Do You Need A Building Permit in Boulder County?

By Kathleen Spano - March 08, 2013

Do you want to avoid hassles, headaches and costly mistakes? Not having a building permit has become a major “hot button” today. Appraisers check for them and so do inspectors. Not having a permit can cause serious problems for sellers and buyers. One of my listings, a small farm, had a large barn from the 60’s that wasn’t permitted. If the buyer wanted to make any additions to the property the lack of a permit meant it would have to be torn down.

Another listing I had was a custom home on a golf course. The seller finished the basement without a permit. It was a spacious walk-out basement, with a large family room, bedroom, bath, kitchenette, & storage. This home was located in a town that does not give retroactive building permits. The buyers had difficulty getting insurance on the home due to the lack of a building permit and ended up with an uninsured basement.

Building codes exist because historically many people had built additions or improvements that fell down on other peoples' property or caused fires. Getting a building permit is a health and safety issue and it is the law. If you are getting your home ready to sell in Boulder County, the following DO NOT NEED A BUILDING PERMIT: painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops and finish-work. The following DO NEED A BUILDING PERMIT: if a building or structure is being erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, removed, or converted. Also redoing your roof, any changes to plumbing, or electrical lines, putting in a sprinkler system, new windows, new a/c, putting on a deck and installing a water heater, all need a building permit.

Construction is a substantial financial investment, which can be seriously jeopardized by construction work completed without required permits. It is not only illegal but will create problems when you try to sell your property. Fire and homeowners insurance coverage may not recognize work performed without permits or be invalidated. When hiring a contractor, your agreement should state that the contractor is responsible for obtaining any and all building permits. Make sure to get copies of all inspections before paying the bill. The easiest way to know when you need a building permit is to call your local building authority. Building codes vary greatly between cities and regions. A building permit will make your home substantially more marketable.

Kathleen Spano