An addition is the one project where zoning can stop you before design starts. We are a licensed contractor in Maryland (MHIC #111971) — we pull the permits through the Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits, coordinate the licensed trades, and hand you a written line-item scope before demolition starts.
An addition starts with zoning, not construction: setbacks, lot coverage and height limits get reviewed before a building permit is issued, and in some neighborhoods there is a stormwater or historic review on top. Then come the footing and foundation inspections, which have to pass before backfill. This is the longest-lead permit of any project we do, and it is why we start the paperwork while the design is still being drawn.
Your Ellicott City permit goes through the Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits. We pull it under our license and we hold the inspection schedule — you do not chase inspectors and you do not sign the application.
Old Ellicott City sits in a historic district, where exterior work carries design review on top of the Howard County building permit. Outside the historic core, it is a straight county permit.
Ellicott City spans genuinely old stone and frame houses near Main Street and 1980s–2000s subdivisions further out — two completely different scopes under one town name. On the historic properties, nothing about the structure should be assumed until it is opened up.
What's includedA planning range, not a quote. Your written line-item price comes after a free on-site walkthrough. HVAC, electrical and plumbing are performed by licensed trade partners.
A written, line-item scope for your home additions project. No design fee, no obligation.
By submitting you agree United Developers may call or text you about your request, including by autodialed/automated means and AI voice, at the number provided. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Msg/data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out.
Our Ellicott City crews cover Columbia, Elkridge, Catonsville, Clarksville and every ZIP in the area — 21042, 21043.
Yes. United Developers is a licensed contractor in Maryland (MHIC #111971) and works throughout Ellicott City and Howard County, including 21042, 21043 and nearby Columbia, Elkridge, Catonsville.
We do, under our license, through the Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits. An addition starts with zoning, not construction: setbacks, lot coverage and height limits get reviewed before a building permit is issued, and in some neighborhoods there is a stormwater or historic review on top. Then come the footing and foundation inspections, which have to pass before backfill. This is the longest-lead permit of any project we do, and it is why we start the paperwork while the design is still being drawn.
Old Ellicott City sits in a historic district, where exterior work carries design review on top of the Howard County building permit. Outside the historic core, it is a straight county permit.
Most Ellicott City projects land in the $180 – $340 / sq ft range. That is a planning range for Howard County, not a quote — your written price comes after a free on-site walkthrough.
Yes. The walkthrough and the written scope are free and yours to keep whether or not you hire us. There is no design fee and no consultation invoice.
The build is rarely the long part — permitting and zoning review are. Expect the approval phase to run in parallel with final design, and expect us to give you a schedule that names the permit milestone rather than hiding it. We will tell you at the walkthrough if your lot has a setback or coverage problem, because that changes the whole conversation.