Certified Building Contractor CBC1265305 · Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1334811
Kitchen & Bath Remodeling in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Kitchen & Bath Remodeling for homes in Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding area — permitted, inspected and closed out. Free estimate.
Most Fort Lauderdale kitchen and bath projects start with one question: does this need a permit? In this city, the answer usually depends on scope. Permits are typically required when plumbing is relocated or added, when electrical circuits or devices are added or moved, when mechanical or exhaust changes are made, or when walls are altered, while strict like-for-like fixture swaps and cabinet replacement often are not permitted. The local city or county building department issues the permits and inspections, so that is the place to confirm what your specific plan triggers before anything is demolished.
Final Touch Builders handles kitchen and bathroom remodels, layout changes, tub-to-shower conversions, shower waterproofing and accessibility upgrades across Fort Lauderdale. We give a free estimate and a written scope before work starts. When the work needs a permit, we pull it under our own Florida Certified Building Contractor license (CBC1265305), schedule the inspections, and close the permit out at the end — a job is finished when it is permitted, inspected and closed out.
Fort Lauderdale's housing stock is heavily mid-century, with large numbers of 1950s–1970s single-story concrete block and stucco homes on slab, and Census data (ACS 5-year, 2022) puts the median year built around 1972. In homes that age, opening a bathroom wall often reveals aging plumbing, hidden water damage or mold behind old tile — none of which shows on the surface. The city's tropical, year-round humid climate keeps indoor moisture high, so ventilation and shower waterproofing matter here in a way they do not in drier states. Most homes in the city are owner-occupied, according to the same Census data, and in a mid-to-upper housing market an open or unpermitted bathroom tends to surface later at sale or refinance.
Permits, inspections and close-out in Fort Lauderdale
Here is the usual order. First, scope: permits are typically required when plumbing is relocated or added, when electrical is added or moved, when mechanical or exhaust changes are made, or when walls are altered; purely cosmetic work such as cabinet and countertop replacement, tile or painting often is not permitted, though local registration or a business tax receipt is frequently required. Second, inspections: permitted remodels usually run an in-progress or rough sequence — plumbing, electrical and framing inspected while walls are open — followed by a final once finishes are in. Third, product approval: if your project changes a kitchen or bath window or exterior door, Fort Lauderdale is in Broward County and inside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so HVHZ requirements and Miami-Dade NOA product approval generally apply to those assemblies. Fourth, closeout: once the final inspection passes, the permit should be closed. An open or unpermitted job tends to resurface at sale or refinance and can become a code enforcement issue. Licensing in Florida runs through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), which oversees the CILB and the ECLB; plumbing changes require a licensed plumbing contractor and electrical changes a licensed electrical contractor. Verify scope-specific requirements with DBPR and the Fort Lauderdale or Broward County building department.
Problems to watch for in Fort Lauderdale
Hidden water damage behind old tile
In block-and-stucco homes dating from the 1950s–1970s, original shower pans and mortar beds can leak slowly for years. Demolition is usually the first time the damage behind the tile is visible.
Aging plumbing in older homes
With a median year built around 1972 (Census), supply and drain lines in Fort Lauderdale baths are often original. Relocating or adding plumbing typically triggers a permit, so it is worth deciding on the layout before demo.
Humidity and weak ventilation
Fort Lauderdale is humid year-round, and bathrooms without adequate exhaust hold that moisture. The Florida Building Code Mechanical volume includes ventilation and moisture-control provisions that matter directly in this climate.
Open permits that surface at sale
An unfinished or never-closed permit on a bath or kitchen can stall a closing or a refinance, and can draw code enforcement attention. Closing the permit after the final inspection is part of the job.
Outdated electrical in kitchens and baths
Older circuits may not meet current GFCI/AFCI and bathroom circuit requirements under the National Electrical Code as adopted by Florida. Adding or moving circuits or devices usually requires a permit and a licensed electrical contractor.
Condo and HOA approvals
Beachfront and Intracoastal high-rise condominiums and HOA-governed communities are widespread in Fort Lauderdale, and associations frequently impose their own approval requirements. Expect to clear the building or association process alongside the city permit.
Salt air on exposed hardware
Constant salt air off the Atlantic and the city's canals corrodes metal hardware faster than inland. If a remodel touches an exterior door or window opening, corrosion-resistant fasteners and finishes are worth specifying.
What we do
- Full kitchen and bath remodelsCabinets, countertops, tile and finishes, coordinated so the trade work lands in the right order. We give a written scope before work starts.
- Layout changes and wall alterationsMoving or removing a wall is a structural change that requires a general, building or residential contractor and typically a permit. We work under our Florida Certified Building Contractor license, CBC1265305.
- Tub-to-shower conversionsA practical upgrade in Fort Lauderdale's mid-century single-story homes. Relocating or adding plumbing is usually permitted work, so we confirm scope with the building department first.
- Shower waterproofingPan, curb and wall waterproofing done as a system, which matters in a climate that stays humid all year. This is where hidden damage behind old tile usually gets corrected.
- Accessibility upgradesCurbless entries, grab bar blocking and reworked clearances, built to applicable accessibility requirements where they apply.
- Permits, inspections and closeoutWe pull the permit under our own certification when the work needs one, schedule inspections, and close the permit out at the end.
When to call
Across Florida, remodeling demand tends to be strongest in the cooler, drier winter and spring months and among seasonal residents, and it slows somewhat when post-hurricane repair work pulls trades and materials toward storm-damaged areas. In Fort Lauderdale, the November–April snowbird season brings seasonal residents back to homes that have sat closed up, which is often when a dated bath or kitchen gets reconsidered. If any part of your project touches an exterior opening, planning it outside the June 1–November 30 hurricane season gives more room for product approval and inspections. Call (954) 620-7812 or request a quote with the form on this page for a free estimate.
We work throughout Fort Lauderdale, including Victoria Park, Rio Vista, Coral Ridge, Las Olas Isles, Colee Hammock, Sailboat Bend, Flagler Village, Imperial Point, Poinsettia Heights, Tarpon River, Croissant Park and Galt Ocean Mile, plus nearby Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Pompano Beach, Plantation, Dania Beach, Davie and Hollywood.
Kitchens & Baths in Fort Lauderdale: questions we hear
- Do I need a permit to replace my cabinets and countertops?
- Cabinet and countertop replacement and strict like-for-like fixture swaps often are not permitted work. Once plumbing is relocated, electrical is added or moved, or a wall is altered, a permit is typically required. Confirm your specific scope with the Fort Lauderdale or Broward County building department.
- My house is from the early 1970s — what should I expect behind the walls?
- The median Fort Lauderdale home dates from about 1972 according to Census ACS data, so original plumbing and old mortar-bed showers are common in that vintage. Hidden water damage or mold behind old tile is often found at demolition. We put the findings in writing before the scope changes.
- Does the HVHZ affect a bathroom remodel?
- It applies if you change a window or an exterior door as part of the project. Fort Lauderdale is in Broward County, which is inside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so those products generally need Miami-Dade NOA approval. Interior-only work is governed by the Florida Building Code Residential, Plumbing and Mechanical volumes instead.
- What happens if a previous owner left an open permit?
- Open permits commonly surface during a sale or refinance and can also draw code enforcement attention. The path forward usually involves inspection of the existing work and bringing it to a passing final. Start by asking the local building department what is recorded on the property.
- Are you licensed to work in Fort Lauderdale?
- Final Touch Builders holds Florida Certified Building Contractor CBC1265305 and Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1334811. These are state certifications valid in every Florida county and verifiable on the Florida DBPR website. Plumbing and electrical portions are performed by contractors licensed for those trades.
Kitchens & Baths in nearby cities
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