Mercer Island Home Remodel Services and Contractors
Kitchen and bathroom remodels, decks, additions and ADUs for island homes, planned around the city's slope, shoreline and review rules.
- We upload your drawings to the Mercer Island Permit Submittal Portal.
- You approve an itemized price, in writing, before work begins.
- One project manager runs the job from design to the last inspection.
By appointment. Limited start dates.
- Over 200 projects
- 4.9 on Google
- 20+ years building
- WA license VOLCABI792C6
Three things that shape a Mercer Island remodel
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The Mercer Island rule
The October to April dig ban
Land clearing, grading, filling and foundation work are not permitted between October 1 and April 1 within landslide hazard areas, or where more than 2,000 square feet of disturbance is proposed in an erosion hazard area. A waiver needs compelling justification backed by a geotechnical evaluation.
What we doWe read the city's landslide and erosion hazard maps for your address and put foundation work outside that window.
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The Mercer Island rule
Two hundred feet from Lake Washington
Every lot within 200 feet of the ordinary high water mark of Lake Washington is in shoreline jurisdiction under the Shoreline Master Program, MICC 19.13. The city requires an exemption or a permit for all development activity there, and an approved exemption carries a 14-day appeal period.
What we doWe check whether your waterfront lot falls inside that line before the first sketch.
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The Mercer Island rule
Intake screening comes first
Additions of 500 square feet or more of footprint, and projects that alter a critical area or its buffer, need an intake screening before the permit application. The city's target is two weeks for the screening, one week for routing, then four weeks for a first review of a major building permit or two weeks for a non-major one.
What we doWe prepare the drawings, file them through the portal and plan your start date around the city's published targets.
On an island of slopes and shoreline, the order of paperwork decides when the crew can start.
What homeowners say about working with us
We were nervous about hiring a contractor because we were first-time homeowners, but Volcano Builders made it easy to understand. They made everything clear and helped us stick to our budget. I'm very happy with how everything turned out.
Overall, we had a great time with Volcano Builders. There were a few small delays, but they were clear in their communication and kept things moving. The last kitchen remodel turned out great, and the quality seems like it will last for a long time.
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!
Had a great experience working with Volcano Builders on remodeling bathroom and flooring in my condo! Bar and his team were very professional from estimates to timely completion of the job! Highly recommend!
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 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!
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, a short drive from Mercer Island. 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 Mercer Island
Bathroom Remodeling
Mercer Island bathroom remodels, from primary suites to hall baths: plumbing, waterproofing, tile and lighting under one plan.
Kitchen Remodeling
Kitchen remodels on Mercer Island, WA, with layout, cabinets, counters and lighting drawn and priced together.
Basement Remodeling
Finished living space, a guest suite or a media room below the main floor.
Deck Building
Deck rebuilds and new decks. The city treats a basic deck as a simple residential project only when it is clear of geologic hazard areas and critical area buffers.
ADU and DADU
ADUs planned to the limits the city sets in its code, which we confirm for your lot first.
Home Additions
Added bedrooms and living space; at 500 square feet of new footprint the city asks for an intake screening first.
Whole Home Renovation
Several rooms or the whole house, planned and built as one 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 Mercer Island 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 Mercer Island building permit.
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Build and hand over
One project manager runs the build through the final walkthrough.
Mercer Island remodeling guide: permits, slopes, shoreline and ADUs
How permits work on Mercer Island
Applications go to the City of Mercer Island Community Planning and Development department and are uploaded to the Mercer Island Permit Submittal Portal. Plans are then reviewed electronically in the city's MIePlan system, and status can be followed on MyBuildingPermit.com.
A remodel can be read by five separate disciplines: tree, fire, land use, civil and building review. The city sends each set of comments as soon as that review is done. A non-structural interior remodel is submitted electronically, and the contractor must hold a Mercer Island Business License.
The city publishes review targets: two weeks for a first review of a non-major building permit, four weeks for a major one, and two weeks for each later round. Some residential permits also need public notice, which adds a 30-day comment period that review cannot finish before.
Slopes, hazard maps and the shoreline
The city maps landslide, seismic and erosion hazard areas, and development inside a geologically hazardous area needs a supporting geotechnical report. The seasonal limit on digging reaches sites with potential slide, erosion or steep slope hazards, including land within 10 feet of the top and toe of a critical slope.
Waterfront lots add a second layer. Within 200 feet of Lake Washington's ordinary high water mark, the Shoreline Master Program applies, and even an exempt project applies for a written shoreline exemption, which the city decides administratively.
ADUs on Mercer Island
Mercer Island adopted Ordinance No. 25C-02 in early 2025 to meet the state ADU law, HB 1337. The city sets ADU limits in its code, covering the number of units on a lot and their size.
We confirm the version in force for your lot when your application is prepared.
What island houses are made of
Six in ten Mercer Island homes were built before 1980, and the 1960s alone account for nearly a quarter of them, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey. About two thirds of all housing units are detached single-family houses.
The city's land use plan notes that new building in its single-family zones is mostly teardown and replacement, on minimum lot sizes from 8,400 to 15,000 square feet. Remodeling a 1960s house instead usually means updating wiring, plumbing and insulation once walls are open, and we write that into the itemized price.
Permits and review targets: City of Mercer Island Community Planning and Development web pages, checked September 2026. Hazard areas and the seasonal limitation: MICC 19.07.160 and the city's wet season waiver page. Shoreline: MICC 19.13 and the city's shoreline management page. ADUs: Ordinance No. 25C-02 and the city's Let's Talk Mercer Island pages. Housing: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; Mercer Island Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Element.
Mercer Island remodeling questions
Does a bathroom remodel on Mercer Island need a permit?
Most do once plumbing, wiring or walls change. A non-structural interior remodel counts as a simple residential project and is uploaded to the Mercer Island Permit Submittal Portal with the plan coversheet and forms. We prepare and file that package for you.
How long does the city take to review a home remodel?
The published target for a first review is two weeks for a non-major building permit and four weeks for a major one, with two weeks for each resubmittal. Larger projects add a two week intake screening first, and where public notice applies there is a 30-day comment period.
Can foundation work for an addition happen in winter?
Not on every lot. In landslide hazard areas, and in erosion hazard areas with more than 2,000 square feet of disturbance, clearing, grading, filling and foundation work are not permitted from October 1 to April 1 unless the city grants a waiver backed by a geotechnical evaluation.
What rules apply to an ADU on Mercer Island?
The limits in the city's code, which Mercer Island updated with Ordinance No. 25C-02 in early 2025 to meet the state ADU law, HB 1337. We confirm the version in force for your lot before design.
What changes for a house near Lake Washington?
If the lot is within 200 feet of the ordinary high water mark, the Shoreline Master Program applies on top of zoning. You need either a shoreline exemption or a shoreline permit before work starts, so we confirm the lot's status at the start of design.
What does a kitchen remodel on Mercer Island cost?
It depends mainly on scope: keeping plumbing and walls where they are costs less than moving them, and a 1960s or 1970s house can need wiring and plumbing work once it is opened. You get a written, itemized price before work begins, and typical ranges are in our Remodeling Pricing Guide.
Mercer Island neighborhoods we serve
- Town Center
- East Seattle
- First Hill
- North End
- Island Crest Way
- East Mercer Way
- West Mercer Way
- South End
Nearby cities
Book your Mercer Island consultation
Four quick steps. Tell us about your project and we’ll reach out to discuss it and see if we’re the right fit.