Framing in Colorado Springs, CO

Framing is where a Colorado Springs remodel becomes a structural decision instead of a sketch. Removing or altering an interior wall, load-bearing or not, is treated by PPRBD as an interior remodel that requires plans submitted for review before a permit is issued, and the plans PPRBD wants are specific about what a framing sheet has to show. Apollo Construction builds every Colorado Springs framing scope around that plan-review process rather than treating the wall as a field decision.

Any Wall Change Triggers Plan Review

PPRBD’s permit-exemption list covers finish work like paint, flooring, and countertops, but it does not exempt structural or wall-configuration changes. Removing, constructing, or modifying an interior wall is folded into the remodel permit process described in PPRBD’s residential remodel guidance, which requires an existing floor plan, a demo plan, and a proposed floor plan before the permit is issued. We treat “it’s just a partition” as a question to verify, not an assumption, because PPRBD’s process does not distinguish bearing from non-bearing walls when it comes to requiring a plan.

Where the wall carries load, that plan review becomes a full framing submission. We do not order material or open a wall until the framing package matches what PPRBD’s guide asks for, because a rejected or incomplete plan stalls the job at the review counter rather than on site.

What PPRBD’s Framing Plan Has to Show

PPRBD’s residential construction plan guidance is specific: a framing plan needs the framing material (dimensioned lumber, an engineered product, or a pre-manufactured truss product, with manufacturer and model information if engineered), member spacing, post, beam, and header sizes and locations, bearing walls with their stud size and spacing, the number of trim and king studs at beams and headers, and hangers and tie-downs shown at their plan locations. Steel-to-steel connections need their own details and, per PPRBD’s guide, may require the seal of a design professional licensed in Colorado.

Roof framing carries a parallel, and in some ways longer, list: framing material (rafters, engineered I-joists, or manufactured trusses), spacing, over-framing shaded and noted, post/beam/header locations and sizes, bearing wall stud size and spacing, and hangers and tie-downs. If engineered wood trusses are used, PPRBD requires a manufacturer-stamped detail for each truss component sealed by a Colorado-licensed design professional, with every truss labeled on the roof framing plan to match those details; PPRBD states plainly that a truss manufacturer’s layout sheet alone is not accepted in place of a framing plan.

Fire-Resistive Framing Details on the Plan

Where a scope touches a rated assembly, PPRBD’s plan guidance asks for the locations of rated exterior walls and their listed fire-protection assemblies, including at eaves, cantilevered floors, and decks. For two-family dwellings and townhomes, the plan needs the listed assembly for dwelling-unit separation at walls, at floor rims, and through the attic or at a rated roof/ceiling assembly. We bring those assembly details into the framing plan up front on any project where they apply, rather than treating them as a field substitution decided by whatever material is on the truck.

Foundation work that supports new or altered framing carries its own requirement: PPRBD’s guidance for structural work states that a soils report and engineered foundation design are required by the time of first inspection. We coordinate that report early on additions or new bearing points rather than waiting for an inspector to ask for it after framing is already standing.

Snow Load, Wind, and Elevation Drive the Member Sizes

Colorado Springs sits across a meaningful elevation range, and PPRBD’s design criteria reflect that: ground snow load is 43 psf below 7,000 feet and 57 psf at or above 7,000 feet, with flat-roof values of 30 and 40 psf respectively. Ultimate wind speed is set at 130 mph under Risk Category I/II, Exposure C. Those figures change header, rafter, and connector sizing, so we confirm the property’s elevation and exposure before finalizing a framing plan rather than defaulting to a single citywide number.

A specific frost depth figure for footings in the Pikes Peak region is something we could not verify on an official PPRBD or City page. On any framing project that includes a new or altered footing, we confirm the required depth with PPRBD directly before the foundation contractor digs, rather than relying on a number pulled from an unofficial source.

Inspection Holds Before the Wall Closes

PPRBD’s required-inspections table lists BFR (Building Frame) across nearly every residential permit type that touches structure — additions, basement finishes, garage conversions, remodels — generally followed by BIN (Building Insulation) before the project moves toward cover. We schedule the frame inspection once the structural work matches the approved plan, and we do not let drywall or insulation go in ahead of that hold point.

A fixed, published turnaround time in business days for a framing or structural remodel plan review is something we were not able to verify on an official page. We build schedule buffers around that uncertainty and confirm current review timelines with PPRBD when a project is submitted, rather than promising a specific review date up front.

How We Sequence a Colorado Springs Framing Project

We start with the existing building: where loads travel, what the current framing looks like where it is exposed, and what the proposed change requires structurally. The framing plan is prepared to PPRBD’s specification before submission, including truss details, connector schedules, and any rated-assembly information the scope requires, with a design professional’s seal brought in wherever steel-to-steel connections or engineered trusses call for one.

Once the permit and plan are approved, we install temporary support before any bearing element is disturbed, then build the approved permanent framing and transfer load only when that assembly is ready. The frame inspection is called once the work matches the plan, and only after that hold point do insulation, drywall, and finish trades move in. That sequence keeps a Colorado Springs framing project tied to the plan that was actually reviewed, not to a field improvisation that has to be explained to an inspector later.

Common Questions

Does removing a non-load-bearing wall in Colorado Springs need a permit?
PPRBD treats removing, constructing, or modifying an interior wall — load-bearing or not — as part of an interior remodel that needs plans submitted for review before the permit is issued. We do not assume a wall is exempt just because it looks like a partition.

What does PPRBD require on a framing plan?
Framing material, spacing, post/beam/header sizes and locations, bearing wall stud size and spacing, trim and king stud counts, and hangers and tie-downs at their plan locations. Steel-to-steel connections need their own details and may require a Colorado-licensed design professional’s seal.

Can a truss manufacturer’s layout sheet substitute for a framing plan?
No. PPRBD’s guidance states that truss manufacturer layouts are not accepted in lieu of framing plans; engineered trusses need a manufacturer-stamped detail for each component, sealed by a Colorado-licensed design professional, and labeled to match the roof framing plan.

What design loads apply to Colorado Springs framing?
Ground snow load is 43 psf below 7,000 feet elevation and 57 psf at or above it, with an ultimate wind speed of 130 mph. We confirm the property’s elevation before finalizing member sizes.

Talk to Us About Your Project

Tell us what wall, opening, or structural change you are considering and whether the home is above or below 7,000 feet in elevation. We will identify whether the scope needs a design professional’s seal, prepare the framing plan to PPRBD’s specification, and sequence the temporary support, permanent framing, and inspection hold points.