The short answer
A standard renovation of a 1,500-square-foot house in Philadelphia runs about $69,000 to $172,500, and a gut remodel $103,500 to $258,750. A cosmetic update runs $25,850 to $69,000. The metro crosses three states, so the contractor registration and permit rules that apply depend on your address.
What a remodel costs in Philadelphia
The ranges below apply the metro's construction cost factor of 1.15 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to national remodeling data. They cover labor, materials and the general contractor's markup for a typical single-family home.
| Job | Philadelphia (typical range) | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic update, 1,500 sq ft home | $25,850–$69,000 | $22,500–$60,000 |
| Standard renovation, 1,500 sq ft home | $69,000–$172,500 | $60,000–$150,000 |
| Gut renovation, 1,500 sq ft home | $103,500–$258,750 | $90,000–$225,000 |
| Kitchen remodel, mid-range, 150 sq ft | $25,850–$43,150 | $22,500–$37,500 |
| Full bathroom remodel, mid-range | $10,350–$32,200 | $9,000–$28,000 |
| Bedroom or living room refresh | $1,700–$11,500 | $1,500–$10,000 |
| Basement or attic finish | $23,000–$86,250 | $20,000–$75,000 |
| Exterior update | $6,900–$23,000 | $6,000–$20,000 |
| Roof replacement, 2,000 sq ft, asphalt | $8,050–$16,100 | $7,000–$14,000 |
Estimates for 2026, including labor and standard parts. Philadelphia prices use the metro's construction cost factor of 1.15 (US average = 1.00) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors. Your quote depends on access, materials and the condition of the home.
Use the cost estimator for a figure based on your ZIP code and scope. National averages by project type are in our home remodeling cost guide.
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Additions and whole-house work
The table covers room-by-room projects. A whole-house remodel or an addition is priced per square foot, and the price depends on how much of the existing structure survives. A cosmetic update keeps the layout and replaces finishes. A standard renovation opens walls, moves some plumbing and electrical, and updates kitchens and baths. A gut renovation takes the house back to the studs and rebuilds the systems.
| Project | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Cosmetic update | Paint, flooring, fixtures, light carpentry, no layout changes |
| Standard renovation | Kitchen and baths, some wall changes, new finishes, partial system updates |
| Gut renovation | New framing repairs, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, insulation, finishes |
| Basement or attic finish | Framing, insulation, drywall, flooring, egress and mechanical work |
| Addition | New foundation, framing, roof, windows, siding and mechanical tie-ins |
About 40% of the city's homes were built before 1940 and more than 80% before 1980, according to the Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey. In a rowhouse from that era, opening a wall often turns up knob-and-tube wiring, galvanized supply lines, cast-iron drains or a joist that was notched by a past owner. Budget a contingency for what the walls hide.
More than half of Philadelphia's homes, 54.2%, are attached single-family houses such as rowhouses and twins. Party walls limit how far you can move a staircase. Materials come in through a 32-inch front door and up narrow stairs. Shared or low-slope roofs make any roof work a coordination job with the neighbor.
What the general contractor's share pays for
A general contractor runs the schedule, hires and sequences the trades, buys materials, pulls permits, meets inspectors and carries insurance. On a large remodel that fee is built into the price you see. On a small job it may be billed hourly. The fee pays for a schedule where the electrician is not waiting on the framer and the tile setter is not working over an uninspected drain.
What a general contractor does, and when you need one
A general contractor manages a project that involves several trades. A kitchen and bath remodel in a Philadelphia rowhouse might need demolition, framing, plumbing, electrical, drywall, tile, cabinets and paint, and the GC hires and sequences those trades and holds the schedule together.
Hire the specialty trade directly for single-trade work: a plumber for a repipe, a roofer for a roof-only job, an electrician for a panel upgrade. Hire a remodeling contractor for a whole-house remodel, an addition, a finished basement or any job that touches more than one trade.
Pennsylvania: HICPA registration
Pennsylvania does not license general contractors. Anyone who owns or operates a home improvement business, or offers or performs home improvements in the state, must register with the Office of Attorney General under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA), unless they did less than $5,000 of home improvements in the previous year. Subcontractors and sole proprietors register too.
The registration costs $100 every two years, and the contractor's PA number must appear on all ads, contracts, estimates and proposals. Contractors must carry commercial general liability insurance of at least $50,000 for personal injury and $50,000 for property damage. You can check a registration at the HIC registration lookup or by calling the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection at 1-888-520-6680.
HICPA covers work on a private residence where the total price is more than $500: remodeling, demolition, renovation, roofing, siding, flooring, painting, doors, windows, waterproofing and more. New home construction is excluded.
Philadelphia's own contractor license
Inside the city, the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) issues a Contractor License for construction, demolition and repair work that does not need a specialized license. It requires $500,000 general liability coverage, $300,000 auto liability, workers' compensation, a supervisor with an OSHA 30 course completed within five years, and current city taxes. The fee is $126 and it renews every year.
Home improvement work on existing one- and two-family homes is exempt: a PA-registered home improvement contractor does not need the Philadelphia Contractor License for that work, excluding electrical, plumbing and fire suppression. The contractor still has to show its Attorney General registration and the same insurance minimums to get permits.
Philadelphia licenses electrical contractors and master plumbers separately, and those licenses are required for permit work.
New Jersey: HIC registration
In New Jersey, no one may sell or perform residential home improvements unless registered with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Registration is annual. The registration number must appear in ads, contracts and on commercial vehicles, and registered contractors must carry commercial general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence.
New Jersey home improvement work covers additions, kitchens, bathrooms, finished basements, basement waterproofing, roofing, siding, windows and doors. Unregistered contractors will not be issued municipal construction permits. Unregistered contractors face civil penalties of up to $10,000 for the first offense and up to $20,000 for each later offense. Out-of-state contractors doing residential work in New Jersey must register too.
New Jersey licenses electrical contractors and master plumbers at the state level. If an electrician or plumber does the work, the municipal permit must be signed and sealed by the licensed contractor.
Delaware: business license and state trades
In Wilmington and New Castle County, a contractor needs a Delaware business license from the Division of Revenue. Delaware licenses electricians through the Board of Electrical Examiners and master plumbers through the Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners. A Delaware contractor registry is published at contractorregistry.delaware.gov.
Do you need a permit?
For almost any real remodel, yes. Each state in this metro runs its own permit system, so the office you deal with depends on your address.
Philadelphia: L&I and eCLIPSE
Philadelphia's L&I reviews plans and issues permits under the building, zoning, plumbing and electrical codes, and inspects construction for code compliance. Applications are filed online in eCLIPSE or at the Permit and License Center at 1401 JFK Blvd., by appointment.
A building permit is required to build, enlarge, alter the interior or exterior, demolish, change occupancy or make major repairs beyond regular maintenance. The filing fee is $25 for one- and two-family homes, plus a $3 city surcharge and a $4.50 state surcharge per permit. Standard review takes 15 business days for one- and two-family alterations and additions. Accelerated review takes 5 business days for a $2,000 total fee. In most cases a zoning permit comes first.
Some work needs no building permit if the property is not on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places: painting and papering, floor coverings, cabinets and countertops, drywall over existing surfaces, replacing doors and windows in one- and two-family dwellings, pointing masonry, fences up to 6 feet, and residential sheds up to 200 square feet.
Plumbing and electrical permits are separate: a licensed master plumber must oversee plumbing work, and a licensed electrical contractor must do electrical work. Electrical inspections in Philadelphia are done by a licensed private inspection agency hired by the owner, not by L&I staff.
From July 1, 2026, all new permit applications must comply with the updated codes. The city moved to the 2021 International Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code.
Historic properties in Philadelphia
If your house is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, the Historical Commission must approve changes that require a building permit and any work that alters the exterior. That includes additions, windows, doors, porches, steps, decks, roofing, masonry work and painting of surfaces other than wood and metal trim. Interior alterations need review only if the interior itself is designated.
There is no charge for a project review. Reviews can be done through eCLIPSE or in person by appointment. Commission staff approve over 90% of building permit applications without referral to the commission. You can check whether your property is designated by calling (215) 686-7660.
Suburban Pennsylvania: the UCC
In Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code applies, enforced by each township or borough or by a certified third-party agency the owner hires. Over 90% of Pennsylvania's municipalities enforce the code locally.
A permit is required before building, enlarging, altering, repairing or changing the occupancy of a home, or installing or replacing electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems. Ordinary repairs need no permit, but cutting a load-bearing wall, removing a structural beam, changing a required means of egress or adding piping or wiring does need one.
The state code exempts some work, such as aluminum or vinyl siding on an existing building, but townships can require permits anyway, so check with your local code office before work starts.
South Jersey: the construction official
New Jersey adopted a single mandatory construction code, the Uniform Construction Code, in 1977. Your municipal construction official enforces it. A construction permit is required for new construction and for structural, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work on existing buildings, and the local agency must act on a complete application within 20 business days.
Some work is ordinary maintenance and needs no permit: painting, wallpaper, window and door replacement in the same opening without framing changes, cabinets, any flooring material, roof covering replacement on detached one- and two-family homes, and siding on one- and two-family homes. Cutting load-bearing walls, structural beams, egress changes and work on water, sewer, gas or vent piping all need a permit.
In municipalities whose officials lack the right class of code enforcement license, the state Bureau of Construction Project Review reviews plans first. Its first review of a complete submittal takes up to 20 business days, and reviews of corrected plans take up to 7 business days.
Wilmington and New Castle County, Delaware
New Castle County's Department of Land Use handles permits for unincorporated county addresses through its eServices system, with plan review through ePlans. Building inspections are scheduled online. The office is at 87 Reads Way, New Castle, DE 19720, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Planning & Permits can be reached at 302-395-5400.
The City of Wilmington runs its own L&I department for city addresses, and the City of New Castle, an incorporated town inside the county, requires its own building permit application, with its Historic Area Commission reviewing work in the historic area.
Contracts and payments
Pennsylvania
A home improvement contract in Pennsylvania is valid and enforceable against the owner only if it is in writing, legible and signed by both sides. It must include the contractor's registration number, the date, the contractor's name, address and phone, approximate start and completion dates, a description of the work and materials that cannot change without a written change order signed by both parties, the total price, the down payment and any special-order materials listed separately, the names and addresses of known subcontractors, the contractor's liability insurance amounts, the Attorney General's toll-free number and a notice of the right to rescind.
On a contract over $5,000, a contractor may not receive a deposit of more than one-third of the contract price, or one-third plus the cost of special-order materials designated in the contract. A contractor may not demand or receive any payment before the contract is signed, and you have three business days to rescind without penalty.
Time-and-materials contracts need a written initial estimate, and the cost may not exceed it by more than 10% without a signed change order.
New Jersey
Contracts over $500, and all changes, must be in writing and include the contractor's legal name, address and registration number, the liability insurance certificate, a description of work and materials, the total price, start and completion dates, and the Division of Consumer Affairs number, 1-800-242-5846. You have three business days to cancel, and any money paid must be refunded within 30 days. Contractors may not demand final payment before the work is complete, and the Division warns homeowners to be wary of a contractor asking for more than one-third up front.
Delaware
Delaware's Home Improvement Services Regulation took effect November 1, 2023. The contract must be in writing with all material terms and the price filled in before you sign. It gives an approximate completion date unless it clearly says none is given, and the contractor must meet it except for delays beyond its control. Express warranties go in the contract, and any warranty disclaimer must be initialed. Cost-plus pricing must be disclosed with a good-faith estimate. The contractor may not ask you to sign a certificate of completion before the work is done. Complaints go to the Department of Justice Consumer Mediation Unit at (302) 577-8600.
Our guide to paying a contractor walks through milestone schedules and lien waivers.
Lead, asbestos and other triggers
Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint. Anyone paid to disturb painted surfaces in a pre-1978 home must be certified under the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule. Pennsylvania certifies lead abatement contractors and workers through the Department of Labor and Industry at 717-772-3396.
Philadelphia adds a rental rule: landlords of rental properties built before March 1978 must get a lead-safe or lead-free certificate to obtain or renew a rental license, whether or not children live there. A lead-safe certificate completed after February 1, 2020 is valid for four years. If you plan to rent out a unit after a remodel, budget for dust-wipe testing.
The metro sits in climate zone 4A, mixed-humid, so insulation, air sealing and ventilation matter in any renovation. About 77 nights a year drop below freezing at Philadelphia International Airport, which makes frozen pipes and ice dams real winter risks, and about 30 days a year reach 90°F or more.
How to check a remodeling contractor before you hire
- In Pennsylvania, look up the contractor's HIC registration at the Attorney General's lookup or call 1-888-520-6680. The PA number should match the one on the contract.
- In New Jersey, confirm the annual HIC registration with the Division of Consumer Affairs. The number must appear on the contract and on the company's vehicles.
- In Delaware, check the contractor registry and confirm the business license.
- In Philadelphia, check the contractor's L&I license status through the city's licensed contractor search.
- Confirm insurance: at least $50,000 personal injury and $50,000 property damage in Pennsylvania, $500,000 per occurrence in New Jersey, and the higher Philadelphia minimums for a city Contractor License.
- Ask for three local references from similar projects and call them.
- Check the licenses of the electrician and plumber separately. Pennsylvania has no statewide license for either trade; Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware all license them.
Every contractor in the GOLDGCP network passes our six-step vetting: state license verification, an insurance check, a background and business check, a portfolio review, client reference calls, and onboarding with a quality score.
Areas we cover
GOLDGCP matches homeowners with licensed remodeling contractors across the Philadelphia metro, including:
- Philadelphia
- The Main Line
- Bucks County
- Delaware County
- Cherry Hill
- South Jersey
- Wilmington
Enter your ZIP code to see local prices and contractors who serve your street.
How GOLDGCP works
- Describe your project online, by phone or on WhatsApp. You see prices for your ZIP code before anyone visits.
- We match you with up to 3 vetted, licensed pros. For projects that need drawings, our in-house architects can prepare the plans for your local permit office.
- You compare written bids and choose one.
- You pay in milestones, and you pay each one only after you approve that stage. You can follow the schedule, photos and payments in the client portal.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a general contractor charge in Philadelphia?
The general contractor's fee is built into the project price. A standard renovation of a 1,500-square-foot Philadelphia house runs about $69,000 to $172,500, and a gut remodel $103,500 to $258,750. A cosmetic update runs $25,850 to $69,000. Use the cost estimator for a figure based on your ZIP code.
Do I need a licensed contractor for a remodel in Philadelphia?
Pennsylvania does not license general contractors, but anyone doing more than $5,000 of home improvement work a year must register with the Attorney General under HICPA. Inside Philadelphia, a PA-registered contractor can do home improvement work on a one- or two-family home without the city Contractor License, but electrical and plumbing work needs Philadelphia-licensed trades.
What is the difference between HICPA and a Philadelphia contractor license?
HICPA is the state registration that covers home improvement work anywhere in Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Contractor License is a city license for construction, demolition and repair work that does not need a specialized license. Home improvement work on existing one- and two-family homes is exempt from the city license but still needs the state registration.
How much can a contractor ask for up front in Pennsylvania?
On a contract over $5,000, no more than one-third of the contract price, or one-third plus the cost of special-order materials designated in the contract. A contractor may not demand any payment before the contract is signed. You have three business days to rescind the contract without penalty.
Do I need a permit for a kitchen remodel in Philadelphia?
Yes, if the work goes beyond cabinets, countertops, paint and floor coverings. A building permit is required to alter the interior, and plumbing and electrical permits are separate. A licensed master plumber must oversee plumbing work, and a licensed electrical contractor must do electrical work. If the house is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, the Historical Commission must approve exterior changes.
How does permitting work in South Jersey?
Your municipal construction official enforces the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code. A construction permit is required for structural, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work, and the local agency must act on a complete application within 20 business days. Painting, cabinets, flooring and window or door replacement in the same opening are ordinary maintenance and need no permit.
Can I remodel a historic rowhouse in Philadelphia?
Yes, but the Philadelphia Historical Commission must approve changes that require a building permit and any work that alters the exterior, including additions, windows, doors, porches, roofing and masonry. There is no charge for a project review, and staff approve over 90% of building permit applications without referral to the commission.
How we calculate these prices
GOLDGCP starts from national price ranges for each job, taken from published 2026 cost guides and checked against local price guides where they exist. To get a local price, we multiply the national range by the construction cost factor for the metro from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors (US average = 1.00). Where that table has no entry for a metro, we use the nearest listed location or the state value. For ZIP codes outside the 50 largest metros, the cost estimator uses the state's price level from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities. Ranges include labor and standard materials but not unusual site conditions, so a written quote after an inspection is always the final price.
Sources
About this guide
Written by the GOLDGCP editorial team. Prices come from national cost guides adjusted with official construction cost factors for Philadelphia; rules and statistics come from the agencies and reports linked in the text. We update this page when prices or codes change.