about $12,471. Electrical, mechanical, plumbing, inspections, drainage and water and sewer district charges are extra.

Does a remodel in Sammamish trigger drainage review?

It can. Under the city’s October 2024 addendum to the 2021 King County Surface Water Design Manual, a single-family project with 2,000 square feet or more of new, replaced or new plus replaced impervious surface, or 7,000 square feet or more of land disturbing activity, needs at least simplified drainage review. Stricter triggers apply in some critical drainage areas draining to Pine or Beaver Lake or to landslide hazard areas.

What does the free feasibility check cover?

It is a very quick check, about a day, of whether your project fits the lot, the code and the budget at a basic level. For a Sammamish house that means your zone, height, setback tier, drainage and, on the lake, the shoreline rules. The in-depth analysis is $1,500 and takes 2 to 3 weeks. Send the address and what you want to change by phone or WhatsApp.