Compare your plans with local rules, property records, and mapped issues before you make an expensive commitment.
Free help for Eastside homeowners, now including Seattle
Plan your home project with fewer surprises.
See what may be possible on a lot before you buy or design, learn what to expect, and keep a submitted permit from being forgotten.
Free to useBuilt for homeownersNo account to start
Learn about design choices, project costs, city rules, permit preparation, and issues that can cause rework.
Free daily monitoring alerts you when the public record changes or the permit may need a follow-up.
Before you buy or pay for design
Find out whether the lot may work for your plans.
The free study compares what you hope to build with public property information and local rules. A similar early review from an architect may cost hundreds of dollars; Build Eastside gives homeowners a useful first look for free.
Detailed local research is available for Beaux Arts Village, Bellevue, Bothell, Clyde Hill, Hunts Point, Issaquah, Kirkland, Medina, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Redmond, Sammamish, Seattle, Yarrow Point, and Woodinville.
This is an early screening, not a survey, legal opinion, or city approval. Confirm important findings with the city and the professionals working on your project.
What you receive
- What the lot appears to allow
- Whether your target home may fit
- Maps of setbacks and site conditions
- Questions to take to the city or your architect
- Links to the official sources
Free homeowner guides
Learn what can surprise you during design and permitting.
Choose a city or search the full library for help with local rules, design decisions, costs, permits, and construction.
Homeowner guidesSearch the full library by city, project stage, or question across all 15 supported cities.Bellevue homeowner guidesProperty research, home design rules, permit timing, fees, inspections, and tracking.Kirkland homeowner guidesProperty and tree rules, permit steps, real timing data, and tracking.Seattle homeowner guidesDevelopment sites, current zoning, house placement, trees, environmental conditions, and permit milestones.
After you submit
Keep your permit from being forgotten.
The free tracker checks Bellevue, Kirkland, and Seattle permits every day and emails you when the public record changes.
Using MyBuildingPermit for Bellevue or Kirkland? Start with the independent homeowner guide.
- See published status and milestones
- Get review and follow-up guidance where the city publishes dependable detail
- Get an alert when something changes
Check your permit for free
Understand your permit status
Free lookupNo sign-upCity data
Want to see how tracking works?Try an example below.
Where the free tools work
Local information you can trace back to the source.
Each study shows what is preliminary and links to the city or county source for confirmation. Permit monitoring is currently available where the public record supports a reliable explanation.
Common questions
Know what the tools can and cannot answer.
What does a feasibility study tell me?
It shows what may fit on the lot, what could limit your plans, and what you should confirm before buying the property or paying for design.
Is the study an official city answer?
No. It is an early review of public information. A survey, title records, site studies, your project team, or the city may change the answer.
What does permit monitoring do?
Build Eastside checks the public permit record every day until issuance and emails you when it changes. For Bellevue and Kirkland, it can also flag when a review appears stalled and tell you when it may be worth nudging the city or your architect so the permit does not get forgotten. Seattle alerts use reliable published status and milestone changes.
How much does Build Eastside cost?
Everything Build Eastside currently offers is free: the feasibility study, homeowner guides, permit lookup, daily permit monitoring, and email alerts. A free account is only required for monitoring. To keep the feasibility service available to homeowners, studies are limited to one per email address every 30 days. We may add optional paid tools in the future, but only if they provide enough additional value. The unofficial price: if it helps, send me feedback and tell a friend. That is what keeps me motivated to make it better.