Tacoma, Washington is the county seat of Pierce County and the third-largest city in the state, situated on bluffs above Commencement Bay, with a 2020 census population of 219,346. Tacoma’s population exploded from 1,098 in 1880 to 36,006 in 1890 after the Northern Pacific Railroad selected it as its western terminus, producing one of the oldest concentrations of urban multi-family building stock in the Puget Sound region outside Seattle. Pacific Building Solutions holds Washington Contractor License #PACIFBS831MK and serves Tacoma alongside neighboring Puyallup, Lakewood, and Federal Way.

We do not perform small residential repairs or new construction. Our work is focused on large-scale commercial and multi-family exterior services for HOA boards, property managers, construction attorneys, and ownership groups.

Commercial Exterior Painting

Tacoma’s ongoing downtown revitalization, including new residential development along the Thea Foss Waterway and continued light rail expansion, has put a premium on exterior appearance for HOA-managed buildings competing with newer construction nearby. For buildings that don’t yet need full siding replacement, a properly prepped and coated exterior repaint is often the more cost-effective way to keep a historic-core building competitive.

Exterior Envelope Remediation

Full building envelope assessment for Tacoma’s oldest urban core buildings, which predate modern weather barrier standards, as well as multi-family properties near the industrial tideflats along Commencement Bay.

Multi-Family and HOA Siding Replacement

For buildings where repainting alone won’t solve underlying moisture issues, we replace siding using James Hardie fiber cement, Cedar, Craneboard, and Stucco/EIFS systems, with particular attention to the deteriorated original systems common in the city’s oldest core.

• An 1890s Boom Without Modern Weather Barrier Standards: Tacoma’s population grew from 1,098 to 36,006 in a single decade after 1873, leaving a concentration of buildings that predate modern flashing and weather barrier standards entirely.
• Tideflats and Working Waterfront Proximity: Industrial tideflats along Commencement Bay create localized moisture and air quality conditions for multi-family buildings near the port that differ from the bluff-top residential neighborhoods.
• Downtown Revitalization Since the 1990s: New residential development and light rail expansion have added a second, much newer construction era downtown, meaning HOA boards may oversee buildings from either era within the same footprint.

Does a historic-core Tacoma building need repainting or full siding replacement?

It depends on the underlying condition. If the original cladding and moisture barrier are still sound, a properly prepped repaint can extend a building’s service life significantly and improve curb appeal against newer downtown construction. If we find dry rot or moisture intrusion during assessment, we’ll recommend siding replacement instead rather than painting over an underlying problem.

Is Pacific Building Solutions licensed to work in Tacoma and Pierce County?

Yes. We hold Washington Contractor License #PACIFBS831MK, which covers the full state of Washington including Pierce County and Tacoma, and Oregon Contractor License #215897 for ownership groups with properties across the Pacific Northwest.

Tacoma’s modern history began when the Northern Pacific Railroad selected it as its western terminus in 1873, consolidating Old Tacoma and New Tacoma into a single city by 1884.

The population rocketed from 1,098 in 1880 to 36,006 by 1890, prompting Rudyard Kipling to describe the city as “literally staggering under a boom of the boomiest” during his 1889 visit. The Port of Tacoma, established in 1918, grew into one of North America’s busiest container ports.

Since the 1990s, downtown Tacoma has undergone significant revitalization, including the state’s first modern light rail line and the University of Washington Tacoma campus.

With a 2020 population of 219,346, Tacoma remains the third-largest city in Washington, roughly 8 miles north of Gig Harbor across the Tacoma Narrows.

If you represent an HOA board, multi-family property management group, construction attorney, building envelope consultant, or commercial ownership group with a property in Tacoma or Pierce County, Pacific Building Solutions welcomes the opportunity to discuss your project.

Phone: 360-907-1128

Email: info@pacificexteriorsnw.com

Licensed in Washington (#PACIFBS831MK). Serving the greater Seattle-Pierce County market and Southwest Washington.