Home Remodeling in
Lacey, WA
Lacey started the regional pre-approved ADU plan programme. Its ADU code is now in the middle of a rewrite, and that timing matters if you are planning one.
Remodeling in Lacey
What building in Lacey actually involves
Lacey sits between Olympia and the Nisqually delta, and most of its housing stock went up after the city incorporated in 1966. That means a lot of homes here are now at the age where kitchens, baths, roofs and siding all come due within a few years of each other.
It also means Lacey projects run into a specific set of city rules, and right now one of those sets of rules is actively changing. Getting that right up front is the difference between a project that starts on time and one that sits waiting on a correction letter.
Permits and review times
Residential addition, alteration and remodel plans in Lacey go through a plan review that the city puts at one to two weeks. Reviewers are checking building code compliance, structural work, fire safety and energy code.
Not everything needs that wait. Lacey issues over the counter permits for simpler work, including residential re-roofing and re-siding, replacing a water heater and adding an electrical circuit. If your project is one of those, it does not belong in the plan review queue.
Applications go through the city's online permitting portal, or in person at Community and Economic Development, 420 College St SE.
Lacey ADU rules are mid-change, and it matters
This is the one worth reading carefully, because the rule on the books and the rule the state requires are currently two different things.
Lacey's published municipal code still allows one accessory dwelling per lot and caps it at 850 square feet, or half the size of the main house, whichever is smaller. That is the older text, written before the state stepped in.
State law now requires more. Under HB 1337, cities planning under the Growth Management Act have to allow two ADUs per lot inside urban growth areas, cannot cap an ADU below 1,000 square feet, and cannot require the owner to live on the property. Jurisdictions have until 31 December 2026 to bring their codes into line.
Lacey is doing that work as one combined ordinance covering middle housing, ADUs and unit lot subdivisions. Adoption was anticipated in summer 2026.
What this means for you in practice: do not design to the 850 square foot figure without checking first, and do not assume the new limits are live either. Call Community and Economic Development and ask what standard is adopted the week you apply. We do this on every Lacey ADU we quote.
The pre-approved ADU plans started here
Lacey ran the pilot that became the regional pre-approved ADU plan set now shared with Olympia and Tumwater. The three cities partnered in 2020 to share the cost and the distribution rights, and brought in The Artisans Group, an architecture firm based on Capitol Boulevard in Tumwater, to design them.
There are four plans, ranging from a 480 square foot studio or one bedroom up to an 800 square foot two bedroom over two storeys. Each set has already been reviewed for building code compliance, which takes a chunk of work out of permit review. All four sit comfortably under both the old and the new size limits.
What the plans do not do is remove the site specific work. Every proposal still has to deal with its own lot, and building permit costs still apply. Tumwater has since taken over as lead on the partnership.
City requirements on this page were last checked on 8 September 2026. Codes change, so confirm current standards with the city before you apply.
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Common Questions
Remodeling in Lacey, answered
How long does a remodel permit take in Lacey?
The City of Lacey puts plan review for residential additions, alterations and remodels at one to two weeks. Simpler work such as re-roofing, re-siding, water heater replacement or adding an electrical circuit can be issued over the counter without that wait.
How big can an ADU be in Lacey, WA?
It depends on when you apply. Lacey's published code still caps an accessory dwelling at 850 square feet or half the main house, whichever is smaller, and allows one per lot. State law under HB 1337 requires cities to allow two per lot and prohibits capping an ADU below 1,000 square feet, with a compliance deadline of 31 December 2026. Lacey's update was anticipated in summer 2026. Confirm the adopted standard with the city before you design.
Can I build two ADUs on one lot in Lacey?
State law requires Lacey to allow two per lot inside the urban growth area once its code update is adopted, and the deadline for that is 31 December 2026. The older published code allows one. Check the current adopted standard with Lacey Community and Economic Development before planning a second unit.
Are there pre-approved ADU plans for Lacey?
Yes. Lacey ran the original pilot, and the resulting set of four pre-approved plans is now shared with Olympia and Tumwater. They were designed by The Artisans Group of Tumwater and range from a 480 square foot studio up to an 800 square foot two bedroom. Each plan has been reviewed for code compliance, though site specific work and permit costs still apply.
Do you work anywhere else in Thurston County?
Yes. KOI Build Co works across Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, Yelm, Tenino, Rainier and the wider South Puget Sound region. Call (253) 348-1847 for a free estimate.
Planning a project in Lacey?
Free estimates, and a straight answer on what your project will cost and how long it will take.
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