If you’re planning a major renovation on a Seattle building, the rules for what triggers a costly building-wide upgrade just got clearer—and for many owners, the news is better than expected.
The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections updated its guidance on substantial alterations in late April, clarifying exactly when a remodel crosses into requiring seismic upgrades, fire safety improvements, and energy code compliance across an entire existing building.
Those requirements apply not just to the area being renovated, but to the whole structure.
The 7,000-square-foot threshold that protects most small buildings
The biggest piece of practical news: if your building is 7,000 square feet or smaller, substantial alteration requirements generally don’t apply…