Who issues building permits in Raleigh Hills?

For most addresses, Washington County, which regulates construction in the unincorporated area. Some parts have been annexed to Beaverton and a small part to Portland, so we confirm the jurisdiction for your address first.

Is my lot in the Fanno Creek flood plain?

Fanno Creek crosses a broad flood plain here, and the county plan calls winter flooding along local creeks a recurring problem. The county's floodplain and drainage hazard overlays carry extra rules, and we check your lot against them before design.

Is the house on sewer?

Most are. Sewer service is provided by Clean Water Services, and the county plan says most properties are sewered.

Does a 1950s or 1960s house need new plumbing?

Galvanized water lines and cast iron drains are common in houses built before 1960. The site walk shows what yours has, and anything replaced is priced before demolition.

Kitchen with white cabinetry, a teal island and exposed beams

Rock waterfall running into a finished pool

Remodeling a house in Raleigh Hills

Kitchen, bath and whole home remodels for Raleigh Hills houses from the 1950s and 1960s, with the permit office confirmed by address.

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Farmhouse kitchen with French doors to the yard

Mostly houses from the 1950s and 1960s, many on large lots.

The name comes from Raleigh Robinson, an old time resident, and a Raleigh post office operated from 1892 to 1904. Oregon Geographic Names says the Raleigh Hills form of the name sounds like a real estate coinage. Portland Golf Club was established here in 1914.

The county's community plan describes the area as largely developed, mostly detached single family houses, many on large lots. Close to two thirds of the houses on the county's records were built in the 1950s and 1960s.

The front of a house stripped to the sheathing with water damage showing — SW Portland, stripped to the sheathing

A kitchen wall opened with insulation and wiring exposed — Walls opened on a kitchen job

A kitchen stripped to the framing with the subfloor exposed — Down to the framing

A slate tile deck over a garage before the work — The leaking deck before the work

What is behind the walls of your house.

The age of the house moves the price more than anything you can see. This is what is typical for a Portland house of that age. The site walk confirms what yours has.

Your house was built in1958

6 of 8 are likely on a 1958 house.

Knob and tube or early cloth wrapped wiring is common in houses of this age, and it is live in more rooms than the panel suggests.
Electrical service and panel: $2,000 to $12,000
What DWV does: Full electrical replacement with a service upgrade, as on the Foster-Powell bungalow.
Ask Don about this
Galvanized steel supply lines narrow with age. On the Foster-Powell bungalow they were replaced from the meter through every fixture.
Part of the electrical, plumbing and heating line
What DWV does: New plumbing from the meter through every fixture.
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The waste lines in these houses are often the original cast iron, out of sight under the floors.
Part of the electrical, plumbing and heating line
What DWV does: Replaced with the plumbing where they have failed.
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Brick chimneys of this age are unreinforced masonry, which matters as soon as the structure around them changes.
Priced on the estimate after the site walk
What DWV does: Looked at with the structure before any wall around it moves.
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The walls are usually uninsulated and the windows are single pane wood. Insulation comes up to energy code once the walls are open.
Part of the structure and envelope line
What DWV does: Insulation to current energy code while the walls are open.
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Many of these houses were first heated with oil, and the tank can still be under the yard. A tank taken out of use is decommissioned by a DEQ licensed service provider.
What is behind the walls: $8,000 to $60,000
What DWV does: Decommissioned by a DEQ licensed service provider.
Ask Don about this
Paint applied before 1978 is treated as lead paint under the renovation rule, and work that disturbs it follows lead safe practices.
A line item, priced before demolition
What DWV does: Lead safe practices, priced before demolition.
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Oregon DEQ requires a survey by an accredited inspector before a house built before 2004 is renovated. Older duct wrap and sheet flooring get tested before anything is disturbed.
A line item, priced before demolition
What DWV does: Surveyed first, then handled the way the survey says.
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Same spot, before and after.

The pool before, green water and a cracked deck — A pool that had turned green, brought back with new tile, a stamped concrete deck and a cedar fence.
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The finished pool with new tile, a stamped concrete deck and a cedar fence — A pool that had turned green, brought back with new tile, a stamped concrete deck and a cedar fence.
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New lawn and cedar fence beside the finished pool, from the homeowner's own photo

The work Raleigh Hills houses ask for.

The photographs are from our own jobs around Portland.

White kitchen with a stainless range wall

Kitchens in 1950s and 1960s houses

Most full kitchens we build take six to ten weeks, and fully custom cabinets can add several weeks.

Green tile bath with the glass shower and the soaking tub beyond

Bathrooms

Most properties here are on sewer through Clean Water Services. A hall bath takes three to four weeks and a primary bath four to six.

Additions on large lots

The county plan notes that many local soils limit development because of wetness, low strength or slope. An addition starts with the ground it sits on.

Primary baths

A tiled walk in shower goes where the tub was, on a new pan with waterproofing and glass.

Design rendering of a renovated pool with a cedar fence and a rock waterfall

Unincorporated Washington County, for most addresses.

Raleigh Hills is an unincorporated area between Beaverton and Portland. Washington County regulates construction in its jurisdiction, and properties inside a city go to that city.

Parts of the planning area have been annexed to Beaverton and a small part to Portland, so the jurisdiction is checked by address. The county has a map for it.

Fanno Creek crosses a broad flood plain here, and the county's floodplain, drainage hazard and natural resource overlays carry extra rules for development.

Check which permits your job needs

Jobs on this site

Our jobs near Raleigh Hills.

Our closest job is the deck over a garage in Southwest Portland. Tap a pin to see the job.

SW Portland

A leaking deck over the garage, rebuilt with new cedar siding.

See this job

Next door: Beaverton, Bridlemile, Tigard

Questions from Raleigh Hills homeowners.

For most addresses, Washington County, which regulates construction in the unincorporated area. Some parts have been annexed to Beaverton and a small part to Portland, so we confirm the jurisdiction for your address first.
Fanno Creek crosses a broad flood plain here, and the county plan calls winter flooding along local creeks a recurring problem. The county's floodplain and drainage hazard overlays carry extra rules, and we check your lot against them before design.
Most are. Sewer service is provided by Clean Water Services, and the county plan says most properties are sewered.
Galvanized water lines and cast iron drains are common in houses built before 1960. The site walk shows what yours has, and anything replaced is priced before demolition.

Talk directly to Don about your project.

Request a quote (503) 805-5762

Or pick a time for Don's site walk