Do You Need a Permit to Remodel in Eagle County?

The short answer: it depends on the work and the address

Two questions decide whether your remodel needs a permit. First, what kind of work is it? Second, is the home inside a town or in unincorporated Eagle County? The answers point you to the right office and the right rules.

What Eagle County says needs a building permit

The Eagle County Building Division states that a building permit is required when an owner or authorized agent intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure. That covers a lot of remodeling. The same page says normal building maintenance does not require a permit in most instances, and that roof replacements do require one.

In plain terms, the more a project changes how a building is put together or used, the more likely it needs a permit.

Remodeling work that usually needs a permit

These projects typically go through permit review. The building department has the final word on each one.

• Removing or moving walls, especially bearing walls
• Home additions, second-story pop-ups and new rooms
• Kitchen remodeling that relocates plumbing, gas lines or electrical circuits
• Bathroom remodels that move fixtures or add a new bath
• Finishing a basement with new bedrooms, egress windows or a bathroom
• New decks, and larger deck rebuilds
• Roof replacements
• New window or door openings cut into exterior walls

Mountain conditions add to the review. The county sets roof and deck design snow loads from the Colorado snow load standards, and its frost depth is 48 inches unless a geotechnical report says otherwise. That matters for deck footings and additions.

Work that is often treated as maintenance

Painting, replacing worn flooring, swapping a faucet or light fixture in the same spot, patching drywall and replacing cabinet doors are often considered maintenance. Even so, rules differ between offices, and condo buildings may have their own requirements on top. When in doubt, ask before the work starts, not after.

Which office issues your permit

Eagle County’s Building Division only covers unincorporated parts of the county. Towns run their own building departments.

Unincorporated Eagle County: Edwards, Eagle-Vail and Beaver Creek

Homes in Edwards, Eagle-Vail and Beaver Creek are in unincorporated Eagle County, so permits and inspections go through the county Building Division, which handles plan review and inspections.

Vail, Avon, Minturn, Eagle and Gypsum

Each of these towns issues its own building permits and does its own inspections. The county does not inspect inside town limits. Each town’s building department decides what needs a permit or design review, and Edgar confirms it for each job.

The Town of Gypsum, for example, states that construction cannot begin until a building permit is issued, and that plans must be approved by the appropriate Design Review Board or HOA.

HOA and design review are a separate step

A building permit checks that the work is safe and meets code. An HOA, condo association or design review board looks at other things: exterior appearance, work hours, building access and how contractors use shared spaces. Many Vail Valley projects need both. Condo buildings in particular often ask for an approved work plan and set work hours before a contractor can start, which affects the schedule as much as the permit does.

How Edgar handles permits on a job

Permits are part of the job, not something left for the owner to sort out. On a Chino’s Remodel & Build project, Edgar:

1. Confirms with the town or county which permits and reviews the work needs
2. Prepares and submits the permit application
3. Builds review time into the schedule
4. Schedules inspections at each stage
5. Meets the inspector on site

For larger projects with several trades and inspections, see general contractor services. If you are still choosing who to hire, read how to hire a contractor in Vail and Eagle County.