Bathroom remodeling in Jacksonville, FL
Bathrooms, showers and tubs in Jacksonville. Call and say what you want changed, in English or Spanish.
The core of the city has the oldest bathrooms on the First Coast. A Riverside or Springfield bungalow from the 1920s may still have its tile set in a thick mortar bed, a cast iron tub, galvanized supply lines and a cast iron or clay drain under the floor. A San Marco, Lakewood or Murray Hill ranch from the 1950s usually has the colored tile of its decade and the original drain that has been rusting from the bottom ever since.
That is why a remodel here tends to go deeper than the tile. Once the wall and floor come open, the old supply and drain lines are usually replaced while they are exposed, the valve becomes a modern pressure-balancing one, and the fan finally gets ducted outside. Houses in the historic districts keep their exterior look, so a window change in a bathroom can mean a second review.
What changes in Jacksonville
- Permits
- City of Jacksonville Building Inspection Division, filed through JaxEPICS. Moving or replacing a valve, drain or fixture needs a plumbing permit; a new circuit or fan wiring needs an electrical permit; moving a wall or changing a window needs a building permit. Plumbing and electrical work must be done by contractors certified in those trades. Source →
- The 2026 exemption
- Since July 1, 2026, state law exempts single-family work valued at $7,500 or less that has no plumbing, electrical, structural, mechanical or gas work, outside flood hazard areas. New tile and paint can fit; anything that touches the valve, drain or wiring does not. Source →
- Notice of Commencement
- When the improvement is over $5,000. It is recorded with the Clerk or at the Building Inspection Division before the first inspection, and a copy is posted at the house. Source →
- Flood
- Irma pushed the St. Johns to 5.57 feet in September 2017 and flooded riverfront streets in San Marco, Riverside and Ortega. The city's design flood elevation is two feet above the base flood elevation, and a flood-zone rebuild goes through the building official, including the question of substantial improvement. Source →
Ready to redo the bathroom?Call 904-621-2284
Questions from Jacksonville
Does a bathroom remodel in Jacksonville need a permit?
City of Jacksonville Building Inspection Division, filed through JaxEPICS. Moving or replacing a valve, drain or fixture needs a plumbing permit; a new circuit or fan wiring needs an electrical permit; moving a wall or changing a window needs a building permit. Plumbing and electrical work must be done by contractors certified in those trades. Source →
Is a small bathroom update exempt from permits in Jacksonville?
Since July 1, 2026, state law exempts single-family work valued at $7,500 or less that has no plumbing, electrical, structural, mechanical or gas work, outside flood hazard areas. New tile and paint can fit; anything that touches the valve, drain or wiring does not. Source →
When do I need a Notice of Commencement for a bathroom in Jacksonville?
When the improvement is over $5,000. It is recorded with the Clerk or at the Building Inspection Division before the first inspection, and a copy is posted at the house. Source →
Does a flood zone change a bathroom remodel in Jacksonville?
Irma pushed the St. Johns to 5.57 feet in September 2017 and flooded riverfront streets in San Marco, Riverside and Ortega. The city's design flood elevation is two feet above the base flood elevation, and a flood-zone rebuild goes through the building official, including the question of substantial improvement. Source →
What bathroom work is most common in Jacksonville?
Full bathroom remodel: Bungalow and 1950s hall baths where the drain and supply lines are as old as the tile. Tub-to-shower conversion: Cast iron tubs that nobody climbs into anymore, traded for a shower with a real pan. Water-damaged bathroom rebuild: Riverfront and low-street bathrooms after a flood or a slow leak into the subfloor.
The work people here ask for most
- Full bathroom remodel
Bungalow and 1950s hall baths where the drain and supply lines are as old as the tile.
- Tub-to-shower conversion
Cast iron tubs that nobody climbs into anymore, traded for a shower with a real pan.
- Water-damaged bathroom rebuild
Riverfront and low-street bathrooms after a flood or a slow leak into the subfloor.
Neighborhoods and nearby areas
- Downtown
- Riverside
- Avondale
- Springfield
- San Marco
- Ortega
- Murray Hill
- Lakewood
- San Jose
- Cedar Hills
- Northside
Also nearby: Westside, Baldwin, Oceanway.