Home Remodeling in Olympia

11.6 percent of Olympia homes were built before 1940

Census Bureau survey data for 2020 to 2024 counts 26,795 housing units in Olympia, and 3,108 of them date from 1939 or earlier. Another 13.2 percent went up in the 1940s and 1950s. The median year built is 1982, pulled later by newer neighborhoods on the city's edges. The old core is where remodels get complicated, with older wiring, plaster walls and foundations that predate modern codes. Just under half of occupied homes, 12,685 of 25,451, are lived in by their owners.

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

The 2001 Nisqually earthquake struck 17 kilometers from Olympia

At 10:54 a.m. on February 28, 2001, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit 52 kilometers deep beneath Anderson Island, some 17 kilometers from Olympia. The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network puts the damage at $2 billion, including $305 million in insured losses, with liquefaction across the region and damage to the Washington State Capitol. Liquefaction is when shaking turns loose, wet soil soft. If your house is older, ask your contractor to check how it is bolted to its foundation and how the chimney is braced while the walls are open.

Source: Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, 2001 Nisqually Earthquake

Exterior work on Olympia heritage properties gets automatic review

Olympia's Heritage Register, in effect since 1983, protects over 600 buildings and 6 districts. When a building permit is needed for a register property, Heritage Review happens automatically with the application. It covers only exterior changes, judged against the U.S. Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. Owners also get a tax break: if qualified rehab costs reach 25 percent of the building's assessed value within 24 months, those costs come off the assessed value for 10 years.

Source: City of Olympia, Join the Heritage Register

How much do contractors charge in Olympia WA?

Federal wage data for May 2025 shows the median carpenter in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater metro earning $30.41 an hour, below the Seattle metro's $36.74. Electricians earn a median of $46.44 and plumbers $38.48. A contractor's hourly rate runs above those wages, since it also covers insurance, overhead and profit.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Olympia?

Yes. Olympia lists reroofing among the projects that need a permit, along with siding repair or replacement and window replacement. Applications go through the city's Online Permit Portal, and inspections are scheduled there too. On a heritage register property, visible exterior changes also go through Heritage Review with the permit.

Do I need a permit to replace windows in Olympia?

Yes, if you replace the whole window. Olympia exempts only the replacement of broken glass. On a property listed on the Olympia Heritage Register or in a historic district, the permit application triggers Heritage Review of the exterior change, judged against the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.

Can I build an ADU in Olympia?

Yes. An ADU can be attached, inside the house or detached. It must echo the main house's roof form, window pattern and materials, and have a clearly defined entrance with a lighted, paved walkway. Parking is not required. Reduced impact fees apply, and a new ADU needs sprinklers if the house has them.

How strong was the 2001 earthquake in Olympia?

The Nisqually earthquake of February 28, 2001 measured magnitude 6.8 and struck 52 kilometers deep beneath Anderson Island, 17 kilometers from Olympia. It caused $2 billion in damage across the region, including to the Washington State Capitol, and liquefaction in several areas. Older homes benefit from foundation bolting and chimney bracing during a remodel.