Home Remodeling Contractors in Auburn, WA
Kitchens, bathrooms, basements, decks, additions and ADUs for Auburn homes, from the valley floor up to Lea Hill and Lakeland, handled by one licensed general contractor.
- We draw the plans and submit them on MyBuildingPermit.com for you.
- Your written price is itemized line by line before work starts.
- One project manager answers for the job from design to final inspection.
By appointment. Limited start dates.
- Over 200 projects
- 4.9 on Google
- 20+ years of experience
- WA license VOLCABI792C6
Three Auburn questions to settle before design
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The Auburn rule
Is the address really in Auburn?
An Auburn mailing address does not decide who issues the permit. The city notes that some addresses that include Auburn are under the jurisdiction of King County, Kent or Federal Way, and it asks owners to use its interactive map to confirm a property is inside Auburn city limits.
What we doWe confirm which jurisdiction governs your parcel before any drawings are made.
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The Auburn rule
Green River and White River lots
Auburn's Shoreline Master Program applies only along the Green River and the White River, to land within 200 feet of the ordinary high water mark or the floodway. In the Shoreline Residential designation the city requires a one hundred foot buffer from the ordinary high water mark, and no buildings or structures are allowed in it unless the program specifically permits them.
What we doWe check your lot against the Green and White River shoreline maps before design begins.
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The Auburn rule
Valley floor soils and the lahar map
Auburn's critical areas code, ACC 16.10, counts seismic and volcanic hazards as geologic hazards. Seismic hazard areas sit typically on the floors of river valleys, where soft or loose saturated soils can shake, subside or liquefy in an earthquake, and volcanic hazard areas are those the U.S. Geological Survey maps as at risk of large lahars with a recurrence interval of 500 to 1,000 years.
What we doWe read the city's critical area layers for your address before a plan is drawn.
Answering these early keeps a crew from waiting on the city in the middle of a job.
What homeowners say about working with us
Bar's team completely transformed my outdated Seattle bathroom with their exceptional work. Their communication was excellent, keeping me informed every step of the way. The quality of their workmanship exceeded my expectations, turning my old bathroom into what I wanted. I highly recommend Bar and his team for any remodeling project; they're professional, efficient, and produce outstanding results.
I had a great time with Volcano Builders.The team was professional and on time, and the kitchen turned out just how we wanted it.
Volcano did a master bath remodel for us. The project was completed efficiently and on time. All of their workman were courteous and hard working. When we had a couple of material delivery delays they kindly adjusted their schedules. Their pricing was fine and the terms of the contract were fulfilled. We highly recommend Volcano Building.
Volcano builders did a phenomenal job on my bathroom remodel. They exceeded my expectations on many levels. Their designer helped me pick out all the tile and bathroom accessories to make sure everything matched in style. Communication was great and response time very fast whenever I had questions for them. They estimated the project would take 5-6 weeks but finished in 4 weeks! Excellent job! Loooooove my new bathroom! Including pics of the Before… and the After!
I had an amazing experience with Volcano Builders! Bar was incredibly kind, communicative, and made the whole process smooth. We completely redid the bathroom,new flooring, vanity, tub, and wall tiles, and it turned out fantastic. I'm so happy with their work that I'm already planning my second bathroom and hopefully the kitchen too. Highly recommend them to anyone looking for quality work and great service!
Bar and the team at Volcano Builders did a great job! Professional service, great communication throughout the whole process, and everything was done with care and attention to detail. Highly recommend!
Homeowners on camera
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Mark
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Yoshio Inoue
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Stephanie
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Linda, Part 1
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Clinton & Joan
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Mr. Will
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Teresa
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Linda, Part 2
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Michelle
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Sarah & Robert
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Clifford Harris
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Rebecca
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Mrs. Sergeant
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Paul & Burley
I'm Bar, founder of Volcano Builders. I have been building for 20+ years, and our main office is in Bellevue, with our Tacoma office the closest of our five Washington offices to Auburn. Most remodeling problems start before any work does: a vague price, a missed permit step, nobody answering the phone. So every project we take on gets a written, itemized price before work starts, a design and permit plan built around your city's rules, and one project manager you can actually reach.
Bar UngerFounder, Volcano Builders
Licensed, bonded and insured · CC VOLCABI792C6 · UBI 604-700-955
Remodeling services in Auburn
Bathroom Remodeling
Bathroom remodels for Auburn homes, from a tub to shower conversion to a full gut with new waterproofing, tile and vanity.
Kitchen Remodeling
Kitchen remodel in Auburn, WA: layout, cabinets, counters and lighting, plus the plumbing and venting behind them, priced as one scope.
Basement Remodeling
Finished living space, a guest suite or a media room below the main floor.
Deck Building
Auburn deck builder for new decks and rebuilds. The city requires a building permit once a deck's base is more than 30 inches above existing grade.
ADU and DADU
Auburn allows up to two ADUs per home on a lot that meets its zone's minimum size, each one up to 1,000 square feet.
Home Additions
Extra bedrooms, bathrooms or living space, designed to match the existing house.
Whole Home Renovation
Whole house renovation in Auburn, whether the home predates 1980 or dates from the 1990s, run as a single project.
Siding
Siding repair, replacement and installation, with the barrier and flashing behind it done first.
Window Replacement
Replacement windows measured, ordered and installed, sized for egress, safety glass and energy rules.
Foundation Repair
Crack repair, drainage, basement waterproofing and seismic retrofits, engineered where the city requires it.
How your Auburn remodel works
Three steps, one team, and a written price before anyone picks up a tool.
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Consultation
We visit your home, walk the space and talk through your goals and budget.
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Design and permits
We design the project, price it in writing and handle the City of Auburn building permit.
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Build and hand over
One project manager runs the build through the final walkthrough.
Home remodeling in Auburn, WA: permits, rivers, ADUs and housing
Permits and the MyBuildingPermit portal
Auburn's permitting is fully electronic, and most applications go through MyBuildingPermit.com. The Building Services division of the Department of Community Development checks the plans, issues the building permit and carries out the inspections. Before applying, owners can book a virtual permit center meeting with staff about remodels, additions or decks, though no permit is issued at that meeting.
The city puts its review timeframe at about two to three weeks, not counting resubmittals, and routes revised documents out for another two week review. Inspections are requested through the same portal up to two weeks ahead, until 6:00 AM on the day, and are typically set for the next business day.
Electrical work follows a separate track: the city does not issue electrical permits or perform electrical inspections, and the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries handles both.
Critical areas, floodplains and hillsides
Auburn regulates six types of critical area under ACC 16.10: wetlands, streams, wildlife habitat areas, groundwater protection areas, geologic hazard areas and flood hazard areas. Flood hazard areas are those subject to 100 year floods and those within the storage floodway of the Green River, White River, Mullen Slough or Mill Creek on the FEMA maps.
The code reaches ordinary home projects: construction, demolition, fences and decks are all listed activities when they touch a critical area or its buffer. The city's eGIS maps show only the general location of these areas, and the actual boundaries on a site are identified in the field by a qualified consultant.
ADUs under ACC 18.32
Auburn adopted its current ADU rules in Ordinance 6959 in December 2024, ahead of the state deadline under HB 1337. Up to two ADUs may be permitted per residential unit on individually owned lots that meet the minimum lot size of the zone, and each may be attached, detached or internal to the house.
An ADU can be as large as 1,000 square feet and no smaller than 300, excluding garage space, and is limited to 3 stories. One on-site parking space is required per ADU more than a half mile walk from a major transit stop. The unit's appearance must stay consistent with a single-family home, and a garage converted to an ADU has its garage door replaced with materials that match the house.
What Auburn homes are built like
The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey puts the median year built for Auburn homes at 1990. The 1990s were the busiest decade, about a third of homes were built before 1980, and about a third since 2000. Detached single-family houses make up roughly half the housing, and mobile homes nearly 8 percent.
So the work varies by street. A 1960s house often needs wiring, plumbing and insulation brought up to date once walls open, while a 1990s kitchen or bath is usually a finish and layout job. We write up whichever one you have in an itemized price before anything starts.
Permits, review times and inspections: City of Auburn Department of Community Development web pages and FAQ, September 2026. Critical areas: ACC 16.10 and the city's Critical Areas page. Shorelines: Auburn Shoreline Master Program pages. ADUs: City of Auburn ADU Information Sheet (ACC 18.32). Housing: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates.
Auburn remodeling questions, answered
Does a new deck in Auburn need a permit?
Yes, whenever the deck's base is more than 30 inches above existing grade or the deck is connected to the house or another building, whatever its size. Every deck also has to meet the zoning setbacks for your lot, which depend on its zone.
How long does Auburn take to review a remodel permit?
About two to three weeks, according to the city, and that figure does not include resubmittals. If the reviewer asks for revisions or more information, the updated documents go out for an additional two week review, so a complete first submittal saves real time.
Who handles the electrical permit on an Auburn remodel?
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, not the city. Auburn does not issue electrical permits or perform electrical inspections, so a kitchen or basement with new circuits carries a separate state permit alongside the city building permit.
Can I add an ADU to my house in Auburn?
Most likely, if your lot meets the minimum lot size for its zone. Auburn permits up to two ADUs per home, attached, detached or inside the house, each between 300 and 1,000 square feet and up to 3 stories, with one parking space per ADU unless it sits within a half mile walk of a major transit stop.
What changes if my home is near the Green River or the White River?
Land within 200 feet of either river falls under Auburn's Shoreline Master Program, on top of normal zoning. In the Shoreline Residential designation a one hundred foot buffer runs from the ordinary high water mark, and the rivers' floodplains are also regulated as flood hazard areas, so we check both before design.
How much does a kitchen remodel in Auburn, WA cost?
The price follows the scope: moving plumbing, gas lines or walls costs more than keeping the existing layout, and an older house may need electrical or plumbing updates once it is opened. You get an itemized written price before work starts, and typical ranges are in our Remodeling Pricing Guide.
Auburn neighborhoods we serve
- North Auburn
- West Hill
- Downtown
- Lea Hill
- Plateau
- South Auburn
- SE Auburn
- Lakeland
Nearby cities
Book your Auburn consultation
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