Mitchellville, Iowa
Construction & Remodeling
Your One Call Solution for Home Building and Remodeling in Mitchellville, Iowa.
Mitchellville, Iowa General Contractor
About Us
Established in 2020, Busy Builders was founded to bring integrity and honesty back to remodeling and homebuilding. We serve Mitchellville and all of Polk 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. Mitchellville 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 Polk County and beyond.
Full-Service Construction And Remodeling in Mitchellville
New home construction in Mitchellville, IA. Lots here sit 18 road miles east of Des Moines in a town of 2,485, inside the Southeast Polk district. Mitchellville does not publish an adopted code edition, so we confirm the standard with the building official before we draw plans. Veenstra & Kimm inspects, and Chris Campbell schedules at 515-850-2980. Footings go below Iowa’s 42 inch frost line. Home building starts around $150 per square foot, and scope, materials and site move that number.
Home remodeling in Mitchellville, IA. The median house here was built in 1965, so we work on ranches with original layouts, block foundations and small closed rooms. The city doubles the permit fee when work starts before approval, so we file first and wait. Permits run one year and expire if the job sits idle for 120 days. We plan the sequence around that clock instead of hoping for an extension later.
Kitchen remodeling in Mitchellville, IA. A 1965 ranch kitchen is usually closed off, about ten by twelve, with one doorway to the dining room. Opening that wall is the whole project, and in these houses the wall often carries load. We size a beam, get it inspected by Veenstra & Kimm, then keep moving. Kitchen work starts around $250 per square foot, and cabinets, counters and that beam drive most of the cost.
Basement remodeling in Mitchellville, IA. Most basements under a 1965 house were finished once already, in paneling and a dropped ceiling, and they show it. We open the walls, look hard at the block, and fix drainage before any new framing goes in. Skipping that order is how people pay twice. A failed inspection costs $35 to redo, so we call the inspector only when the work is truly ready.
Bathroom remodeling in Mitchellville, IA. Houses from 1965 usually shipped with one full bath and a hall linen closet. That is tight for a family in the Southeast Polk district. We often carve a second bath from a bedroom corner or the end of a hallway. Any structural change gets a permit from the city at 515-967-2935. Small baths reward planning more than budget, so we lay the layout on the floor first.
Home additions in Mitchellville, IA. One local rule shapes every detached project here. Accessory structures of 160 square feet and larger must match or complement the colors and materials of the primary home. That covers detached garages, shops and studio buildings, so we pick exterior finishes early instead of at the end. Nobody wants to repaint a new garage in month three. Attached additions start around $300 per square foot, on foundations set below the 42 inch frost line.
Basement finishing in Mitchellville, IA. Habitable basement space needs a 7 foot ceiling, and a basement bedroom needs an egress window with 5.7 square feet of net clear opening. In 1965 houses the ducts and beams often eat that headroom, so we measure at the worst point before we promise a bedroom. Iowa indoor radon averages 8.5 pCi/L against 1.3 nationally. Testing first is cheap. Reopening a finished ceiling is not.
Deck building in Mitchellville, IA. The city exempts accessory buildings of 120 square feet or less from a permit. A deck is not one of those, so plan on a permit and an inspection either way. Footings go 42 inches down to clear frost, and Veenstra & Kimm checks them before concrete. On a 1965 ranch we also open the rim area and look at the old ledger before we reuse a single piece of it.
Building in Mitchellville and Polk County
Mitchellville runs a small permit desk with one habit that costs people real money. Start work before the city approves the permit and the fee doubles. So we file first, every time, and wait for the approval.Permits come from the City of Mitchellville at 204 Center Ave N. The number is 515-967-2935. The city contracts inspections to Veenstra & Kimm, and Chris Campbell handles them at 515-850-2980. He covers other towns too, so we book around his route.The city does not publish an adopted code edition. It points applicants to the ICC Iowa collection instead. We confirm the current standard with the building official before we draw plans, rather than guess and redraw later.Two local rules catch homeowners. Accessory buildings of 120 square feet or less need no permit. Accessory structures of 160 square feet and larger must match or complement the colors and materials of the house. That shapes detached garages and shop buildings here.Permits stay valid one year. They expire if work has not started, or if the job sits abandoned for 120 days. A re-inspection costs $35.This town of 2,485 sits 18 road miles east of Des Moines. The median home dates to 1965, and Southeast Polk Community School District serves the area.Call 844-435-9800 and we will walk your project through that desk. Permit rules and fees change, so confirm both 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 Mitchellville.
- Additional Story
- Tornado Shelter
- Living Room
- Bedroom
- Sunroom
- Bathroom
- Garage
- ADU
Kitchen Remodeling
Based on Average Pricing in Mitchellville.
- Countertops
- Appliances
- Cabinetry
- Windows
- Islands
- Lights
Home Building
Based on Average Pricing in Mitchellville.
- Dream Build
- Multi-Family
- Tiny Home
- Spec Build
- Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs About Home Construction & Remodeling in Mitchellville, IA
Do I need a permit for a shed in Mitchellville?
Accessory buildings of 120 square feet or less are exempt from a permit in Mitchellville. Go bigger and the rules tighten. Accessory structures of 160 square feet and larger must match or complement the colors and materials of your house. So pick exterior finishes before you order the building, not after it lands in the yard.
What happens if we start work before the permit is approved?
Mitchellville doubles the fee. That is a written rule, not a warning, and it applies even when the work would have sailed through review. We file the application first and wait for approval to come back. A permit also expires if the job sits abandoned for 120 days, so we keep the schedule moving once it starts.
Who inspects a project in Mitchellville?
The city contracts inspections to Veenstra & Kimm. Chris Campbell handles them and takes calls at 515-850-2980. He covers other towns as well, so we book as soon as a footing or framing date is real. A re-inspection costs $35, which adds up fast when a crew calls before the work is actually ready.
Which building code does Mitchellville enforce?
The city does not publish an adopted code edition. It directs applicants to the ICC Iowa collection instead. We will not guess at an edition, and neither should anyone else. Before we draw plans, we confirm the current standard with the building official at 515-967-2935 and put that answer in the project file.
How long is a Mitchellville building permit good for?
A permit is valid for one year. It expires if work has not started, or if the job is abandoned for 120 days. That span is comfortable for most remodels and tight for a phased project. We map the schedule against those dates at the start, so nobody reapplies halfway through a build.
Is Mitchellville in Polk County or Jasper County?
Both, technically. The city limits span Polk and Jasper counties. In practice Mitchellville reads as Polk County. Southeast Polk Community School District serves the town, and daily life pulls west toward Des Moines, 18 road miles away. We confirm the parcel county on the deed before we file anything.
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