Roland, Iowa
Construction & Remodeling
Your One Call Solution for Home Building and Remodeling in Roland, Iowa.
Roland, Iowa General Contractor
About Us
Established in 2020, Busy Builders was founded to bring integrity and honesty back to remodeling and homebuilding. We serve Roland and all of Story County, from small bathroom updates to complete custom home builds. This small rural community deserves contractors who deliver quality work and honest service, even for projects in towns where some contractors won’t travel.
Our Mission
Provide the most transparent and honest experience possible for any construction project. Roland homeowners deserve contractors who show up when promised, communicate clearly, and deliver quality work at fair prices.
Our Vision
To serve all of Central Iowa with dedicated construction services, from West Des Moines through Story County and beyond.
Full-Service Construction And Remodeling in Roland
New home construction in Roland, IA. New builds are rare here. Only about 13 percent of Roland housing went up after 2000, and the Planning and Zoning Board sets zoning for new subdivisions. If you have a lot, the first step is a call to City Hall at 515-215-2861. The forms page returns a 404 and no fee schedule is posted. Home building starts around $150 per square foot, depending on scope and site.
Home remodeling in Roland, IA. About 38 percent of Roland homes predate 1960 and many predate 1940. Those houses were framed tall and narrow, altered by three or four owners, and they hide their history inside the walls. We budget for discovery instead of pretending it will not happen. Owner occupancy runs 88.2 percent here, so most of this work goes to people who plan to stay. We would rather over-survey a 1930s house than surprise you in week two.
Kitchen remodeling in Roland, IA. In a pre-1940 house the kitchen sits at the back, small, with a pantry, a back stair and plaster over wood lath. Everything about it says separate service room. Opening it to the dining room is the project, and that wall usually matters structurally. We beam it properly and match the trim profile the house already uses. Kitchen work starts around $250 per square foot.
Basement remodeling in Roland, IA. A pre-1940 Roland basement was built for storage and a furnace, not for living. Walls may be stone or rubble, and a finish someone added in the 1970s usually trapped moisture behind it. We take the space back to structure, deal with drainage, then decide what it can honestly become. We would rather call a basement a great workshop than sell you a family room that fights water.
Bathroom remodeling in Roland, IA. Homes built before 1940 did not ship with the bath you are standing in. Someone added it later, often over an unheated porch or a stair landing, and the floor structure under it tells that story. We check framing and subfloor before we set anything in place. In an old house that step is the difference between a ten year bathroom and a two year one.
Home additions in Roland, IA. The median Roland home is valued at $185,900, so a large addition can outrun the street quickly. We say that before you spend on drawings, not after. Often the better move is a smaller, well-placed addition. A proper entry, a main floor bath, or a bigger back room fixes the real problem. Additions typically start around $300 per square foot, on footings below the 42 inch frost line.
Basement finishing in Roland, IA. Here is the honest answer many pre-1940 basements need. Habitable space requires a 7 foot ceiling, and a bedroom requires an egress window with 5.7 square feet of net clear opening. Plenty of old Roland basements reach neither without excavation, and we say so early. Where the numbers do work, we test radon first, since Iowa averages 8.5 pCi/L against 1.3 nationally. That is a cheap test and an expensive thing to skip.
Deck building in Roland, IA. Older Roland houses often sit high off grade with a small back stoop. So a deck here is a real structural addition, not a platform. We check the band area of a pre-1940 house before we attach anything. When the old structure will not take a ledger, we free-stand the frame. Footings go 42 inches deep. Confirm the permit path with City Hall at 515-215-2861.
Building in Roland and Story County
Roland has the oldest housing stock of any Story County city we serve. Many homes predate 1940, about 38 percent predate 1960, and only about 13 percent went up after 2000. That single fact shapes every project here.Old houses reward a builder who opens them carefully. Framing, floors and foundations from that era vary house to house, so we survey before we quote.Permits come from the City of Roland at 120 N Main St, 515-215-2861. Be ready to call. The city forms page returns a 404, and we could not confirm a permit application or a fee schedule online. The adopted code edition is not published either.So we call City Hall and get the process and the fee in writing. We confirm the working standard with the building official before we draw plans. Roland also has a Planning and Zoning Board that sets zoning for new subdivisions, which adds time on a new lot.Owner occupancy runs 88.2 percent and the median home value is $185,900. People stay a long time here. We size a budget to the market and say so plainly, even when that is not what someone hoped to hear.Roland-Story Community School District serves the town. Roland sits about 45 road miles from Des Moines, so we schedule work in longer blocks.Call 844-435-9800. Permit rules and fees change, so confirm them with the city before you commit to a budget.
Our Building Partners.
- Achievement
Your Dream, Our Passion.
Since 2020, more than 1,285 Central Iowa homeowners have trusted us with their projects, and it shows.
Quality Construction at the Right Price.
Additions
Based on Average Pricing in Roland.
- Additional Story
- Tornado Shelter
- Living Room
- Bedroom
- Sunroom
- Bathroom
- Garage
- ADU
Kitchen Remodeling
Based on Average Pricing in Roland.
- Countertops
- Appliances
- Cabinetry
- Windows
- Islands
- Lights
Home Building
Based on Average Pricing in Roland.
- Dream Build
- Multi-Family
- Tiny Home
- Spec Build
- Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs About Home Construction & Remodeling in Roland, IA
Where do I get a permit application in Roland?
Call City Hall. The city forms page returns a 404, and we could not confirm a permit application or a fee schedule online. Roland City Hall sits at 120 N Main St and the number is 515-215-2861. We make that call as the first step on every Roland project, before anyone draws a plan or sets a budget.
Can a pre-1940 basement be finished?
Sometimes, and sometimes not. Habitable space needs a 7 foot ceiling, and a basement bedroom needs an egress window with 5.7 square feet of net clear opening. Plenty of old Roland basements miss one or both without excavation. We measure first and give you a straight answer, even when the answer is no.
How old is Roland's housing stock?
It is the oldest of any Story County city we serve. Many units predate 1940, about 38 percent predate 1960, and only about 13 percent were built after 2000. That means good bones and real surprises inside the walls. We survey before we quote, so the price reflects the actual house instead of a guess.
Does Roland review new subdivisions?
Yes. Roland has a Planning and Zoning Board that sets the zoning for new subdivisions. If your project creates new lots rather than building on an existing one, that board sits in the path and it adds time. Start with City Hall at 515-215-2861 to learn the current meeting schedule and submittal steps.
How much should we spend on a Roland home?
The median home value here is $185,900, so a very large project can outrun the street. We say that before you pay for drawings. Owner occupancy runs 88.2 percent, so most Roland owners build for their own use, not a quick sale. We size the work to both goals and never guarantee a return.
Which school district serves Roland?
Roland-Story Community School District serves the town, and the district was formed by a merger in 1969. It is one reason families stay put in a town of 1,362 people. Roland has a long habit of doing things its own way. In 2005 the town elected an 18 year old high school student as mayor.
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