General Contractor in Lancaster, Ohio
Lancaster is home base. We live here, we pull permits at City Hall on Main Street, and we are minutes from most jobs in town, so estimates happen the same week you call and the crew is on site when the day starts. Home additions, decks, kitchen and bath remodels, and the structural work older Lancaster houses need before the finishes go on.
What We Build in Lancaster
Lancaster housing runs from 1900s brick near Zane Square to newer subdivisions toward Cedar Hill. Older homes often need wiring, joist and drainage work before anything pretty goes in. Newer ones are mostly about finishing what the builder left basic.
Home additions
bedrooms, primary suites, in-law suites and family rooms framed and roofed to match the house, with zoning clearance and permits handled.
Decks and porches
pressure-treated and composite decks on frost-depth footings with flashed ledgers, plus covered and screened porches.
Kitchen remodels
new layouts, cabinets, islands and counters, with the plumbing, electrical and gas behind them permitted and inspected.
Bathrooms
tiled showers, tub-to-shower conversions and accessible baths, waterproofed before the tile goes up.
Older-home structural work
sistered joists, sagging floors, failed additions and foundation drainage on Lancaster’s older housing stock.
Concrete and exteriors
driveways, patios, walks, roofing and siding. A curb cut permit comes into play when a driveway meets a city street.
Recent Lancaster Projects
From our own jobs, with before-and-after sliders on the Projects page.
- Dark oak kitchen in Lancaster opened up: new cabinets, island, flooring and lighting
- Gut-to-finish kitchen rebuild in Lancaster, from framing through appliance set
- Primary bath in Lancaster rebuilt start to finish: vanity, tile, fixtures and trim
- 725 sq ft in-law suite addition and 600+ sq ft decks for Fairfield County families, both reviewed 5 stars on Google
Who Handles Your Permit
Inside Lancaster city limits it is City Hall. Just outside, it is usually your township and the health department. The address decides, not the mailing city.
City of Lancaster Building Department
Residential and commercial building permits inside the city. 104 E. Main St., 1st floor. (740) 687-6649.
City of Lancaster Planning & Zoning
A zoning clearance is required before building or altering a structure: additions, decks, accessory buildings, exterior changes. (740) 681-5017.
Historic Lancaster Commission
Exterior work on properties in the historic overlay district gets an added design review.
Township zoning (outside city limits)
Greenfield, Hocking, Pleasant, Berne, Bloom and most other townships run their own zoning. See our Fairfield County guide for contacts.
Fairfield Department of Health
Plumbing and septic permits, including in the townships. 1550 Sheridan Dr., Lancaster. (740) 652-2800.
Credentials You Can Check
- Licensed, bonded and insured, with general liability and workers’ compensation on every jobsite
- Ohio has no state license for residential general contractors. Lancaster requires contractors to register with the city, which takes a surety bond and proof of liability insurance
- Written line-item estimates and a written workmanship warranty on every job
- Owner-operated: Adam prices the job and is on the job
Our Service Radius from Lancaster
Most of our work is within about an hour of Lancaster.
Fairfield County
Lancaster, Amanda, Carroll, Sugar Grove, Pickerington and the townships between.
Columbus and suburbs
Columbus, Hilliard, Upper Arlington, Gahanna, Grove City, New Albany and Dublin.
Hocking and Athens counties
Logan, the Hocking Hills and Athens, where rural and county permitting applies.
Permit rules change by address
Everything on this page is general guidance as of October 2026. City limits, township lines and overlay districts decide which office reviews your project. We confirm it for your address before we price the job, and we pull the permits ourselves.
Lancaster Building Questions, Answered
Do I need a permit for a home addition in Lancaster, Ohio?
Yes. Inside city limits an addition needs a zoning clearance from Lancaster Planning & Zoning and a building permit from the City of Lancaster Building Department, with plans, a site and grading plan and energy calculations. Properties in the historic overlay also go through the Historic Lancaster Commission. We prepare the drawings and pull both.
Who handles building permits in Lancaster vs. Fairfield County vs. townships?
Inside Lancaster city limits, the City of Lancaster Building Department issues residential and commercial permits and city Planning & Zoning issues the zoning clearance. The Fairfield County Building Department only handles commercial buildings. In the unincorporated townships, zoning is run by the township, and plumbing and septic go through the Fairfield Department of Health. Violet Township, around Pickerington, has its own residential building department.
How much does a home addition cost in Lancaster?
It depends most on size, foundation, and whether the addition has a bathroom or kitchen. Published Columbus-area ranges run roughly $75 to $190 per square foot for a basic room addition and higher for a bedroom with a bath or a second story. We price by line item after we see the site, so you can see where the money goes and what to phase.
Do I need a permit for a deck in Lancaster?
Usually. Under the Residential Code of Ohio, a deck is exempt only if it is 200 square feet or less, no more than 30 inches above grade at every point, not attached to the house, and not serving the required exit door. Most real decks miss at least one of those, and the city also wants a zoning clearance. We handle both.
Does my contractor have to be registered with the City of Lancaster?
For most work inside city limits, yes. City ordinance requires homeowners to hire a registered contractor, and registration takes a $15,000 surety bond and proof of liability insurance. The city publishes a list of registered contractors you can check.
How fast can you get to my house in Lancaster?
We are based here, so estimate visits are usually within a few days, and emergency roof or water issues are same day when we can.