---
title: "Home Remodeling In Clive, IA | Busy Builders"
description: "Home remodeling in Clive, IA by Busy Builders. Kitchen, bathroom, basement, and whole house remodels. Free estimate. Call 844-435-9800."
url: "https://busybuildersiowa.com/locations/home-remodeling-clive-ia/"
---

# Home Remodeling
 Clive, IA

Clive grew from 3,005 residents in 1970 to 12,855 in 2000, and its first building code took effect in 1972. A remodel here can open walls built on either side of that line. This page covers when Clive wants a permit, who checks structural and trade work, and how long a permit lasts.

2020

Serving Central Iowa Since​

[Get Your Free Estimate](https://busybuildersiowa.com/contact-us/)

1285+

Completed Projects​

- Clive at a glance

## Clive's growth by the decade

Clive’s population grew more than fourfold between 1970 and 2000, then reached 18,601 in 2020. The tiles pair that history with the permit rules that matter most when you remodel.

### 3,005

Clive residents in 1970

### 12,855

Clive residents in 2000

### 1972

Year Clive’s code began

### Ord. 1173

Code current, December 2025

### 90 days

To start before permit voids

### 60 days

Stopped work ends a permit

### 365 days

Longest a permit lasts

### 2 weeks

Extension request lead time

Sources: [State Data Center of Iowa](https://data.iowadatacenter.org/datatables/PlacesAll/plpoprankingalpha18502000.pdf) (1970, 2000); [U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/clivecityiowa/PST045225) (2020 Census); [Clive egress window handout](https://cms9files.revize.com/cliveia/Permits%20and%20Licenses/Egress%20Windows%20Information%20(Replacement).pdf) (1972 code); [Clive Code 10-1-8, permits](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/cliveia/latest/clive_ia/0-0-0-5438).

- Permits and rules

## What Clive asks before you remodel

Most remodels in Clive need a permit. The city says remodel projects require one, and its code covers repairs, alterations and any change to electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems. Here is how that plays out for structural work, trades, older homes and timing.

### Work that needs a permit

Clive’s code lists the triggers: repairing, adding to, altering, relocating or demolishing a building, or changing its use. Any install, conversion or replacement of an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system is on the list too. Private sidewalks and driveways are the only residential items the city adds to the exempt list.

### Walls that carry weight

Removing or moving a load-bearing wall is an alteration, so it needs a permit and construction drawings. Clive’s remodel packet is the permit application, a signed Builder’s Acknowledgement and one set of drawings. The city keeps those drawings in the file for your address, so they stay with the home’s record.

### Trade permits

Kitchens, bathrooms and layout changes usually touch wiring, plumbing or ductwork. Clive requires a permit before anyone alters those systems, and Iowa licenses the electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors who do it. When the trade work is complete, city code requires notice to the Construction Services Administrator.

### Older Clive homes

Clive’s first building code took effect January 1, 1972. Original work from before then may predate city code review, though later alterations may have permits on file. Check the city’s permit records for your address. The egress handout also sets different rules for homes permitted before that date. In older basements, our crew most often finds mold, missing moisture barriers, poor insulation and old wiring.

### How long a permit lasts

Clive gives a permit 90 days to get started, or it becomes void. Suspending work for 60 days ends it, and so can a stop of more than 10 days on an unsecured site. No permit runs past 365 days unless the city gets a written extension request two weeks ahead.

### Work done without a permit

Clive’s code says work finished without a permit must be certified as code compliant. That can mean special inspections, plus fees from the adopted schedule. If you are buying or remodeling a home with unpermitted work, plan for that step before new work starts.

Sources: [Clive residential construction and permits](https://www.cityofclive.com/services/community_development/construction_services_division/residential_construction_and_permits.php); [Clive Code 10-1-8, permits](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/cliveia/latest/clive_ia/0-0-0-5438); [Clive Code 10-1-13, exempt work](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/cliveia/latest/clive_ia/0-0-0-5490); [Clive Code 10-1-10, inspections](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/cliveia/latest/clive_ia/0-0-0-5454); [Clive egress window handout](https://cms9files.revize.com/cliveia/Permits%20and%20Licenses/Egress%20Windows%20Information%20(Replacement).pdf).

- Our process

## How Busy Builders builds your Clive home remodel

A Clive remodel starts with a walkthrough, a written estimate and a drawing of what changes. We file the remodel packet and start inside Clive’s 90-day window. Structural changes are framed to the drawings, and licensed electricians, plumbers and HVAC subcontractors handle the systems. We notify the city as each stage is ready for its inspector.

Busy Builders has completed more than 1,285 projects across Central Iowa since 2020, and full remodels are among the most common. Small jobs get fit into the schedule quickly, and one customer noted the crew cleaned up before leaving.

- Permit packet and drawings filed
- Licensed trades for every system
- Clive notified as each stage ends

[See Our Full Home Remodeling Process](https://busybuildersiowa.com/home-remodeling/)

Our remodel approach

### From walkthrough to final check

- Achievement

## Trusted Home Remodeling Contractors in
 Clive, Iowa

Since 2020, Busy Builders has completed 1,285+ projects across Central Iowa. We serve homeowners in Clive and throughout the Des Moines metro.

1285+

Completed Projects​

90+

Crew and Trade Partners​

2020

Serving Central Iowa Since​

- Frequently Asked Questions

## FAQs About Home Remodeling
in Clive, Iowa

How much does a home remodel cost in Clive?

It depends on the rooms. Kitchen remodels start from about $250 per square foot. Our bathroom quotes run from about $3,000 for a light refresh to about $60,000 for a large primary bath. Final costs vary by scope, materials, complexity and location within our service area. Other remodels get a written estimate after a walkthrough.

Which remodeling projects need a permit in Clive?

Nearly all of them. Clive’s code requires a permit to repair, add to, alter, relocate or demolish a building, and to change any trade system. The city’s residential page says remodel projects require a building permit. Private sidewalks and driveways are exempt, but approaches in the right of way are not.

Can I remove a load-bearing wall in my Clive home?

Yes, with a permit and construction drawings. Taking out a bearing wall is an alteration under Clive’s code, and the drawings go into the city’s file for your address. We frame the new beam and supports to those drawings, and Clive’s own inspectors check the work.

What if past owners remodeled without a permit?

Clive’s code says work completed without a permit must be certified as code compliant. That can mean special inspections and fees from the city’s adopted schedule. We look at what is there and include any needed fixes in your written estimate.

How long do I have to finish a permitted remodel in Clive?

Up to 365 days from issuance, the longest any Clive permit lasts. Work has to begin within the first 90 days. A 60-day stop also ends the permit. If the project will run long, file a written extension request at least two weeks before the deadline.

Does a pre-1972 Clive home change the remodel?

Often, yes. Clive adopted its first building code on January 1, 1972, so original work from before then may predate city code review. Later alterations may have their own permits, so check the city’s permit records for your address. The city’s egress handout also treats pre-1972 homes differently. We check framing, wiring and insulation closely when walls open in an older home.

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- Newest Blogs

## Home Remodeling Guides
for Clive Homeowners

[Explore Home Remodeling Guides](https://busybuildersiowa.com/category/home-remodeling/)

[Oct 16, 2026By Blake Daniels ### How a Remodel Actually Gets Scheduled: The Order of Trades Read More Demo, structure, rough-ins, inspection, drywall, finishes. Why the order cannot change and where homeowners add weeks to their own remodel.Demo, structure, rough-ins, inspection, drywall, finishes. Why the order cannot change and where homeowners add weeks to their own remodel.Demo, structure, rough-ins, inspection, drywall, finishes. Why the order cannot change and where homeowners add weeks to their own remodel.](https://busybuildersiowa.com/how-a-remodel-gets-scheduled-order-of-trades/)[Sep 25, 2026By Blake Daniels ### Fall Remodeling Timeline in Iowa: What to Start Now for 2026 Read More Fall is the window to plan an Iowa remodel: start interior work now to finish through winter, and design exterior projects to build in spring.Fall is the window to plan an Iowa remodel: start interior work now to finish through winter, and design exterior projects to build in spring.Fall is the window to plan an Iowa remodel: start interior work now to finish through winter, and design exterior projects to build in spring.](https://busybuildersiowa.com/fall-remodeling-timeline-iowa-2026/)[Sep 17, 2026By Blake Daniels ### Should You Remodel Before or After Winter in Iowa? 2026 Guide Read More Interior remodels are great winter work in Iowa; additions and decks are better timed around the frost. Which to start now and which to plan for spring.Interior remodels are great winter work in Iowa; additions and decks are better timed around the frost. Which to start now and which to plan for spring.Interior remodels are great winter work in Iowa; additions and decks are better timed around the frost. Which to start now and which to plan for spring.](https://busybuildersiowa.com/remodel-before-or-after-winter-iowa-2026/)

Tagged [Clive](https://busybuildersiowa.com/tag/clive/)

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