Home Remodeling in Austin, TX
Remodeling for Austin houses, from 1920s bungalows in Hyde Park to newer homes on the clay soils of the east side.
Remodeling in Austin
Austin is where Martinez & Sons Remodeling has its address, on Airport Boulevard in the 78702 ZIP code on the east side. It is also the biggest and most varied place we quote. The 2020 census counted 961,855 people in Austin, and the housing runs from pre-war bungalows near the university to new construction on the edge of town. The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey one-year estimate puts the median value of an owner-occupied home in Austin at $571,000, a number most owners think about before they decide whether to remodel or to move.
The ground matters here more than people expect. Austin sits at the foot of the Balcones Escarpment and straddles the Balcones Fault. The eastern side is flat, with deep clay and loam soils, and some of those clays shrink and swell strongly with moisture. The western hills are limestone with thin topsoil. For a remodel, that means foundation movement, doors that go out of square and cracked tile are east side conversations, while drainage and rock are west side ones. Summer highs average 96.6 degrees in July and 97.8 in August at the city's Camp Mabry station, so windows, doors and flooring are chosen for heat as much as for looks.
Flash flooding is part of life too. The limestone hills shed rain quickly in thunderstorms, and in October 2018 Lake Travis reached 146 percent of its normal capacity, which led the Lower Colorado River Authority to open the Mansfield Dam floodgates. If your property is near a creek or in a mapped floodplain, tell us early. It affects permits, the flooring we recommend at ground level and the materials we use below the flood line.
Neighborhoods and landmarks in Austin
Hyde Park is a good picture of what Austin remodeling looks like. Monroe Shipe developed it in 1891 as the city's first suburb, the biggest building boom ran from 1924 to 1935, and bungalows are the most common house type, followed by Tudor Revival, with some Queen Anne houses from the late 1800s. The Hyde Park Historic District, about 138.5 acres, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. Houses like these have original windows, plaster walls and narrow trim, and the work is as much about keeping what is there as about replacing it.
Clarksville, Wheatville and Pleasant Hill are freedom communities that Black residents founded after the Civil War, and Clarksville is described as the oldest surviving freedom town west of the Mississippi River. Remodeling in those neighborhoods, and in any of Austin's historic districts, starts with a conversation about what the district allows. Our own address is in East Austin, 78702, where many of the city's older cottages and its newest infill sit side by side.
Permits in Austin: where to start
Austin's permit system runs through the AB+C Portal. A general contractor, including a homeowner acting as one, registers and receives a PIN. Small remodels can use a Residential Express permit, which the city says is issued in one business day for most projects, and exempt finish work needs no building permit at all.
City of Austin Development Services Department
311 for general help
Online: AB+C Portal; express permits are requested through an online form
- Residential Express permits cover qualifying kitchen and bathroom remodels where walls are not relocated or removed and plumbing fixtures are not relocated or added.
- Window replacement, size for size, and drywall repair over 128 square feet are also express-eligible.
- Most express permits are issued in one business day. Properties in a floodplain or a historic district can take longer.
- Finish work such as painting, tiling, carpeting, cabinets and countertops is exempt from a building permit, though it must still meet code.
- The city reviews residential plans against its Land Development Code, the 2024 International Residential Code and its local technical code amendments.
Verify before you hire anyone. Texas licenses electricians and HVAC contractors through TDLR and plumbers through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, and the city's own permit page sets the local rules.
Work we quote in Austin
Door Installation
Entry, patio and interior doors hung plumb, flashed and sealed.
Window Installation
Replacement and new windows with proper flashing and clear ratings.
Wood and Trim Remodeling
Trim, paneling, built-ins and stair parts cut to fit the room.
Interior Remodeling
Kitchens, bathrooms and whole interiors from a written scope.
Questions about remodeling in Austin
Do I need a permit for a kitchen or bathroom remodel in Austin?
Usually. Austin's Residential Express permit covers qualifying kitchen and bathroom remodels as long as walls are not relocated or removed and plumbing fixtures are not relocated or added. Past that, the project needs a full residential building permit. Painting, tile, carpet, cabinets and countertops are exempt finish work.
Can a homeowner act as the general contractor on an Austin permit?
The city's express permit page says the contractor on the permit must be registered and that the homeowner can serve in that role. The contractor receives a PIN and needs an AB+C Portal account to pay fees and schedule inspections. Being the contractor of record also means carrying the responsibility for the work.
How long does an Austin express permit take?
The city says most express permits are issued in one business day. Properties in a floodplain or a historic district may take longer. If the scope goes beyond the express limits, a new residential application is needed, and fees already paid for the express permit are not refunded.
Does the EPA lead rule apply to older Austin houses?
It applies to paid work that disturbs paint in homes built before 1978, which includes many houses in Hyde Park and the older east side. A firm doing that work has to be certified and follow lead-safe work practices. Ask for the certification before work starts.
Why do doors stick and tile crack in some east Austin houses?
The eastern side of Austin sits on deep clay and loam soils, and some of those clays shrink and swell strongly with moisture. Slabs and framing move with them. We check the floor, the door frames and the slab cracks at the quote and choose methods that tolerate movement.
Can you work on a house in a historic district?
Yes. The city notes that properties in a historic district can take longer to permit, and Hyde Park alone has a National Register district of about 138.5 acres. We ask about district rules at the start so materials and details are approved before they are ordered.
How do I check an electrician or plumber license in Texas?
Electricians and HVAC contractors are licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and plumbers by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. Both agencies publish license search tools on their sites, and you can use them for any trade contractor before work begins.
Also quoted nearby
The same work is quoted across four counties, and each town sets its own rules:
- Round Rock: A strict one-permit system and a flat remodel permit fee.
- Georgetown: A Victorian downtown, MGO Connect permits and soils that change at I-35.
- San Marcos: A river town with historic districts and a campus-heavy rental market.
- Kyle: Contractor registration, 2021 codes and fast-growing neighborhoods.
- Buda: A short list of permit triggers and a single online portal.
- Bastrop: Historic district approvals, Monday permit intake and the Lost Pines.
Sources: [1] en.wikipedia.org [2] en.wikipedia.org [3] censusreporter.org [4] austintexas.gov [5] austintexas.gov [6] austintexas.gov [7] tdlr.texas.gov [8] tsbpe.texas.gov [9] epa.gov
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Tell us the work and the address in Austin. We follow up using the phone number you provide.
Martinez & Sons Remodeling1190 Airport Blvd #214
Austin, TX 78702