An ADU, converted garage, finished basement or addition with uncertain permit history can still be part of an appraisal assignment—but it should not be treated as automatically legal, automatically excluded or automatically worth its construction cost. The appraiser first identifies what physically exists, the assignment’s intended use and effective date, the available permit and property records, and how buyers in the relevant market respond to the improvement. The report should explain the treatment and important limitations. An appraisal does not legalize the space or decide whether a government agency will approve it.
This issue often appears in pre-listing decisions, divorce and co-owner buyouts, estates, private purchases and retrospective assignments. It is best disclosed when requesting the quote. Finding it after the inspection can change the research, scope, fee or delivery time.
A permit is evidence about approval, inspections and the documented scope of work. It is not a dollar-for-dollar measure of market contribution. Two physically similar spaces can present different questions because of layout, access, workmanship, utilities, zoning, safety, completion, rental use and the records available to support them.
King County states that a building permit is generally needed to change occupancy or to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building or structure, while noting that some projects are exempt. The correct agency and rule depend on the property’s jurisdiction and the work performed. A mailing address alone does not establish which permit office controls the property.
The appraiser can research and report relevant facts, analyze market evidence and state assumptions or limiting conditions when appropriate. The appraiser is not the building official and should not promise that work is legal, code-compliant or eligible for future approval.
Start with the actual improvement rather than a label. “ADU,” “mother-in-law unit,” “bonus room” and “finished garage” may be used loosely. Useful questions include:
The Appraisal Foundation identifies intended use, effective date and scope of work as fundamental assignment concepts. Those decisions affect which records, inspection steps and analyses are necessary. A report prepared for a private pre-listing decision may not satisfy a lender, court, taxing authority or later buyer without confirming that user’s requirements.
Do not assume that every finished area will be combined into one gross-living-area figure. Above-grade dwelling area, below-grade finished area, an ADU, a detached living unit and a converted garage can require separate description or analysis. Physical area, functional utility and market contribution are related but distinct questions.
A measurement visit can help establish dimensions and layout, but measurement alone does not determine legal status or market value. If the assignment needs both a dwelling measurement and a value opinion, say so when requesting the quote so the scope can address both.
No automatic conclusion is credible. Market participants may recognize utility in an improvement even when the records are incomplete, but they may also react to risk, cost, financing difficulty, inferior workmanship or loss of parking. The analysis should be based on property-specific facts and relevant market evidence, not a fixed percentage or the owner’s construction cost.
The result can differ by assignment. A current appraisal may analyze the property as it exists on the effective date. A retrospective appraisal must distinguish the condition and improvement status that existed on the earlier date. A proposed legalization or renovation is not silently treated as complete; if a different condition is part of the assignment, it must be clearly defined and supported.
For unincorporated King County, the Department of Local Services provides permit-history guidance and a permitting portal. Its records center also explains that it may hold older records for properties later annexed into a city. For a property inside a city, the city may be the correct permitting agency.
Snohomish County Planning and Development Services maintains current and historical development records for unincorporated Snohomish County, including applications, site plans, house plans and residential permits. Its guidance directs users to online records and records-center assistance when more history is needed.
Skagit County provides permit searches by address, parcel number, permit number and other fields. Search results are a starting point; they may need to be paired with plans, inspection history, assessor information and records supplied by the owner.
For any jurisdiction, an issued permit does not by itself establish that the work was completed exactly as planned. A missing online result also does not prove that no record exists. Preserve the documents you find and identify open questions when requesting the appraisal.
Sometimes. The appraiser needs enough reliable information to develop a credible opinion for the intended use. A private appraisal may help an owner understand the property before listing, negotiating a buyout or making another decision. In other situations, the unresolved status may require additional records, a defined assumption, a different inspection scope or consultation with the permitting agency before the assignment can proceed.
If financing is involved, ask the lender how the appraisal must be ordered and how it treats the improvement. A privately ordered report does not automatically satisfy a lender’s ordering, eligibility or underwriting requirements.
Send the property address, appraisal purpose, intended users, requested valuation date and deadline. Describe the improvement plainly: location, approximate size, rooms, utilities, access, construction date and current use. Include available permits, plans, inspection records, invoices, dated photographs and any notices from the permitting authority. Identify what remains unknown rather than guessing.
Also mention acreage, multiple parcels, waterfront, shared access, septic limitations or other unusual residential features. Alpha Appraisal serves private residential assignments in King, Snohomish and Skagit Counties. Residential appraisal fees start at $695; the final fee and timing depend on the property, research needs, effective date and agreed scope.
No. The appraisal can report available records and relevant observed characteristics, but the permitting or land-use authority determines compliance and approval status.
Not automatically. Its treatment depends on the improvement, assignment and market evidence. Risk, cost, utility and buyer reaction may all matter.
Only if the assignment is properly defined to address a specified condition and the assumptions are appropriate and clearly disclosed. A possible future approval should not be presented as an existing fact.
Explain what was built, what records are available and which decision the appraisal must support. Call 425-753-1971, email dustin.labrasseur@gmail.com, or request an appraisal quote.
Pre-listing and private-purchase appraisal guidance · Dwelling measurement services · King County · Snohomish County · Skagit County