What each job was filed at
"Usual" is the middle permit: half were filed for less, half for more. "Middle half of firms" takes every firm with three or more permits in the trade, finds each firm's usual job, and shows the band the middle 50% of firms sit in; it is the number to hold a quote against. A dash means fewer than eight firms had three or more permits.
| Job | Usual filed value | Middle half of firms | Permits (share priced) | Usual days to final | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire sprinkler | $5,900 | — | 237 (80.6%) | 179 | cost · compare firms |
| Remodel & repair | $21,073 | $10,673–$59,071 | 252 (97.6%) | 275 | cost · compare firms |
| Addition | $66,413 | $48,212–$141,844 | 131 (97.7%) | 328 | cost · compare firms |
| ADU | $140,755 | $118,076–$152,242 | 110 (98.2%) | 329 | cost · compare firms |
| New home | $274,940 | $240,685–$336,117 | 449 (99.8%) | 326 | cost · compare firms |
Electrical, HVAC, solar, water-heater and plumbing permits carry no value in Bellingham (0.0% of 2,730 electrical permits), so they have no cost page. The HVAC, electrical and solar compare pages still rank firms by permits and days to final.
What moves the price in Bellingham
The home. Each cost page splits firms into thirds by the usual value of the homes they work on (Whatcom County Assessor appraised values). Bellingham's single-family value figure is $704,000.
| Job | Firms on the least expensive third | Firms on the most expensive third |
|---|---|---|
| Remodel & repair | $5,780 | $59,071 |
| Addition | $47,828 | $107,098 |
| Fire sprinkler | $5,000 | $8,800 |
| New home | $277,222 | $314,685 |
| ADU | $150,229 | $127,758 |
Figures from each cost page, data of 15 October 2026. Remodels jump tenfold with the house and additions double; new homes move little and ADUs run the other way.
The firm. Busy firms file less here. The ten busiest ADU builders usually file $74,832 against $127,758 for 70 smaller ones; the ten busiest remodelers $17,487 against $44,500 for 94 smaller ones; the ten busiest home builders $262,393 against $329,120 for 56 smaller ones (Bellingham cost pages). Ask a busy builder whether its usual figure covers the same scope as yours.
The season. ADU permits peak in March (index 174, where 100 is an average month) and are fewest in May (33). Additions peak in June. We have no prices by month, so this tells you when crews are busy, not when they are cheap.
Filed value is not the price
- It is what the applicant wrote down. Some contractors write the contract price, some the permitted part only; the middle half of remodel firms spans $10,673 to $59,071.
- One permit type covers small and large jobs. Remodel and repair covers a small repair and a whole-house remodel. Read the job's cost page for the spread.
- Several permits for one project. An ADU or new home carries separate electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits with no value on them, so whether that work is in the main figure depends on the builder.
- Small samples. ADUs and additions rest on fewer than 150 permits each, so the bands are wide.
Check a quote in five minutes
- Find your job in the table and open its cost page.
- Put your quote against the "middle half of firms" band. Inside it is normal for Bellingham; above it, ask what the extra covers.
- Open the compare firms page, find the contractor, and read its usual filed value, permit count and finished share.
- Check the contractor's Washington L&I registration with our Bellingham contractor license lookup guide.
Permit rules: ADU rules, HVAC permit, electrical permit, side sewer repair. Across cities: ADU construction cost, home addition cost and what home projects cost by city.
How we know this
Every row is a permit type the City of Bellingham issued in the window 2023-10 to 2026-09 with at least 100 priced permits making up at least 80% of the type. Usual = median of the permits that carry a value; middle half of firms = 25th to 75th percentile of the usual value of firms with three or more permits in the trade (shown when at least eight firms qualify); days = median from permit issue to the final inspection the City records. The home-value thirds and the busiest-firm figures are copied from each job's cost page and dated. Permit fees are left out; the City's Planning and Community Development department publishes them.
Numbers come from City of Bellingham permits on single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes, data through October 15, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Compare every Bellingham ADU builder by usual job and finished share →
Questions
- How much does an ADU cost in Bellingham?
The usual ADU permit in Bellingham was filed at $140,755, across 110 permits, and the middle half of 11 builders usually file between $118,076 and $152,242. The ten busiest ADU builders usually file $74,832, against $127,758 for 70 smaller ones (Bellingham ADU cost page, data of 15 October 2026).
- How much does a home addition cost in Bellingham?
Addition permits were usually filed at $66,413 (131 permits), with the middle half of firms between $48,212 and $141,844. On the most expensive third of homes the usual figure is $107,098, against $47,828 on the least expensive.
- How much does it cost to build a house in Bellingham?
New-home permits were usually filed at $274,940 across 449 permits, with the middle half of builders between $240,685 and $336,117. That is construction value only; the lot is not in it. The usual new-home permit took 326 days to final.
- How much does a remodel cost in Bellingham?
Remodel and repair permits were usually filed at $21,073, but firms on the least expensive third of homes usually file $5,780 and firms on the most expensive third $59,071 (Bellingham remodel cost page). One permit type covers a repair and a whole-house remodel, so compare scopes, not totals.
- Why is there no Bellingham figure for heat pumps or electrical work?
Bellingham's mechanical, electrical, solar and plumbing permits carry no job value (0.0% of 2,581 HVAC permits), so we can't price them. The compare pages still rank those firms by permits and how fast they reach final.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Home improvement costs in Denver, CO (2026): what 8 kinds of jobs were filed at
- Home improvement costs in San Diego, CA (2026): what 8 kinds of jobs were filed at
- Bellingham building permit search: eTRAKiT, the permit dashboard and public records
- Bonded vs insured contractors: what each covers and where to check
- Cleveland residential tax abatement for renovations and new homes: the permit, the $60 fee, the green standard and the caps
For one city
- Bellingham ADU rules under the 2025 interim ordinance: two per lot, 1,000 sq ft, no owner occupancy, and what ADU permits show
- Bellingham contractor license lookup: L&I registration, electrical licenses and the City permits
- Do I need an electrical permit in Bellingham? Yes: the City's fees, Class B labels, and who may pull one