Knoxville, Iowa
Construction & Remodeling
Your One Call Solution for Home Building and Remodeling in Knoxville, Iowa.
Knoxville, Iowa General Contractor
About Us
Established in 2020, Busy Builders was founded to bring integrity and honesty back to remodeling and homebuilding. We serve Knoxville and all of Marion 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. Knoxville 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 Marion County and beyond.
Building in Knoxville and Marion County
Two Knoxville rules change how you budget and how you schedule. Plan review runs 50 percent of the building permit fee on new residential work, so review adds half again on top of the permit. And a Knoxville permit expires if work has not begun within 90 days. Pull it too early and you pay for it twice. The submittal list is specific too. Knoxville wants a site plan showing setbacks and easements, an erosion and sediment control acknowledgment, and a Residential Energy Code Worksheet. Separate electrical and plumbing permits are required for each address. Starting work without a permit carries a $100 non-issuance fee. Sewer taps run $225 per connection with a $100 inspection, and a sidewalk or driveway permit is $30. Permits go through the City of Knoxville at 305 S Third Street, 641-828-0550. Planning and Zoning Administrator Nathan Parch handles them, and processing takes three to five business days or longer. Veenstra & Kimm serves as the third party Building Official under a 2024 services agreement, at 515-850-2980. Inspections need 24 hours notice. City code adopts the 2018 International Residential Code, and the permit packet names the 2012 IECC as the energy code. Confirm current editions with the city before you draw. Call us at 844-435-9800. Permit rules and fees change, so confirm them with the city before you commit to a budget.
What each project costs and requires in Knoxville
Knoxville adopted the 2018 International Residential Code in 2020 and changed a few parts a homeowner will notice. Stair risers, basement window landings and the home sprinkler rule all carry local amendments. Each card below shows what Knoxville requires for one type of project, along with the city facts that shape it.
Home Building in Knoxville
A new home with Busy Builders starts from about $150 per square foot. Final costs vary by scope, materials, complexity and location within our service area. Knoxville’s permit packet asks for one set of plans, a site plan with setbacks and easements, and an erosion control form. It also requires a residential energy code worksheet. Knoxville amended the sprinkler rule so homes up to 8,000 square feet are exempt. That count includes every floor and basement, finished or not, but not an attached garage. Iowa’s HF 2297 adds a passive radon requirement for new homes once the State Building Code Commissioner adopts it.
Home Remodeling in Knoxville
Knoxville adopted the 2018 International Existing Building Code, the code written for changes to houses that already stand. It also amended stair rules: risers may be no taller than 7 3/4 inches. A handrail may break once on a straight stair if it ends into a wall and picks up again. Under the city’s submittal sheet, a permit expires if work has not begun within 90 days. Work must be substantially complete within two years. Repeat customers show up often in our reviews, including one household that hired us for a deck and later a basement remodel.
Kitchen Remodeling in Knoxville
Kitchen remodels start from about $250 per square foot. Final costs vary by scope, materials, complexity and location within our service area. Plan on about 6 to 12 weeks from approval through installation and the final punch list. Knoxville requires a plumbing permit before anyone alters a plumbing system. Electric and plumbing permits are separate for each address. The line items homeowners most often underestimate are tile, countertops, added outlets and moving plumbing. We call each of them out in the written estimate up front.
Bathroom Remodeling in Knoxville
Our bathroom quotes have run from about $3,000 to $5,000 for a hall bath facelift up to about $60,000 for a large primary suite. A three-quarter or full remodel that mostly keeps the layout often lands around $15,000 to $20,000. Final costs vary by scope, materials, complexity and location within our service area. In Knoxville, any change to a plumbing system needs a plumbing permit first, and wiring needs its own electric permit. Licensed subcontractors we coordinate do that work. Most bathroom budgets grow when wiring, plumbing or lighting gets added after the first estimate.
Basement Finishing in Knoxville
Knoxville amended the egress window rule in a way basement owners can use. The 44-inch maximum sill can be measured from a landing instead of the floor. That landing must be at least 36 inches wide, 12 inches deep from the wall and no more than 24 inches high. The opening itself still needs at least 5.7 square feet of clear space. About 5 in 7 Iowa homes test above the EPA radon action level of 4 pCi/L, so we plan testing into the finish. Size, bathrooms and egress work set the price, and we put it in a written estimate.
Basement Remodeling in Knoxville
Reworking a finished basement in Knoxville falls under the 2018 International Existing Building Code, which the city adopted for changes to existing homes. The job starts with what the old walls hide. In older Central Iowa basements our crew most often finds mold, missing moisture barriers, poor insulation and old or unsafe wiring. We have also fixed basements other contractors botched, including concrete poured into a sump pit.
Moving a drain or a vent needs a Knoxville plumbing permit, and new circuits need a separate electric permit. Adding a bedroom brings the egress rule. The window needs 5.7 square feet of clear opening and a sill no higher than 44 inches. Knoxville lets that sill height be measured from a landing up to 24 inches tall, 36 inches wide and 12 inches deep. A finished basement also counts toward the city’s 8,000-square-foot sprinkler threshold. We price the redo in writing once we see what is behind the drywall.
Deck Building in Knoxville
Knoxville’s zoning code gives decks their own entry. A front deck must stay at least 15 feet from the front lot line and can cover no more than 250 square feet. An uncovered back or side deck may sit 2 feet from the property line. Add a roof or walls, and the deck must meet the house’s own setbacks. The city’s submittal sheet lists frost depth at 42 inches. Size, height, material and railings drive deck pricing, so we quote in writing after measuring. Finished composite decks with black metal railings are among the projects in our photo files.
Home Additions in Knoxville
Home additions start from about $300 per square foot. Final costs vary by scope, materials, complexity and location within our service area. Knoxville asks for full plans with exterior elevations and wall sections, plus a site plan that shows setbacks and easements. An erosion and sediment control form and an energy code worksheet round out the packet.
Footings go below the city’s listed 42-inch frost depth, and roofs are designed for a 30-pound ground snow load. A detached garage or shed tied to the house by a breezeway, or set within 10 feet of it, must meet the house’s setbacks. Detached roofed structures together may cover no more than 10 percent of the lot. Iowa’s SF 592 allows accessory dwelling units up to 1,000 square feet or 50 percent of the house, whichever is larger. Cities may not require owner occupancy. Storm shelters, safe rooms and attached garages can be built as part of an addition on request. As the city’s packet requires, we call Iowa One Call before any digging.
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 Knoxville, IA
Why does a Knoxville permit cost more than the fee table shows?
Because plan review is billed on top of it. Knoxville charges plan review at 50 percent of the building permit fee for new residential, commercial and multifamily work. The building permit fee itself comes off a project valuation table. So a job with a $400 permit carries another $200 in review. Budget both numbers at the start rather than finding the second one late.
How long is a Knoxville building permit good for?
A Knoxville permit expires if work has not begun within 90 days. It is a short window. It catches homeowners who pull a permit while they are still lining up financing. We time the application to the start date instead of the drawing date. Call the city at 641-828-0550 if your schedule slips.
What does Knoxville want in a residential permit submittal?
Three documents beyond the application. A site plan showing setbacks and easements. An erosion and sediment control acknowledgment. And a Residential Energy Code Worksheet. Separate electrical and plumbing permits are required for each address, so those are additional filings. Getting all of it in at once is the difference between a three day turnaround and a much longer one.
Who inspects construction in Knoxville?
Veenstra & Kimm serves as the third party Building Official for Knoxville under a 2024 services agreement. You reach them at 515-850-2980, and inspections need 24 hours notice. Planning and Zoning Administrator Nathan Parch handles the permit side at 641-828-0550. Knowing which office answers which question saves days on a small job.
Which building code does Knoxville enforce?
Knoxville’s city code, section 8-3-1, adopts the 2018 International Building Code, the 2018 International Residential Code and the 2018 International Existing Building Code. The council passed that ordinance in August 2020. The permit packet names the 2012 IECC as the energy code, and the Residential Energy Code Worksheet ties back to it. Confirm the current editions with the city before design, and before anyone quotes your job.
What happens if I start work in Knoxville without a permit?
The city charges a $100 non-issuance fee for work done without a permit. That is on top of the permit fee and the plan review fee you still owe. The bigger cost is usually schedule. Work already covered up may have to be opened again for inspection. It is a cheap fine that buys an expensive delay.
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