General Contractor in Marietta, GA
Historic districts, 1950s subdivisions and commercial space in Marietta, with the city's permit portal and historic review rules explained.
Working in Marietta
Marietta is the county seat of Cobb County, built around a downtown square also called Glover Park. The Marietta History Center occupies the historic Kennesaw House beside the railroad near the Square, a building the museum dates to around 1845.
The city has a wide mix of building ages. The median year built for Marietta housing is 1987 across about 26,783 housing units (ACS 2020 to 2024), but about one third were built before 1980 and roughly 10 percent before 1960, by calculation from the Census Reporter counts. The median value of an owner-occupied home is $448,500. Older areas include five National Register historic districts and the locally designated Kennesaw Avenue Historic District. Whitlock Heights, a postwar neighborhood just south of the Square, was begun by developer Banks DuPre around 1950. Air Force Plant No. 6 on South Cobb Drive housed Bell Aircraft in World War II and has housed Lockheed since 1951.
Employers include WellStar Kennestone Hospital, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Cobb County Public Safety, Tip Top Poultry and the Cobb County Board of Education, according to the city's 2021 financial report. Storefronts around the Square fall under the city's tenant buildout rule: separate plans and a separate permit from the shell building.
Climate figures from NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals for the Atlanta area list an annual mean temperature of 63.2 degrees, 49.30 inches of annual precipitation, a July average high of 91.0 degrees and a January average low of 34.1 degrees. That is the nearest metro Atlanta station in the NCEI dataset, not a Marietta gauge, and humid summers matter for drywall and paint.
What this means for your project: in Marietta the order of operations is set by the city. A general contractor must be named before a permit application can be filed, commercial plans over 5,000 square feet need an architect's seal and a tenant buildout is permitted separately from the shell building. In a local historic district, a Certificate of Appropriateness comes first and demolition also needs City Council approval. Starting with the permit keeps the job on a clear track: name the general contractor, file in Sages and schedule each inspection as its stage finishes.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes in Marietta
Marietta Square, also called Glover Park, anchors the historic business area. The Northwest Marietta Historic District is a 230 acre National Register district listed in 1975 that runs along Kennesaw Avenue, the Whitlock Avenue Historic District is an 82 acre district listed in 1989 with 101 contributing buildings, and the Washington Avenue Historic District has 36 contributing buildings. Kennesaw Avenue was designated in August 2013 as the city's first locally designated historic district, so exterior projects there need a Certificate of Appropriateness. Church-Cherokee Streets is another of the city's five National Register districts.
ZIP codes covering parts of Marietta include 30060, 30062, 30064, 30066, 30067, 30068 and 30008.
Permits in Marietta: where to start
Marietta requires a permit whenever an owner or contractor intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building or structure, or install or alter an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system. Unpermitted work results in a Stop Work Order posted to the property, double fees for the required permits and possible court-ordered fines. All permitting is done online through Sages, and a permit cannot be applied for before a general contractor is named, since the contractor's state license, business license and driver's license are required.
City of Marietta Building Inspections Division
205 Lawrence Street, Marietta, GA 30060(770) 794-5659
Online: Sages online permitting
- Commercial plans need a sealed drawing from a licensed architect if the project is over 5,000 square feet or in a building over 5,000 square feet, is more than one story, or is a Group A, E or I occupancy.
- Tenant buildouts require separate submittals and separate permits from the shell building.
- Commercial permit fees are $3 per $1,000 of construction cost for projects of $250,000 or less and $5 per $1,000 above that, plus a $50 base fee and a plan review fee.
- In a local historic district, a proposed material change needs a Certificate of Appropriateness. There is no application fee, the Commission acts within 45 days, demolition must also be approved by City Council, and building permits are not issued without it.
- The general contractor schedules inspections through Sages; requests made before 4 pm can be scheduled for the next day or up to four days out.
Verify before you hire anyone. Georgia licenses residential and commercial general contractors through the Secretary of State's contractor board, and each city publishes its own permit requirements.
Work we quote in Marietta
A tenant buildout needs its own plans and permit, separate from the shell building.
Framing and Drywall
Walls framed, hung, taped and finished, with rated assemblies specified as listed.
Painting
Interior and exterior painting with surface preparation and moisture control; pre-1978 buildings fall under a federal lead rule.
CMU and Masonry Block
Concrete block walls with mortar, grout, steel and drainage details specified in the scope.
Demolition
Interior and selective demolition, with asbestos inspection and Georgia EPD notice where they apply.
Office Interior
Partitions, ceilings and finishes for offices and small commercial suites.
Questions about building in Marietta
Do I need a permit to demolish or alter walls in Marietta, GA?
Yes. The City of Marietta says a permit is required whenever an owner or contractor intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building or structure, or alter any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system.
What does Marietta require before work starts?
A permit, filed online in Sages with the named general contractor's state license, business license and driver's license. With the permit in place, inspections are scheduled stage by stage. The city responds to work started without one with a Stop Work Order and double fees.
How do I apply for a building permit in Marietta?
All permitting is done online through the Sages software. The general contractor's license information is required, so you cannot apply before you have a general contractor.
How much does a commercial building permit cost in Marietta?
For projects of $250K or less the fee is $3 per $1,000 of construction cost plus a $50 base fee and a plan review fee ($125 flat under $250K). Above $250K it is $5 per $1,000 plus the base fee and plan review fee.
When do commercial plans in Marietta need an architect's seal?
Sealed plans from a registered architect are required if the project is over 5,000 sq ft or in a building over 5,000 sq ft, is more than one story, or is any Group A, E or I occupancy.
Does a tenant buildout in a Marietta shell building need its own permit?
Yes. The city's inspection guide says tenant buildouts require separate submittals of plans and separate permits from the shell building.
What approval is needed to change a building in a Marietta historic district?
In a local historic district, a proposed material change needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission. There is no fee, the Commission rules within 45 days, demolition also needs City Council approval, and building permits are not issued without the COA.
How are inspections scheduled in Marietta?
The general contractor schedules inspections through the Sages website. Requests made before 4 pm can be scheduled for the next day or up to 4 days out, and inspectors and front desk staff do not schedule them by phone.
Also quoted nearby
The same services are quoted across the Atlanta area, and each town sets its own rules:
- Atlanta: express review for small commercial interiors
- Sandy Springs: separate Commercial Interior Remodel and New Tenant Occupancy permits
- College Park: a $1,000 demolition bond and a public hearing for substantial exterior work
- East Point: a BS&A portal and an asbestos survey required for demolition
- Decatur: a Certificate of Appropriateness in its five local historic districts
- Smyrna: online-only permits with published review times
Sources: [1] api.censusreporter.org [2] censusreporter.org [3] ncei.noaa.gov [4] mariettahistory.org [5] mariettaga.gov [6] en.wikipedia.org [7] georgiaencyclopedia.org [8] mariettaga.gov [9] mariettaga.gov [10] acehardware.com [11] sherwin-williams.com [12] liveoaksupply.com [13] site-aws.sunstateequip.com [14] exploregeorgia.org [15] marietta.com [16] life.edu
Get a quote for your Marietta project
Tell us the work and the address in Marietta. We follow up with the phone number you provide.
Jermaine Enterprises, Inc.3480 Greenbriar Pkwy SW
Atlanta, GA 30331