What your project
will actually cost.
These ranges reflect what projects in North King and South Snohomish County actually cost when they are scoped, trade-confirmed, and built at the standard we hold. Not what they get estimated at before the real work of planning begins.
"Why is there a $200,000 spread between these three bids?"
That question comes up in almost every first conversation we have with a homeowner who has been through the standard bidding process. The answer is not that some contractors are more careful than others.
The answer is that no two contractors priced the same project. Each wrote a number based on different assumptions about scope, different allowances for selections, and different reads on existing conditions behind the walls. What looked like three bids on the same job was actually three bids on three different jobs. None of those jobs was yours.
Budget overruns on residential remodels consistently run 20 to 35 percent above original estimates on projects where the scope was never formally defined. That is not a construction problem. It is a planning problem. And it almost always starts before a single wall is touched.
The ranges on this page are a starting point. But a starting point is not a price. The only way to get a real number for your specific project is to define it first. That is what The Groundwork is built to do.
Six factors that move every
remodel budget in this market.
Understanding these before you price a project is the difference between a number you can commit to and a number that surprises you in month three.
Three levels of change.
Very different budgets.
Before ranges make sense, scope has to be defined. Every project we build falls into one of three categories. Knowing which one yours is has a larger effect on your budget than almost any other single decision.
The floor plan stays. The structure stays. Surfaces, fixtures, and finishes are elevated without opening walls or moving anything structural. The fastest path to a space that feels completely different.
- Paint, hardware, lighting upgrades
- Cabinet refacing or replacement in existing layout
- Countertops, tile, and fixture updates
- No structural or MEP work required
Everything comes out and is built right from the studs up. Cabinets, plumbing, electrical, finishes. The floor plan does not move. The most common scope for kitchen and bathroom projects at our investment level.
- Complete gut to studs
- New mechanical, electrical, plumbing
- Custom or semi-custom cabinetry
- Layout preserved, everything else replaced
The floor plan moves. Walls come out. The space becomes something it was never designed to be. This is where engineering, permitting, and disciplined pre-construction planning are not optional. They are what make the project possible.
- Load-bearing wall removal and engineered beam installation
- Engineering coordination and permitting
- Full mechanical and electrical redesign
- Additions, level changes, and whole-home transformations
What these projects cost.
In this market.
At this standard.
These ranges reflect what projects in North King and South Snohomish County cost when they are scoped, trade-confirmed, and built at the standard we hold. The lower end of each range reflects quality selections executed with precision. The upper end reflects fully custom finishes, complex site conditions, or elevated design intent. Where your project lands within a range is exactly what The Groundwork is built to determine, with confirmed trade pricing against the specific conditions of your project.
| Project Type | Refine | Rebuild | Restructure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | $45K – $95K Surfaces, fixtures, appliances | $95K – $220K Full gut, same layout | $160K – $320K+ Structural, layout change |
| Primary Bath | $30K – $75K Tile, fixtures, vanity | $65K – $175K Full gut, same layout | $130K – $260K+ Floor plan changes, addition |
| Addition | N/A Additions are always Restructure scope | $250K – $450K Attached, engineered, permitted | $400K – $700K+ Multi-room, complex integration |
| Structural Remodel | N/A By definition, structural = Restructure | $300K – $500K Targeted structural work | $500K – $1.2M+ Whole-home transformation |
| Outdoor Living | $35K – $75K Deck, cover, fixture upgrades | $75K – $160K Covered structure, built-in features | $150K – $350K+ Full outdoor kitchen, heated, A/V |
Washington State sales tax applies to materials and appliances. Permit fees in King and Snohomish Counties vary by jurisdiction and are included in our proposals at confirmed rates, pulled from the applicable jurisdiction at the time of The Groundwork and not carried as allowances. Engineering coordination fees, where required, are identified and priced during pre-construction before you commit to construction.
The decisions that determine
where your project lands.
Countertop material, appliance packages, and tile choices each compound on top of that. Most proposals carry these as allowances, placeholders that get reconciled against you when actual selections are made. We identify and price selections during The Groundwork against real options available for your specific project, so the number in your proposal reflects decisions already made, not decisions deferred.
Homes in our market, particularly those built before 1980, frequently carry asbestos, galvanized plumbing, knob-and-tube electrical, and undersized structural members. We document existing conditions during Phase 01 of The Groundwork before any number is confirmed. If something changes the scope, you know before you commit. Not after demo.
Removing a load-bearing wall and replacing it with an engineered beam adds engineering drawings, inspections, framing labor, and often temporary structural support during construction. We price this as a confirmed line item with a structural engineer of record, not as a contingency percentage that expands after the contract is signed.
Projects that require electrical panel upgrades, new HVAC zones, or full replumbing carry meaningfully higher costs than projects that work within existing systems. During Phase 01 of The Groundwork, we assess the mechanical systems relevant to your scope so these costs appear in your proposal as confirmed trade pricing, not as surprises that surface after demo.
"A real price requires a real scope. That is where every project at Reign City begins."
Every range on this page has a spread for a reason: the actual cost depends on decisions that have not been made yet. Selections. Existing conditions. Structural requirements. Mechanical scope. The Groundwork is the process that works through each of those decisions, in sequence, with the right people in the room, before any number is confirmed.
If The Groundwork determines that your project is not ready to move to construction, that investment applies toward the planning work it takes to get it there. We do not pocket fees for work that has not moved your project forward.
The Groundwork is billed as a retainer against actual hours worked. When the process is complete, any unspent portion of that retainer is returned as credit toward construction.What you receive at the end is not an estimate. It is a fixed-price construction agreement, with plans, scope, and timeline confirmed before you commit to a single dollar of build costs.
costs you nothing.
Tell us what you are thinking about building. We will review your scope, ask the questions that matter before The Groundwork begins, and tell you directly whether we are the right fit. If the timing is off or the project is not ready, we will tell you that too before either of us invests more time.