Pricing from our last 28 Puget Sound kitchen permits — Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, and Tacoma. Four scope tiers, full line-item breakdown, permit fees by city, and honest 5-year ROI ranges. Updated for 2026 labor and material costs.
Most "average kitchen cost" articles average four different products into a useless number. Here are the four real packages — what's in scope, what it costs in Puget Sound, and how long it takes.
Best fit: Owners staying ≤3 years, rental turns, listings prepping for sale.
Best fit: Owners staying 5+ years; first real remodel since the house was built.
Best fit: Long-hold owners, addition + kitchen combos, high-end resale prep on Eastside / Mercer Island.
Best fit: Magnolia, Madison Park, Medina, Clyde Hill, Mercer Island, Capitol Hill historic homes.
Permit fees, $/sf, and average build window — drawn from 2024–2026 jobs we actually invoiced. Same kitchen costs different money depending on which jurisdiction issues the permit.
| City | $/sf range | Permit fees | Build window | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $340 – $720/sf | $1,850 – $4,200 | 10 – 16 wk | SDCI plan review on layout changes; STFI inspection on structural; energy code R406 path required. |
| Bellevue | $360 – $760/sf | $2,100 – $4,800 | 9 – 14 wk | Development Services concierge intake; faster than SDCI on average but stricter shear-wall calcs. |
| Kirkland | $320 – $680/sf | $1,650 – $3,900 | 8 – 12 wk | Online portal, mostly self-serve. Best timeline-to-cost ratio in the region. |
| Redmond | $340 – $700/sf | $1,750 – $4,050 | 8 – 12 wk | Strong electrical inspector network; panel upgrades coordinate well with PSE. |
| Sammamish / Issaquah | $360 – $740/sf | $2,000 – $4,400 | 9 – 13 wk | Sloped-lot houses common — substrate leveling and drainage often add $4–9k. |
| Tacoma | $280 – $580/sf | $1,200 – $2,800 | 7 – 11 wk | TMC permit fees ~40% below Seattle; older housing stock means more sub-floor and electrical surprises. |
| Renton / Kent / Auburn | $290 – $600/sf | $1,400 – $3,100 | 8 – 12 wk | South King — labor pool slightly cheaper, materials priced from same Kent/Auburn distribution hubs. |
| Everett / Lynnwood | $310 – $640/sf | $1,500 – $3,400 | 8 – 12 wk | Snohomish County PUD on electrical service upgrades. Inspector availability varies by season. |
Allocation by trade for a Tier-02 permit-pulled remodel ($85k median). Budgets shift up or down at other tiers but the percent allocation stays within ±3pts.
Recoup-at-sale based on Puget Sound comp sales (Redfin + appraiser interviews, Q1 2026). Recoup-at-refi based on appraised value uplift on cash-out refinance, same period.
| Scope | Spend | Recoup @ sale (5yr) | Recoup @ refi | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh | $28k – $52k | 78 – 92% | 60 – 75% | Highest ROI when paired with paint + landscaping before listing. |
| Permit-pulled remodel | $58k – $115k | 62 – 78% | 55 – 70% | Sweet spot for long-hold owners; ROI is partly lifestyle, not just sale. |
| Full gut + layout | $125k – $235k | 55 – 70% | 50 – 65% | ROI compresses unless paired with addition or open-plan that increases appraised sqft. |
| Architect-led luxury | $240k – $480k+ | 48 – 62% | 45 – 58% | Below-line ROI is normal — these are lifestyle and high-end resale plays. |
Send us your existing kitchen layout, target scope tier, and ZIP. We'll come back with a fixed-scope range built from your jurisdiction's actual permit fees and a recent comp from the same neighborhood.
Send your kitchen footprint and finish tier and we'll quote it against last week's vendor pricing — not last year's.
Footprint + finish tier (good / better / best) in the message.
◇ No sales script · No spam · Your details stay with Leo