(720) 287-7958

DESIGN · BUILD · AUTOMATE

WESTMINSTER SERVICES

Westminster ADU / backyard cottage — local feasibility & estimate

ADU Feasibility Consultation, $350

Compare both studies

Exploring a backyard ADU in Westminster? Autotelic helps assess feasibility against lot, setbacks, HOA, and local rules—then provides a clear estimate and build path with one team. No fake zoning envelopes. No invented prices or license claims.

What Westminster requires

RE — Front Setback (min): 30' RE

See full local requirements ↓
  • Full Design Lifecycle
  • Construction & Tenant Finish
  • Smart Home · A/V · Edge Compute
ADU / Backyard Cottage

Build an income-producing unit in your backyard

Book an ADU feasibility study

Two fixed-price studies, booked online before you pay for design: a site visit with a go/no-go read on your lot, or a written report you can take to a lender.

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

  • ADU Feasibility Consultation

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

    Pay when you book · morning (8–12) or afternoon (12–4)

    What's included

    An on-site review of your lot against local ADU zoning, setbacks, and utility access. You get a verbal go/no-go read plus a one-page summary of constraints and next steps.

  • ADU Feasibility Package

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

    $475 deposit to book, the rest when the work is done · morning (8–12) or afternoon (12–4)

    What's included

    Site visit plus a written feasibility report: local ADU zoning check, buildable envelope sketch, utility routing notes, and a preliminary budget. A documented go/no-go you can take to a lender.

Studies for additions, custom homes and commercial space

FREE PLANNING TOOLS

Both tools are free and take a couple of minutes — start in either one.

Local Service

ADU / Backyard Cottage Services in Westminster, Colorado

Autotelic provides professional ADU / backyard cottage services throughout Westminster and the surrounding Adams/Jefferson 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 Westminster (between Denver and Boulder) or nearby communities, our team delivers quality workmanship backed by Colorado licensing and full insurance coverage.

Permits & Licensing

Permits in Westminster

Westminster building permits are issued by the Building Division within Community Services, and the city requires general contractors and mechanical, plumbing, and electrical subcontractors to be registered with the city before permit release. The permitting process is fully paperless, running through Westminster's eTRAKiT portal. Authority: City of Westminster — Building Division (Community Services Department).

Permit Thresholds

Westminster permit thresholds

Code reference
The primary source is the City of Westminster Building Division’s *Residential Building Permit Requirements* document (updated August 22, 2024), available on the official city website.
Code reference
Many exterior items common in remodels/additions (decks >30" above grade, room additions, attached/detached garages, retaining walls >3 ft or with surcharge, etc.) also require permits.
Code reference
Decks ≤30 inches above ground (with caveats).
Code reference
Stand-alone storage sheds ≤120 sq ft with no electrical/plumbing/mechanical.
Code reference
Minor roofing repair (≤100 sq ft).
Code reference
Minor siding repair (<100 sq ft).
Code reference
Retaining walls ≤36 inches in height (no surcharge).

Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with City of Westminster — Building Division (Community Services Department).

Zoning & ADU

Westminster zoning & ADU quick facts

RE — Front Setback (min)
30'RE
RE — Side Interior Setback (min)
7'RE
RE — Side Setback Abutting Street (min)
15'RE
RE — Rear Setback (min)
20'RE
RE — Lot Coverage (max)
30%RE
RE — Building Height (max)
25'RE
R1 — Front Setback (min)
30'R1
R1 — Side Interior Setback (min)
5'R1
Westminster Municipal Code Title XI Chapter 4 (through Ord. 4346, 2025) RE setback standards (11-4-5 Density Schedule) — effective 2025-11-10 · Westminster Municipal Code Title XI Chapter 4 (through Ord. 4346, 2025) R1 setback standards (11-4-5 Density Schedule) — effective 2025-11-10Source: library.municode.com

Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with City of Westminster — Building Division (Community Services Department).

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.

Energy Code

Westminster energy code quick facts

Code reference
Westminster, Colorado, has adopted the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) together with the Colorado Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Codes (as required by state law HB22-1362 for jurisdictions updating building codes).
Code reference
This applies to new construction, major renovations, remodels, and additions (with the building thermal envelope and other provisions triggered as applicable under the IECC).
Code reference
Westminster is in Climate Zone 5B.
Code reference
No unique local amendments decreasing stringency or deviating from the 2021 IECC prescriptive tables (plus the state model electric/solar-ready provisions) are indicated in available adoption materials.
Code reference
Key prescriptive requirements for remodels/additions (drawn from the adopted 2021 IECC Residential provisions, Table R402.1.2 / R402.1.3 and related sections; these apply where the scope triggers energy code compliance for the affected envelope components):
Ceiling/attic insulation
Minimum R-60 (or equivalent U-factor ≤ 0.026).
Code reference
(2021 IECC Table R402.1.2 / R402.1.3, Climate Zone 5.)
Wood-frame wall insulation
Minimum R-30 (or 20 + 5 ci, 13 + 10 ci, or 0 + 20 ci options) or equivalent U-factor ≤ 0.045.

Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with City of Westminster — Building Division (Community Services Department).

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 Westminster and Adams/Jefferson County

We serve Westminster, 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 Westminster project.

FAQ

ADU feasibility FAQ

How much does ADU Feasibility Consultation cost in Westminster?

$350.

How do I book?

Press Book next to the job, pick a date and a morning (8–12) or afternoon (12–4) window, and pay in full. We confirm within 24 hours or refund you in full.

Can I build an ADU on my lot?

It depends on lot size, setbacks, HOA rules, and Westminster’s code. Autotelic helps assess feasibility—we do not invent zoning envelopes or guarantee permit outcomes.

Is the online sizing tool a permit determination?

No. Lot-aware sizing on /adu/ is illustrative only and is not a permit determination. A clear estimate and local review come next.

What happens after I start an estimate?

You move from feasibility into a clear estimate with the same design-build team, then permit coordination and build with a licensed Westminster crew when you proceed.

What will an ADU cost?

The lot lookup is free. Our ADU cost page shows planning ranges for a detached backyard cottage; your lot, utility connections and finishes affect the price. Start an estimate for your project, or call (720) 287-7958 to talk it through. A fixed-price build proposal comes after feasibility.

Who builds the ADU?

Autotelic’s local design-build team takes your project from the first concept through an estimate, permits and construction. You have one team to talk to along the way.

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?

First we check your lot and agree on the scope. Then come design and drawings, city permit review, and construction with inspections. Your lot, utility connections, design changes and the city’s review schedule affect the timing. Your proposal includes a project-specific schedule before you commit to the build. A consultation booking is the first planning conversation, not a construction start date.

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

CONSTRUCTION

TECHNOLOGY

Let's design your perfect ADU / Backyard Cottage together

Get a personalized estimate in about 2 minutes — no pressure, no obligation.

Licensed & Insured ContractorVeteran-Owned

How This Works (2 minutes)

  1. 1Tell us about your project (30 seconds)
  2. 2Answer a few quick questions for an accurate estimate (60 seconds)
  3. 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.