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CASTLE PINES SERVICES
Excavation in Castle Pines
Licensed excavation services for Castle Pines and Douglas County. Groundwork done right.
- Full Design Lifecycle
- Construction & Tenant Finish
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Groundwork done right
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Local Service
Excavation Services in Castle Pines, Colorado
Autotelic provides professional excavation services throughout Castle Pines and the surrounding Douglas County area. Foundation excavation, utility trenching, grading, and backfill services for residential and commercial construction. Whether you're in Castle Pines (south Douglas County) or nearby communities, our team delivers quality workmanship backed by Colorado licensing and full insurance coverage.
Permit Thresholds
Castle Pines permit thresholds
- Code reference
- The City of Castle Pines Building Department requires building permits for various residential remodel projects to ensure compliance with the 2021 International Building Code/International Residential Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code.
- Code reference
- 1-Stop Permits are for projects that do not require drawings for a plan review.
- Code reference
- Instead, the requirement for a permit is based on the *type* of work being performed, as detailed in the lists for 1-Stop Permits and Plan Review Permits.
- Code reference
- The City of Castle Pines operates under the 2021 International Building Code/International Residential Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code.
- Code reference
- ### Taxes and Fees (Based on 2026 Fee Schedule where available, or most recent provided)
- Code reference
- For example, according to the 2025 and 2026 Fee Schedules:
- Code reference
- For projects valued from $1.00 to $500.00, the fee is $42.00 (2025/2026).
- Code reference
- For projects valued from $501.00 to $2,000.00, the fee is $42.00 for the first $500.00, plus $5.45 for each additional $100.00 or fraction thereof (2025/2026).
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **The City of Castle Pines Building Department (part of the City’s Community Development department) issues residential building permits.
Energy Code
Castle Pines energy code quick facts
- Code reference
- The City of Castle Pines, Colorado, operates under the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as its currently adopted energy code.
- Code reference
- While an earlier ordinance (Ordinance No. 16-08) adopted the 2015 IECC, state law (House Bill 22-1362) mandates that jurisdictions updating other building codes between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2026, must adopt and enforce the 2021 IECC or an equivalent or more stringent code.Ordinance No. 16-08
- Code reference
- The City of Castle Pines currently enforces the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC), which would trigger the 2021 IECC adoption requirement.
- Code reference
- Castle Pines is located in Climate Zone 5B.
- Code reference
- Here are key prescriptive requirements from the 2021 IECC relevant to remodels and additions in Climate Zone 5B:
- Code reference
- ### Key Prescriptive Requirements for Remodels/Additions (2021 IECC, Climate Zone 5B)
- Code reference
- The following requirements apply to new construction and additions, and often to portions of existing buildings that are altered, as per the 2021 IECC and generally apply to residential applications.
- Requirement
- R-60
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **The City of Castle Pines Building Department (part of the City’s Community Development department) issues residential building permits.
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What excavation work covers
Excavation in the Denver metro includes foundation cut, site grading, utility trenches, benching, sloping, and shoring when soils or lot-line conditions require it. Neighboring structures, utilities, and the public right-of-way often drive method. A municipally licensed Denver general contractor coordinates earthwork and licensed specialty trades. Cost is project-specific and depends on depth, soils, and protection of adjacent property.
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When shoring and extra permits show up
Denver CPD commonly treats excavation, benching, or shoring as a separate permit when the cut is more than 4 feet deep, closer than 4 feet to a lot line, or steeper than 1.5 horizontal to 1 vertical. IRC houses follow building-code policy ADMIN 130/131 and DCBC 3307; those details often ride with the residential construction permit, with excavation issued first. Shoring and soils packages are typically sealed by design professionals. Work that abuts the public ROW may need a DOTI excavation bond; shoring that enters the ROW needs a temporary shoring ROW permit.
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Permits and who coordinates the work
City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development reviews excavation and shoring. Denver DOTI reviews Sewer Use and Drainage (SUDP) for excavations, grading, floodplain, groundwater, and ROW impacts. The residential permitting guide also calls for DDPHE review on excavations. Check floodplain status at denvergov.org/flood before drawing. Cities and counties license general contractors. Colorado has no statewide general contractor license. Autotelic acts as a municipally licensed Denver general contractor and coordinates licensed specialty trades for excavation scopes.
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What buyers should prepare
Proposed depth, distance to lot lines, any soils report, photos of neighboring structures, and whether the dig will touch the alley or street.
FAQ
Common questions
Do I need a separate excavation permit in Denver?
Often yes when the cut is over 4 feet deep, close to a lot line, or steeper than 1.5 to 1. Houses may include excavation details with the building permit, with excavation issued before construction.
Who handles excavation permits and licensing?
A municipally licensed Denver general contractor coordinates the project and licensed specialty trades. Colorado has no statewide general contractor license.
What is SUDP doing on a dig?
DOTI reviews sewer, storm grading, floodplain, groundwater, and ROW impacts for excavations. It is a separate review that typically runs with the building package.
When is shoring required?
When slopes cannot be laid back to the allowed ratio, when the cut is near a lot line or structure, or when the soils report requires it. Design professionals seal those packages.
What information helps define scope?
Depth, lot-line clearance, floodplain status, existing utilities, and city or county.
Service Area
Serving Castle Pines and Douglas County
We serve Castle Pines, 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 Castle Pines project.
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 →TRUSTED TO BUILD FOR
- Punch Bowl SocialFirst four locations
- Spectrum RetirementSenior living communities
- Denver HighlandsFirst modular custom home
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