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 (—) in the days column means 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basement waterproofing | $5,967 | $7,270–$10,780 | 1,074 (99.3%) | 26 | cost · compare firms |
| Roofing, siding & windows | $11,726 | $9,000–$15,425 | 19,187 (99.2%) | — | cost · compare firms |
| Demolition | $11,854 | $6,300–$17,500 | 283 (99.6%) | 104 | cost · compare firms |
| Deck & patio | $15,000 | $12,000–$21,028 | 624 (99.8%) | 51 | cost · compare firms |
| Remodel & alteration | $22,000 | $17,000–$65,000 | 2,621 (99.3%) | 155 | cost · compare firms |
| Damage repair | $40,994 | $28,244–$60,000 | 399 (99.2%) | 173 | cost · compare firms |
| Home addition | $113,269 | $75,154–$209,926 | 329 (99.1%) | 258 | cost · compare firms |
| New home | $350,000 | $210,000–$365,317 | 2,607 (99.8%) | 252 | cost · compare firms |
Electrical, HVAC and plumbing have compare pages but no cost page: Columbus records no job value on them (0.0% of 21,342 HVAC permits carry one). Basement waterproofing's usual permit sits below its firm band because the eight busiest firms, which file most of the permits, usually file $5,792 (Columbus waterproofing cost page).
What moves the price in Columbus
The home. Each cost page splits firms into thirds by the usual value of the homes they work on (Franklin County Auditor base total values). Columbus's single-family value figure is $238,000.
| Job | Firms on the least expensive third | Firms on the most expensive third |
|---|---|---|
| Deck & patio | $5,500 | $21,642 |
| Home addition | $65,018 | $200,000 |
| Remodel & alteration | $30,000 | $70,000 |
| Demolition | $7,500 | $15,500 |
| Roofing, siding & windows | $10,000 | $14,300 |
| Basement waterproofing | $22,300 | $5,792 |
Figures from each cost page, data of 18 October 2026. Decks quadruple and additions triple with home value; roofs rise by about 40%. Waterproofing runs the other way.
The firm. In remodels the ten busiest firms usually file $13,011 a permit, while the 592 firms with fewer than ten permits usually file $34,750; in additions it is $56,600 against $120,000 for 174 smaller firms (Columbus remodel and addition cost pages). The busiest names are filing the smaller jobs.
The season. Roof, siding and window permits peak in April (index 133, where 100 is an average month) and are fewest in January (42). We have no prices by month, so this is about crews' calendars, not discounts.
What a Columbus permit costs
From Building and Zoning Services' 2026 Combined Development Related Fee Schedule, one-, two- and three-family dwellings (read 23 October 2026; the schedule gives no separate effective date):
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| New construction or addition (6 inspections) | $1,100 |
| Alteration or accessory structure (2 inspections) | $385 |
| Deck (3 inspections) | $350 |
| In-ground pool (2 inspections) | $300 |
| Fence (2 inspections) | $300 |
| Mechanical, electrical and plumbing (2 inspections) | $275 |
| Demolition (1 inspection) | $275 |
| Roof, siding, windows and doors (1 inspection) | $140 |
Base fees are per structure and due at submission. Working without a permit is charged separately, at $200 to $4,000 depending on level.
Filed value is not the price
- The fee doesn't ride on it. Columbus's home permit fees are flat, so an applicant has no fee reason to write a low value; the figure is still what the applicant wrote, not an audited cost.
- One permit type covers three jobs. Roofs, siding and windows share a permit type; ask the contractor which of the three a comparison is about.
- The lot. New-home values are construction only.
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.
- Ask whether the price includes the permit and the final inspection; the usual remodel permit here took 155 days to reach final.
Single-job guides: roof replacement cost, home remodel cost, home addition cost. To check an Ohio license, see Columbus contractor license lookup.
How we know this
Every row is a permit type with a cost page: the City of Columbus 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 City's 2026 fee schedule linked under Sources.
Numbers come from City of Columbus Building & Zoning Services permits on 1-, 2- and 3-family homes (the city's Accela permit layer), data through October 18, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Compare every Columbus roofing, siding and window firm by usual job and finished share →
Questions
- How much does roof replacement cost in Columbus?
Columbus files roofs, siding and windows under one permit type, usually filed at $11,726 across 19,187 permits; the middle half of 398 firms usually file between $9,000 and $15,425. Firms on the most expensive third of homes usually file $14,300, against $10,000 on the least expensive third (Columbus roofing, siding & windows cost page, data of 18 October 2026).
- What is the cost to build a house in Columbus?
New-home permits were usually filed at $350,000 across 2,607 permits, with the middle half of 50 builders between $210,000 and $365,317. That is construction only; the lot is not in it. The usual new-home permit took 252 days from issue to final.
- How much does HVAC replacement cost in Columbus?
The permit file can't say: 0.0% of the City's 21,342 HVAC permits carry a job value. The usual one reached final in 115 days. For filed HVAC prices in cities that record them, see our HVAC replacement cost guide; the City's permit itself is a flat $275 for mechanical, electrical or plumbing work.
- How much do plumbers charge in Columbus?
Columbus records no job value on its 13,097 plumbing permits (0.0% priced), so we can't give a usual price. The plumbing compare page lists 357 firms by permit count and finished share.
- How much is a building permit in Columbus?
Columbus charges flat fees for one- to three-family homes in its 2026 schedule: $1,100 for new construction or an addition, $385 for an alteration or accessory structure, $350 for a deck, $300 for an in-ground pool or fence, $275 for demolition and $140 for a roof, siding, windows or doors.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
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