Bathroom Remodeling in Cherry Hills Village, CO

Bathroom remodeling in Cherry Hills Village goes through the same Community Development Department that reviews every other permit in the City, and it falls under the same “Interior Remodel” framework the City applies to kitchens. A bathroom project touches plumbing almost by definition, which puts most bathroom remodels on the plan-review side of the City’s permit line rather than the no-permit side. Our crew plans Cherry Hills Village bathrooms around that reality from the first design conversation.

Plumbing Work Is the Trigger Most Bathrooms Cross

The City defines an Interior Remodel as work where walls or framing are demolished or reconfigured, or where plumbing and mechanical pathways are relocated, reconfigured, added, or changed. Moving a shower drain, relocating a vanity, or reworking a tub-to-shower layout are exactly the kind of plumbing changes the City is describing, which means a layout change almost always needs plan review, not just a permit.

The City does carve out a narrower path for like-for-like work: replacing drywall, fixtures, or built-in cabinetry in the same location needs a permit and final inspection, but not plan review. Purely cosmetic work such as new tile, paint, or wallpaper needs no permit at all. A bathroom that keeps every fixture in its existing location can sometimes stay in that middle, lighter-review category even when the finishes are completely new.

We identify which category a bathroom falls into before drawings are finalized, because the plumbing layout decision made early in design is what decides the permit path later.

Structural Plans When Walls Move

If a bathroom remodel involves reconfiguring a wall, whether to enlarge a shower, combine two small bathrooms, or open a primary suite layout, the City’s submittal requirements call for complete construction plans that include stamped structural plans. A soils investigation report is also required if the structural plans reference site conditions. Cherry Hills Village does not distinguish a small interior wall from a larger structural one in its written guidance — both go through the same stamped-plan requirement once a wall is part of the scope.

If any demolition is involved, the City also asks for Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment approval covering removal of materials before that work begins. We schedule that approval ahead of demolition day rather than assuming it can be handled after the fact.

Windows, Doors, and the Exterior Remodel Overlap

A bathroom remodel that adds or resizes a window, whether for a walk-in shower’s natural light or a new egress requirement, moves that portion of the project into the City’s separate Exterior Remodel permit category. That category has its own submittal list: a scaled site survey with setbacks measured to eaves and overhangs, and elevations showing compliance with the applicable bulk plane and height standards. A bathroom that stays entirely inside the existing envelope, with no window or exterior door changes, avoids that second permit track.

We flag any exterior wall penetration during design review specifically so the project team knows whether it is filing one permit or two, and so the survey and elevation documents the City asks for are ready before submittal rather than requested mid-review.

Review Cycles and Fees

Cherry Hills Village’s published timeline for this permit category is 7 to 10 business days per review cycle for Interior Remodel permits that require Building Division review. The review fee for a remodel with no new square footage is $340 for two hours, and additional review time is billed at $170 per hour. The building permit fee is $20 for work valued at $2,000 or under, or 1% of valuation above that threshold, plus Arapahoe County use tax of one-eighth of one percent of valuation.

A bathroom that needs a second review cycle, most often because plumbing relocation wasn’t fully documented in the first submittal, adds real time to a project that otherwise moves quickly. We build the plumbing plan into the first submittal in enough detail that a second cycle isn’t the default outcome.

Adopted Codes and Confirming the Current Edition

The City’s Interior Remodel handout, revised in June 2024, cites the 2021 International Plumbing Code and 2021 International Residential Code, along with the 2021 Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Energy Conservation, Fire, and Existing Building Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code, as the editions the City was enforcing at that time. Because code adoption can change and published handouts can lag current practice, we confirm the exact edition in force with the Building Division before finalizing plumbing fixture counts, venting, or bathroom electrical layout.

How We Sequence a Cherry Hills Village Bathroom Remodel

We start by mapping the plumbing and wall changes against the City’s Interior Remodel and Exterior Remodel categories, then prepare stamped structural plans, any required soils documentation, and CDPHE demolition approval before filing. Once the permit is issued, our crew handles demolition, then brings rough plumbing, mechanical, and electrical work to inspection together.

Waterproofing, tile, fixtures, and finish work follow rough approval, and the project closes with the City’s final inspection. In Cherry Hills Village, a bathroom remodel goes best when the plumbing layout, permit category, and current code edition are settled before demolition starts.

Common Questions

Does moving a shower or vanity in Cherry Hills Village need a permit?
Yes. Relocating or reconfiguring plumbing pathways is one of the triggers for the City’s Interior Remodel permit, which requires plan review, not just a permit and inspection.

Can I redo a bathroom’s tile and fixtures without a permit?
Purely cosmetic work like tile, paint, or wallpaper needs no permit. Like-for-like fixture, drywall, or cabinetry replacement in the same location needs a permit and final inspection but not plan review.

Does a new bathroom window mean a second permit?
Adding or resizing an exterior window or door shifts that part of the project into the City’s separate Exterior Remodel permit, which carries its own survey and elevation requirements.

How long does bathroom permit review take?
The City cites 7 to 10 business days per review cycle for Interior Remodel permits needing Building Division review. A second cycle adds time, so a complete plumbing plan in the first submittal matters.

Talk to Us About Your Project

Tell us what is changing in your bathroom, including plumbing moves, walls, and any window or door work. We sort the scope against Cherry Hills Village’s permit categories, prepare the structural and plumbing documentation the City asks for, and coordinate inspections through closeout.