What each job was filed at
"Usual" is the middle permit: half were filed for less, half for more. "Middle half of firms" takes every firm with three or more permits in the trade, finds each firm's usual job, and shows the band the middle 50% of firms sit in; it is the number to hold a quote against. A dash (—) means we don't show that figure: in the firms column, fewer than eight firms had three or more permits, so there is no band; in the days column, too few permits of that type carry a final-inspection date to give a usual figure.
| Job | Usual filed value | Middle half of firms | Permits (share priced) | Usual days to final | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical work | $3,800 | $2,050–$8,000 | 3,820 (99.5%) | 104 | cost · compare firms |
| Roof replacement | $18,000 | $14,800–$24,129 | 766 (99.9%) | 17 | cost · compare firms |
| Demolition | $20,000 | — | 133 (95.5%) | 697 | cost · compare firms |
| Remodel, addition & alteration | $24,805 | $13,679–$109,800 | 3,512 (99.9%) | 304 | cost · compare firms |
| Solar panels | $30,074 | $21,738–$41,870 | 284 (100.0%) | 115 | cost · compare firms |
| Siding | $37,120 | — | 106 (100.0%) | — | cost · compare firms |
| New construction | $850,000 | — | 111 (100.0%) | 524 | cost · compare firms |
Plumbing, gas fitting, HVAC and fire-sprinkler permits have compare pages but no cost page: Cambridge records no job value on them (0.0% of 1,470 HVAC permits carry one). Permits here stay open a long time: the usual remodel took 304 days from issue to final and the usual demolition 697.
What moves the price in Cambridge
The home. Each cost page splits firms into thirds by the usual value of the homes they work on (City of Cambridge FY2026 assessed values). Cambridge's single-family value figure is $1,895,000.
| Job | Firms on the least expensive third | Firms on the most expensive third |
|---|---|---|
| Remodel, addition & alteration | $26,372 | $57,000 |
| Electrical work | $3,000 | $6,000 |
| Roof replacement | $11,968 | $18,100 |
| Solar panels | $20,989 | $31,528 |
| Siding | $36,235 | $45,000 |
| New construction | $700,000 | $600,000 |
Figures from each cost page, data of 16 October 2026. Remodels and electrical work double with home value, roofs and solar rise by half; new construction runs the other way.
The firm. In remodels the ten busiest firms usually file $7,000 a permit, while the 1,357 firms with fewer than ten permits usually file $38,800 (Cambridge remodel cost page). In roofing it is $15,250 for the ten busiest against $19,237 for 345 smaller firms (Cambridge roofing cost page). A busy firm's low usual figure means many small jobs, not a cheap rate.
The season. Roofing permits peak in April (index 127, where 100 is an average month) and are fewest in January (53). We have no prices by month.
What a Cambridge permit costs
From the Inspectional Services Department's building and electrical fee pages (read 23 October 2026):
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| New construction, repairs and alterations, three or fewer residential units | $15.00 per $1,000 (or fraction) of construction cost, $50 minimum |
| The same, all other buildings | $20.00 per $1,000 (or fraction), $50 minimum |
| Demolition | Same as above |
| Solar (photovoltaic) | $100 per array |
| Central air | $35 |
| Ductless A/C unit | $30 |
| New electrical service | $10 per 100 amps |
A remodel at the usual $24,805 pays $375 at the 1–3 unit rate. Where work starts before the permit is obtained, the fee is tripled.
Filed value is not the price
- The fee rides on it. Every $1,000 of construction cost adds $15 to a building permit, a small reason not to round up.
- One permit type covers small and large jobs. Remodels, additions and alterations share a permit type; the middle half of firms run from $13,679 to $109,800.
- Few firms in some rows. Siding, demolition and new construction have no firm band because fewer than eight firms had three or more permits; read those compare pages permit by permit.
Check a quote in five minutes
- Find your job in the table and open its cost page.
- Put your quote against the "middle half of firms" band. Inside it is normal here; above it, ask what the extra covers.
- Open compare firms, find the contractor, and read its usual filed value, permit count and finished share.
- Put "permit closed with a final inspection" in the contract; in Cambridge that step is the slow one.
Single-job guides: home remodel cost, roof replacement cost, electrical work cost. To check a Massachusetts license, see Cambridge contractor license lookup.
How we know this
Every row is a permit type with a cost page: the City of Cambridge issued at least 100 priced permits of it in the window 2023-10 to 2026-09, making up at least 80% of the type. Usual = median of the permits that carry a value; middle half of firms = 25th to 75th percentile of the usual value of firms with three or more permits in the trade (shown when at least eight firms qualify); days = median from permit issue to final inspection. Home-value thirds and busiest-firm figures are copied from each job's cost page and dated. Fees are quoted from the ISD fee pages linked under Sources.
Numbers come from City of Cambridge Inspectional Services permits (the city's per-type open-data permit files), data through October 16, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Compare every Cambridge remodeler by usual job and finished share →
Questions
- How much does electrical work cost in Cambridge?
The usual electrical permit in Cambridge was filed at $3,800, across 3,820 permits, and the middle half of 396 electrical firms usually file between $2,050 and $8,000. Firms on the most expensive third of homes usually file $6,000, twice the $3,000 on the least expensive third (Cambridge electrical cost page, data of 16 October 2026).
- How much does roof replacement cost in Cambridge?
Roofing permits were usually filed at $18,000 (766 permits), with the middle half of 44 roofers between $14,800 and $24,129. The usual roofing permit reached final in 17 days. At the City's 1–3 unit rate of $15 per $1,000, a roof at $18,000 pays a $270 building permit.
- How much does HVAC replacement cost in Cambridge?
The permit file can't say: 0.0% of Cambridge's 1,470 HVAC and sheet-metal permits carry a job value. The usual one stayed open 325 days. For filed HVAC prices in cities that record them, see our HVAC replacement cost guide.
- How much do plumbers charge in Cambridge?
Cambridge records no job value on its 2,906 plumbing permits (0.0% priced), so we can't give a usual price. The plumbing compare page lists 802 firms by permit count and finished share.
- How much is a building permit in Cambridge?
Cambridge charges $15.00 per $1,000 (or fraction) of construction cost for buildings with three or fewer residential units and $20.00 per $1,000 otherwise, with a $50 minimum; demolition is charged the same way. Work started before the permit pays triple. Electrical permits are per item, for example $100 per solar array and $35 for central air.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Busiest months for home projects, by city and trade (2026 data)
- How many contractors are licensed? License match rates by city and trade
- How concentrated is the contractor market? Top-5 share by city and trade
- How long building permits take in US cities (2026 data)
For one city
- City of Cambridge Inspectional Services Department, Building Fees (accessed 2026-10-23)
- City of Cambridge Inspectional Services Department, Electrical/Wiring Fees (accessed 2026-10-23)