Free Bothell homeowner guides

Plan your Bothell project with fewer surprises.

Bothell rules for house size and height, trees, views, and questions to ask before design.

Check a property for free

Best first read

Begin with the parcel's zoning and base dimensions.

Compare Bothell R-C, R-L1, R-L2, and R-M1 through R-M4 base height, setbacks, and hard-surface limits.

Bothell zoning and setbacksCompare the base rules and official sources →

Property & site

See what may fit on the lot and what property issues need a closer look.

Bothell ADU and DADU rulesBothell ADU and DADU guide

Current Bothell ADU rules for two units, 1,200-square-foot size, 30-foot height, zone setbacks, critical areas, hard surface, utilities, fees, and permits.

Read ADU guide →Bothell tree rulesBothell tree removal rules for homeowners

Check Bothell tree-removal exemptions, critical-area limits, arborist reports, development history, and current city guidance before cutting.

Read guide →Bothell residential height rulesBothell residential building height: start with the zone

Understand Bothell's zone-specific residential height standards, measurement rules, exceptions, and the survey information needed before design.

Read guide →Bothell views and developmentDoes Bothell protect a homeowner's private view?

Understand Bothell private-view expectations, residential height, critical areas, trees, easements, covenants, and practical due diligence.

Read guide →Bothell zoning and setbacksBothell residential zoning and setbacks by zone

Compare Bothell R-C, R-L1, R-L2, and R-M1 through R-M4 base height, setbacks, and hard-surface limits.

Read guide →

Permit process

Understand what to prepare, what the city reviews, and who responds to corrections.

Bothell permit typesThe different types of permits in Bothell

Understand the main Bothell permit families, when several approvals may be needed, and where to find the official requirements.

Compare permit types →

Costs & timing

Use city targets and real permit data to plan a more realistic schedule and budget.

Bothell permit timelinesHow long permits take in Bothell

Use Bothell's published targets or observed results where available, with clear notes about what the numbers include.

See timing guide →

Useful across the Eastside

Guides for decisions every homeowner faces.

These explain common terms and choices. Your city's rules still control what is allowed on the property.

When do you need an architect?Compare Eastside requirements and learn when an engineer or architect is the right call.Where to find house plans by jurisdictionFind approved floor plans, permit drawings, and site records in Seattle, Eastside cities, and unincorporated King County.Before hiring a custom-home architect: what homeowners should prepareCreate an architect interview packet with a property screen, ownership-horizon strategy, homeowner brief, budget, title and HOA records, and a clear responsibility matrix.Structural choices that matter in a custom homeThe structural decisions worth resolving early in a custom-home design, before they turn into redesign, permit revisions, and expensive field changes.FAR, lot coverage, and impervious surfaceUnderstand the capacity and site terms in a preliminary property feasibility study, with simple examples.