What changes a remodel in Sammamish.
27.8 percent of Sammamish homes date from the 1990s
Sammamish holds 22,610 housing units according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 survey. The 1990s produced 6,276 of them, the 1980s 5,845 and the 2000s 4,684, so 74.3 percent went up between 1980 and 2009. The median home was built in 1994, and just 947 are older than 1970. Of all Sammamish homes, 87.0 percent were built in 1980 or later, after lead-based paint was banned for residential use, so lead paint rarely enters a remodel budget here.
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024, Year Structure Built, Sammamish
Slopes above Lake Sammamish sit in a special erosion overlay
Sammamish maps an Erosion Hazard Near Sensitive Water Bodies overlay where sloped ground drains straight to Lake Sammamish, with a No-Disturbance Area inside it. The designations come from the East Lake Sammamish basin plan of the mid-1990s, and in the No-Disturbance Area development is limited to single-family homes and public infrastructure. Landslide hazard areas, which include steep slopes, get a 50-foot buffer at the top and toe that a geotechnical study can shrink to 15 feet, plus a 15-foot building setback. Uncovered decks under 18 inches high are allowed in that setback.
Source: City of Sammamish, 2024 Critical Areas Update: Geologically Hazardous Areas
Sammamish caps tree removal over any ten-year stretch
A permit is needed to remove a healthy significant tree: a conifer 8 inches or more in diameter, or a deciduous tree 12 inches or more. The allowance depends on lot size. A lot under a quarter acre may remove two a year and six in ten years; a quarter to half acre, four a year and 12 in ten years; up to 10 a year and 30 per decade on lots over two acres. Applications go through MyBuildingPermit.com, are screened within two business days and reviewed within five.
What a remodel costs in Sammamish in 2026.
$1,711.01
Sammamish charges building permit fees on a sliding scale by project value, and the 2026 schedule raised the table by 3.9 percent. A remodel valued at $150,000 carries a base building permit fee of $1,711.01, which is $1,278.51 for the first $100,000 plus $8.65 for each added $1,000. Plan review is 65 percent of the permit fee, and a 15 percent technology fee applies on top. The median owner-occupied home in Sammamish was valued at $1,407,300.
Exterior and interior repainting is a routine line on houses of that age, and it is labor heavy. Construction and maintenance painters in the Seattle metro earned a median of $29.06 an hour in May 2025, compared with $23.75 nationally.
| Figure | Value | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit fee on a $150,000 remodel | $1,711.01 | Sammamish 2026 table: $1,278.51 for the first $100,000 plus $8.65 per added $1,000; plan review at 65% and a 15% technology fee come on top (City of Sammamish, 2026 Fee Schedule) |
| Median home value | $1,407,300 | Owner-occupied homes in Sammamish, Census ACS 2020-2024 (Census ACS 2020-2024, Median Value, Sammamish) |
| Homes built 1980 to 2009 | 74.3% | Sammamish units from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, 16,805 of 22,610 (ACS 2020-2024); median built in 1994 (Census ACS 2020-2024, Year Structure Built, Sammamish) |
| Trees a small lot may remove per decade | 6 | Lots under a quarter acre: two significant trees a year and six in ten years, whichever limit is lower (City of Sammamish, Permits for Removing Trees) |
| Median painter wage | $29.06 an hour | Construction and maintenance painters in greater Seattle, May 2025, compared with a $23.75 U.S. median (BLS OEWS May 2025, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue construction and maintenance painters) |
Who issues permits in Sammamish.
The City of Sammamish issues building permits for every address inside city limits, and all permit applications are filed online at MyBuildingPermit.com. Before applying, owners can submit a free Project Guidance request, which returns property-specific code information such as setbacks and mapped critical areas. The city's Permit Center handles tree, deck, dock and remodel permits in the same system.
- City of Sammamish Permit Center
Building, mechanical, plumbing, tree removal, deck and dock permits and critical area review inside Sammamish city limits
- Sammamish lists changing a home's layout, adding on, building or repairing a deck or dock, removing trees and replacing a water heater or furnace as work that needs a permit.
- Up to two ADUs are allowed on a lot with a detached house. A detached ADU can be up to 1,000 square feet; an attached one can be half the size of the house or 1,000 square feet, whichever is larger.
- No extra parking is required for an ADU when the property already has four or more spaces, counting the garage and driveway, and ADUs do not count toward the house's floor area ratio.
- In landslide hazard areas the buffer starts at 50 feet from the top and toe of the slope, can be reduced to 15 feet with a critical areas study, and carries a 15-foot building setback beyond it.
- In ordinary erosion hazard areas, the city limits work during the wet season to keep sediment from washing off the site.
- Seismic hazard areas are those prone to liquefaction, where loose, water-logged soil loses strength in an earthquake; building there requires a geotechnical report showing the design can resist it.
What Sammamish homeowners plan most.
Bathroom remodel
Changing a bathroom's layout counts as a permitted alteration in Sammamish, filed through MyBuildingPermit.com. The bathroom guide was written for Seattle; Sammamish issues the permit.
Tree removal
Conifers of 8 inches and deciduous trees of 12 inches need a permit, and small lots are capped at six removals in ten years.
Deck building
Sammamish requires a permit to build or repair a deck, and on a steep lot the landslide setback allows only uncovered decks under 18 inches. We link a Seattle deck guide; Sammamish handles the permit.
Roofing
The median Sammamish house dates from 1994, so plenty of roofs here are on their original or second covering. We point to a Seattle roofing guide because plateau roofs face the same rain and moss; Sammamish permits the work.
Kitchen remodel
Moving walls or plumbing in a Sammamish kitchen changes the layout and needs a permit. The kitchen guide was written for Seattle; permits here come from Sammamish.
ADU or garage conversion
An attached ADU can be half the size of the house, and ADUs do not count toward floor area limits. The ADU guide was written for Seattle; Sammamish handles the permit.
Before you start.
How much does a building permit cost in Sammamish?
Sammamish sets the fee by project value. Under the 2026 schedule, a $150,000 remodel pays a base building permit fee of $1,711.01: $1,278.51 for the first $100,000 plus $8.65 for every additional $1,000. Plan review adds 65 percent of that fee, and a 15 percent technology fee is added on top. Applications are filed at MyBuildingPermit.com.
How many trees can I cut down in Sammamish?
It depends on lot size. A lot under a quarter acre may remove two significant trees a year and six in ten years; a quarter to half acre, four and 12; half to one acre, six and 18. Significant means a conifer of 8 inches or a deciduous tree of 12 inches. Each removal needs a permit through MyBuildingPermit.com.
Can I build near a steep slope in Sammamish?
Only with room to spare. Landslide hazard areas, which include steep slopes, carry a 50-foot buffer from the top and toe of the slope, plus a 15-foot building setback. A critical areas study can cut the buffer to 15 feet. Landscaping, driveways, patios and uncovered decks under 18 inches are allowed in the setback.
How big can an ADU be in Sammamish?
A detached ADU can be up to 1,000 square feet. An attached ADU can be half the size of the house or 1,000 square feet, whichever is larger. Up to two ADUs are allowed with a detached house, and no extra parking is needed if the property already has four spaces, counting the garage and driveway.
Do I need a permit to repair a deck in Sammamish?
Yes. Sammamish lists building a deck or dock, new or repair, as work that needs a permit, along with changing a home's layout, additions, tree removal and replacing a water heater or furnace. The city also offers a free Project Guidance request that tells you the setbacks and critical areas on your lot.
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Sources
- Census ACS 2020-2024, Year Structure Built, Sammamish
- City of Sammamish, 2024 Critical Areas Update: Geologically Hazardous Areas
- City of Sammamish, Permits for Removing Trees
- City of Sammamish, 2026 Fee Schedule
- Census ACS 2020-2024, Median Value, Sammamish
- BLS OEWS May 2025, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue construction and maintenance painters
- City of Sammamish, Geologically Hazardous Areas
- City of Sammamish, Getting Started and FAQs
- City of Sammamish, Accessory Dwelling Units
- City of Sammamish, Permit Center
- BLS OEWS May 2025, national construction and maintenance painters