Demolition in Longmont, CO

Demolition in Longmont runs on paperwork before it runs on machinery. The city separates a full structure teardown from an interior gut job into two different permit applications, and both sit downstream of an asbestos determination and a set of utility disconnect sign-offs that have to be complete before the permit is issued. Apollo Construction treats that sequence as the actual schedule, not a formality that trails behind the work.

Two Demolition Permits Depending on Scope

Longmont issues a Demolition Building Permit for removing an entire structure, at a fee of $100.00 per structure, and a separate Demolition Interior Permit for gutting the inside of a building without removing it, at a fee of $50.00. Both are handled through Building Services at the Development Services Center, and neither application requires drawings, which is unusual next to most of the city’s other residential permits.

We identify which permit a project actually needs at the scope stage. A kitchen or basement gut that leaves the shell standing is an interior demolition; a garage, accessory structure, or full house removal is a building demolition. Filing the wrong one is a common way to add a week to a schedule that otherwise moves quickly.

Asbestos Testing and the State Notification Clock

Longmont’s own demolition application sets the local trigger: an asbestos test is required when the demolition disturbs 32 square feet for a residential structure (or 160 square feet for commercial), or the volume equivalent, whichever is the greater quantity. If that test comes back positive, the city will not issue its demolition permit until the applicant provides a State of Colorado demolition permit and an air-clearance report.

The state process runs on its own timeline. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment requires a demolition notification for every structure being demolished, regardless of whether asbestos is present, and that notification carries a mandatory 10-working-day waiting period before demolition can start. Where friable asbestos-containing material is found above the regulatory trigger levels, a Colorado-certified General Abatement Contractor has to submit a separate abatement notification, which carries its own 10-working-day notice period before removal can begin. We build both clocks into the schedule from the first site visit rather than discovering them after a permit application is already sitting in the queue.

Utility Disconnection Before the Crew Arrives

Longmont’s demolition application requires every utility disconnected at least 24 hours before the structure comes down, and it lists a specific process for each one. Water and sewer go through Public Works, which requires the account to be current, a written owner authorization for meter removal, and a call at least 24 hours ahead to schedule the removal; a water and sewer lateral inspection is scheduled after the permit is issued. Electric service goes through Longmont Power and Communications, scheduled on weekdays between 8 am and 5 pm. Phone and cable providers, and Xcel Energy for the gas meter, each have their own disconnect process listed on the same application.

We treat this list as a countdown that starts once the permit is close to approval, not as a set of calls made the morning of demolition. A single missed disconnect can hold up the whole job, since the city will not sign off on a demolition where a utility is still live.

Historic Review for Buildings in the Original Town Site

Longmont’s demolition application asks a direct question: is the building 50 years or older and located in the Original Town Site, under Ordinance O-94-83? If the answer is yes, a Planning or Historical Preservation signature is required on the application before the permit is issued. This sign-off is separate from, and in addition to, the citywide Certificate of Appropriateness process that governs exterior changes to designated local landmarks.

Because age and location both matter, we check a property against the Original Town Site boundary early, before demolition is priced as a straightforward teardown. A building that clears this question moves through the rest of the process at the normal pace; one that doesn’t needs the planning sign-off built into the timeline.

Fire Department and Street Protection Sign-Offs

The city’s demolition application also asks whether the applicant is willing to let the Longmont Fire Department use the structure for training before it comes down, and it requires a Transportation sign-off confirming that protection will be in place for public streets or alleys to keep pedestrian and vehicle travel safe during the work. Neither is optional paperwork; both are printed directly on the permit application alongside the utility and historic questions.

We answer the fire department question honestly with the owner before submittal, since a yes triggers a separate contact with the Assistant Fire Marshal’s office, and we plan street or alley protection measures for any demolition that could affect adjacent public access.

How We Sequence a Longmont Demolition Project

We start by classifying the scope as interior or full-structure demolition and confirming the correct application. Asbestos testing is scheduled immediately, because the result determines whether the state’s 10-working-day demolition notification runs alone or alongside a separate abatement notification. While that clock runs, we confirm the Original Town Site question, complete the fire department and transportation sign-offs, and line up disconnect appointments with water and sewer, LPC, the telecom provider, and Xcel Energy.

Once every sign-off is on the application and all utilities are confirmed disconnected at least 24 hours ahead, we submit for the city permit. Demolition itself follows the approved scope, with site protection and disposal handled through closeout, and any required lateral inspection scheduled with Public Works after the permit is issued.

Common Questions

Do I need a permit to demolish part of the inside of my house?
Yes. An interior demolition that leaves the structure standing needs a Demolition Interior Permit, currently $50.00, separate from the permit required to remove an entire structure.

When does a demolition need asbestos testing?
Longmont’s demolition application requires testing when the disturbance exceeds 32 square feet for a residential structure. If the test is positive, a State of Colorado demolition permit and air-clearance report are required before the city issues its own permit.

How long does the state asbestos notification take?
Colorado requires a demolition notification for every structure, regardless of asbestos findings, with a mandatory 10-working-day waiting period before demolition can start. A positive abatement notification carries its own separate 10-working-day period.

Does an older Longmont home need historic review before demolition?
The city’s demolition application asks whether the building is 50 years or older and located in the Original Town Site under Ordinance O-94-83. If so, a Planning or Historical Preservation signature is required before the permit is issued.

Talk to Us About Your Project

Tell us what is coming down, whether it is interior or a full structure, and roughly how old the building is. We will identify the correct permit, schedule asbestos testing against the state notification clock, and coordinate utility disconnects and any required sign-offs before demolition day.