Remodel permits by month, 20 cities
The index is permits filed in that month divided by the average month, times 100, over each city's window (three years in most). It measures how busy remodelers are at the permit counter, not prices or waiting lists. The full trade-by-trade table for 50 cities is in our busiest months study.
| City | Remodel permits | Busiest month (index) | Quietest month (index) | Usual days, issue to final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | 5,552 | October (119) | February (78) | 161 |
| San Francisco, CA | 5,126 | July (125) | November (81) | 180 |
| Orlando, FL | 4,716 | July (117) | September (87) | 59 |
| Miami, FL | 3,752 | July (125) | February (79) | 182 |
| Denver, CO | 3,530 | July (114) | December (86) | not recorded |
| Cambridge, MA | 3,512 | October (124) | September (79) | 304 |
| Sacramento County, CA | 2,933 | August (120) | November (71) | 85 |
| Saint Paul, MN | 2,797 | March (114) | August (79) | 364 |
| Columbus, OH | 2,621 | April (117) | January (83) | 155 |
| Cincinnati, OH | 2,075 | August (134) | December (79) | 340 |
| St. Louis, MO | 1,904 | October (132) | March (76) | 361 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,902 | June (127) | December (72) | 178 |
| Cary, NC | 1,857 | April (126) | December (61) | 84 |
| San Diego, CA | 1,681 | July (144) | December (59) | 162 |
| Greensboro, NC | 1,509 | May (135) | December (78) | 126 |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,443 | July (124) | January (60) | 391 |
| Boulder, CO | 1,178 | July (142) | February (78) | 141 |
| Honolulu, HI | 1,048 | August (190) | November (74) | 265 |
| Naperville, IL | 1,057 | May (118) | November (86) | 175 |
| Bellevue, WA | 675 | April (155) | January (71) | 216 |
What the table says
- The swing is modest for remodels. In Minneapolis, the busiest month is 119 and the quietest 78; in Orlando 117 and 87. Interior work goes on all year. Outdoor trades swing much harder: Minneapolis deck permits run from 161 in May to 20 in February.
- Some cities have one month that stands out. Honolulu's remodel filings hit 190 in August. A month that far above average is the one to avoid if you want a contractor's full attention.
- The calendar is not the same everywhere. Minneapolis peaks in October, Saint Paul in March, across the river. Use your own city's row, not a national rule.
Plan backwards from the quiet month
- Pick the start month: your city's quietest, from the table.
- Count back the design time and the permit review. For how long review takes, see how long building permits take by city.
- Get quotes in the busy season if you have to, but ask for a start date in the quiet one.
- Budget for the whole open period: the usual remodel permit stays open 85 days in Sacramento County and 180 in San Francisco. If you will stay in the house, read can you live in your home during a remodel.
For electrical, HVAC, solar and roofing months, see the best month for home projects.
Compare Minneapolis remodelers by permit record →
What this does not tell you
The index counts permits filed, not prices, waiting lists or when the work happened. A month's index can be pulled up by one large builder filing many permits at once. "Remodel" mixes kitchens, baths and whole-house alterations, and in some cities includes additions. Denver does not record a final date we can use.
How we know this
For each city we counted remodel and alteration permits filed in each calendar month over its window (three years ending September 2026; Honolulu July 2022 to June 2025), divided by the average month and scaled so that an average month is 100. Days are the median from issue to final inspection for permits that reached one. No third-party sources are used on this page.
Numbers come from City of Minneapolis construction permits (CCS); San Francisco DBI building permits on one- and two-family homes, with the contractor from the city's permit contacts file; City of Miami building permits (since 2014); City and County of Denver residential construction and demolition permits; City of Cleveland building permits; Town of Cary building permit applications (issued permits only); Sacramento County building permits on single-family, duplex and townhouse homes in the unincorporated county (the County's Accela permit layer); City of Orlando building permits for one- and two-family homes, data through October 19, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Compare San Francisco remodelers →
Questions
- What is the best time of year to remodel?
For booking a contractor, the quiet month in your city's permit file: that is when the fewest remodel permits are filed. In Minneapolis that is February (index 78, where 100 is an average month), in San Francisco November, in Miami February. Plan the design and permit before that month so work can start in it.
- When is the busiest time for remodeling?
Spring and summer in most of our cities. Remodel permits peak in July in San Francisco (125), July in Miami (125) and April in Cary, NC (126). Minneapolis is the exception, peaking in October.
- Is it cheaper to remodel in winter?
We cannot tell from permits. The index counts filings, not prices; we have no price data by month. Fewer filings means fewer jobs competing for the same crews, which is a reason to ask for a winter start date and compare quotes.
- How long does a remodel permit take from start to finish?
The usual remodel permit took 84 days from issue to final in Cary, 85 in Sacramento County, 161 in Minneapolis and 180 in San Francisco. Start counting back from when you want it finished.
- Can you remodel in winter in a cold city?
Interior work, yes, and the record shows it happens: Minneapolis remodel filings fall only to 78 in February, a smaller dip than decks (20 in February), which stop with the frost.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Do I need a permit to remodel a bathroom? The rule in 14 cities, and what is exempt
- Home remodel cost in 2026: what remodel permits were filed at in 18 cities
- How many contractor quotes should you get? Three, and how to tell if they're in range
- What should a contractor contract include? 12 clauses, what California and New York law require, and how to check them