Home Remodeling in Edmonds

More than half of Edmonds homes date from 1950 to 1979

The Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey counts 19,479 housing units in Edmonds, and 10,651 of them were built from 1950 through 1979. The median year built is 1974 overall and 1971 for owner-occupied homes, and 70.9 percent of homes are owner-occupied. The median owner-occupied home was worth $890,100. With values that high, most remodels here update a solid midcentury house rather than replace it.

Source: Census ACS 2020-2024, B25034 year structure built, Edmonds

The Sound-side bluffs slide in wet winters, and Edmonds regulates the hazard areas

The USGS says shallow landslides are common on the coastal bluffs above Puget Sound and frequently hit the rail corridor between Seattle and Everett. Hundreds of slides came down in late December 1996 and early January 1997, when heavy rain fell on melting snow. In January 1997 the Woodway landslide moved about 100,000 cubic meters of earth over the BNSF line and pushed five freight cars into the Sound. In Edmonds, the normal list of work exempt from a building permit does not apply on property in the city's Earth Subsidence and Landslide Hazard Area or in a critical area.

Source: USGS Landslide Hazards Program, Seattle area

Edmonds' tree code turns on critical areas and lot size

On a developed single-family lot with no critical areas that cannot be subdivided, Edmonds requires no permit to remove trees or vegetation. If the lot could be subdivided or has a critical area, such as a steep slope, wetland or stream, removal needs a permit. Trees removed in a critical area must be replaced 2 to 1 with native species. Cutting trees in violation is a misdemeanor, with fines of $1,500 per tree under 12 inches in diameter and appraised value for larger trees.

Source: City of Edmonds, Form P46 Tree and Vegetation Protection and Removal

How much does a remodel cost in Edmonds?

Seattle-metro owners, Edmonds included, paid a median $5,000 for hired-out improvement projects in the Census Bureau's 2023 survey, averaging $11,580, and full kitchens and baths cost far more. In May 2025 the median local electrician earned $48.93 an hour and carpenters $36.74. Edmonds bases interior remodel permit fees on the licensed contractor's bid, so the permit scales with the job.

Do I need a permit to remodel in Edmonds?

Yes, to add to, remodel, alter, repair or convert a house. Edmonds exempts some work, such as siding replacement, like-for-like window replacement and low decks. Those exemptions do not apply in the Earth Subsidence and Landslide Hazard Area or a critical area. Every remodel application needs a Critical Areas Determination and is filed online through MyBuildingPermit.com.

Can I cut down a tree on my property in Edmonds?

On a developed single-family lot with no critical areas that cannot be subdivided, no permit is needed. If the lot could be subdivided or has a steep slope, wetland or stream, removal needs a permit, and trees removed in a critical area are replaced 2 to 1 with natives. Illegal cutting brings fines of $1,500 per tree under 12 inches in diameter.

Can I build a DADU in Edmonds?

Yes. Since July 3, 2025, Edmonds allows ADUs, attached or detached, on all residential lots, up to two per lot. The first needs no added parking and the second needs one space. Size caps are 1,000 square feet in LDR-S and 1,200 in LDR-M and LDR-L. A pre-approved DADU plan from the city's catalog shortens and cheapens review.

Is my Edmonds home in a landslide hazard area?

Edmonds maps an Earth Subsidence and Landslide Hazard Area, and the USGS reports that shallow landslides are common on the Puget Sound bluffs between Seattle and Everett. If your lot is in that area or another critical area, the usual permit exemptions do not apply. Ask the Planning Division for a Critical Areas Determination before you design anything.