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Kitchen and Bath Remodelers in Atlanta, GA

By Kitchen and Bath Renovators Editorial TeamUpdated October 19, 2026How we priced this

Kitchen and bath remodelers in Atlanta work on a housing stock with a median build year of 1989. the 2025 Cost vs. Value Report prices a midrange bathroom remodel here at $25,304 and a minor midrange kitchen remodel at $28,359. Work that moves plumbing or wiring needs a permit from the City of Atlanta Office of Buildings.

Local permit card

Permit office: City of Atlanta Office of Buildings (Department of City Planning)
Apply: Accela Citizen Access (ACA), titled "Atlanta Online Portal" on its home page
Usually needs a permit: New construction and alterations to existing homes that involve structural, plumbing, mechanical or electrical changes; Cabinet or countertop work that relocates electric outlets, appliances or plumbing fixtures; Repair work with a total valuation of $10,000 or more; Anything not on the city's exempt list, such as moving walls or adding new fixtures in new locations, should be treated as permitted work and confirmed with the Office of Buildings
Usually no permit: Repair work on a single-family, duplex, multifamily or non-residential structure with a total valuation under $10,000, if otherwise lawful; Repair or replacement of floor or wall coverings such as carpet, tile, hardwood, paneling and wallpaper; Interior or exterior painting; Repair or replacement of kitchen cabinets, bath cabinets or countertops that do not relocate electric outlets, appliances or plumbing fixtures; Repair or replacement of existing kitchen sinks and existing bathroom fixtures (sinks, lavatories, bathtubs, showers)
Contractor licensing in GA: Georgia requires a state license for residential contracting when the total value of the work or the contractor's compensation, whichever is higher, exceeds $2,500. License lookup.

Last checked 2026-10-19. Rules change; confirm with the permit office before work starts.

Remodelers Serving Atlanta

We are checking licenses and insurance for the first Atlanta remodelers before any listing goes live. We do not list a company we have not checked.

Remodeler in Atlanta? List your business for free.

What Remodels Cost in Atlanta

The 2025 Cost vs. Value Report prices each project from a fixed specification, so the local and national figures compare like for like. In Atlanta it puts a midrange bathroom remodel at $25,304 (national: $26,138), a minor midrange kitchen remodel at $28,359 (national: $28,458) and a major midrange kitchen remodel at $79,591 (national: $82,793). At resale, the report estimates those projects recoup 77.4%, 111.8% and 52.5% of their cost in Atlanta.

Use these as a reference point, then use the calculator for national ranges by size and finish level.

Local Factors

Half the homes in Atlanta were built before 1989, and 42.7% were built before 1980 (ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25035 and B25034)). Older homes are more likely to hide outdated wiring, galvanized pipe and subfloor damage, so plan a larger contingency.

Atlanta's average relative humidity is 68% over a day, about 82% in the morning and 52% in the afternoon (1961 to 1990 averages). NOAA engineering weather data for Atlanta's airport counts an average of 2,565 hours a year with wet-bulb temperature above 67 F, a common humid-climate threshold (1973 to 1996 record).

Humid mornings and long muggy summers mean a bathroom needs a properly sized exhaust fan ducted to the outside, plus moisture-resistant backer board and mold-resistant finishes. Because city water is soft, scale buildup on fixtures and glass is less of a worry than in hard-water cities, so a whole-house softener is usually not the first spend.

How to Check a Contractor in GA

Georgia requires a state license for residential contracting when the total value of the work or the contractor's compensation, whichever is higher, exceeds $2,500. License classes are Residential Basic (detached one- and two-family homes and townhouses up to three stories), Residential Light Commercial (adds multifamily and multiuse light commercial buildings), General Contractor (unlimited) and General Contractor Limited Tier. Plumbers and electricians are licensed separately by divisions of the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board.

Atlanta does not run a separate city contractor license for remodelers in what we verified, but the Office of Buildings will not issue a building permit until the applicant submits a signed and notarized Contractor License Affidavit (showing the state residential or general contractor license number, or the qualifying agent) or an Affidavit Concerning Exception to Contractor Licensing Requirements. Homeowners who live in the house can use the exception affidavit to pull their own permit.

Before you sign, also ask for:

A certificate of general liability insurance sent to you by the insurer, not a photocopy.
A written contract with scope, materials, payment schedule and who pulls the permit.
At least three written quotes for the same scope, so the numbers compare.
Proof that licensed trades do any plumbing and electrical work.

Atlanta Remodeling Questions

How much does a bathroom remodel cost in Atlanta?

The 2025 Cost vs. Value Report prices a midrange bathroom remodel in Atlanta at $25,304, against $26,138 nationally. Your scope and finishes move it most.

How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Atlanta?

The same report prices a minor midrange kitchen remodel at $28,359 and a major midrange kitchen remodel at $79,591 in Atlanta.

Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen or bathroom in Atlanta?

Usually yes when plumbing, electrical or structural work is involved; cosmetic work such as repair work on a single-family, duplex, multifamily or non-residential structure with a total valuation under $10,000, if otherwise lawful, repair or replacement of floor or wall coverings such as carpet, tile, hardwood, paneling and wallpaper, interior or exterior painting usually does not. These exemptions come from Atlanta Ordinance 17-0-1307 (adopted 2017) and apply to existing single-family, two-family and duplex homes. Exempt work must still meet minimum code requirements. Properties in a historic or landmark district may still need Urban Design Commission review for exterior changes even when no building permit is needed.

Does GA license remodeling contractors?

Does a kitchen remodel pay back in Atlanta?

The 2025 Cost vs. Value Report estimates a minor midrange kitchen remodel in Atlanta recoups 111.8% of its cost at resale, and a major one 52.5%.

Do I need Urban Design Commission approval to remodel a kitchen or bath in Inman Park, Grant Park or another Atlanta historic district?

Interior changes are listed by city staff as not subject to Atlanta Urban Design Commission review, so a gut kitchen or bath usually needs only the normal building permit. Exterior work tied to the remodel, such as an addition, a bump-out or new or replaced windows and doors, needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Urban Design Commission before work starts.

Does Atlanta's tree ordinance affect a kitchen addition or bump-out?

Yes, if a tree has to come down or its roots will be disturbed. Atlanta's updated Tree Protection Ordinance, approved unanimously in June 2025 and in effect since January 1, 2026, requires arborist review and posted public notice for tree removals, and recompense is $140 per diameter inch.

Can I pull my own remodel permit in Atlanta as a homeowner?

Yes, if you live in the home where the work is being done. You file the city's Affidavit Concerning Exception to Contractor Licensing Requirements instead of a contractor license affidavit before the permit is issued.

Nearby Cities

We also cover Decatur, Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Marietta, Roswell as listings are added.

Get the Remodel Budget Planner

Sources

City of Atlanta, Office of Buildings (accessed 2026-10-19)
City of Atlanta, Department of City Planning, Atlanta Online Portal (accessed 2026-10-19)
City of Atlanta, Office of Buildings, Office of Buildings submittal instructions (PDF) (accessed 2026-10-19)
City of Atlanta, Office of Buildings, Work Exempt from a Permit (Ordinance 17-0-1307) (accessed 2026-10-19)
City of Atlanta, Office of Buildings, Work Exempt from a Permit (Ordinance 17-0-1307) (accessed 2026-10-19)
City of Atlanta, Office of Buildings, Office of Buildings permit guidance (PDF) (accessed 2026-10-19)
Atlanta Realtors Association, Atlanta Building Permit Change Approved (2017-07-07)
Greene County, Georgia, General Construction License Requirement (accessed 2026-10-19)
City of Atlanta, Office of Buildings, Contractor License Affidavit / Affidavit Concerning Exception to Contractor Licensing Requirements (accessed 2026-10-19)
City of Atlanta, Office of Buildings, Affidavit Concerning Exception to Contractor Licensing Requirements (accessed 2026-10-19)
Georgia Secretary of State, License Verification (accessed 2026-10-19)
Georgia Secretary of State, About the Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (accessed 2026-10-19)
Current Results, Annual Average Humidity in Georgia (accessed 2026-10-19)
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Engineering Weather Data: Atlanta Intl Arpt, GA (Period of Record = 1973 to 1996)
WSB-TV, Cardi B believes there's something wrong with Atlanta's water. The city disagrees (accessed 2026-10-19)
City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, 2025 Water Quality Report (2025)
Wikipedia, List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state) (accessed 2026-10-19)
Wikipedia, Sandy Springs, Georgia (accessed 2026-10-19)
Wikipedia, Roswell, Georgia (accessed 2026-10-19)
City of Atlanta, Office of Design, Historic Preservation Studio, Urban Design Commission staff report (Certificate of Appropriateness) (accessed 2026-10-19)
Atlanta News First, Atlanta approves new tree protection ordinance (2025-06-16)
FOX 5 Atlanta, Atlanta could triple penalties for illegal tree removals in major ordinance overhaul (2025-06-11)
Housecall Pro, Georgia handyman license requirements (accessed 2026-10-19)
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (via Census Reporter API mirror), ACS 2024 5-year, B25035 Median Year Structure Built and B25034 Year Structure Built, 16000US1304000 (accessed 2026-10-19)
Journal of Light Construction (JLC) / Zonda, Cost vs. Value 2025: atlanta-ga (accessed 2026-10-19)