Building Codes

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION

CONCERNING CLEAR CREEK COUNTY'S BUILDING CODES

Clear Creek County has adopted the 2015 International Residential Code, 2015 International Building Code, 2015 International Plumbing Code and 2015 International Mechanical Code. You are required to comply with these and ALL adopted county code requirements. Following are a few specific code requirements for construction of Single Family Residences:

1. Smoke detectors shall be installed in each sleeping room and at a point centrally located in the corridor or area giving access to each separate sleeping area, if no bedroom exists on each story a detector shall be installed on each story and in basement. All required smoke detectors shall receive their primary power from the building wiring with battery backup and they shall be inter-connected;

2. Carbon Monoxide Detectors, as required by State of Colorado law effective July 1, 2009, shall be installed within 15 feet of all sleeping rooms or areas lawfully used for sleeping purposes in every new, remodeled or repaired home that is heated with a fuel-fired appliance, has a fireplace, or has an attached garage. 

 3. Liquid propane gas appliances installed in a basement or crawlspace require both a gas detector and a daylighted drain and must be on a poured slab;

4. Sills on a concrete or masonry slab, which is in direct contact with earth, and sills which rest on concrete foundations, shall be pressure treated wood or foundation redwood, for exceptions, such as providing an impervious membrane, contact the building inspector for approval;

5. Stairway requirements are a 7 3/4 inches maximum rise and a 10-inch minimum run. The greatest riser height within any flight of stairs shall not exceed the smallest by more than 3/8 of an inch. Headroom of not less than 6 feet, 8 inches measured vertically from the sloped plane adjoining the tread nosing or from the floor surface of the landing or platform is required;

6. Stairway handrails shall not be less than 34 inches or more than 38 inches above the nosing of treads and landings; Handrails projecting from a wall shall have a space of not less than 1 1/2 inches between the wall and handrail; The handgrip portion of handrails shall not be less than 1 1/2 inches or more than 2 inches in cross sectional dimension or the shape shall provide an equivalent griping surface.

7. Guardrails or Guards need to be a minimum of 36 inches in height;

8. Spacing between spindles is such that a 4 inch sphere cannot pass through it;

9. Tempered glass is required in all hazardous locations, including:

1) Glazing in ingress and egress doors except jalousies.

2) Glazing in fixed and sliding panels of sliding door assemblies and panels in swinging doors other than wardrobe doors.

3) Glazing in storm doors.

4) Glazing in all unframed swinging doors.

5) Glazing in doors and enclosures for hot tubs, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, bathtubs and showers. Glazing in any portion of a building wall enclosing these compartments where the bottom exposed edge of the glazing is less than 60 inches above a standing surface and drain inlet.

6) Glazing in fixed or operable panels adjacent to a door where the nearest exposed edge of the glazing is within a 24-inch arc of either vertical edge of the door in a closed position and where the bottom exposed edge of the glazing is less than 60 inches above the walking surface.

7) Glazing in an individual fixed or operable panel, other than those locations described in Items 5 and 6, that meets all of the following conditions: A. Exposed area of an individual pane greater than 9 square feet, B. Exposed bottom edge less than 18 inches above the floor, C. Exposed top edge greater than 36 inches above the floor, D. One or more walking surfaces within 36 inches horizontally of the plane of the glazing.

8) Glazing in railings regardless of height above a walking surface. Included are structural baluster panels and nonstructural in-fill panels.

10. Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings are required for all sleeping rooms and from basements and must have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet, a minimum height of 24 inches, minimum width of 20 inches and be not more than 44 inches from the floor. Emergency escape and rescue openings with a finished sill height below the adjacent ground elevation shall be provided with a minimum horizontal area of 9 square feet, with a minimum horizontal projection and width of 36 inches, allowing for the opening pane to be fully opened and equipped with an approved ladder or steps if the vertical depth is greater than 44 inches.

11. Occupancy Separation between living space and garage space is required to be a minimum of one layer of 5/8 of an inch. Type X drywall applied on the inside of the garage on all adjacent walls and ceilings and is required on walls supporting living space on floors above. Minimum 20 minute rated, tight fitting doors with self-closing hinges are required between garage space and living space.

If you have any questions regarding code requirements please call the Building Department at 303-679-2343 or 303-679-2344.

Procedure for Contemporaneous Reviews of Plumbing Licenses

This guide is the result of HB19-1086 (Plumbing).

This guide sets forth standard procedures for conducting contemporaneous reviews to ensure consistent, timely and efficient enforcement of Colorado’s plumbing licensure and apprenticeship requirements. 

Plumbers must register prior to applying for a permit to perform work. State-issued license credentials shall be provided from all plumbers during the Registration process and, based on availability, Staff will use DORA’s licensing service to review such credentials. If an applicant fails to provide State-issued credentials, or if a review reveals the credentials provided to be inactive, Staff shall discontinue Registration until the applicant resolves the discrepancy. 

All permits shall require that any change of State-issued credentials for an active permit, a contractor registration, or master contractor be reported in writing by the permittee. Staff will conduct a review of the existing permit and nature of the change of credentials to determine further action on the permit, if necessary. 

Inspectors may conduct full or partial contemporaneous reviews of the plumbers and apprentices working at a job site at their discretion, based on their familiarity with the installers and any other relevant factors. These reviews may be conducted at any time, at any job where plumbing work is being conducted, the frequency of which shall be based on staff availability, with an emphasis on large multifamily and commercial job sites. 

If a contemporaneous review reveals any non-compliance with Colorado’s plumbing licensure or apprenticeship requirements, the inspector who performed the review shall promptly notify his or her immediate supervisor. Staff will consider the nature and severity of the violation and determine whether to file a complaint with the State plumbing boards per C.R.S. Title 12, Article 155 (Plumbers). 

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