Do I need a permit for a full bathroom remodel in
Peachtree City, Georgia?

Peachtree City full bathroom remodel permits — the key details

The trigger for a Peachtree City bathroom remodel permit is any work that crosses into plumbing, electrical, or structural scope. Per Georgia Code § 34-44-3.1 (adopted statewide), bathroom work falls under 'alteration of a structure' if it involves fixture relocation, ductwork, or wiring changes. Peachtree City's local building official interprets this strictly: moving a toilet three feet east requires a plumbing permit; installing a new vanity in the same footprint with the same rough-in does not. The city codes this under permit type 'Bathroom Remodel' and routes it through a full plan-review cycle. You must submit floor plans (at 1/4-inch scale minimum) showing before/after fixture locations, plumbing routing, electrical layout with GFCI notation, and exhaust-duct termination. The city requires sealed plans for projects over $25,000 in estimated valuation — a full bathroom remodel typically costs $15,000–$50,000, so most land below that threshold and do not need a licensed architect's stamp, though a designer's or contractor's mark helps. The application fee is based on the estimated cost of work: typically $200–$400 for a mid-range remodel ($20,000–$30,000 valuation). Peachtree City's online portal accepts PDF submissions, which speeds intake compared to in-person filing at City Hall. Plan review typically takes 10-15 business days; the city may issue one round of corrections (common for GFCI omissions or trap-arm miscalculations), adding another 5-10 days.

Exhaust ventilation is a frequent sticking point in Peachtree City bathroom permits. IRC M1505.4 requires 50 CFM continuous operation or 100 CFM intermittent (with a 20-minute humidistat timer) for bathrooms; the city enforces this strictly because Peachtree City's warm-humid climate (3A) means moisture accumulation is a real mold risk. Your plan must show the exhaust fan's CFM rating, the duct diameter (minimum 4 inches for most residential fans), the routing path (no more than 6 inches horizontal per foot of vertical drop — a common error), and the termination point (must exit through roof or wall to outside, not into attic). If the duct terminates in the attic or into a soffit, the city will reject the plan. Peachtree City also enforces IRC R702.4.2 waterproofing for all showers and tub enclosures: you must specify the exact waterproofing assembly (cement board + membrane, or solid-surface pan with sloped floor and weep holes, or PVC sheet). Drawings must show the waterproofing membrane lapping at least 6 inches up the walls and 12 inches behind tile in wet areas. If your plan just says 'tile shower' without specifying the waterproofing system, the city will reject it — this is the #1 reason for resubmittals in bathroom permits citywide.

Electrical code in Peachtree City bathrooms is tightened beyond what many homeowners expect. Per IRC E3902.16, all 125V 15-amp and 20-amp circuits in bathrooms must be GFCI-protected. This includes circuits that supply outlets in the bathroom and circuits running through the bathroom to other rooms. Additionally, if you add new branch circuits (e.g., for a heated floor mat, a towel warmer, or a ventilation fan), those circuits must be GFCI. The city requires your electrical plan to call out every outlet and switch with its circuit number and GFCI status — 'Outlet X: Circuit 12, GFCI-protected' or 'Outlet Y: Circuit 8, non-GFCI (supplies room outside bathroom).' Peachtree City inspectors have rejected plans that omitted this notation or showed GFCI outlets in the bathroom without a corresponding AFCI (Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter) upstream on the main panel. The distinction: GFCI protects against ground faults (water contact); AFCI protects against arc faults (loose connections, damaged wires). Bedrooms need AFCI; bathrooms need GFCI. If your bathroom is adjacent to a bedroom, circuit protection gets complex — a plan that omits this detail will be rejected. Most electricians handle this correctly, but DIY electrical plans often miss it.

Plumbing changes in Peachtree City bathrooms must comply with IRC P2706 (drainage fittings), which limits trap-arm length and slope. If you're relocating a toilet drain, the trap arm (the run from the trap to the vent stack) cannot exceed 6 feet — Peachtree City's city code doesn't deviate from this, but inspectors watch closely because many homes have existing undersized traps or excessive trap-arm lengths that the remodel might exacerbate. If your remodel requires running a new 3-inch toilet drain 8 feet horizontally to reach the main vent, the city will flag this as non-compliant and demand either a secondary vent or a re-route. Shower or tub drain sizing is typically 2 inches; if you're converting a tub to a shower (or vice versa), the drain size may change, and the city requires documentation. Peachtree City also enforces water-supply rough-in sizing: 1/2-inch copper or PEX to the shutoff valve, then 3/8-inch to the faucet. If your plan shows wrong sizing, it will be rejected. Supply lines must be sloped 1/4 inch per foot toward drains to prevent airlocking — not always obvious on a 2D plan, but inspectors test this during rough inspection.

Timeline and inspection sequence for a Peachtree City bathroom remodel: once the permit is issued (after plan approval), you must call for inspections in order: (1) rough plumbing (before drywall closes walls), (2) rough electrical (before drywall), (3) drywall or framing (often skipped if no walls are moved, but the city may require a framing inspection if you're relocating walls), and (4) final inspection (after all work is complete, including waterproofing and fixtures). Each inspection must pass before the next step begins. If the inspector finds a violation — for example, a duct terminating in the attic during rough inspection — you must correct it and re-inspect; this can add 2-3 weeks. Plan for a 4-6 week timeline from permit issuance to final sign-off. Peachtree City's Building Department is open Monday-Friday 8 AM to 5 PM; inspection appointments are booked online or by phone (contact the city directly for current phone number). The city issues permits 24/7 online, but inspections must be scheduled during business hours with at least 24 hours notice. If you hire a licensed contractor, they typically handle permit filing and inspection scheduling; if you're owner-building (Georgia allows owner-builders per § 43-41), you must file and coordinate inspections yourself.

Three Peachtree City bathroom remodel (full) scenarios

Peachtree City's GFCI and electrical inspection standards for bathrooms

GFCI (Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter) protection in Peachtree City bathrooms is non-negotiable and is the most common plan-review rejection. Per IRC E3902.16, all 125V 15-amp and 20-amp circuits must be GFCI-protected. This includes not just the outlets in the bathroom but any circuit whose wire passes through the bathroom space, even if the outlet itself is outside the room. Peachtree City inspectors interpret this rule conservatively: if a 20-amp laundry circuit runs through the bathroom wall to a dryer, that circuit must have GFCI protection. The mechanism is a GFCI outlet (which protects downstream outlets on its circuit) or a GFCI breaker in the main panel (which protects the entire circuit). Most modern homes use GFCI outlets for simplicity, but if you're adding a new circuit, you must show on your electrical plan which method you're using and label every outlet accordingly.

A second layer Peachtree City enforces is AFCI (Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter) protection. AFCI is not specifically a bathroom requirement — it's mandated for bedroom circuits and kitchen circuits under NEC 210.12 — but it becomes relevant when a bathroom circuit shares a branch circuit with a bedroom or is upstream from a bathroom GFCI. Some older bathrooms have a single 20-amp circuit supplying both the bathroom and an adjacent bedroom; if you modify that circuit during remodel, you must now add AFCI protection. A plan that shows 'bathroom outlet on Circuit 8' without noting whether Circuit 8 has upstream AFCI protection will be rejected if Circuit 8 also serves a bedroom. The inspector will catch this during rough inspection by opening the main panel and checking the breaker type — but it's far better to clarify on your submitted plan. Most electricians know the rule, but if you're relying on a handwritten electrical sketch, this detail often gets missed.

Peachtree City also enforces the 2020 IBC's updated ground-fault requirements for areas with moisture potential. If you install a heated floor mat under tile, the mat's power supply must be GFCI-protected. If you add a towel warmer (which is often a 240V circuit), it typically doesn't require GFCI if it's 240V only, but the 2020 code is moving toward broader GFCI coverage for wet areas, and the city may flag it if your plan omits specificity. The safest approach: show all new electrical circuits on your plan, label each with its amperage and GFCI/AFCI status, and have a licensed electrician sign off. If you're owner-building and doing electrical yourself, you'll need to pass inspection as an owner-builder electrician, which Georgia allows but Peachtree City may restrict depending on local amendments — call the city to confirm.

Waterproofing assemblies and shower conversion rules in Peachtree City

Converting a bathtub to a shower (or vice versa) in Peachtree City is a code-significant change because it alters the waterproofing assembly and drainage requirements. Per IRC R702.4.2, shower or tub-enclosure walls must be waterproofed with a membrane or solid-surface pan; the membrane must lap at least 6 inches above the flood rim of the tub/shower and extend 12 inches back on the wall behind any tile. If you're converting a tub (which has a built-in tub rim) to a shower (which has a sloped floor and drain), the waterproofing geometry changes entirely. The most common assemblies in Peachtree City are: (1) cement board (CBU) plus a sheet membrane (Ditra or similar), lapped and sealed; (2) PVC or polyester solid-surface pan with a sloped subfloor (1/8-inch per foot) and weep holes at the pan perimeter; (3) fully tiled pan with a membrane liner underneath. The city requires your plan to specify which assembly you're using because each has different rough-in requirements and inspection points.

Peachtree City's inspector will pay close attention during rough inspection (after framing, before tile) to verify that the waterproofing system is installed per plan. If your plan calls for a cement-board-and-membrane assembly but the contractor installs just cement board without membrane, the inspector will catch it and require removal and correction. Likewise, if you specify a sloped PVC pan with weep holes but the pan is installed flat or the weep holes are blocked, it will be rejected. The Piedmont region's humidity and the city's climate-3A rating make moisture management critical — the city enforces this strictly because bathrooms with poor waterproofing can lead to mold, structural rot, and insurance claims. If you're replacing a tub with a shower in an older home (pre-1990) where the original rough framing may not accommodate modern waterproofing, the inspector may require additional measures (e.g., slope-compensation or extra membrane laps). Plan-review staff at Peachtree City will ask for a waterproofing detail drawing if your application doesn't include one; don't wait for the rejection — include it upfront.

The sloped floor is especially tricky in tub-to-shower conversions. A shower floor must slope at a minimum of 1/8 inch per foot toward the drain. If your existing subfloor is flat (common in older homes), you must build up a sloped substrate using a specialized mortar bed, a slope-pan kit, or a pre-sloped pan. The inspector will use a 10-foot level across the shower floor during rough inspection to verify slope. If the floor is flat or slopes the wrong direction, the contractor must tear it out and redo it — a costly mistake that's often discovered too late. Peachtree City's permit application should include a detail cross-section showing the slope (even if rough — a 1/4-inch drop over 4 feet is clear visually). Rough inspection is your chance to verify slope before tile goes down.

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