DESIGN · BUILD · AUTOMATE
LAFAYETTE SERVICES
ADU / Backyard Cottage in Lafayette
Licensed ADU / backyard cottage services for Lafayette and Boulder County. Build an income-producing unit in your backyard.
What Lafayette requires
Code reference: Exempt work (from building permit requirements, per the City’s website and 2023 Lafayette Colorado Building Code amendments to IRC Section R105.2 / equivalent) includes (non-exhaustive list relevant to remodels): §R105.2
See full local requirements ↓- Full Design Lifecycle
- Construction & Tenant Finish
- Smart Home · A/V · Edge Compute
Build an income-producing unit in your backyard
FREE PLANNING TOOLS
Both tools are free and take a couple of minutes — start in either one.
EVERY PROJECT STARTS WITH DESIGN
Local Service
ADU / Backyard Cottage Services in Lafayette, Colorado
Autotelic provides professional ADU / backyard cottage services throughout Lafayette and the surrounding Boulder County area. Accessory dwelling unit construction across the Denver metro — detached new builds, garage conversions, and basement conversions compliant with Colorado HB 24-1152. One veteran-owned design-build team runs the full Denver sequence under a single contract: zoning verification and concept design, municipal zoning and building permit reviews, then construction and inspections through certificate of occupancy. Whether you're in Lafayette (east Boulder County) or nearby communities, our team delivers quality workmanship backed by Colorado licensing and full insurance coverage.
Permit Thresholds
Lafayette permit thresholds
- Code reference
- This follows the City’s adopted codes (primarily the 2021 International Residential Code with local amendments in the 2023 Lafayette Colorado Building Code, effective August 1, 2023).
- Code reference
- Exempt work (from building permit requirements, per the City’s website and 2023 Lafayette Colorado Building Code amendments to IRC Section R105.2 / equivalent) includes (non-exhaustive list relevant to remodels):§R105.2
- Code reference
- One-story detached accessory storage sheds under 120 sq ft.
- Code reference
- Retaining walls under 3 ft high (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall, unless supporting a surcharge).
- Code reference
- Sidewalks, driveways, and patios less than 30 inches above adjacent grade and not part of an accessible route.
- Code reference
- Window awnings projecting no more than 54 inches from a residence (no additional support required).
- Construction use tax
- Any person obtaining a building permit must pay a use tax deposit of 3.87% on 60% of the value of the permit (per Sec. 110-37 of the Municipal Code).§110-37
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **City of Lafayette, Colorado Building Division (part of the Planning & Building Department) issues residential building permits within city limits.
Zoning & ADU
Lafayette zoning & ADU quick facts
- Code reference
- Most common single-family residential districts in Lafayette, CO (current Chapter 26 zoning, post-Ordinance No. 10, Series 2025 amendments) include RE1, RE2, R0, R1, R2, R3, R4, and OTR (Old Town Residential). ADUs are also permitted in AG, T1, DR, and P (plus limited cases in B1/C1 on lots withOrd. No. 10
- Code reference
- Key numeric standards from Table 26-B (SPATIAL REQUIREMENTS) and related sections (primarily §26-14-19 for ADUs/accessory structures; also Table 26-A for permitted uses):§26-14-19
- Max lot coverage (applies to all structures combined, relevant to additions/ADUs
- RE1: 15%; RE2: 25%; R0: 30%; R1: 30%; R2: 30%; R3: 30%; R4: 30%; OTR: 30%; AG: 20%.
- Code reference
- (Table 26-B).
- Max building height (principal structure)
- RE1: 27'; RE2: 27'; R0: 27'; R1: 27'; R2: 27'; R3: 35'; R4: 35'; OTR: 27'; AG: 27'.
- (Table 26-B; note
- heights to 35' possible in some districts with special review).
- ADU permitted
- Yes in RE1, RE2, R0, R1, R2, OTR, R3, R4, AG, T1, DR, P (and limited B1/C1 on qualifying single-family lots).
- Code reference
- Not in RSR or M1.
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **City of Lafayette, Colorado Building Division (part of the Planning & Building Department) issues residential building permits within city limits.
A recent build
Backyard ADU in Denver
Denver · 2026
- Status
- Under construction — 2026
- Managed on
- Buildbot — Autotelic’s own PM platform
- Architecture, site plans, and full MEP design completed in-house
- Permits pulled — electric and plumbing rough-ins permitted and underway
- Spray-foam insulation and exterior work in progress
- First project managed end-to-end on Buildbot, Autotelic’s construction-PM platform
A ground-up backyard ADU in Denver — designed, permitted, and now under construction by Autotelic, and the first project managed end-to-end on Buildbot, Autotelic’s own construction-management platform.
The build sequence for a ADU / Backyard Cottage project
This service is a component of How a ADU project works in Lafayette.
Energy Code
Lafayette energy code quick facts
- Code reference
- 2021 IECC (residential and commercial provisions) with local amendments, as adopted in the 2023 Lafayette, Colorado Building Code (effective August 1, 2023).
- Code reference
- This is confirmed on the City’s official Building Code & Design Information page and in the adopted code document (which includes Article 9 amendments to the 2021 IECC).
- Code reference
- The base prescriptive requirements follow the 2021 IECC (Climate Zone 5B for the Lafayette area).
- Code reference
- The City is in the process of considering 2024 I-Codes (including a Metro Cohort Model Code based on the 2024 IECC) but has not yet adopted them.
- Code reference
- Key prescriptive requirements relevant to remodels/additions (drawn from the 2021 IECC as adopted/amended locally; specific numeric values and sections are from the base 2021 IECC unless locally modified in Article 9 of the 2023 Lafayette code—local amendments focus more on electrification/solar
- Wall insulation (wood-frame above-grade)
- R-20 + R-5 ci or R-13 + R-10 ci (2021 IECC Table R402.1.2 / prescriptive path; applies to additions and alterations per R503).
- Ceiling/attic insulation
- R-49 (or higher per table footnotes; 2021 IECC Table R402.1.2; relevant for additions and certain alterations).
- Fenestration (windows/doors)
- Maximum U-factor typically 0.30 (or as specified in Table R402.1.2 for CZ 5; SHGC requirements also apply; relevant for replacement windows in remodels).
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **City of Lafayette, Colorado Building Division (part of the Planning & Building Department) issues residential building permits within city limits.
text
What this covers
Detached or attached accessory dwelling on a Denver lot: foundation or module, envelope, and utility tie-in. Height and massing follow Denver bulk-plane and ADU rules for the zone; confirm with CPD before drawings freeze.
text
How the work is coordinated
A municipally licensed Denver general contractor coordinates licensed specialty trades for electrical and plumbing. Denver-metro work is permitted locally. Colorado has no statewide general-contractor license. Cities and counties license general contractors. DORA licenses electrical and plumbing (and similar regulated trades), not general contractors. Autotelic is a municipally licensed Denver general contractor that coordinates licensed specialty trades. Denver building permits run through Community Planning and Development (CPD). Costs are project-specific; no dollar figures.
Service Area
Serving Lafayette and Boulder County
We serve Lafayette, CO and all surrounding Denver metro communities. Our team is based in Denver and operates throughout the Front Range, from Castle Rock to Longmont and everywhere in between. Contact us for a free estimate on your Lafayette project.
FAQ
Common questions
Is an ADU allowed on my lot?
It depends on your city’s zoning — lot size, setbacks, and parking rules vary across the metro. We run the zoning check as the first step and tell you what your lot supports before you spend money on design.
Do you handle ADU permits and inspections?
Yes — ADU permitting is municipal, and we manage zoning review, permit application, and every inspection through certificate of occupancy.
Detached, attached, or garage conversion — which is right?
Each has different zoning, cost, and site implications. We design all three and recommend based on your lot, budget, and how you plan to use the unit.
What does an ADU cost?
Getting a real answer costs less than most people expect: an ADU feasibility consultation is $350, and the full ADU feasibility package — zoning check, site analysis, and concept direction — is $950, both listed at fixed prices on our booking page. Construction cost depends on the path: garage and basement conversions reuse existing structure, while a detached backyard cottage is new construction from the foundation up. After feasibility we quote the build itself as a fixed-price proposal, so you know the number before work starts.
How long does an ADU project take?
Three phases run in sequence: design (site measure, concept, construction documents), permitting (zoning and building review, which move on the municipality’s calendar), then construction. Conversions generally move faster than detached new builds because the shell and foundation already exist. We lay out the phase-by-phase schedule in your proposal, and you track progress on our operations platform once work starts.
How small a lot can support an ADU?
Smaller than most people assume — many Front Range single-unit lots that owners write off can carry a detached unit, and each city sets its own minimum lot size, setbacks, and building coverage. Whether your district’s standards leave room for a backyard cottage — or point you toward a garage or basement conversion instead — is exactly what the feasibility check answers for your address.
What is the ADU permit process?
Two municipal reviews run in order: a zoning review confirming the unit fits your district’s standards, then a building permit review of the construction documents, with inspections during the build and a certificate of occupancy at the end. Colorado HB 24-1152 now requires most Front Range municipalities to allow ADUs on single-unit lots, and we confirm how your city implements it as the first step of feasibility.
How It Runs
01
Survey
02
Design
03
Build
04
Verify
DESIGN SERVICES
Discovery & Site Analysis
Needs + preference programming, site survey, as-built documentation, feasibility.
We walk, measure, and photograph your property — existing conditions, utilities, structure, and constraints. You get the as-built documentation and feasibility read that every later decision rests on.
Learn more →Concept Design & Space Planning
Schematic design, floor plan studies, layout options.
Your scope becomes schematic floor plans you can compare side by side — circulation, daylight, adjacencies, and what each option does to the budget. Layout decisions happen on paper, where changes are cheap.
Learn more →Architectural Design & 3D Renderings
Design development, materials + finishes, photorealistic visualization.
The chosen concept resolves into materials, finishes, fixtures, and lighting — with the automation layer drawn in. Photorealistic renderings let you walk the space and adjust before anything is priced.
Learn more →Construction Documents & Permitting
Full CD sets, structural + MEP engineering coordination, permit-ready drawings.
Approved designs become coordinated architectural, structural, and MEP sheets — the set your jurisdiction permits from and trades build from. We submit, track, and answer review comments.
Learn more →CONSTRUCTION
New Construction & Custom Homes
Ground-up homes and light commercial, dirt to keys.
Ground-up residential and light commercial builds — foundations through finishes, including modular and steel construction. One accountable builder from dirt to keys.
Learn more →Remodels & Additions
Kitchens, baths, basements, pop-tops, whole-home.
Kitchens, baths, basements, pop-tops, and whole-home renovations that respect the house you already have. We handle structure, permits, and the dust.
Learn more →Commercial Tenant Finish & Build-Outs
Shells to working spaces — retail, office, restaurant, school.
Raw shells become working spaces — showrooms, offices, restaurants, schools. Dealer-spec finishes, code compliance, and opening dates held.
Learn more →ADUs & Modular Construction
Backyard cottages, garage conversions, factory-built homes.
Backyard cottages, garage conversions, and factory-built homes — zoning, design, permits, and set. Denver’s ADU rules are a specialty, not a surprise.
Learn more →Outdoor Living & Patio Structures
Decks, pergolas, and dining patios built for Colorado weather.
Decks, pergolas, and dining patios engineered for Colorado sun, snow, and hail — structure, shade, and drainage done right the first time.
Learn more →TECHNOLOGY
Smart Home Automation
Lighting, shades, climate, audio, security — one interface.
Whole-home control of lighting, shades, climate, audio, and security from a single interface — Crestron, Lutron, Savant, and Control4 designed in, not bolted on.
Learn more →A/V Systems
Theaters, distributed audio, video walls, commercial sound.
Theaters, distributed audio, video walls, and commercial sound — designed, installed, and tuned by the same team for over 20 years.
Learn more →Control Systems
Custom programming — scenes and schedules that fit the space.
Every subsystem brought into one elegant interface — custom programming for homes and venues, with scenes and schedules that match how the space is actually used.
Learn more →Networking & Edge Compute
Enterprise Wi-Fi, structured cabling, racks, on-prem compute.
Enterprise-grade Wi-Fi, structured cabling, racks, and on-premise compute — the backbone that makes everything else reliable, including our own Barbot platform.
Learn more →Solar & Energy Storage
Solar arrays, Tesla Powerwall, EV charging — certified install.
Solar arrays, Tesla Powerwall, and EV charging designed and installed by a Tesla Energy Certified team — roof, electrical, and app in one scope.
Learn more →Let's design your perfect ADU / Backyard Cottage together
Get a personalized estimate in about 2 minutes — no pressure, no obligation.
How This Works (2 minutes)
- 1Tell us about your project (30 seconds)
- 2Answer a few quick questions for an accurate estimate (60 seconds)
- 3Get your personalized estimate instantly (30 seconds)
No pressure. No obligation. No spam calls. If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you — and even recommend someone who is.
Explore
Also serving
Explore