Home Improvement Contractors Near You in Fort Collins
Fort Collins Exterior Remodeling From a Crew With Local Roots
Country Construction LLC has been improving homes across Northern Colorado since 2007. Owner James Westers has been recognized as a Gold Star Installer for Lowe's of Fort Collins. Our team works on windows, doors, fencing, siding, decks and exterior trim for residents and property managers across the area, and Colorado is our home.
Fort Collins does things its own way, and that shows up in the permit office. The 2024 International Codes, with the city's local amendments, apply to permits submitted on or after April 1, 2026. The city also publishes its own guides for decks and windows, and some older homes go through historic review. Here's the short version before you pick a material or sign a quote.
Fence and Deck Rules in Fort Collins
Good news for most backyard projects: Fort Collins doesn't require a permit for fences 6 feet tall or shorter. Placement still matters. Front-yard fences top out at 4 feet and rear-yard fences at 6. Inside a visual clearance triangle, the limit drops to 42 inches. Every fence has to sit on private property, at least 2 feet back from a public sidewalk, and fences aren't allowed in access and drainage easements. In newer neighborhoods, subdivision covenants can also limit a fence's size, type, style or location, so it's worth checking yours before you fall for a design.
Decks get more scrutiny. A deck skips the permit only if it's 200 square feet or less, 30 inches or less above grade, not attached to the house, and not serving the required exit door. Attach it to the house at any point and you'll need one. Some repairs count too, like replacing guard railing or switching to decking boards that are heavier than the old ones. The city's deck guide also calls for guards wherever the deck sits 30 inches or more above grade, measured 3 feet out from the edge, and piers at least 30 inches deep for attached decks so they sit below the frost line.
If you're planning a new privacy fence or a custom deck design, these rules shape the plan before style does. Getting them right up front is how a backyard project stays a weekend highlight instead of a headache.
Windows, Doors and Siding on Older Fort Collins Homes
Fort Collins has designated 247 properties as individual landmarks, and the Laurel School National Register Historic District, the city's largest, recognizes early architecture from the 1870s through 1930s. If your home is a Fort Collins Landmark or sits in a landmark district, most exterior projects go through landmark design review. The upside: qualified work on designated properties is eligible for tax credits, grants and loans.
Replacing windows or exterior doors takes a permit here. Swapping only the glass in an existing sash doesn't. For designated landmarks, and for multifamily properties over 50 years old, the permit also needs written approval from Historic Preservation Services. Storm windows and storm doors are exempt from the building permit, though historic review applies if the building is 50 years or older.
Siding follows a similar pattern. Nonstructural siding replacement can skip the permit if it isn't part of a fire-rated assembly and the work follows state asbestos and lead paint rules, again with historic review on buildings 50 years or older. Newly installed vinyl or polypropylene siding does need a permit, because it has to go on a fire-rated assembly. That's worth knowing early if vinyl is on your list.
Knowing which of these applies to your house before work starts keeps a window replacement or siding project on schedule, and it protects the character that makes an older Fort Collins home worth investing in.
Why Fort Collins Homeowners Choose Country Construction
A few years of Colorado sunshine and snow take their toll on any house, from aging windows to fading siding to cracked back decks. That's where we come in. Since 2007, we've provided quality craftsmanship to residents and property managers across Northern Colorado.
We're a licensed and insured company, we're LEED- and EPA-certified, and we proudly remain compliant with all building codes and practices. For us, transparency and lasting results are what matter most. And because we cover windows, doors, fencing, siding, decking and exterior trim, you can work with one team on the whole outside of your home instead of juggling a different contractor for every piece.
Get a Free Quote for Your Fort Collins Project
Whether it's new windows for a home that's seen a few decades of Fort Collins winters or a first fence on a newer lot, we'll give you a free quote and a straight answer on materials. From our first hello to our final farewell, you're in good hands. Request your free quote and let's get your Fort Collins home improvement project on the calendar.