A builder
first.

Frequently asked — about us

• How long has Golden State ADU Builders been operating in the Puget Sound?

  We have built continuously in King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Thurston counties since 2012. Our crews have closed permits in Seattle SDCI, Bellevue DSD, Tacoma TPDS, Olympia CP&D, and 25+ other AHJs. That tenure matters because every jurisdiction in Washington interprets RCW 36.70A.681 (statewide ADU preemption) slightly differently, and reviewers remember who submits clean sets.

  Go deeper: About Golden State ADU Builders→

• Are you licensed, bonded, and insured in Washington State?

  Yes. We hold Washington Contractor License GOLDESA747LZ, a $12,000 contractor bond per RCW 18.27.040, $2M general liability, and L&I workers' comp on every direct employee. We can provide a Certificate of Insurance naming you and your lender as additional insured before the pre-construction meeting — most credit unions require this for a HELOC or renovation loan draw.

  Go deeper: About Golden State ADU Builders→

• Do you self-perform work or subcontract everything?

  We self-perform framing, exterior weather barrier, interior trim, and project supervision with W-2 carpenters. MEP trades (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) are subcontracted to L&I-licensed specialty contractors we have worked with for 5+ years, because Washington requires separate specialty licenses (PL, EL, HVAC/R) and a GC cannot legally self-perform those scopes without them.

  Go deeper: Explore Whole-Home Remodeling→

• What is your typical project size — do you build small ADUs?

  We build from 380 sq ft studio DADUs up to 1,000 sq ft two-bedroom units (the WA statewide cap under HB 1337). About 60% of our pipeline is 600–800 sq ft one-bedroom DADUs because that footprint optimizes lot coverage, beats the building-permit threshold for sprinklers in most jurisdictions, and rents in the $2,100–$2,900/mo band across the Eastside.

  Go deeper: Read the DADU vs AADU in Puget Sound: which to build (2026) guide→

• How is Golden State different from a generic remodeler?

  ADUs are not remodels. They are a new dwelling unit subject to IECC R406 energy modeling, IRC Appendix AQ when permitted as a tiny house, separate utility metering rules per the city, and Section 1109 IBC fair-housing requirements. A remodeler who builds one ADU a year does not have the standard details for fire separation, sound STC 50, or sewer side-sewer permits dialed in. We do — that is all we build.

• Do you work with homeowners, investors, or both?

  Both. Roughly 55% of our clients are owner-occupants adding a DADU for multi-generational housing or aging in place; 45% are small investors stacking 1–4 units across King and Pierce County for long-term rental yield. Our pro-forma packets quantify both use cases — net operating income for investors, and assessed-value impact (per RCW 84.40.0301) for owner-occupants.

  Go deeper: Explore Whole-Home Remodeling→

• Where is your office and where do you build?

  Our office is in the Puget Sound region; field crews dispatch daily to projects across Seattle, the Eastside (Bellevue/Kirkland/Redmond/Sammamish/Issaquah), North End (Shoreline/Edmonds/Lynnwood/Mukilteo/Everett/Bothell), South End (Renton/Kent/Auburn/Federal Way/Tacoma/Puyallup), and South Sound (Lakewood/Lacey/Olympia). We do not take work east of Snoqualmie Pass — the haul kills schedule and warranty response.

  Go deeper: Explore New Home Construction→

• Who owns the company?

  Golden State ADU Builders Inc is a privately held Washington C-corporation owned by its operating principals. We have no franchise relationship, no parent company, and no shared ownership with any other Puget Sound contractor. References, financials, and ownership disclosure are available on request for projects over $400K and for any lender escrow.

  Go deeper: Glossary: ECA (Environmentally Critical Area)→

• What is your safety record?

  Our EMR (Experience Modification Rate) has been below 1.0 every year since 2017 — meaning we trend below the WA construction industry average for L&I claims. We run weekly toolbox talks, require fall protection at any height per WAC 296-880, and every supervisor holds OSHA 30. Most insurers and lenders ask for the EMR; we share ours up front.

  Go deeper: Glossary: ECA (Environmentally Critical Area)→

• Do you carry the right insurance for high-value Eastside lots?

  Yes. Standard coverage is $2M general liability, $1M auto, $5M umbrella, and a $12,000 RCW bond. For projects over $750K on Mercer Island, Medina, Clyde Hill, or Hunts Point — where land value pushes total exposure above $3M — we bind a project-specific builder's risk policy at the lender's required limit. That cost is a budget line in the contract, not a hidden markup.

  Go deeper: Read the Eastside deck cost & permits: cedar, IPE, composite (2026) guide→

• Can I visit a project in progress?

  Yes, with the active client's permission and during scheduled site-walk windows. We typically have 6–10 ADUs in framing or finish at any time across the region, so we can usually show you a project within 20 miles of your lot at the same stage you are planning. Bring boots — Puget Sound mud is real from October to May.

  Go deeper: Glossary: ECA (Environmentally Critical Area)→

• What happens after the warranty period ends?

  Beyond the one-year workmanship and two-year mechanical warranty (10 years structural per RCW 4.16.310), we keep your build file indefinitely. If you sell the property, the next owner inherits remaining manufacturer warranties (LP SmartSide 50-year, GAF Timberline HDZ shingles, Marvin window 20-year). We also respond to paid service calls at flat hourly — no minimum trip charge for past clients.

  Go deeper: Workmanship Warranty→