Home Remodeling Contractors and Services in Kent

Kent's Permit Center, part of Economic and Community Development, runs every application through its online Citizen Portal. A permit is needed for most construction, alteration or repair, including any change to a building's structure or living space and any change to its electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems.

Smaller jobs move quickly. Plumbing, mechanical, re-roof, window and siding permits are handled as minor work permits, which the city says it typically processes within two to three business days. Larger remodels go through plan review, and the city does not post a target time for them, so we set your start date once the reviewers have responded.

Two details surprise homeowners. Electrical permits are not issued by the city: Kent lists them among the permits that come from an outside agency. And every contractor working inside city limits must hold a City of Kent business license. Once a permit is issued, inspections can be booked in the portal for as soon as the next business day.

KCC 11.06 lists Kent's critical areas as wetlands, streams, fish and wildlife habitat, frequently flooded areas, critical aquifer recharge areas and geologic hazards, which cover landslide, erosion, seismic and volcanic hazards. The chapter was revised again in 2026 under Ordinance No. 4542.

The city keeps critical areas maps in its GIS, but the code calls them a general guide only: the real boundary on a given lot is found in the field by a qualified professional and confirmed by the city. The Green River, a Shoreline of Statewide Significance, runs through the valley beside the 304 acre Green River Natural Resources Area, while the slopes up to East Hill and West Hill are where landslide rules come into play.

Kent has allowed accessory dwelling units since 1995, and KCC 15.08.350 allows two per lot: one attached and one detached, two attached, or two detached. Each can reach 1,000 square feet of gross floor area, and a detached unit can be up to 24 feet tall.

A detached ADU in the rear half of the lot can sit within two feet of the side and rear lot lines, and an existing structure such as a garage can be converted even if it breaks today's setback or lot coverage rules. No owner occupancy covenant is required, the siding cannot be metal, aluminum or fiberglass, and every ADU needs an approved permit.

Kent is a city of 1980s and 1990s homes. The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey puts the median year built at 1987, the 1980s is the single biggest decade, and about four in ten homes went up between 1980 and 1999. Roughly 36 percent are older than 1980, and a little over half are detached single-family houses.

The city's comprehensive plan groups housing into three areas: the Valley with Downtown, West Hill and East Hill, where much of the land was annexed in the 1990s and 2000s. A house from those decades may still have its first kitchen and bathrooms, and opening them can expose wiring or plumbing that needs updating, so a home renovation in Kent, WA often covers rooms and systems together. We price both parts in writing before work starts.