Seattle Kitchens — Old Houses Deserve Smart Remodels
Seattle's housing stock is older than most American cities. A Capitol Hill Craftsman was built when gas ranges were new. A Queen Anne Victorian pre-dates electrical code. A Ballard bungalow has a galley kitchen designed for 1925, not 2026. Remodeling these kitchens isn't a cabinet swap — it's a surgical operation on old plumbing, knob-and-tube wiring, and settled foundations.
Purple Heart Pros is a veteran-owned, Washington-licensed general contractor that specializes in Seattle kitchen remodels across every vintage: Craftsman, Tudor Revival, mid-century modern in View Ridge, and new construction in South Lake Union. We know what hides behind a 1910 lath-and-plaster wall, because we've opened hundreds of them.
Whether you're refreshing a compact West Seattle kitchen or rebuilding a full chef's kitchen in Laurelhurst, we handle design coordination, Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) permits, demolition, plumbing/electrical upgrades, cabinetry, and finish — under one contract with a fixed, written price.
What Seattle Kitchen Remodels Typically Cost
Seattle kitchen remodel costs run a wide range because the city's housing stock does too. A 1920s Craftsman kitchen demo often uncovers surprises (old wiring, lead paint, asbestos flooring) that a Bellevue new-build never has. We factor those into Seattle estimates up front:
Light refresh (paint, hardware, countertops): $18K–$38K · Mid-range remodel (cabinets, counters, appliances, flooring, electrical updates): $65K–$110K · Full tear-out in older homes with structural/electrical/plumbing rebuild: $110K–$200K+
Our written line-item estimates break out the "old-house contingency" explicitly — so you see what we've allocated for hidden-condition risk, not a hand-wave markup at the end.
Our Seattle Kitchen Remodels Process
- Free in-home consultation. We meet you at the property, walk the scope, and ask the questions that shape a real estimate.
- Written line-item estimate. No "approximately" and no allowances without ranges. You see exactly what each trade, material, and line costs.
- Scope + fixed-price contract. Change orders are documented, priced, and signed before any extra work proceeds.
- Permits & inspections. We pull Seattle permits directly and coordinate all city inspections through project completion.
- Construction. Weekly progress updates, jobsite kept clean, respectful of neighbors and HOAs.
- Punch list & walk-through. We fix every item flagged during final walk-through before you sign off.
- Warranty. Written craftsmanship warranty on all labor; manufacturer warranties on materials pass directly through to you.
Seattle Permits, Codes & Local Specifics
Seattle's permit process is more thorough than most King County cities. SDCI (Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections) reviews most kitchen remodels, and we handle every application:
- Residential Subject-to-Field-Inspection (STFI) Permits for cosmetic/minor remodels (~2–3 weeks).
- Full Permits for structural work, wall removal, or additions (~6–12 weeks in 2026).
- Electrical & Plumbing Permits — Seattle requires these separately.
- Mechanical Permits for venting range hoods through walls or roof.
For homes in Seattle's designated Landmark districts (Pike Place, Pioneer Square, Capitol Hill Conservation District, Columbia City) or historic neighborhoods (parts of Queen Anne, Wallingford, Greenwood), we navigate Landmark Preservation Board review — a process that can add 4–8 weeks but is navigable when done right.
Seattle's 2024 Energy Code requires specific kitchen ventilation rates, LED lighting, and sometimes heat-pump water heaters for remodels that exceed 50% of a home's value. We design to meet these requirements from day one, not as a surprise at final inspection.
Why Seattle Homeowners Choose Purple Heart Pros
- Veteran-owned & operated. The discipline, accountability, and follow-through of military service, applied to every project.
- Licensed & insured in Washington State. WA L&I licensed general contractor, bonded, and fully insured — we share proof on request.
- Local to East King County. Based in Redmond, we know Seattle's permit nuances, HOA norms, and supply houses.
- Transparent pricing. Written line-item estimates, no surprise change orders, no pressure.
- Same-day response. We reply to every request within business hours. You'll talk to a real person, not an assistant.