PermittingWithouttheDelays

If you change the structure, floor plan, use, building envelope, or life-safety systems, you almost always do. Projects fall into four paths — no permit, trade-only, STFI, or full construction. We pin down the right path before you spend a dollar on drawings.

It depends on the path and how clean the submittal is. Subject-to-field-inspection work moves quickly; a DADU or new home runs through full plan review with one or more correction cycles. We set realistic timelines up front and manage every correction to keep the clock short.

In Seattle, yes — post-2019 reforms removed owner-occupancy and most parking mandates, and Washington's 2023 statewide ADU law reinforces this. Many lots can add both an attached and a detached unit. We confirm what your specific lot allows.

Washington's 2023 middle-housing law requires Seattle to allow up to four homes on most residential lots — six near frequent transit or with affordable units. We assess your lot against the current and pending zoning and map a permittable path.

Yes. Legalizing existing work before a sale or refinance is one of the most common residential calls we handle. We document the as-built conditions and bring them through SDCI with the least disruption possible.

No. Westwood Express Permitting is a private permit-expediting service. We are not the City of Seattle or any government department — we work on your behalf to move your application through theirs.