Bathroom Remodel Portland: $7,699 to $22,695 + CCB Rules

Portland rows are Angi's local figures, including its permit estimate; national rows are labeled.

Do you need a permit for a bathroom remodel in Portland?

Portland's permitting office says a bathroom remodel needs a building permit and trade permits for electrical, plumbing and mechanical work when you move or add plumbing fixtures, move or add outlets, lights or fans, change walls or openings, install or move heating or ventilation, or make structural changes. An existing bathroom goes through the standard bathroom permit process; the City's quicker Simple Bathroom Program is only for new or legalized bathrooms. Painting, new flooring, and new cabinets or countertops with plumbing and wiring untouched usually need no permit.

One point is unsettled on the City's own pages: the bathrooms page says replacing fixtures in the same location usually needs no permit, while the trade permits page lists replacing plumbing fixtures in the same location as plumbing permit work. Ask the plumber which rule the City is applying to your job before work starts. Angi puts a simple bathroom permit at $100 to $200.

Oregon licenses: two layers

Every contractor working on an Oregon home needs a license from the Construction Contractors Board (CCB), and plumbing and electrical contractors also need a license from the state Building Codes Division (BCD). Look up the CCB number at search.ccb.state.or.us and the trade license on BCD's search page. A remodeler with a CCB license still needs a BCD-licensed plumber and electrician for those parts of the job. Ask for proof of insurance too. Rates: plumber in Portland.

Older Portland homes: lead paint and leaky toilets

Portland's housing is old: the median home was built in 1966, and 63.4% of housing units were built before 1980, the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 survey shows. Most bathrooms fall under EPA's lead rule for homes built before 1978, which requires firms that disturb paint to be EPA- or state-certified. Fix a running toilet before or during the remodel, too: under the Water Bureau's leak adjustment rule (ADM-14.03), a sewer-affected leak such as a toilet is billed at last year's volume plus 50% of the leaked water, the hunt must start within 30 days and the repair be done within 90.

Help paying for repairs in Portland

The Portland Housing Bureau funds repair grants through partner groups. Community Energy Project runs expanded home repair that includes plumbing and electrical, and Unlimited Choices runs Adapt-A-Home and Mend-A-Home. The Bureau lists no grant amounts, so call the partner directly.

Permit, license, rebate and housing facts for Portland, from official city, state, utility and Census pages.

Kitchen remodel in Portland

We found no Portland kitchen figure; HomeAdvisor's 2026 national range is $14,591 to $41,617, with an average of $26,990. The same building and trade permits apply when a kitchen sink, range circuit or vent hood moves. Breakdowns: kitchen remodel cost and bathroom remodel cost.

Questions to ask a Portland remodeler

1. What is your CCB number, and who holds the BCD plumbing and electrical licenses?
2. Which City permits will this job need, and who applies?
3. Is your firm lead-safe certified for a pre-1978 home?
4. Is the price fixed? Angi lists Portland labor at $50 to $150 an hour.
5. How will you handle rot or old galvanized pipe if you find it?

More Portland home repair guides

Plumbing and water heaters: plumber in Portland and water heater repair in Portland. Mold behind old tile: mold removal in Portland. Water damage: water damage restoration in Portland. Other cities: bathroom remodel in Sacramento and bathroom remodel in Denver. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job (how calls work).