Demolition in Franktown, CO

Franktown properties range from decades-old ranch houses and outbuildings to newer construction on large lots, and a demolition scope here can mean anything from removing an interior wall to taking down an entire structure before a rebuild. Douglas County treats demolition as its own permitted activity, separate from the building permit for whatever comes next, and state rules add an asbestos step that has to happen before a wrecking crew shows up.

This page walks through the Douglas County and Colorado state checkpoints we plan around for demolition work in the Franktown area. It is a planning guide, not a substitute for a site-specific permit or inspection determination, and we confirm current requirements with the county and state before scheduling.

A Demolition Permit Is Required for Any Structure or Part of One

Douglas County requires a Demolition Permit whenever a building or structure, or part of a building or structure, is to be permanently removed. The demolition permit fee is $47 per structure. That rule applies broadly, from a full teardown of an old outbuilding to removal of a defined portion of a house as part of a larger remodel, so we scope the permit against the actual demolition footprint rather than assuming a partial removal is exempt.

Because Douglas County’s own language covers a structure or part of one without carving out a minor-work exception, we default to pulling the permit for any demolition that is more than incidental interior selective demo tied to an already-permitted remodel, and we confirm the specific scope with the Building Division when the line is not obvious.

Asbestos Inspection Comes Before the Wrecking Bar

Colorado Air Quality Control Commission Regulation 8, Part B requires an asbestos inspection by a certified building inspector before renovation or demolition activity that meets the state’s trigger levels. For a single-family residential dwelling, those trigger levels are 32 square feet, 50 linear feet, or the volume equivalent of a 55-gallon drum of suspect material. Any asbestos-containing material that is friable, or that would become friable during the demolition, has to be removed before demolition proceeds.

A Notification of Demolition Form must go to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment even when the inspection finds no asbestos, along with a notification fee, and there is a waiting period before demolition can start, commonly cited as 10 working days. Douglas County’s own demolition permit page also calls for a Demolition Notification application to CDPHE’s Air Quality Control Division where applicable, with proof of that filing provided to the county. We build that lead time into the schedule up front rather than treating it as a delay that shows up later.

Utilities Have to Be Disconnected and Documented Before Demolition

Douglas County requires all utilities to be properly abated and the provider notified before demolition, with water, sewer, sanitary sewer, gas, and electric disconnected and properly terminated. On Franktown’s larger parcels this often means coordinating with a well and septic system in addition to the standard utility providers, since a structure on acreage may not sit on municipal water or sewer at all.

We treat utility disconnection as a scheduled step with its own confirmation, not something assumed complete because a line looks capped. Where a septic system, well, or propane tank is part of the site, we identify those separately from the standard gas/electric/water/sewer checklist so nothing gets missed on a rural property.

Older Structures May Trigger a Historic Review Step

Before demolition work can commence, Douglas County requires either a Demolition Permit Evaluation Request Form or a waiver from the Historic Preservation Board or the Chief Building Official. That evaluation form exists to encourage documentation of structures 50 years and older that are proposed for demolition. Given Franktown’s history as one of the older communities in the county, some homes and outbuildings here can fall into that age bracket even when they are not formally landmarked.

We check the approximate age of any structure slated for demolition early in the process specifically because of this rule, so the evaluation form or waiver request does not become a late surprise that pushes back the whole project timeline.

A Utility Locate Comes Before Any Ground Disturbance

Colorado law requires requesting a utility locate through Colorado 811 at least two business days before any excavation or demolition, and that requirement explicitly covers demolition of structures along with digging, trenching, and grading. It applies regardless of whether the site is a platted subdivision lot or an unaddressed section of rural acreage, and fines for skipping it start at $5,000 per violation.

We request that locate for every Franktown demolition scope that disturbs the ground, whether the job is knocking down a garage slab or clearing a building pad, because underground utilities and septic lines on rural property are not always where a site plan suggests.

How We Sequence a Franktown Demolition Project

We start by confirming the demolition footprint against Douglas County’s permit rule, checking the approximate age of the structure for the historic evaluation step, and scheduling the CDPHE asbestos inspection with enough lead time for the notification waiting period. Utility disconnection, including any well, septic, or propane components specific to the property, is confirmed and documented before equipment mobilizes, and a Colorado 811 locate request goes in for the full work area.

Demolition itself follows the confirmed scope, with debris handling and disposal planned around what the structure actually contains rather than a generic assumption. Where the demolition clears the way for new construction, we coordinate the demolition permit closeout with the building permit for the next phase so there is no gap between removing the old structure and starting the new one.

Common Questions

Does removing part of a structure in Franktown need a demolition permit?
Douglas County requires a Demolition Permit whenever a building or structure, or part of one, is permanently removed, with a fee of $47 per structure. We confirm with the Building Division whether a specific partial-removal scope needs its own demolition permit or is covered under an existing remodel permit.

Is an asbestos inspection always required before demolition?
State law requires a certified asbestos inspection before demolition or renovation activity that meets Colorado’s trigger levels: 32 square feet, 50 linear feet, or a 55-gallon-drum volume equivalent of suspect material for a single-family home. A Notification of Demolition Form goes to CDPHE even when no asbestos is found, with a waiting period, commonly 10 working days, before demolition can start.

Could an older Franktown property need historic review before demolition?
Douglas County requires a Demolition Permit Evaluation Request Form, or a waiver from the Historic Preservation Board or Chief Building Official, before demolition begins, aimed at documenting structures 50 years and older. We check structure age early so this step is scheduled rather than discovered late.

Do I need a utility locate before demolishing a structure on acreage?
Yes. Colorado law requires a Colorado 811 locate request at least two business days before any excavation or demolition, on any property including rural acreage, with fines starting at $5,000 per violation for skipping it. We request the locate for every demolition scope that disturbs the ground.

Talk to Us About Your Project

Tell us what is coming down, its approximate age, and whether the site has a well, septic system, or propane tank. We will scope the Douglas County demolition permit, schedule the required asbestos inspection and CDPHE notification, and coordinate utility disconnection before any equipment moves onto your Franktown property.