Building and Remodeling in Bellaire

Start with Development Services

Permits run through the city's Development Services department at City Hall, 7008 S. Rice Ave. It lists weekday hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The permitting office serves customers in person by appointment only, and appointments must be booked 24 hours ahead. The department's phone number is on its city page, so there is no need to hunt for it here. Permit fees are set in the city's Schedule of Fees and Charges, which the city adopts each fiscal year and which takes effect on October 1, so check the current year's schedule before you budget.

Most of the work happens online. The city's public portal lets you apply for building permits, apply for contractor registration, upload plans, request inspections, pay fees and check the status of an application. Its parcel search shows zoning and flood data, and permit status, by address. The portal's parcel search is worth running before you pay anyone for drawings, because the zoning and flood lines on your lot shape what you can build.

The presentation lists the permit categories the department handles: new construction, additions, remodeling, roofing and fenestration, fencing and walls, swimming pools and spas, plus electrical, plumbing and irrigation work. The same presentation lists two permit technicians at the front counter, a small team for a city that rebuilds this much.

What the city asks of contractors

The city's permitting FAQ, written in 2022 for storm repairs, states that all contractors doing work in Bellaire must be registered with the city, with a current certificate of insurance on file that lists the City of Bellaire as the certificate holder. State-licensed professionals provide a copy of their license. The FAQ adds that a homeowner pulling a building permit must show a liability policy declaration page, and that trade permits cannot be issued to unlicensed individuals. The City Code says the same thing in its building article: it bars covered work without a building contractor's license issued by the City of Bellaire, and it says building permits go only to contractors who keep a valid city registration. Because the FAQ was written for a specific recovery period, confirm the current requirements with Development Services before you rely on it.

The portal's parcel search is worth running before you pay anyone for drawings, because the zoning and flood lines on your lot shape what you can build.

The practical takeaway is simple: ask any builder whether it is registered with the city, and ask to see the insurance certificate.

The flood rule for new homes

Here the city is blunt. Development Services states that new residential structures must have the lowest floor, including any basement, elevated at least one foot above the 500-year floodplain elevation. Its floodplain page adds that all development in the floodplain requires a permit and that a rebuild or addition costing 50 percent or more of a building's market value must meet the same standards as a new building.

A letter the department sends to residents says all areas of Bellaire are in the floodplain, in the 100-year or 500-year zone. The city also keeps elevation certificates for finished construction in the 100-year zone. For the homeowner side of this subject, see our guide to flooding and drainage for homeowners and the main flooding guide.

Trees and the building permit

Bellaire's tree ordinance reaches construction sites. Under Ordinance 24-025, adopted on May 6, 2024, every large tree, meaning six inches or more across at 4.5 feet above the ground, is protected on a site with an active development permit. Development projects need a tree survey and a disposition plan before a building permit is issued, and a tree permit that authorizes removing or damaging a protected tree requires replacement trees. Our landscaping and trees guide walks through the rest.

Builders and remodelers Bellaire lists

These are listings, not recommendations, and the order follows the address book, not any judgment of quality. Several builders list the same Spruce Street address, so an address alone says little about a firm.

Blum Custom Builders, at 5210 Spruce St, says on its website that it builds custom homes and does remodeling, and names Bellaire as its primary service area. Hann Builders, at 5210 Spruce St, describes custom homes, whole-home remodels and commercial construction in Houston. Regan Custom Homes, also at 5210 Spruce St, describes tailor-made residences in the Houston area. Larry Skelton Homes, at 4601 Verone St, says it builds custom homes and does remodeling, and its site lists Bellaire among the neighborhoods where it has built.

Rome Remodeling, at 6575 W Loop S, lists kitchen and bathroom remodeling, flooring, painting and general contracting on its site.

Architects

Four architecture firms are listed in the city. Boucher Design Group is at 6802 Mapleridge St, and Hermes Architects is listed at the same street address. Cameron Architects Inc, at 5909 West Loop S, says its services cover custom homes, commercial projects, remodels and additions. Lh2 Architecture, Llc, at 5959 West Loop S, describes itself as a full-service architecture firm. For Boucher and Hermes we have only the category and address, so look at their work before you call.

Hiring any of them

The Texas Department of Insurance, in its advice for storm repairs, tells homeowners to get at least three written bids, to keep copies of signed agreements and warranty terms, to confirm the contractor has insurance or a bond, and to avoid paying in full up front. It also warns against contractors who only take cash or who want money before materials are on site. Those tips apply to a kitchen as well as a roof.

Before you go

- Book a Development Services appointment at least 24 hours ahead, or start in the online portal, before any demolition or construction. - Ask each builder whether it is registered with the City of Bellaire and request its certificate of insurance. - Run your address through the portal's parcel search to see zoning and flood data before you meet an architect. - Request inspections online, because the city says requests received after 4 p.m. are scheduled for the second day after. - Remember that construction hours are listed as 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., every day of the week.

Sources

- City of Bellaire, Development Services: https://www.bellairetx.gov/621/Development-Services - City of Bellaire, Development Services presentation for the Citizens Academy: https://www.bellairetx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/33654/BCA-Development-Services-2025- - City of Bellaire, Development Services Public Portal: https://ci-bellaire-tx.smartgovcommunity.com/Public/Home - City of Bellaire, Hurricane Recovery Permitting FAQs (2022): https://www.bellairetx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29736/Permitting-FAQs-2022 - City of Bellaire, Development in the Floodplain: https://www.bellairetx.gov/1004/Development-in-the-Floodplain - City of Bellaire, Development Services letter to residents: https://www.bellairetx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/34476 - City of Bellaire, City Code Sec. 9-17, building code amendments: https://library.municode.com/tx/bellaire/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH9BU_ARTIIBUCO_DIV1GE_S9-17AMBUCO - City of Bellaire, City Code Sec. 9-351, tree permit: https://library.municode.com/tx/bellaire/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH9BU_ARTXITR_S9-351TRPE - City of Bellaire, Ordinance 24-025 (tree protection): https://mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us/api/ordinanceDownload/13798/1292677/pdf - Texas Department of Insurance, Making repairs after a storm: https://www.tdi.texas.gov/wind/making-repairs-after-a-storm.html - Blum Custom Builders: https://blumcustombuilders.com - Hann Builders: https://hannbuilt.com - Regan Custom Homes: https://reganbuilt.com - Larry Skelton Homes: https://www.larryskeltonhomes.com - Rome Remodeling: https://rome-remodeling.com - Cameron Architects: https://cameronarchitects.com/home.htm - Lh2 Architecture: https://www.lh2architecture.com

En español

Bellaire es la Ciudad de los Hogares y sus casas se demuelen, se reconstruyen y se remodelan con frecuencia. Los permisos pasan por el departamento de Servicios de Desarrollo en City Hall, 7008 S. Rice Ave, con citas previas y un portal en línea donde se solicitan permisos, se suben planos y se piden inspecciones. La ciudad exige que los contratistas estén registrados, con licencia municipal, y tengan un certificado de seguro vigente. Las casas nuevas deben tener el piso más bajo al menos un pie por encima de la llanura de inundación de 500 años. Los árboles grandes también están protegidos en obras con permiso. La guía enumera constructores, remodeladores y arquitectos que aparecen en la ciudad, sin recomendar a ninguno. Pida tres presupuestos por escrito y confirme el seguro del contratista.