I would like to open a window in a wall, do I really have to get the city permit ?

Question

I bought a duplex that I merged into a SF in the seattle area. As a result one of the room lost a lot of light and I would like to add a window in one of the walls. The issue is that permitting takes a lot of time and would cost more that the project itself (~2k).

A lot of people told me to just do it without a permit. Should I do that ? What am I really risking in that case ?
Thank you !

A lot of people told me to just do it without a permit. Should I do that ? What am I really risking in that case ?Thank you !

Scott E. · Answer

Yes you need a permit.

And yes you can try to get away with doing this without a permit, and may not get caught.

Outside of it being the "right thing" to do, getting a permit means the city will inspect your work and certify that it has done properly and to code. It might be nice to have that extra reassurance on a project like this where you are punching a big hole into an exterior, likely load bearing wall.

These types of posts always make for interesting discussions. At the end of the day the decision and liability will fall on you.

Sean Smith · Answer

@Enes A. The risk is having it improperly installed/not up to code, it getting flagged by a city inspector in the future, and having a major headache down the road. A few years back I took on a condo with a large custom window I later found out was unpermitted. During winter it severely leaked and I had to move the tenant out from how much damage it caused. Couldn't replace the window 1 for 1 because of a multiple month back-and-forth between us, the HOA, and city inspectors. Turned out to be a very long and expensive project just because of a poorly installed window. I'm sure it's not the answer you want to hear, but there's always an up-front cost for peace of mind.

Kyle Ebersole · Answer

Whenever I mess around with exterior walls, I always get permits. Its easier to sleep at night knowing you did it all right! Can be a headache right now, but won't be near as big of a headache that it could be in the future.

Enes A. · Answer

Thank you for your answer JD.1. when i merged the 2 units, i walled one of the entrances and its staircase to create more floor space. That blocked the light coming from that side which had small windows.2. i didn’t ask for a permit for the merging, which is also another issue as now if the city inspector would come, they would be asking me about the other work… this part is ok as i am planning to revert it back to duplex when i leave to rent it out. But meanwhile i would like to have more light while i live in it.3. i don’t mind paying professional good contractors who would do it the right way. It’s dealing with the city that i am trying to avoid as they have long delays and they charge a fortune for these things and because of what I said in 2, they might deny it.

JD Martin · Answer

I'm still trying to picture in my head how combining a 2 unit into a 1 unit makes you lose light. Essentially making 2 into one is mostly a situation of just taking down dividing walls, unless you were changing interior partition walls which probably required a permit then so why not just do it then?

In any case, well that depends on your risk tolerance level. If you know what you're doing adding an exterior window is generally child's play in construction terms, especially if your walls are opened up and they're framed instead of masonry. If you don't know what you're doing you could seriously compromise your roof and the framing structure in that area, which is why you generally need a permit. You also generally have restrictions & qualifications depending on where the window is - if it's very high up from the ground, you might have to use a certain glass or the window might have to be a certain height. If it's in a basement area there may be size requirements for egress or light. ETC.

What you are risking can't be answered because it depends on where you are. Some places will make you rip everything out, fine you, and make you start over. Some places won't care unless someone complains. Some places won't care at all. As far as risk management, if you did this and didn't know what you were doing and someone got hurt later, and sued you, once your insurance company found out you did it without permits they wouldn't defend you.

Alan F. · Answer

According to SDCI website you do need a permit. They're website is pretty comprehensive.

Theresa Harris · Answer

Is there a way to install a light tunnel?  I don't know Seattle laws, but it should be easier to do and less expensive.  I have one in one of my rentals and it works really well.

I would like to open a window in a wall, do I really have to get the city permit ?

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