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Building a Home? Consider These Issues.
It is great to live in the country - to experience the mountain views, the fresh air, the wildlife, but be prepared to pay for this luxury.
Building a home in Teller County is a challenge for several reasons: terrain may create havoc for accessing a property, and necessities such as water and sewage treatment may be more difficult to obtain.
Building in all areas requires an engineered foundation. The way to assess soil conditions on your property is by having a soil test performed.
A site plan for new residential and commercial construction is required before a building permit is issued. The site will be checked for setbacks from property lines, survey information and size of lot, and proposed structure.
Spring run-off may cause a very small creek to become a major river. In protecting your property, care must be taken to avoid directing water onto neighboring properties and causing damage.
Visit a piece of property you are interested in during inclement weather to determine its shortcomings.
Not all lots are suitable building sites. The Teller County assessor has many taxed parcels of land listed, but some of those lots are not large enough or are not useable due to terrain and topography.
Not all lots, particularly those of 2 acre or less, will accommodate a septic system and a well. Also, the location of a neighbor's well and septic may affect the "buildability" of a lot. Check before you buy!
Keep in mind that accessibility for fire and emergency vehicles is important as you plan your new home.
Remember that commercial and agricultural operations already in existence do not have to relocate because you do not like their noises or smells.
The slope of driveways over 150 feet long may not exceed 12%. Width and clearance requirements also apply depending upon the length of the driveway.
Zoning
The county is zoned for residential, multi-family, agricultural and commercial uses. Check with the County Community Planning, Construction & Environmental Health to verify the zoning of your property and to obtain copies of Land Use Regulations.
All zones have permitted uses which are allowed in compliance with all other regulations, as well as conditional uses which may be approved by the Planning Commission, following a public hearing, based upon specific criteria. Check with the Planning Department for the permitted and conditional uses for the zone classification of your property.
Permits Required for Building Projects
Building permits are required for any type of construction in the County, except for minor maintenance, e.g., fixing a broken pipe.
You will need a permit to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert, demolish or re-roof any structure or building. A building permit is required for residential construction, including fences and retaining walls. Separate permits are required for work on plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems.
Owners may build their own homes, but if a contractor is used they must be licensed or registered in the county.
Inspections are required for all phases of construction. Contact Teller County Community Development Services Division for a list of required permits and inspections or click on the link below. County Community Development Services Division
Easements/Underground Rights
Easements, or legal access granted before you purchased your property, may require you to allow construction of roads, power lines, water lines, sewer lines, etc., across your land. There may be easements that are not of record. Check these issues carefully.
Many property owners do not own the mineral rights under their property. Owners of mineral rights may change surface characteristics in order to extract minerals. It is very important to know what minerals may be located under your land and who owns them.
Much of the rural land in Teller County may be used for mining, however, a special review by the Teller County Board of County Commissioners and Colorado Division of Minerals & Geology or Bureau of Land Management is usually required.
Old mine workings on your land should be tested for safety. The Colorado Geological Survey offers information and tests on old mine workings; call (303) 866-2611.
Land owners must consider impacts of construction on wetlands. Wetlands are protected by the United States Army Corps of Engineers regulations. For details on handling wetland issues, contact the Corps at: South Platte drainage, (303) 979-4120; Arkansas drainage, (719) 543-9459.
Water and Sewer Issues
Water is the real gold of the West and water quality and preservation is vital. Colorado law determines who owns and controls every drop. The state, not the county, controls all water and wells. The state engineer issues permits for well drilling, and the state engineer may restrict this water to household use only. Not all wells may be used to water landscaping and/or livestock. If you have other needs, make certain that you have the proper approvals before you invest.
It is important to make sure that any water rights you purchase with the land will provide enough water to maintain trees, pastures, gardens or livestock and that these rights grant you legal access for the intended use.
If you have access to a supply of treated domestic water, the tap fees may be expensive. You may also find that your monthly service is costly when compared to municipal systems available in larger cities.
If you do not have access to a supply of treated domestic water, you will have to locate an alternate supply. Even if there is water on your land, do not assume you own it or that you may use it.
If you plan to build and a municipal (city) sewer system is available within 1,000 feet of your property, you may be required to connect and pay the fees to connect.
If you plan to build and sewer service is not available, you will be required to install an approved sewage disposal system. The type of soil available for your leach field is very important in determining the cost and function of a sewage disposal system. A percolation test is required and septic permits are required.
If you buy an existing home, have the sewage disposal system checked by a Licensed Septic Cleaner. The Teller County Community Planning, Construction & Environmental Health Department has a list of licensed septic installers and cleaners and has information on the care of individual sewage disposal systems. They will search their files for information on existing septic systems for a nominal fee. Be aware that permits were not required before 1973 and therefore records for systems installed prior to that year may not be available.
For maximum safety, domestic wells should be tested a minimum of once each year. Use of untreated water may result in serious heath risks. Do not drink from streams or lakes without properly treating the water.
If you have an irrigation ditch running across your property, there is a good possibility that the owners of the ditch have the right to come onto your property with heavy equipment to maintain the ditch.
The County Public Health & Environment Department has information available on water testing and labs, as does the County Cooperative Extension Office.
Drawing The Line
You may be provided with a plat of your property but, unless the land has been surveyed and pins placed by a licensed surveyor, you should not assume that the plat is accurate. Some plats have special notes on restrictions or requirements - make sure you read these and understand them.
Fences that separate properties are often misaligned with the property lines. A survey of the land is the only way to confirm the location of your property lines.
The properties surrounding yours will probably not remain as they are indefinitely. The best way to preserve a piece of land is to buy it. You should check with the Teller County Planning Department to find out how the properties are zoned and to see what future developments may be in the planning stages.
Owners Groups
Many subdivisions have covenants that limit the use of the property. It is important to obtain a copy of the covenants ( or confirm that there are none), and make sure that you are able to live within those rules. Covenants are not enforced by the County but by an association or individual property owners and violations are a civil matter.
Homeowners associations or property owners associations may be required to take care of common elements such as roads and open space. An inactive homeowners association or inadequate covenants may cause problems for you and even involve you in expensive litigation.
Dues are almost always a requirement for those areas with homeowners associations. The by-laws of the association will tell you how the organization operates and how the dues are set. Ask your realtor or a neighbor how to contact your homeowners association.
Home Sweet Home
So you decided to build or buy a home in Teller County? Maintaining a home in rural areas may be a little different from living in town where access to hardware and lumber retailers means a short drive to exchange a part or match a paint color.
Each season brings elemental changes to the environment which your home must weather, year after year. Knowing what to expect before you buy a home is one way of determining what you are willing to repair, replace and put up with before you relocate.
The intense sunshine here often requires roofing and siding maintenance and replacement more often than at lower elevations. Cold and wind have effects on surfaces and structures as well.
It is a good idea to have a few emergency repair supplies on hand to save trips to town or expensive calls for repairs late at night.
Roofing shingles which match your existing roof may come in handy. A tube of emergency roof repair caulk is also handy. A tube of weatherproof caulk will help in patching seams and cracks caused by cold weather.
Perform a pre-winter inspection of pipes in the sub-floor area and anywhere else they may be exposed to wind. Ensure pipes are properly insulated. Inspect them for previous damage and repair as an indicator of possible trouble spots.
If the previous owners had heat tape on pipes, inspect it for proper installation and test to make sure the tape works prior to cold weather. If you install heat tapes to prevent frozen pipes, inspect the tape yearly and replace it often. Improperly installed heat tapes are a common cause of home fires.
Unless you are a qualified electrician, working on your own electrical system is not advised, but you should know the basics. Know where the breaker panel is and inspect each breaker label to ensure familiarity with the home=s electrical system. In case of power outages, have approved emergency light sources available.
Homeowner servicing of heating systems should be limited to changing air filters and frequent system checks. Make sure any gas-powered heaters are checked yearly. Do not operate non-vented propane or kerosene heaters in closed rooms. A carbon monoxide monitor is a low-cost device that most homeowners can install themselves. These monitors protect your home's occupants from the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning.
If possible, install two types of heating in your home or keep a back-up non-electrical source of heat. A wood stove or propane furnace which is not dependent on electricity might be your best friend in the winter time.
Be prepared! A good battery-operated trouble light is a must. Insulated coveralls and rubber boots come in handy in inclement weather. A standard tool assortment and a place to keep them that is warm and dry saves time and worry.
Local technicians sometimes have the advantage of knowing the locale better than the larger companies with nationwide name recognition.
A good repair technician is like an overnight camper. They come, they go, and there should not be an impact to the area where they were. No-impact repairs mean that everything is returned to the original, existing state. Damage is repaired. Broken items are replaced. Incidental damage during the job is repaired or documented for later repair. Make it clear up front what you expect to see when the job is complete, and get a written estimate of costs for the repairs you specify.
Those of us at RealEstateColorado.Net, Inc would honor the opportunity to share the beauty of the area with you and introduce you to the mountain home of your dreams. Introduce you to the convenience of the neighborhoods.
As seasoned Realtors, our goal is to help you with financing your home which begins with a personal commitment to you. With over 10 years of experience and closing over 135 million dollars of residential real estate we've helped people like you realize the dream of home ownership by tailoring a loan program that comfortably fits within your budget and not only finding a good home, the best home.
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