Not Just a Room.
The Whole Thing.

A whole-home remodel almost always needs permits: a building permit for structural or layout changes, plus separate electrical, plumbing, and HVAC permits pulled by the licensed trade contractors. Each inspection stage — rough-in, then final — has to pass before the next phase covers the work up.

Who you pull them from depends on the address

• City of Columbus — Department of Building & Zoning Services handles all trades.
• Dublin, Westerville, Hilliard, Grove City, Gahanna, Reynoldsburg — each suburb runs its own building department with its own applications, fees, and review timelines.
• Unincorporated Franklin County townships — permits go through the county’s Economic Development & Planning building services.

The rules are similar but not identical — review times, fee schedules, and drawing requirements vary by jurisdiction, which is one reason identical projects price differently across the metro. Your contractor should identify the jurisdiction and carry permit costs in the estimate.

When drawings and engineering are required

Moving or removing load-bearing walls, changing rooflines, cutting new openings in exterior walls, or repairing foundations generally requires stamped drawings from a licensed structural engineer before a permit is issued. Simple like-for-like replacement work usually does not. Engineering typically runs a small fraction of the project cost but adds lead time up front — more on this in the structural repairs guide.

• Scope depth — cosmetic vs. full gut is a multiple-of-several difference, not a percentage.
• Structural changes — every load-bearing wall that moves adds engineering, steel, and inspection cost.
• Systems condition — if wiring, plumbing, or HVAC are at end of life, replacement belongs in the budget from day one, not as a surprise.
• Age-related remediation — asbestos abatement, lead-safe practices, plaster demolition, and repiping are cost lines newer homes simply don’t have.
• Finish level — the same floor plan can be finished at double or triple the cost depending on materials and fixtures.
• Occupancy and phasing — phased work stretches schedule and adds remobilization cost; moving out adds housing cost but shortens the build.

Where kitchens and baths fit in the budget

In a whole-home remodel, the kitchen and bathrooms are routinely a third to half of the total — they carry the cabinetry, tile, stone, and the densest concentration of plumbing and electrical work. The detailed numbers for those rooms live on the sister sites: see Columbus Kitchen Cost for kitchen remodel pricing and Columbus Bath Cost for bathroom pricing. Use those figures as the kitchen/bath line inside your whole-home budget.

Finally, carry a contingency. On older Columbus homes, 10–15% is a floor, not a ceiling — and on vacant or distressed properties it should be higher still (see the zombie property guide).