Bathroom Remodelingin Highland, CA
Bathroom remodeling in Highland needs a City permit when the job removes sinks, drywall or electrical items or moves plumbing, and Building Division Policy 330 bars water-resistant gypsum board (green or purple board) in shower surrounds. Cement backer board or a membrane system goes there instead. Apply through the City's online permit portal.
Highland is a young city on an old townsite, and its bathrooms reflect both. The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates count 16,795 homes, and about 53.5 percent of them, 8,992, were built from 1980 through 2009, with the 1980s alone adding 3,789. Only 713 date from 1939 or earlier. The General Plan says the city incorporated in November 1987, so most baths here are 17 to 46 years old, and the median owner-occupied home is worth $485,600, plus or minus $15,010.
This page starts with the one rule only Highland has, then covers permits, inspections, older townsite homes, rentals and the point where a bath turns into an addition. Municipal Code text below comes from GoCodebook, a third-party mirror, because the City's own code link refused our tools, so confirm each rule with the Building & Safety Division. Prices and phases are on our bathroom remodeling page.
Highland Building & Safety rules that apply to bathroom work
Where bathroom remodeling permits come from in Highland: City of Highland Building & Safety Division.
- Bathroom wall backer: Policy 330 (April 2019) says water-resistant gypsum board is not permitted for shower surrounds in Highland, is allowed for dry or temporary damp locations such as bathroom ceilings and walls (including above shower enclosures) but not wet locations, and approves cementitious backer board, Schluter products and other backers with water barriers; new products go to the Building Official. This is a Highland-specific rule that contractors who use green or purple board elsewhere need to know.
- Bathroom permits: finish work is exempt but removing or replacing sinks, electrical items or drywall needs a permit, a like-for-like toilet, sink, disposal or dishwasher swap without valve or pipe changes is exempt, and adding or moving an outlet needs a permit; a bedroom added with a bath is an addition that needs Planning clearance, plan check and a fire flow test.
Sources for these rules
Can I use green board or purple board behind a Highland shower?
No, not in the shower itself. Building Division Policy 330, revised in April 2019, says water-resistant gypsum board is not permitted for shower surrounds in Highland. The policy allows it in dry or temporary damp places, such as a bathroom ceiling or the wall above a shower enclosure, but not in a wet location. A contractor used to green or purple board in other cities needs to know this before demolition day.
What the policy approves is cementitious backer board, Schluter products and other backers that come with a water barrier, and a new product goes to the Building Official for a decision. Our plan is a sloped pan, an approved backer and one continuous membrane up the walls, with the tile subcontractor flood testing the pan before any tile is set. The policy is older than the 2025 codes the City now adopts, so ask the counter whether it has been revised.
Ask Building & Safety for the current copy of Policy 330 before you sign a scope that names the wall material.
Does a bathroom remodel need a permit in Highland?
Usually, once the job touches plumbing, wiring or drywall. The City's Permit Exceptions page lists painting, tiling, cabinets and countertops as exempt finish work, then adds that a permit is required if the project removes or replaces sinks, electrical items or drywall. The same page calls a like-for-like toilet, sink, disposal or dishwasher swap exempt when no valves or pipes change, and the Homeowner Permit Tips bulletin says adding or moving an outlet needs a permit.
Those statements pull in different directions on a sink, so we treat the counter's answer as the rule. Call 909-864-6861, extension 232, the number on the current Building & Safety page, because older handouts print two others. Applications can also go in at any hour through the City's iWorQ permit portal, where staff say a completeness check takes one to three business days and most files are processed the same business day. A contractor declaration must be signed by the licensee or a person listed on the CSLB license, while an owner-builder files a property owner package.
What happens at a Highland bathroom inspection, and how long does a permit last?
Requests go through the portal, and inspections run Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., plus alternate Fridays in the morning only, in morning (8 to noon) and afternoon (noon to 5) blocks. An adult must give access, the job card and approved plans must be on site, and a tied-off ladder must be ready when roof or high access is needed. Missing any of those can bring a re-inspection fee under Municipal Code 15.04.030(E), so the paperwork stays with the work.
Permit life is the second clock. Section 15.04.030(B) lets a residential permit lapse when work does not start within 365 days of issuance or stalls for 180 days between required inspections, with one written 180-day extension available from the Building Official. The City's January 2020 application bulletin still says 180 days to start, so the amended code is the better reading. Work without a permit adds an investigation fee equal to the permit fee under 15.04.030(D). The City's Fees page gives a contact and no schedule, so we print no amounts.
How old is a typical Highland bathroom, and what hides behind the tile?
Most Highland baths date from the boom that followed incorporation. The 1980s are the largest decade at 22.6 percent of homes, 1990 to 1999 adds 17.0 percent and 2000 to 2009 adds 14.0 percent. The older edge is real: 43.8 percent of homes, 7,358, predate 1980, and 22.2 percent, 3,722, predate 1960, including 1,167 from the 1940s and 1,842 from the 1950s. The Historic Village District around Palm Avenue and Base Line holds the townsite's oldest houses, and East Highland Village keeps small 5,000 square foot lots from the citrus-laborer era.
Age drives two checks. EPA's lead rule covers paid work that disturbs paint in homes built before 1978, and the Census table cannot separate 1978 from 1979, so your own build year decides; the City's permit application bulletin also has applicants acknowledge lead-safe practices for pre-1978 homes. South Coast AQMD Rule 1403 covers renovation that disturbs asbestos-containing material, so old adhesive or wallboard compound deserves a test before demolition. No source we read says which Highland homes contain either.
- Was the house built before 1978, and is the firm lead-safe certified?
- Will old floor adhesive and wallboard compound be tested before demolition?
- Is the drain scoped before the new floor goes down?
What changes for a Highland rental, condo or mobile home bath?
More than owners of detached homes expect. About 35.9 percent of occupied homes, 5,845 of 16,265, are rented, 12.9 percent of all homes sit in buildings of five or more units, 3.8 percent in buildings of two to four, and 5.7 percent, 958, are mobile homes. In a shared building the drain stack and the ceiling below may belong to someone else, so get the association's or landlord's approval in writing before the design is drawn.
Rentals add a City program. Municipal Code 15.52 ties each residential rental's business license certificate to an owner self-certification checklist and a City inspection photographed from the public right of way. Violations get written notice within 15 working days and 30 days to fix, or the license is withheld and an administrative citation follows. Permit-free cosmetic work in a rental still sits under that program.
When does a Highland bath job become an addition with a fire flow test?
When it brings new square footage. The City's Permit Exceptions page says a bedroom added with a bath is an addition that needs Planning clearance, plan check and a fire flow test. Every new structure goes through a Planning Division process first, and a residential submittal carries three plan sets plus two sets of reports such as structural, soils and Title 24.
The fire flow report comes from East Valley Water District and shows the nearest hydrant as the hose lays to the farthest point of the structure. The City says it requires fire sprinklers in all new structures and some additions but does not list which additions, so ask Building & Safety. East of Weaver Street and north of Greenspot Road, the City's very high fire hazard severity zone, the 2025 Wildland-Urban Interface Code also bars eave-type attic ventilators, which matters if new roof framing reaches the eaves.
How long does a bathroom renovation take in Highland, and who does the work?
Allow 2 to 6 weeks for design and selections, then the City's review. Its December 2021 flow chart targets 10 business days for a first look and 5 for later rounds, and the 2023 Housing Element describes a first plan check of no more than two weeks; both are targets from older documents, not promises. After that, plan on a few days of demolition and rough plumbing, 3 to 5 days of waterproofing and cure, 1 to 2 weeks of tile and fixtures and a few days for glass and the final inspection. The build phases are our own ranges. Municipal Code 15.48.020 bars construction before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and on City or federal holidays.
MDG Builders, CSLB #1040337, is the general contractor on a bath: it draws the layout, files the permit, orders materials and schedules the trades, while a licensed plumber, tile setter and electrician do the field work. Ask each trade for its license number and proof of insurance before it starts. A contract that asks for more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the price up front, whichever is smaller, breaks the state limit, and the subcontractor chain explained shows who does what.
Bathroom photos from Highland and nearby homes
Bathroom scenes tied to Highland, from staging and opened walls to shower waterproofing and finished tile, in tract homes from the 1980s boom and older houses near the townsite. Tap a photo to enlarge it.
What bathroom remodeling costs around Highland
The tiers on our bathroom remodeling page assume a bath of about 35 square feet: roughly $9,000 to $18,000 for a refresh, $25,000 to $40,000 for a midrange remodel in the same layout, $50,000 to $85,000 and up for a primary bath and $60,000 to $120,000 for a new bathroom. We found no Highland survey, so Los Angeles sources stand behind them. In the 2025 Cost vs. Value report from Remodeling magazine, a Los Angeles midrange bath costs $27,143 and an upscale bath $85,055, while Thumbtack's July 2026 page for the city shows $8,495 to $26,582. Inland prices may differ, and the permit, plan check and any waste or inspection charges appear as their own lines in a written proposal. The bathroom cost guide explains what moves a bath between tiers, and the contractor license check guide shows how to confirm a license first. Compare San Bernardino, Rialto, Fontana and Los Angeles. A bath inside a backyard unit is on the Highland ADU page, a bath that comes with new space on the Highland room addition page, bath windows on the Highland window page, and the Highland area page lists every trade we cover here.
| What it covers | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Refresh in the same layout: new vanity, toilet, fixtures, lighting, paint, limited tile | $9,000 to $18,000 |
| Mid-range full remodel in the same layout: new shower or tub, tile, vanity, fixtures, lighting and fan | $25,000 to $40,000 |
| Upscale or primary bath: stone, custom glass, freestanding tub, double vanity, heated floor | $50,000 to $85,000 and up |
| Adding a new bathroom | $60,000 to $120,000 |
Highland bathroom remodel questions, answered
Do I need a permit for a bathroom remodel in Highland?
Yes when the work removes sinks, electrical items or drywall, adds an outlet or moves plumbing. Tile, cabinets and countertops are exempt finish work, and a like-for-like toilet swap may be, but the City's own pages disagree on sinks. Call Building & Safety at 909-864-6861, extension 232, before assuming anything is permit-free.
Can I use green board in a Highland shower?
No. Highland's Building Division Policy 330 does not permit water-resistant gypsum board in shower surrounds. It allows that board in dry or temporary damp areas such as bathroom ceilings, and it approves cement backer board, Schluter products and other backers with water barriers for wet walls. Ask the counter whether the policy has changed since April 2019.
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in California?
For a 35 square foot bath our ranges run about $9,000 to $18,000 for a refresh, $25,000 to $40,000 for a midrange remodel that keeps the layout, and $50,000 to $85,000 or more for a primary bath. No Highland study exists that we could find, so Los Angeles data sits underneath, and only a written proposal after a site visit sets a real price.
What is the difference between a bathroom remodel and a bathroom renovation?
A renovation usually freshens surfaces and fixtures where they already stand, while a remodel changes the layout, pipes or wiring. Highland's permit rules follow what you touch, not the label: a new vanity is one question, a relocated drain or new circuit is another, so describe the work plainly to the counter.
How long does a bathroom remodeling take?
On our planning ranges, 2 to 6 weeks of design, the City's review, then a few days of demolition, 3 to 5 days of waterproofing, 1 to 2 weeks of tile and fixtures and a few days for glass and final inspection. The City's published review targets are 10 business days or about two weeks for a first look, not guarantees.
Do I need a permit to change a toilet?
A like-for-like toilet swap with no valve or pipe changes is listed as exempt on the City's Permit Exceptions page. Moving a toilet, replacing the drain or adding a circuit is not. Because the same page also says removing or replacing sinks needs a permit, confirm with the counter when a swap grows.
Is remodeling a bathroom worth it?
Often yes at the midrange, less so at the top. Remodeling magazine's 2025 Cost vs. Value report, which covers Los Angeles and not Highland, shows a midrange bath recovering about 89.6 percent of its cost at sale and an upscale one about 42.3 percent. With the median Highland home at $485,600, daily use matters as much as resale.
Where do I shower during a bathroom remodel?
Plan on a second bathroom, a gym membership or a temporary arrangement from demolition through tile and glass, which on our planning ranges is about two to three weeks. If the house has one bath, tell us at the first visit and we will sequence the work to keep a toilet and sink running as long as possible.
Do bathroom remodels in older Highland homes need lead-safe work?
Yes, when the house was built before 1978 and a paid contractor disturbs painted surfaces. About 43.8 percent of Highland homes predate 1980, and the Census table cannot separate 1978 from 1979, so check your own build year. Owners working on their own home are generally outside EPA's rule.
Does a bathroom remodel in a Highland rental need anything extra?
Possibly, because every residential rental needs a City business license certificate backed by an owner checklist and a right-of-way inspection under Municipal Code 15.52. Cosmetic work stays inside that program even without a permit. In a condo, the association's written approval usually matters before the City's does.
Tell us about your Highland bathroom
Say which part of Highland the house is in, about when it was built, whether it is a house, condo or rental, and whether the shower, toilet or tub is moving, and the first visit starts with the shower wall rule and the permit questions.