Berkley, Iowa
Construction & Remodeling
Your One Call Solution for Home Building and Remodeling in Berkley, Iowa.
Berkley, Iowa General Contractor
About Us
Established in 2020, Busy Builders was founded to bring integrity and honesty back to remodeling and homebuilding. We serve Berkley and all of Boone 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. Berkley 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 Boone County and beyond.
Full-Service Construction And Remodeling in Berkley
New home construction in Berkley is a rare event. The 2020 Census counted 11 housing units in the entire city. A single new house changes the town. Berkley publishes no code edition or permit process online. We start with the city clerk at 515-726-0733, who confirms the permit path and any county or contracted review. Iowa’s energy code, plumbing code and electrical rules apply in every town. We write the confirmed standard into the contract. Building starts around $150 per square foot, and rural utility distances move it.
Home remodeling in Berkley means working on a handful of houses in a city of 23 people. We start with the city clerk at 515-726-0733, who confirms the permit path. Boone County handles rural parcels outside town. Small town, small crew, clear paperwork. You should not get a worse process for living somewhere small. We treat a remodel out here with the same written scope and schedule we would use in West Des Moines.
Kitchen remodeling in Berkley calls for planning ahead. You are about 40 miles from Des Moines, on the southwest edge of Boone County. Nobody is running back for a missing part. We measure, order and stage the full kitchen before demolition. We confirm the delivery dates before we pull a single cabinet. That keeps a small household from living around an unfinished kitchen for weeks. Kitchen work starts around $250 per square foot.
Basement remodeling in Berkley starts with the creek. Beaver Creek runs near the original townsite. On rural ground the way surface water moves matters more than anything happening indoors. We look at grading, gutters and drainage before we talk about finishes. Sometimes a basement should not be finished until the outside is fixed. We tell you that and give you the order of operations. Doing it in that order costs less than doing it twice.
Bathroom remodeling in Berkley often means planning for later. The median age in the 2020 count was 52.5. Aging-in-place work is a real part of what people ask us for out here. Curbless showers, blocking behind the walls for future grab bars and better lighting all cost less now. A rebuild later costs far more. We ask about the next twenty years, not just the next two. In pre-1978 homes we follow lead-safe renovation practice.
Home additions in Berkley start with the city clerk at 515-726-0733. The clerk confirms setbacks, the permit path and any county or contracted review. Boone County Planning and Development zones only land outside city limits. On a townsite laid out in 1883, lot lines are not always where people assume. We confirm them before design, and we say that on every rural addition. A survey is cheap next to moving a finished wall.
Basement finishing in Berkley comes down to what we hold ourselves to. Radon comes first. Iowa’s average is 8.5 picocuries per liter, against 1.3 nationally. A basement bedroom needs 5.7 square feet of egress opening and a seven foot ceiling. Those numbers do not change because a town is small. The city clerk is the place to ask about anything else. We would rather over-document a job than assume nobody is looking.
Deck building in Berkley suits a place this quiet. The city sits near the Dallas County line with Beaver Creek close by. Posts go 42 inches down to clear the Iowa frost line. Berkley publishes no depth of its own, so that is our standard. On open rural sites we also talk through wind exposure and afternoon sun. There is little around you to block either one. Railing and shade choices matter more here than in a subdivision.
Building in Berkley and Boone County
Berkley is one of the smallest incorporated cities in Iowa. The 2020 Census recorded 23 residents and 11 housing units. We are not going to dress that up.It sits in southwest Boone County near the Dallas County line, about 40 miles from Des Moines. The town was laid out in 1883, Beaver Creek runs near the townsite, and the median age in the 2020 count was 52.5.Berkley publishes no permit process, fee schedule or code edition online. That does not mean no rules apply. Start with City Clerk Richard Bryant at 515-726-0733, who confirms the permit path and any county or contracted review. City Hall is listed at 266 284th St. Boone County Planning and Development zones only land outside city limits. We also could not verify which school district serves Berkley, so we will not name one here.We serve Berkley the same way we serve any Boone County address, and we will drive out for it.Call Busy Builders at 844-435-9800. Permit rules and fees change, so confirm current requirements with the city clerk before you commit to a budget.
Our Building Partners.
- Achievement
Your Project, Our Passion.
Since 2020, Busy Builders has completed more than 1,285 projects across Central Iowa.
Quality Construction at the Right Price.
Additions
Busy Builders starting rate. Your written estimate sets the final price.
- Additional Story
- Tornado Shelter
- Living Room
- Bedroom
- Sunroom
- Bathroom
- Garage
- ADU
Kitchen Remodeling
Busy Builders starting rate. Your written estimate sets the final price.
- Countertops
- Appliances
- Cabinetry
- Backsplash
- Islands
- Lights
Home Building
Busy Builders starting rate. Your written estimate sets the final price.
- Custom Build
- Multi-Family
- Tiny Home
- Spec Build
- Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs About Home Construction & Remodeling in Berkley, IA
How small is Berkley really?
Small. The 2020 Census recorded 23 residents and 11 housing units. That makes Berkley one of the smallest incorporated cities in Iowa. The town was laid out in 1883 and sits in southwest Boone County near the Dallas County line. We would rather tell you that plainly than pad out a page.
Who issues building permits in Berkley?
Start with City Clerk Richard Bryant at 515-726-0733. City Hall is listed at 266 284th St. Berkley publishes no permit process online, so the clerk confirms the permit path, the fee and any county or contracted review. Boone County Planning and Development handles zoning only outside city limits. We make those calls with clients.
Which school district serves Berkley?
We could not verify it, so we will not name one. Guessing a district on a page like this is the kind of small error that costs a family real time. Contact Boone County or the nearest district office to confirm the boundaries for your address before you build or add bedrooms.
Do you take jobs in a town this size?
Yes. Berkley is about 40 miles from Des Moines. We serve Boone County addresses the same as metro ones. The honest trade-off is scheduling. Small rural jobs get grouped with other work in the area when we can. Timing may be less flexible than on an Ankeny or Waukee project.
How deep do footings go in Berkley?
Forty-two inches, which is the Iowa frost line. Berkley publishes no local requirement, so that is the standard we build to for house footings, additions and deck posts alike. We write the depth into the contract, so there is no argument later about what you actually paid for.
Do I need a registered contractor in Berkley?
Iowa registers general contractors rather than licensing them. We hold Iowa contractor registration through the Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing. Anyone earning $2,000 or more a year from construction must have it. Electricians, plumbers and HVAC technicians do hold state licenses. The ones on our jobs carry theirs.
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