Somerset rises about 1,000 feet above south Bellevue, and the neighborhood was laid out around what you can see from it: Lake Washington, Downtown Bellevue, the Seattle skyline and, on clear days, the Olympic Mountains. The City of Bellevue counts 2,920 homes in the Somerset neighborhood area, which also takes in Forest Hill, Eaglesmere, Westwood Highlands, Forest Park, Forest Park Meadow, Forest Glen and the Woods. The Coal Creek Natural Area and the Cougar Mountain trail system are close by.
Renovation WA remodels kitchens, bathrooms, lower levels and entire homes for Somerset owners who want the inside of the house to live up to its setting. Call (425) 624-4242, Monday through Friday from 9 to 5, to arrange a free consultation at your home.
Built in Stages From the Early 1960s to the Late 1970s
Somerset did not go up all at once. It was developed in 22 divisions with more than 1,200 homes, the first started in the early 1960s and the last finished in the late 1970s, and most of it joined the City of Bellevue in 1967. Neighboring Eastgate, Tamara Hills and Horizon View came much later, annexed in 2012. The Somerset Recreation Club, with its pool and tennis courts, has been part of the hill since 1963.
Because building stretched across nearly two decades, two houses a few doors apart can be quite different inside. Features we commonly plan around include split-level and multi-level layouts stepped into the slope, daylight basements, large view windows, and walls that carry more of the roof than they appear to. None of these rule out a remodel; they simply need to be understood before the design is final.
Bringing the Kitchen to the View
In many homes from this era, the best view belongs to a formal living room that sees little use, while the kitchen faces the street or a side yard. One of the most rewarding changes in a Somerset house is to reverse that: open up or relocate the kitchen so the room you use every day looks out over the lake and the city.
How involved that is depends on the wall between the two rooms. If it carries load, opening it calls for a beam and engineering, and moving a sink or range means rerouting plumbing and venting. Our article on load-bearing wall removal explains what changes when a wall is structural, and the kitchen remodeling page describes how we plan the room itself.
Covenants and the Covenant Review Committee
Few Bellevue neighborhoods are shaped by covenants as much as Somerset. According to the Somerset Community Association, about 98% of properties are under active covenants, which address matters such as additions, exterior changes, setbacks, building height, fences, landscaping and views. In most divisions, the association’s Covenant Review Committee must approve building plans before construction starts.
The association also points out that City permits and committee approval are separate requirements. A project can be fully permitted by Bellevue and still need covenant sign-off, especially when it changes the exterior, the roofline or anything that could affect a neighbor’s view. We ask early which division your home is in, so that review is part of the schedule from the start instead of a surprise later.
Lower Levels, Windows and Year-Round Comfort
Making a daylight basement part of the house
Daylight basements on the downhill side often have good light and direct access to the yard, yet feel cut off from the rest of the home. Owners typically want a family room, a guest suite or a home office there, sometimes with a bathroom where the plumbing allows. Combining that work with the floors above is often simplest as part of a whole-home remodel.
Replacing large view windows
Window walls from the 1960s and 1970s are frequently the biggest source of drafts and heat loss in the house. Permitted window and wall work has to meet the Washington State Energy Code, so we select windows and insulation together during design. New flooring installation that runs continuously across the main level is another way to make a multi-level plan feel connected.
Working on a Hillside Lot
Steep driveways, curving streets and limited parking shape how a Somerset project runs. Before work begins we decide where a dumpster can sit, when deliveries arrive and how materials reach the door, and we let nearby neighbors know what to expect. Some lots are also subject to Bellevue’s critical areas rules, which treat slopes of 40% or more as steep slopes with a buffer from the top of the slope. Additions, decks or retaining walls near a slope can need extra review; interior remodels are rarely affected.
Permits for Somerset Remodels
Somerset homes within city limits are permitted by the City of Bellevue, and applications are submitted through MyBuildingPermit.com. Nonstructural work that adds no floor area or height, such as most kitchen and bathroom updates, can usually be permitted the same day without plan review. Moving a bearing wall, converting unconditioned space into living area or adding an accessory dwelling unit goes through plan review. Our step-by-step guide to Bellevue remodeling permits covers both paths.
Somerset Remodeling Questions
Can the kitchen move to the view side of my house?
Often, yes. It usually means opening or removing a wall and rerouting plumbing and venting. When the wall is load-bearing, the work needs engineering and a Bellevue permit with plan review.
Do I need covenant approval as well as a city permit?
In many divisions, yes. The Somerset Community Association states that City permits and Covenant Review Committee approvals are separate, so additions and exterior changes should be checked against your division’s covenants.
Can a daylight basement become finished living space?
Usually. Turning unconditioned space into living area requires a Bellevue permit with plan review, and the new rooms must meet current code for insulation, egress and ventilation.
Do you also work in Factoria and Newport Hills?
Yes. Factoria sits at the foot of the hill, and we work throughout South Bellevue. See home remodeling in Factoria and kitchen remodeling in Newport Hills.
Plan Your Somerset Remodel
Renovation WA provides home remodeling in Bellevue from our office at 2018 156th Ave NE. Call (425) 624-4242 or book a free consultation online, and after the visit you will receive a written scope and an itemized estimate. Once selections are final, the build schedule is backed by our 100% on-schedule guarantee.