Custom Homes for Seattle & the Eastside

From signed contract to move-in, most custom homes in the Seattle and Eastside markets take 12–18 months. That includes 3–6 months for design finalization and permitting, which varies significantly by municipality, and 9–12 months of active construction. Larger homes or lots with complex site conditions can take longer. Every contract includes a realistic schedule, so you have a clear picture from day one.

No. Many clients come to us with a lot already in hand, but we can also evaluate a site before you commit to buying it. We’ll check any lot you’re considering for buildability, including setbacks, utility connections, slope, and critical area buffers, so you’re not buying a problem. We can also connect you with resources for finding suitable lots in King County and surrounding markets.

Yes. Detached ADUs are one of our core new construction specialties. Washington’s ADU legislation has significantly expanded what’s allowed on residential lots across King County, which makes it easier than ever to add a detached unit for rental income, multi-generational living, or long-term investment value. We handle the full process: feasibility review, architectural design, permit submittal, and construction from foundation to finish.

With the design-build model, your architect, project manager, and construction crew all work under one roof and one contract. That removes the most common source of custom home problems: the handoff between design and construction, where details get lost, costs balloon, and accountability blurs. Since founding Armada in Bellevue in 2011, we’ve made every design decision knowing what it costs to build. That keeps your plans realistic from the start instead of revised after the fact.

Yes, permitting is fully included. Every King County municipality has its own review timelines, fees, and submittal requirements, from Bellevue’s permit review windows to Seattle’s Design Review and Sammamish’s critical areas ordinances. We prepare the architectural and structural engineering package, submit it, and respond to plan check comments. Because we know which details typically get flagged, our permit packages usually move through review without repeated correction cycles.

As involved as you want to be. Before anything is submitted for permits, you’ll review full architectural drawings, 2D floor plans, and 3D renderings, and make material selections together with our designers. During construction you’ll get regular site walkthroughs, including one of the framed structure before drywall, written progress updates, and direct access to your project manager. A client portal keeps your schedule, change orders, and project documents in one place.

Yes. Washington’s energy code (WSEC) is among the strictest in the country, setting requirements for insulation, window performance, air leakage, and ventilation. We regularly build beyond those minimums. High-performance building envelopes, heat pumps, ERV ventilation, and smart home infrastructure are standard on most of our builds. If you’re aiming for net-zero performance, solar readiness, EV charging, or geothermal, we can design for those from the start.

Every new home we build comes with a 10-year structural warranty and post-completion support. The parts of a home that matter most, like structural connections, flashing, and waterproofing, end up hidden behind walls. That’s why we install weather barriers to manufacturer specifications rather than minimum code, and we inspect every home internally before each municipal inspection. After move-in, our team stays available for questions and adjustments, including anything that shows up after your first Seattle winter.

We build throughout the greater Seattle area, including Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Sammamish, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Issaquah, Woodinville, Newcastle, and Bothell, as well as surrounding King County communities. If you’re outside those areas, reach out. We’re happy to discuss your project and assess feasibility.