Seattle, WA
KITCHEN REMODEL ESTIMATING.

## Kitchen Remodel Estimating in Seattle Moves Fast — Your Bid Has to Keep Up Seattle's remodel market doesn't slow down. Homeowners in Ballard, Capitol Hill, and Eastside neighborhoods like Bellevue and Kirkland are sitting on significant equity and spending it on kitchens. That demand is real. So is the competition. When three contractors are walking the same job, the one who sends a clean, detailed bid first has a measurable edge. Estimate.Pro is built for exactly that pressure. --- ### What Makes Seattle Kitchen Estimating Different **Labor costs run high.** Seattle's union and prevailing wage environment pushes skilled trades — finish carpenters, tile setters, plumbers, electricians — well above national averages. A kitchen remodel that prices at $85/hr for labor in Phoenix can run $110–$125/hr for comparable work in the Seattle metro. Your estimate has to reflect that or your margin disappears on the first material overrun. **Permits are required and inspected.** Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) requires permits for kitchen work involving structural changes, electrical panel upgrades, or plumbing relocation. Permit fees in Seattle are calculated on project valuation — a mid-scale kitchen remodel valued at $60,000–$80,000 typically carries a permit fee in the $800–$1,200 range before any plan review surcharges. Skipping the permit line item in your estimate is how you end up eating that cost. **Older housing stock adds scope risk.** A large share of Seattle's single-family homes were built between 1940 and 1980. That means knob-and-tube wiring discoveries, original galvanized supply lines, and subfloor rot under old vinyl are routine. Your estimate needs allowance line items for these exposures — not buried assumptions. **Energy code compliance is real scope.** Washington State Energy Code (WSEC) 2021 applies to kitchen remodels that touch HVAC or lighting systems. If the job includes range hood ducting, recessed lighting, or any mechanical work, you need to account for WSEC compliance in labor hours. Inspectors check it. --- ### How Estimate.Pro Builds the Bid You walk the kitchen. You use the Estimate.Pro walkthrough on your phone — AR measurement on supported devices, photo capture on others, all marked clearly as measured or estimated. The AI reads your notes and photos, generates a scope of work, and pulls it into a priced estimate. Median time from walkthrough to sendable bid: **8 minutes.** The estimate includes: - **Demo and disposal** — cabinets, countertops, flooring, drywall - **Rough work** — plumbing relocation, electrical rough-in, any structural blocking - **Finish carpentry** — cabinet installation, crown, toe-kick, hardware - **Countertops** — slab layout, edge profile, backsplash field tile (ANSI A108 set standards referenced where applicable) - **Appliance allowances and installation** - **Permit and inspection fees** as a line item you can edit - **Contingency allowances** for older home discoveries You set your own material costs in your saved workspace. Labor rates are yours to set and save by trade. Nothing is locked to a national average that doesn't match your crew's actual cost structure in the Seattle market. --- ### Pricing That Fits Your Business Estimate.Pro has a **free forever tier** — no credit card, no trial clock. If you're sending more than a handful of bids a month, Pro at **$39/seat/month** adds full workflow features. Elite at **$79/seat/month** includes Stripe Connect invoice exports and a **0% platform fee** on payments (Free tier runs 3% via Stripe Connect). Crew is **$399/month flat** for teams. No per-estimate fees. No seat surprises. --- ### Built for 25 Trades, Including Kitchen If your crew crosses trades — you're doing the kitchen and the adjacent bath, or a laundry room reconfigure — Estimate.Pro covers 25 trades in the same platform. One walkthrough, one scope, one bid document. That's how you stop juggling three spreadsheets on a multi-room job. --- Seattle kitchen remodelers don't win on price alone. You win by showing up prepared, scoping it right, and sending a professional bid before the other guy finishes driving home. Estimate.Pro is how you do that consistently.