autotelic.build(720) 287-7958

A-102 · Where every project starts

The feasibility study — where every Autotelic project starts

A feasibility study answers whether a project can happen on this site before anyone designs or prices it — the first stop for every project type.

Run the ADU lot tool

Or book a fixed-price feasibility study

Project
HOW IT WORKS
Sheet
A-102
Sheet title
FEASIBILITY
Rev
2026-09-26
Set
17 SHEETS
Status
RELEASED
  1. 1ADU
  2. 2Home remodel
  3. 3New build
  4. 4Commercial
  5. 5Venue
  6. 6Feasibility
  • Released
  • In progress
  • Not in service
  • Internal — shown, never linked
  • Seat on the base (alignment)
  • Item no. → parts list

What a feasibility study is, what it should include, and how Autotelic runs one today for an ADU, a remodel, a new custom home, a commercial building or tenant finish, or a venue.

Released

Back to the assembly

A feasibility study answers one question before anyone commits real money: can this project actually happen, on this site, for something close to this budget? Done well, it checks the zoning and code constraints that could block a project outright, sizes what is realistically buildable, and gives a cost range grounded in the site's specific conditions rather than a generic average. Skipping it doesn't remove the risk; it just moves the same questions later in the process, where a wrong assumption costs a redesign, a change order, or a permit rejection instead of an afternoon of research.

Historically that meant a site visit, measurements, a zoning lookup, and a written report days or weeks later. The information itself — lot size, setbacks, zoning district, code requirements — has always existed in public records; the slow part was always someone finding it, cross-referencing it by hand, and writing it up.

For an ADU, Autotelic runs a public tool that does that lookup live: enter an address, and it resolves the building envelope from municipal zoning data, runs a gated feasibility study against it, and opens a floor-plan playground to explore what actually fits. When the tool can't verify something — a parcel it doesn't recognize, a jurisdiction it hasn't been taught, a district it can't confirm — it says so plainly instead of guessing, and that answer is cached so a second look at the same address doesn't wait on a fresh lookup.

For a home remodel, the instant estimate wizard doubles as the feasibility door — it verifies the property and grounds the range in the same catalog and code data described on the estimate side. Every other project type — a new custom home, a commercial building or tenant finish, or a venue and hospitality project — starts the way feasibility studies always have: someone walks the site and writes down what the rules allow. Several of those studies book online at a fixed price; the rest start with a scoped consult, then a site meeting, then a concept and a feasibility retainer set up in the client portal. A fully self-serve feasibility tool for every project type is on the roadmap, not a claim made here.

Whichever door applies — an ADU, a home remodel, a new custom home, a commercial building or tenant finish or a venue — feasibility is the first stop, because every one of those project types needs the same question answered first: does this actually work, here, before anyone designs or prices anything.

Book a feasibility study

A fixed price, a site visit, and a written answer before you pay for design. Pick the study that fits your project.

Pay when you book. We confirm within 24 hours or refund you in full.

ADU

  • ADU Feasibility Consultation

    An on-site review of your lot against local ADU zoning, setbacks, and utility access.

  • ADU Feasibility Package

    Site visit plus a written feasibility report: local ADU zoning check, buildable envelope sketch, utility routing notes, and a preliminary budget.

Home remodel and additions

  • Home Addition Feasibility Consultation

    We evaluate structure, lot coverage, and zoning for a proposed addition and discuss realistic options.

  • Addition Feasibility Package

    Structural walkthrough, lot coverage and zoning check, and a massing sketch for your proposed addition.

  • Pre-Purchase Renovation Walkthrough + Report

    A contractor's walkthrough of a home you're buying, focused on what your planned renovation will actually cost and what will fight you.

New custom homes

  • Pre-Purchase Land Feasibility Package

    Before you close on a lot, we document zoning, buildable area, utility availability, and likely development costs.

  • Site Analysis Package

    Full site visit documenting zoning, setbacks, grade, utilities, and access, delivered as a written site analysis report with photos.

Commercial: new buildings and tenant finish

  • Commercial TI Walkthrough

    A licensed GC walks your commercial space and flags code, ADA, MEP, and buildout cost drivers for your tenant improvement.

Planning a new commercial building? Start with the land or site study above.

Book a scoped consult

Local rules by city

Zoning and permits change at the city line, so a feasibility study starts with the city's own rules. Each page below shows what we have on file: the permit office where we have verified it, and the code facts we have sourced.

Local rules pages for the cities we work in most
CityPages
ArvadaCity of Arvada — Building Services
AuroraCity of Aurora — Building Division (Permit Center)
CentennialCity of Centennial — Building Division
DenverCity and County of Denver — Community Planning and Development
Highlands RanchDouglas County — Building Division
LakewoodCity of Lakewood — Public Works Department (Building and Construction Permits)
LittletonCity of Littleton — Community Development Department (Building Division / Permit Center)
WestminsterCity of Westminster — Building Division (Community Services Department)
23 more cities
Local rules pages for more Denver-metro cities
CityPages
Boulder
Brighton
Broomfield
Castle Pines
Castle Rock
Cherry Hills Village
Commerce City
Edgewater
Englewood
Erie
Federal Heights
Golden
Greenwood Village
Ken Caryl
Lafayette
Lone Tree
Longmont
Louisville
Northglenn
Parker
Superior
Thornton
Wheat Ridge

What it does

  • The ADU lot tool resolves a building envelope from municipal zoning data for a given address.
  • It runs a gated feasibility study against that envelope and opens a floor-plan playground to explore what fits.
  • Every lookup returns one of four honest outcomes — resolved, or one of three specific refusals — never a guess.
  • A verified result is cached for 24 hours; a miss is cached for 5 minutes, so a retry doesn't wait as long.
  • A home remodel's feasibility door is the instant estimate wizard itself, verified against the property.
  • Other project types start with a fixed-price study booked online, or with a scoped consult, a site meeting, and a concept and feasibility retainer in the portal.

What it sees

The example lot, resolved by the lot tool · live from POST /api/v1/public/adu-explainer/resolve, captured through the app on 2026-09-08 for the example lot; the address is not rendered

The lot tool resolved the example lot to its Denver zoning district and returned the envelope it allows.

Status
Resolved
Zoning district
E-SU-DX
District name
Urban Edge Single-Unit Dx
Max height
30 ft
Front setback
20 ft
Side setback
5 ft
Rear setback
12 ft
Bulk plane
DZC §13.1.4.2
Show the raw response
{
 "request": {},
 "status": 200,
 "response": {
  "success": true,
  "data": {
   "status": "resolved",
   "districtCode": "E-SU-DX",
   "district": {
    "label": "Urban Edge Single-Unit Dx",
    "bulkPlane": {
     "startHeightFt": 10,
     "angleDeg": 45,
     "sides": [
      "side_interior"
     ],
     "label": "side-interior",
     "cite": "DZC §13.1.4.2"
    },
    "maxHeightFt": 30,
    "setbacks": {
     "frontFt": 20,
     "frontBasis": "block_default",
     "frontNote": "Front setback here is block-contextual (DZC §13.1.5.9): shown is the 20 ft code default that applies when qualifying reference lots are absent. Blocks with established homes may require matching their existing fronts.",
     "sideFt": 5,
     "rearFt": 12,
     "sideCornerFt": 5,
     "frontStatus": "default"
    },
    "adu": {
     "allowed": true,
     "maxSqft": 1000,
     "verified": false,
     "note": "GFA of the ADU use: 864 sf on zone lots ≤7,000 sf, 1,000 sf above — DZC §11.8.2.1.B.2. Building footprint: 864 sf/unit on zone lots ≤7,000 sf, 1,000 sf/unit above — DZC Table §4.3.4.5.A. Permitted by right under Denver's 2024 ADU reform for this district; confirm specifics with a hand-checked review.",
     "rearSetbackFt": 5,
     "rearLabel": "no-alley DADU rear default",
     "rearBasis": "no_alley_default",
     "setbackNote": "DADU form rear is 5 ft, the no-alley default (DZC §4.3.4) — not the Urban House 12 ft primary rear. 0 ft is the alley-access rear rule only when an alley is known to abut and garage doors do not face it.",
     "rearSource": "dzc_no_alley_default",
     "rearCitation": "DZC §4.3.4",
     "alleyAbutsRear": null,
     "maxHeightFt": 24,
     "maxStories": 2,
     "form": "detached_adu",
     "formLabel": "Detached ADU",
     "footprintRule": {
      "lotAreaThresholdSqft": 7000,
      "maxSqftAtOrBelow": 864,
      "maxSqftAbove": 1000
     },
     "gfa": {
      "applicable": true,
      "maxSqft": 1000,
      "lotAreaThresholdSqft": 7000,
      "maxSqftAtOrBelow": 864,
      "maxSqftAbove": 1000,
      "label": "GFA of the ADU use",
      "cite": "DZC §11.8.2.1.B.2",
      "line": "GFA of the ADU use: 864 sf on zone lots ≤7,000 sf, 1,000 sf above — DZC §11.8.2.1.B.2."
     },
     "footprint": {
      "maxSqft": 1000,
      "lotAreaThresholdSqft": 7000,
      "maxSqftAtOrBelow": 864,
      "maxSqftAbove": 1000,
      "maxStories": 2,
      "maxHeightFt": 24,
      "label": "Building footprint",
      "cite": "DZC Table §4.3.4.5.A",
      "line": "Building footprint: 864 sf/unit on zone lots ≤7,000 sf, 1,000 sf/unit above — DZC Table §4.3.4.5.A."
     },
     "heightMaxFt": 24
    },
    "lotCoverageMaxPct": 45,
    "capReference": "grade_at_point",
    "provenance": {
     "source": "denver_zoning_code via Autotelic corpus",
     "confidence": "medium",
     "pulled": "2026-09-08",
     "districtConfidence": "high",
     "fields": {
      "district": "verified",
      "frontSetback": "default",
      "lotArea": "verified"
     }
    }
   },
   "lot": {
    "areaSqft": 7500,
    "source": "assessor",
    "note": "Lot area from the Denver official parcel record (assessor). Width × depth is a rectangle derived so it equals recorded area — not a surveyed lot.",
    "widthFt": 86,
    "depthFt": 87.2,
    "dimsEstimated": true,
    "areaStatus": "verified"
   },
   "buildings": [
    {
     "kind": "primary",
     "type": "Residential",
     "heightFt": 13,
     "stories": null,
     "source": "denver_building_outlines",
     "note": "Denver official building outline (ODC_PROP_BUILDINGOUTLINES_A). Height is GIS BLDG_HEIGH, not a permit.",
     "ring": [
      [
       36.8,
       66.4
      ],
      [
       16.4,
       66.1
      ],
      [
       16.3,
       73.9
      ],
      [
       16.2,
       75.1
      ],
      [
       2.7,
       74.9
      ],
      [
       3.2,
       43.4
      ],
      [
       18.9,
       43.7
      ],
      [
       21.6,
       43.8
      ],
      [
       23.9,
       43.8
      ],
      [
       23.8,
       49.5
      ],
      [
       37.3,
       49.7
      ],
      [
       37.5,
       37.9
      ],
      [
       41.3,
       38
      ],
      [
       47.5,
       38.1
      ],
      [
       51.4,
       38.1
      ],
      [
       51,
       63.7
      ],
      [
       51,
       66.7
      ],
      [
       36.8,
       66.4
      ]
     ],
     "bbox": {
      "x0": 2.7,
      "z0": 37.9,
      "widthFt": 48.8,
      "depthFt": 37.2
     }
    },
    {
     "kind": "accessory",
     "type": "Garage/Shed",
     "heightFt": 17,
     "stories": null,
     "source": "denver_building_outlines",
     "note": "Denver official building outline (ODC_PROP_BUILDINGOUTLINES_A). Height is GIS BLDG_HEIGH, not a permit.",
     "ring": [
      [
       3,
       123.6
      ],
      [
       2.7,
       86.2
      ],
      [
       33.4,
       85.9
      ],
      [
       33.7,
       112.9
      ],
      [
       33.8,
       123.3
      ],
      [
       29.9,
       123.3
      ],
      [
       5.4,
       123.6
      ],
      [
       3,
       123.6
      ]
     ],
     "bbox": {
      "x0": 2.7,
      "z0": 85.9,
      "widthFt": 31.1,
      "depthFt": 37.7
     }
    },
    {
     "kind": "accessory",
     "type": "Garage/Shed",
     "heightFt": 12,
     "stories": null,
     "source": "denver_building_outlines",
     "note": "Denver official building outline (ODC_PROP_BUILDINGOUTLINES_A). Height is GIS BLDG_HEIGH, not a permit.",
     "ring": [
      [
       70.9,
       97.6
      ],
      [
       70.3,
       97.6
      ],
      [
       70.4,
       99.3
      ],
      [
       70.5,
       103.7
      ],
      [
       70.6,
       108.2
      ],
      [
       58.5,
       108.5
      ],
      [
       58.5,
       107.7
      ],
      [
       58.5,
       105.4
      ],
      [
       58.4,
       103.6
      ],
      [
       58.3,
       99.1
      ],
      [
       58.3,
       97.2
      ],
      [
       58,
       83.8
      ],
      [
       58.5,
       83.8
      ],
      [
       59.8,
       83.8
      ],
      [
       59.8,
       83.2
      ],
      [
       62.6,
       83.1
      ],
      [
       85.7,
       82.6
      ],
      [
       85.9,
       92.3
      ],
      [
       86,
       97.3
      ],
      [
       70.9,
       97.6
      ]
     ],
     "bbox": {
      "x0": 58,
      "z0": 82.6,
      "widthFt": 28,
      "depthFt": 25.8
     }
    }
   ],
   "disclaimer": "Illustrative only — not a code determination or permit approval.",
   "overlays": [],
   "overlayStory": "none",
   "overlayNote": "No verified zoning overlay at this address."
  },
  "message": "District resolved."
 }
}
An honest miss: outside the service area · live from POST /api/v1/public/adu-explainer/resolve, captured 2026-09-08 for a civic address in Colorado Springs

The same tool refuses honestly outside its coverage.

Status
Refused: outside the service area
What it says
That address is outside the Castle Rock–Boulder service area.
Show the raw response
{
 "request": {},
 "response": {
  "success": true,
  "data": {
   "status": "refused_outside_denver",
   "disclaimer": "Illustrative only — not a code determination or permit approval.",
   "message": "That address is outside the Castle Rock–Boulder service area.",
   "cta": {
    "tel": "tel:+17202877958",
    "path": "/estimate"
   }
  },
  "message": "That address is outside the Castle Rock–Boulder service area."
 }
}
The example lot in the floor-plan playground · live from Floor-plan playground state on the example lot, built in the live tool on 2026-09-08 (one-bed preset)

The floor-plan playground on the example lot: a one-bed preset inside the envelope.

Preset
One bed
Floors
1
Area used
528 sf
Area allowed
1000 sf
Against the cap
Total 528 sf of ≤ 1,000 sf
Rooms
Living 240 sf, Kitchen 108 sf, Bedroom 120 sf, Bath 60 sf
Height
16 ft
Zoning district
E-SU-DX
Show the raw response
{
 "district": "E-SU-DX",
 "capSqft": 1000,
 "capCite": "GFA of the ADU use: 864 sf on zone lots ≤7,000 sf, 1,000 sf above — DZC §11.8.2.1.B.2",
 "heightFt": 16,
 "loftNote": "Loft, not a second floor, at 16 ft: about 48 sq ft has 5 ft of headroom. It is not planned here; dormers in the study grow it.",
 "totalsLine": "Total 528 sf of ≤ 1,000 sf",
 "roomsShown": [
  "Living 240 sf",
  "Kitchen 108 sf",
  "Bedroom 120 sf",
  "Bath 60 sf"
 ],
 "planSummary": {
  "preset": "one_bed",
  "floors": 1,
  "totalSqft": 528
 },
 "sessionStore": {
  "plan": {
   "preset": "one_bed",
   "floors": [
    {
     "level": "ground",
     "rooms": [
      {
       "id": "ground-living-17",
       "kind": "living",
       "label": "Living",
       "x": 0,
       "y": 0,
       "w": 10,
       "d": 24
      },
      {
       "id": "ground-kitchen-16",
       "kind": "kitchen",
       "label": "Kitchen",
       "x": 10,
       "y": 0,
       "w": 12,
       "d": 9
      },
      {
       "id": "ground-bed-15",
       "kind": "bed",
       "label": "Bedroom",
       "x": 10,
       "y": 9,
       "w": 12,
       "d": 10
      },
      {
       "id": "ground-bath-14",
       "kind": "bath",
       "label": "Bath",
       "x": 10,
       "y": 19,
       "w": 12,
       "d": 5
      }
     ]
    }
   ]
  },
  "outline": {
   "widthFt": 22,
   "depthFt": 24
  },
  "activeFloor": 0
 }
}

What it replaced

Old phase: Site Survey

We document what actually exists before we promise anything.

Today that walk-through starts as a lot resolve or a scoped consult — the ADU tool pulls the same site facts automatically for a Denver parcel, and every other project type still starts with a real site visit.

Old phase: Scope of Work

Needs, budget, and opportunities aligned before a dollar is committed.

Today the scope conversation happens with Chloe or on the phone, and for remodels the instant-estimate wizard turns it into a live, catalog-grounded range instead of a written memo.

Proof

  • ADU lot resolve endpoint (server-side, cached) — POST /api/v1/public/adu-explainer/resolve
  • 90 City code facts gathered across 30 Denver-metro cities
  • 97 Trade-knowledge pages published

The system layer

The system behind a feasibility study: how an address becomes a building envelope, a study, and a floor plan — or an honest refusal.

Topology

  • Address resolver
  • Municipal code knowledge
  • Building envelope engine
  • Feasibility gate
  • Floor-plan playground
  • Resolve cache (24h verified, 5min miss)
  • Instant estimate door
  • Scoped consult intake
  1. Address resolver → Municipal code knowledge
  2. Municipal code knowledge → Building envelope engine
  3. Building envelope engine → Feasibility gate
  4. Feasibility gate → Floor-plan playground
  5. Address resolver → Resolve cache (24h verified, 5min miss)

The one-day clock

  1. 02:30 — Trade knowledge writes
  2. 03:00 — Citation checks
  3. every 15 minutes — Municipal code refresh

Reveal the system layer

Questions

What does a feasibility study actually check?

Zoning and code constraints, what's realistically buildable on the site, and a cost range grounded in those specifics — not a generic estimate.

What happens if the ADU tool can't verify my address?

It says so plainly — a parcel it does not recognize or a jurisdiction it has not been taught returns an honest refusal, not a guess.

Can I get an instant feasibility study for a commercial project?

Not as a self-serve tool yet. You can book the fixed-price commercial walkthrough online (for a new building, the land or site study), or start with a scoped consult.

Does skipping a feasibility study save time?

It usually costs more later — the same zoning and code questions still have to be answered, just after a design or a permit application instead of before one.

What does a feasibility study cost?

It depends on the project. These studies book online at a fixed price: ADU Feasibility Consultation, $350; ADU Feasibility Package, $950; Home Addition Feasibility Consultation, $300; Addition Feasibility Package, $850; Pre-Purchase Renovation Walkthrough + Report, $475; Pre-Purchase Land Feasibility Package, $750; Site Analysis Package, $650; Commercial TI Walkthrough, $350. Anything else starts with a scoped consult.

Run the ADU lot tool

Next module: Estimate