Information about Permits and Inspections for your home improvement
WHY ARE PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS REQUIRED?
To protect lives, and even your investment. Permits are required for most home improvement projects, from replacing a water heater to constructing a room addition. Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD) was created by the Colorado Springs and El Paso County governments in 1966 to ensure a unified minimum standard for construction, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work. The consolidation of services also results in reduced costs for services. Today, PPRBD serves everyone in Colorado Springs, Fountain, Green Mountain Falls, Manitou Springs, Monument, Palmer Lake, El Paso County, and even Woodland Park. We do not service the townships of Ramah or Calhan, nor any other areas of Teller County.
WHAT PROJECTS REQUIRE A PERMIT?
Construction, installation, and replacement of, but not limited to, the following: decks (to include composite materials), hot tub, pool, basement finish, room addition, exterior siding and stucco, porch, sun room, patio or deck enclosure and/or cover, detached accessory structure over 200 square feet (garage, gazebo, greenhouse, etc.), garage conversion, electrical work, lawn sprinkler back-flow device, water heater, boiler, furnace, air conditioning system, fireplace or stove (gas or solid fuel), roofing, and retaining walls greater than 4’ in height. Please contact PPRBD prior to starting any project to verify the necessity of a permit.
WHAT PROJECTS DO NOT REQUIRE A PERMIT?
Generally, cosmetic improvements do not require a permit such as house interior and exterior painting, replacing kitchen cabinets and most appliances, installation of carpeting or other floor materials, concrete flat work, fence up to 7’ in height, detached accessory structure up to 200 square feet, and minor plumbing and heating repairs. Some of these items may still require a review and/or permit from the Zoning and Floodplain authorities. Please contact PPRBD prior to starting any project to verify that a permit is not necessary.
CAN THE HOMEOWNER OBTAIN THE PERMIT?
Yes, you can obtain a permit only if you are performing the work on your primary residence that you own and reside in. You cannot perform work on a rental property, or a home in which you do not reside. You are expected to know the applicable codes and are responsible for the work passing inspection. Never obtain a permit for a contractor, this is illegal and transfers all liability for injuries and work to you.
IF THE HOMEOWNER HIRES A CONTRACTOR, WHAT DO THEY NEED TO CONSIDER?
If a contractor is hired for work that requires a permit, the contractor must be licensed and registered with PPRBD. Call 719-327-2880, or access the website at www.pprbd.org/Search/Contractor, to verify a contractor is licensed and registered. A contractor cannot obtain a permit unless their license is in good standing.
WHAT HAPPENS IF A PERMIT IS NOT OBTAINED?
If the work requires a permit and is reported to PPRBD, or observed by an inspector in the area, a STOP WORK ORDER is issued an remains in effect until the permit is obtained. If a permit is not obtained for the work, a Certificate of Non-compliance is issued against the property and filed with the El Paso Clerk and Recorder, this is essentially a lien against the property. Work without a permit is also often caught before the resale of a house by the home inspector. This can impede or cancel the sale, and results in you, the owner, being responsible for paying additional fees to obtain permits and inspections to verify code compliance.
CAN A HOMEOWNER TRACK THE INSPECTION PROGRESS ON A PROJECT?
The inspection results are noted on the yellow permit card (not all projects receive a card) and are available on our website at www.pprbd.org. A permit can be looked up under the PERMIT heading, either by permit number or address. Inspections results are typically entered the same day the inspection is performed.
VERIFY WHETHER WORK REQUIRES A PERMIT AND THAT YOUR CONTRACTOR IS LICENSED
