Experience Armada Quality
Experience Armada Quality
Armada Design & Build is a design-build contractor based in Bellevue, Washington. We’ve been doing this since 2011 — kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations, whole-home remodels, additions, and new construction across the greater Seattle and Eastside area. What we do differently from most remodeling contractors is that we handle design and construction under one roof, with one team, on one contract. If you’ve hired a designer and a contractor separately before and experienced the coordination gaps between them, that’s the problem design-build solves.
New Construction
Custom home builds for clients who want to build on an existing lot or are acquiring land specifically for a new home. We bring the same design-build model to new construction that we apply to remodeling — design and construction under one team, one contract, one accountable point of contact.
Full House Remodeling
Whole-home renovation projects that address kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, electrical, mechanical, and structural changes in a single coordinated scope. One contract, one team, one project manager — rather than a sequence of separate contractors who don’t communicate with each other.
Home Additions
Second-story additions, rear attached additions, primary suite additions, detached ADUs, and guest structures. We handle zoning analysis, structural engineering, permit submittal, and construction under one contract. Pre-design site analysis to verify feasibility before design investment.
Kitchen Remodeling
Full gut renovations, layout changes, wall removals, custom cabinetry, countertop replacement, lighting design, and appliance integration. From mid-century rambler overhauls in Bellevue and Kenmore to high-specification Sub-Zero and Wolf installations in Kirkland and Mercer Island.
Design Services
In-house design including architectural drawings, structural engineering coordination, 3D renderings, material selection, and specification. Our design team works alongside our construction team, not as a separate vendor — so design decisions are made with real construction knowledge built in.
Design-Build vs. the Traditional Approach
Most homeowners hire a designer, get drawings, then separately hire a contractor to build from those drawings. The problems with this are predictable: the contractor finds conditions during construction that the designer didn't account for, the designer isn't available to make on-the-spot decisions, and when something goes wrong there are two parties who can point at each other. The homeowner is stuck in the middle managing a gap between people who aren't on the same team.
Design-build puts design and construction under one contract and one team. The person who designs your kitchen is in communication with the person managing its construction. When the demo reveals unexpected conditions — which happens on almost every remodel — the decision gets made immediately by someone who understands both the design intent and the construction reality. There's no one to blame but us, which means we have every incentive to get it right.
Design-Build (Armada's Model)
- One contract covering design and construction
- One project manager owns the full scope
- Design decisions made with construction knowledge
- Cost estimates built around real construction conditions
- Construction surprises handled by the designer who knows the intent
- One point of accountability throughout
- Faster from decision to construction start
Traditional (Designer + Contractor)
- Two separate contracts and two separate billings
- Coordination between parties is your responsibility
- Designer may not know what's structurally or mechanically feasible
- Contractor bids drawings that may not reflect real site conditions
- Mid-project discoveries require designer re-engagement
- Disputes about who is responsible for problems
- Longer timeline from design completion to construction start
Our Process, Start to Finish
Every project follows the same structure. The details differ by scope and city — permitting timelines, structural conditions, and material lead times vary — but the sequence and the accountability model are consistent.
Consultation
We visit your home, walk the space, assess structural conditions, and discuss what you're trying to accomplish. No commitment required.
Design
Full architectural drawings, 3D renderings, material selections, and a complete specification schedule. You approve everything before we order anything.
Permits
We prepare and submit complete permit packages to the applicable jurisdiction and manage review through approval. You don't deal with the building department.
Construction
One crew, one project manager, regular progress updates. Material lead times and trade sequencing managed proactively rather than reactively.
Walkthrough
Room-by-room final inspection. Every punch list item is resolved before we consider the project complete — not after you've moved back in.
Questions Worth Asking Before You Sign
Home remodeling is a significant investment. The contractor you hire will be in your home for weeks or months, making decisions that affect how you live for years. Before signing a contract with any remodeling contractor — including us — these are the questions that separate accountable contractors from ones who aren't:
Do you provide itemized estimates? A ballpark number that "depends on what we find" is not an estimate. A real estimate itemizes materials, labor, and scope so you understand exactly what you're buying. Change orders should be written and signed before any additional scope is executed.
Who manages the project day-to-day? The salesperson you met with and the project manager who actually runs the job are often different people at larger firms. Know who your daily contact is and what their accountability structure looks like.
Who pulls the permits? Work that requires permits but doesn't get them creates problems at resale and can require costly remediation. In Washington State, permits for structural, electrical, and plumbing work are not optional — and a contractor who suggests skipping them is not protecting you.
Can you provide references from completed projects in my city? Not testimonials on a website — actual past clients you can call and ask specific questions. Local references matter because local experience with permitting authorities, subcontractor relationships, and housing stock conditions is genuinely different from city to city.
Cities We Serve
We're based in Bellevue and work throughout the greater Seattle and Eastside area. Most of our projects are in King County, with a significant concentration on the Eastside. Each city's permitting process, housing stock, and lot conditions are different — we bring city-specific knowledge to every project we take on.
Ready to talk about your project?