Home Remodeling in Lakewood WA

Half of Lakewood's homes were built between 1950 and 1979

Census Bureau survey data for 2020 to 2024 counts 28,591 housing units in Lakewood. Fifteen percent date from the 1950s, and 18.3 percent each from the 1960s and the 1970s, so 51.6 percent were built in those three decades. The median year built is 1975. Houses of that age often need panel upgrades, new windows and insulation, and many still have their original bathrooms. Only 7.3 percent of Lakewood homes were built before 1950.

Source: Census ACS 2020-2024, Year Structure Built, Lakewood

Garry oaks are protected in Lakewood down to a 4 inch trunk

The Oregon white oak, also called the Garry oak, is Washington's only native oak. Lakewood counts one as a significant tree once its trunk reaches 4 inches across at 4.5 feet above the ground, against 9 inches for other trees. The oaks are also a regulated critical area under state law. On a lot under 10,000 square feet, the presence of an Oregon white oak can be enough to require a tree removal permit, so plan additions and driveways around them.

Source: City of Lakewood, P7 Tree Preservation and Protection

Shoreline rules reach 200 feet back from Lakewood's lakes

Lakewood's Shoreline Master Program covers American Lake, which is over 1,000 acres, plus Gravelly Lake, Lake Louise, Steilacoom Lake and Waughop Lake, and Clover and Chambers Creeks. Its reach extends 200 feet landward from the ordinary high water mark, the line the water normally reaches. Inside that zone, the city requires a permit for a structure or new paved surface of any size in the shoreline buffer, including a patio under 18 inches high.

Source: City of Lakewood, P3 Shoreline Development

How much does a bathroom remodel cost in Lakewood WA?

Lakewood is in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro, where the Census Bureau's 2023 housing survey put the median bathroom remodel at $10,000 and the median kitchen remodel at $13,710. Those medians include smaller updates and do-it-yourself work. Labor runs high here: the median metro plumber earned $45.78 an hour in May 2025.

Do I need a permit to build a shed in Lakewood WA?

Only if it is larger than 120 square feet, or if it will have mechanical equipment such as a heat pump or generator. That limit is smaller than the 200 square feet many nearby cities allow. A structure of any size in a shoreline buffer or critical area also needs a permit.

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

It depends on the lot and the tree. Single-family lots over 10,000 square feet need a tree removal permit for significant trees, and lots of 10,001 to 30,000 square feet can remove 2 a year. Garry oaks count as significant at a 4 inch trunk and are regulated more strictly on any lot.

Who issues electrical permits in Lakewood WA?

Not the city. Lakewood's permit center says it is not a full-service agency, and electrical permits and inspections come from outside agencies. In Washington that is the Department of Labor and Industries. Sewer, water and fire reviews also go to outside agencies such as Pierce County, the Lakewood Water District and West Pierce Fire and Rescue.

What permits do I need to build on a lakefront lot in Lakewood?

Lakewood's shoreline rules reach 200 feet back from the normal high water line of American Lake, Gravelly Lake, Lake Louise, Steilacoom Lake and Waughop Lake. A structure or new paved surface of any size inside the shoreline buffer needs a permit, including a patio under 18 inches high.