Go Far®What almost always needs a permit
- Structural changes — removing or moving walls, enlarging openings, foundation work, additions of any kind.
- Electrical work — new circuits, panel changes, relocated outlets and fixtures.
- Plumbing changes — moving supply or drain lines, adding fixtures, water heater replacement.
- Mechanical — new or relocated HVAC, gas lines, major venting.
- Anything that changes use or footprint — garage conversions, ADUs, enclosed porches, decks above a modest height.
What usually doesn’t
Cosmetic work is generally permit-free: paint, trim, interior doors, flooring, counters, and like-for-like cabinet swaps that leave plumbing and wiring where they are. The rules and thresholds are set by the city and do change — Lynnwood projects run through the city’s permitting department, so verify current requirements (or work with a contractor who handles it as part of the job).
Why unpermitted work bites later
Three ways, all expensive. At sale: buyers’ inspectors and lenders flag unpermitted additions and conversions, and deals renegotiate or die on them. At claim time: insurers ask hard questions about losses tied to unpermitted systems. At correction: when unpermitted work is discovered, cities can require it be opened up, inspected, and redone to current code — you pay for the work twice and the drywall three times.
Whose job is the paperwork?
Your contractor’s. On our projects, Go Far Construction prepares the permit application, includes the fees in the itemized price, schedules every inspection, and is on site when the inspector arrives. Each phase passes before the next begins — that is not bureaucracy, that is a second set of trained eyes confirming your home is built right.
Planning a remodel?
Ask us whether your project needs a permit before you plan around a guess. A free estimate from Go Far Construction comes with straight answers about scope, price, timeline — and the permits your project actually requires.