These are City of St. Louis permits only; St. Louis County and its municipalities issue their own.
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.
| Job | Usual filed value | Middle half of firms | Permits (share priced) | Usual days to final | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fence | $5,693 | $4,580–$7,000 | 866 (98.8%) | 213 | cost · compare firms |
| Windows & doors | $9,944 | $6,012–$16,449 | 330 (93.6%) | 382 | cost · compare firms |
| Foundation & waterproofing | $11,279 | $10,125–$16,200 | 304 (99.0%) | 296 | cost · compare firms |
| Deck & porch | $11,850 | $7,000–$20,000 | 703 (95.0%) | 234 | cost · compare firms |
| Garage & carport | $13,000 | $12,900–$35,000 | 355 (95.8%) | 335 | cost · compare firms |
| Solar panels | $20,000 | $14,675–$28,612 | 148 (100.0%) | 154 | cost · compare firms |
| Remodel & alteration | $30,000 | $14,425–$76,000 | 1,904 (83.2%) | 361 | cost · compare firms |
Roofing, masonry and demolition have compare pages but no cost page: too few of their permits carry a value (71.9% of 491 roofing permits, 0.0% of demolition). Permits here stay open a long time: the usual remodel took 361 days from issue to final and the usual window job 382. Those days run to the final inspection, not to the end of the work.
What moves the price in St. Louis
The home. Each cost page splits firms into thirds by the usual value of the homes they work on (City of St. Louis assessor values). St. Louis's single-family value figure is $200,000.
| Job | Firms on the least expensive third | Firms on the most expensive third |
|---|---|---|
| Deck & porch | $6,000 | $20,000 |
| Garage & carport | $13,538 | $36,000 |
| Remodel & alteration | $40,000 | $49,000 |
| Windows & doors | $7,190 | $7,921 |
| Fence | $5,140 | $5,000 |
| Solar panels | $22,000 | $18,228 |
Figures from each cost page, data of 14 October 2026. Decks and garages more than double with home value; windows and fences don't move, and solar runs the other way.
The firm. In windows the ten busiest firms usually file $18,771 a permit, while the 113 firms with fewer than ten permits usually file $7,921 (St. Louis windows cost page), more than twice as much. Decks go the same way, $20,000 for the ten busiest against $11,800 for 416 smaller builders (St. Louis deck cost page).
The season. Deck and porch permits peak in October (index 179, where 100 is an average month) and are fewest in January (61). We have no prices by month.
What a St. Louis permit costs
From the Building Division's building permit page (read 23 October 2026). Fees are based on total estimated project cost:
| Estimated construction cost | Application fee | Permit fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to $1,000 | $25 | $19 | $44 |
| $1,001 – $2,000 | $25 | $23 | $48 |
| $2,001 – $3,000 | $25 | $30 | $55 |
| Over $3,000 | $25 | $10.00 per $1,000 (or fraction) | — |
The application fee is paid at filing and the permit fee when the permit is ready to issue; all of it is non-refundable. A $30,000 remodel pays $325 in all.
Filed value is not the price
- The fee rides on it. Every $1,000 of estimated cost adds $10, a small reason not to round up.
- One permit type covers small and large jobs. Remodels span $14,425 to $76,000 across the middle half of firms; get a scope sheet before comparing.
- Some trades are mostly unpriced. Roofing and demolition values are too patchy for a cost page.
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 St. Louis that step is the slow one.
Single-job guides: home remodel cost, window replacement cost, detached garage cost. To check a Missouri license, see how to check a contractor's license in Missouri.
How we know this
Every row is a permit type with a cost page: the City of St. Louis 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 Building Division page linked under Sources.
Numbers come from City of St. Louis building permits, data through October 14, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Compare every St. Louis remodeler by usual job and finished share →
Questions
- What is the cost of a home renovation in St. Louis?
Remodel and alteration permits in the City of St. Louis were usually filed at $30,000, across 1,904 permits, and the middle half of 111 remodelers usually file between $14,425 and $76,000. Remodelers on the most expensive third of homes usually file $49,000, against $40,000 on the least expensive third (St. Louis remodel cost page, data of 14 October 2026).
- How much does roof replacement cost in St. Louis?
Roofing has no cost page here because only 71.9% of its 491 permits carry a value; among those, the usual figure is $20,000. The roofing compare page lists every roofer by permits and finished share, and our roof replacement cost guide compares other cities.
- How much does a deck cost in St. Louis?
Deck and porch permits were usually filed at $11,850 (703 permits), with the middle half of 30 builders between $7,000 and $20,000. Builders on the most expensive third of homes usually file $20,000, more than three times the $6,000 on the least expensive third.
- How much does house demolition cost in St. Louis?
The permit file can't say: 0.0% of the City's 744 demolition permits carry a job value. The usual one stayed open 164 days. The demolition compare page lists every demolition firm by permits and finished share.
- How much is a building permit in St. Louis?
The City's Building Division charges a $25 application fee plus a permit fee of $10.00 per $1,000 (or fraction) of estimated construction cost above $3,000; jobs up to $3,000 pay $19 to $30. A $30,000 remodel comes to $325 in all, and the fees are non-refundable.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- St. Louis building permit search: past permits by address and the open permit file
- St. Louis contractor license lookup: the City business license, trade boards and the permits
- Home improvement costs in Minneapolis, MN (2026): what 11 kinds of jobs were filed at
- Home improvement costs in San Francisco, CA (2026): what 10 kinds of jobs were filed at
For one city
- Replacing windows in a St. Louis historic district: the approved window list, wood vs. aluminum vs. composite, and the permit
- Do I need a remodel permit in St. Louis? The City's list, the $10-per-$1,000 fee and the historic district catch
- Solar panels in a St. Louis historic district: which districts allow visible panels, what to submit, and hiring the installer
- City of St. Louis Building Division, Apply for a Building Permit (fees section) (accessed 2026-10-23)