Remodeling in Towson, MD

Where Towson’s remodeling work comes from

Towson’s housing was built in layers, and each layer produces its own kind of job. The 1920s and ’30s streets of Stoneleigh and Anneslie have Tudors, Colonial Revivals, bungalows and Foursquares whose bathrooms and kitchens have been redone two or three times, not always well. Rodgers Forge is block after block of brick rowhouses with narrow kitchens and a single full bath upstairs. Then come the 1950s and ’60s streets, where original baths and kitchens are now 60-plus years old. Lower-level projects in any of these houses are covered on our basement finishing page.

Which approvals does a Towson project need?

That depends on your neighborhood and whether the work touches the outside of the house. Interior remodels answer to Baltimore County’s Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections, headquartered on West Chesapeake Avenue in downtown Towson. Plumbing and electrical permits are always required, and county-licensed trades take them out.

Outside work in Rodgers Forge adds the community association. Its Architectural Guidelines, revised in April 2024, and its online application are on the RFCA website, and approval has to arrive before work begins. In Stoneleigh and Anneslie, the National Register listing adds no review step, though it may open a tax credit for certain repairs.

Rowhouse remodels in Rodgers Forge

A Keelty rowhouse has shared brick party walls, a fixed footprint and neighbors on both sides, so the work happens inside the box you have. The usual Rodgers Forge projects:

• Bathroom remodels in Towson inside the existing room, rebuilt from the studs with waterproofing behind the tile
• Kitchen remodeling in Towson that squeezes more storage and counter out of a narrow room
• Rear decks and stairs in Towson, drawn so the RFCA application and the county permit review both get the details they need
• Front and rear exterior stairs and railings

When a project grows past one room into a full rowhouse renovation, our home remodeling page covers how that work goes.

One Rodgers Forge detail worth knowing: neighborhood histories say parts of the land were graded heavily when the rows went up, so some yards have thin topsoil. If exterior work disturbs your yard, budget for soil to restore it.

Older Towson homes and the tax credit

Owners of contributing homes in Rodgers Forge, Stoneleigh and Anneslie can apply for Baltimore County’s historic tax credit, worth 20% of qualified rehabilitation costs with a $1,000 minimum. It covers repairs like repointing, roof work, window restoration, basement waterproofing and system upgrades. It does not cover a new kitchen or bath. If your project mixes both, we can split the estimate so the eligible items stand apart, and you apply before any work starts.