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Steamboat Springs — The number of single-family home building permits issued in 2011 has reversed a five-year trend of fewer such permits being issued each successive year in Steamboat Springs and Routt County.

From January through the first week of October, the Routt County Regional Building Department had issued 33 single-family home building permits. That number equals the total of single-family home permits issued in all of 2010.

“People are pulling the trigger on projects,” said Ted Allen, Routt County’s assistant building official.

A spike in permits this fall led to the trend reversal. Eight single-family home permits were issued in September, and three more were issued the first week of October. Of those 11 permits, 10 were for homes in Routt County, and just one was for a home within Steamboat Springs city limits.

In 2010, there were a total of two permits in September and five in October.

Routt County Chief Building Official Carl Dunham offered a reminder that the number still is substantially lower than the average of 200 single-family home permits per year through much of the previous decade.

Dunham said the number of permits issued each year usually is the highest in the months of May, September and October.

By no means does the spike in the number of permits issued signal a recovery, said Tom Fox, of Fox Construction.

“Is there something really there?” Fox asked. “We think there could be a bubble. We hope it’s not a bubble.”

Fox said September’s spike could be attributed to the timing of the completion of building plans or other factors.

“You can’t put your finger on any one thing,” said Fox, whose company currently is building three houses.

Toward the end of summer and early fall, builders also are trying to get homes “dried in” before the winter, said Gary Wall, who runs Associated Building and Remodeling. “Dried in” refers to enclosing a new structure to the point that work can continue inside during the winter.

“Get everything done and turn the heat on and enjoy life,” Wall said.

Wall also is the founder of the Home Builders Association of Steamboat Springs and Routt County.

“The first half of the year wasn’t that good, but the second half has really made a substantial improvement,” Wall said. “I don’t know how it’s going to be this winter. It could fall off at any time.”

According to the Colorado Division of Housing, single-family permits issued in Colorado for the first seven months of 2011 were down 3.2 percent compared with the same time period in 2010. Multifamily dwelling permits were up 101 percent.

Nationally, single-family permits in August 2011 were up 8 percent compared to August 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Some other Colorado communities also experienced a spike in activity in September.

The Colorado Springs Gazette reported that single-family home building permits in Colorado Springs and El Paso County totaled 124 in September, a 53.1 percent increase over the same month last year.

In Routt County, Fox and Wall agreed that the building industry has improved.

“I think people can see light at the end of the tunnel,” Wall said.

They are both optimistic looking ahead to 2012.

“There are a few more people talking to us for next year,” Fox said.

— To reach Matt Stensland, call 970-871-4247 or email mstensland@SteamboatToday.com