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CASTLE ROCK SERVICES
Excavation in Castle Rock
Licensed excavation services for Castle Rock and Douglas County. Groundwork done right.
- Full Design Lifecycle
- Construction & Tenant Finish
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Local Service
Excavation Services in Castle Rock, Colorado
Autotelic provides professional excavation services throughout Castle Rock and the surrounding Douglas County area. Foundation excavation, utility trenching, grading, and backfill services for residential and commercial construction. Whether you're in Castle Rock (Douglas County seat) or nearby communities, our team delivers quality workmanship backed by Colorado licensing and full insurance coverage.
Permit Thresholds
Castle Rock permit thresholds
- Code reference
- Exempt work follows the Town’s adopted amendments to the 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) and International Building Code (IBC), per Ordinance No. 2026-017 (effective around June 30, 2026).Ordinance No. 2026-017
- Code reference
- One-story detached accessory non-habitable structures (tool sheds, playhouses, etc.) ≤ 120 sq ft, ≥ 10 ft from the nearest occupiable structure.
- Code reference
- Fences ≤ 6 ft high (swimming pool barriers of any height are *not* exempt).
- Code reference
- Shingle repair or replacement not exceeding one square (100 sq ft) of covering per building.
- Code reference
- The adopted codes (2024 IRC/IBC and related) govern when alterations trigger permitting.
- Code reference
- See Title 15 of the Castle Rock Municipal Code (and amendments in Ordinance 2026-017) for the full adopted code language on work exempt from permit (primarily amending IRC R105.2 and equivalent IBC sections).Ordinance 2026-017
- Building use tax
- 5.2% applied to 50% of the project’s valuation (materials estimated at half the valuation).
- Code reference
- This comprises the Town’s 4.2% use tax rate + Douglas County’s 1% use tax rate.
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **The Town of Castle Rock Building Division (part of Development Services) issues residential building permits within the town limits.
Energy Code
Castle Rock energy code quick facts
- Code reference
- 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), with local amendments, as adopted by Ordinance No. 2026-017 (adopted June 2, 2026; effective June 30, 2026), along with the Colorado Model Electric-Ready and Solar-Ready Code.Ordinance No. 2026-017
- Code reference
- This applies to Castle Rock (Douglas County, Climate Zone 5B).
- Code reference
- The adoption aligns with state requirements for jurisdictions updating other building codes by the June 30, 2026 deadline.
- Code reference
- Specific local numeric amendments to prescriptive requirements (e.g., R-values, U-factors, or air-sealing thresholds for remodels/additions) are not detailed in publicly available sources beyond references to the base 2021 IECC tables/sections (such as Table R402.1.2 for insulation/fenestration and
- Code reference
- The adopting ordinance incorporates the 2021 IECC by reference with amendments thereto but does not appear to alter the core prescriptive values in available excerpts.ordinance incorporates
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **The Town of Castle Rock Building Division (part of Development Services) issues residential building permits within the town limits.
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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 Rock and Douglas County
We serve Castle Rock, 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 Rock project.
How It Runs
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Survey
02
Design
03
Build
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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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