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Excavation in Commerce City
Licensed excavation services for Commerce City and Adams County. Groundwork done right.
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EVERY PROJECT STARTS WITH DESIGN
Local Service
Excavation Services in Commerce City, Colorado
Autotelic provides professional excavation services throughout Commerce City and the surrounding Adams County area. Foundation excavation, utility trenching, grading, and backfill services for residential and commercial construction. Whether you're in Commerce City (northeast Denver metro) or nearby communities, our team delivers quality workmanship backed by Colorado licensing and full insurance coverage.
Permit Thresholds
Commerce City permit thresholds
- Code reference
- Residential roof sheathing replacements of 256 square feet and under (unless required to be fire-retardant).
- Code reference
- Gutters, kitchen cabinets, on-grade patios, driveways, and certain other minor items (e.g., fences meeting height limits, playground equipment, retaining walls 4 feet and under without surcharge).
- Code reference
- These rules are in Commerce City Revised Municipal Code Chapter 5 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Article I, particularly Sec. 5-5 (scope of the City of Commerce City Building Code and work exempt from code provisions) and the referenced Sec. 5-8 (work exempt from permit requirements).Sec. 5-5
- Code reference
- The city adopts the 2021 IBC/IRC and related codes with local amendments.
- Code reference
- Use tax is collected at 4.5% applied to the dollar cost and/or value of all building and construction materials intended to be used and/or consumed as part of the project (not collapsed into a single rate; confirmed for small projects valued at $500 or less, where the permit fee is $23.50 and th
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **The Building Safety Division (part of the City of Commerce City’s Community Development Department) issues residential building permits.
Energy Code
Commerce City energy code quick facts
- Code reference
- 2021 IECC (as the City of Commerce City Energy Conservation Code), with local amendments.
- Code reference
- Commerce City adopts the 2021 edition of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as its Energy Conservation Code (both commercial and residential provisions apply, per the city’s Building Code).
- Code reference
- This is incorporated by reference in the Commerce City Revised Municipal Code (C3BC), primarily via Sec. 5-2 (Incorporation by reference), which lists the 2021 IECC among the adopted codes.Sec. 5-2
- Code reference
- It is further detailed and locally amended on the city’s official page for the 2021 IECC.
- Code reference
- The city’s amendments (detailed on the official 2021 IECC adoption page) are primarily administrative/procedural and do not alter the core prescriptive tables or performance requirements of the 2021 IECC itself.
- Code reference
- Amending C101.1 (Title) to reference the City of Commerce City Commercial Energy Conservation Code.
- Code reference
- Requiring digital submission of construction documents with specific energy-related details (e.g., insulation R-values, fenestration U-factors/SHGC, air barrier details).
- Code reference
- Deleting/replacing the fees section (C104) to tie into the city’s municipal code Article VI, Chapter 5.
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **The Building Safety Division (part of the City of Commerce City’s Community Development Department) issues residential building permits.
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Excavation built around Denver conditions
Excavation sets the base for foundations, utilities, drainage, hardscaping, and pools. In the Denver metro area, that work has to account for expansive clay soils, precise depths and slopes, protection of adjacent property, and City & County of Denver permit and inspection rules. As a municipally licensed Denver general contractor, we coordinate excavation with geotechnical recommendations, specialty trade partners, and the overall build sequence so the hole, trenches, and finish grade support what comes next.
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Typical excavation scope
Common residential and commercial excavation work includes: - **Foundation and basement excavation** — Digging to design depth and removing unsuitable fill or weak soils so the foundation sits on competent bearing ground. - **Trenching and underground work** — Trenches for water, sewer, gas, electrical conduit, and subsurface drains (including French drains), with attention to depth, alignment, and required slope. - **Site preparation and grading** — Clearing vegetation and roots, rough grading to shape the site, and final grading to direct water away from structures. - **Hardscape and pool excavation** — Preparing pads and footings for patios and retaining walls, and excavating pool shapes to plan. - **Over-excavation and engineered backfill** — Removing expansive or unsuitable soils and replacing them with approved non-expansive fill compacted in controlled lifts. - **Shoring, sloping, and benching** — Temporary support or earthwork methods that keep excavation walls stable, especially on deeper digs or work near property lines.
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Methods and materials used on Denver sites
Most bulk earthmoving uses mechanical excavation—excavators, backhoes, skid steers, mini excavators, and dozers—for open digs, grading, and mass haul. Hydrovac excavation (high-pressure water plus vacuum) is often preferred around existing utilities, in tight access areas, or where a more precise, less destructive dig is needed. Soil support may involve sloping (walls cut at an angle based on soil type), benching (stepped terraces), or shoring systems such as beams and lagging, sheet piles, braced frames, concrete piers, or tie-backs when walls cannot be laid back. On expansive bentonite-bearing clays common around Denver, geotechnical reports frequently call for over-excavation, engineered granular fill, moisture control, and sometimes lime or cement stabilization or geosynthetic reinforcement. Backfill is placed in thin lifts, moisture-conditioned, and compacted to specified density while protecting buried utilities.
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Denver permits, inspections, and code basics
In Denver, excavation permits and inspections are handled through the City & County of Denver Community Planning and Development (CPD) Building Inspection Division, under the Denver Residential Code (DRC), Denver Commercial Building Code (DCBC), and related policies, along with OSHA safety requirements for worker protection. A permit is commonly required for excavations deeper than 4 feet; excavations within 6 feet of a property line without written neighbor permission; slopes steeper than 1.5 horizontal to 1.0 vertical; deeper retaining-wall or fence excavations (other than simple post holes); and work that needs engineered shoring or benching beyond prescriptive limits. Shallower work may be exempt when it stays within depth, setback, and slope thresholds (for example, digs 18 inches or less, or under 4 feet when set back from the property line at least as far as the excavation is deep and slopes are 1.5:1 or flatter). Projects that need shoring often require a geotechnical investigation sealed by a Colorado registered professional engineer, and complex support systems may need engineered designs and calculations. Deeper steep excavations can trigger fencing and access controls, pre-construction meetings with the Building Inspection Division Construction Inspector, posted notices, and in some cases written notice to adjacent owners before work starts. Work abutting public rights-of-way may also involve an excavation bond through the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure. Inspection sign-off is frequently needed before the main structure permit can move forward.
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What to evaluate before you hire
Look for a team that understands Denver’s expansive soils and CPD process—not just someone who owns a machine. Useful checkpoints include municipal licensing and ability to coordinate required permits; experience with local geotechnical recommendations; liability and workers’ compensation coverage (and bonding when work touches public ROW); equipment matched to the job (bulk earthwork vs. precision/hydrovac); documented OSHA-minded safety practices; clear scope for export/import of material, over-excavation, shoring, and backfill; and a realistic sequence that protects neighboring property and keeps drainage working during and after construction. Ask how they will handle utility locating, spoils, compaction verification, and inspection hold points before concrete or utilities go in.
FAQ
Common questions
Who handles the excavation permits and licensing?
A municipally licensed Denver general contractor coordinates the work and the licensed specialty trades involved. Excavation permits and inspections in Denver generally run through CPD’s Building Inspection Division. Whether a separate excavation permit is required depends on depth, proximity to property lines, slope, and whether engineered shoring or benching is needed.
When is an excavation permit typically required in Denver?
Common triggers include digs deeper than 4 feet, excavations within 6 feet of a property line without written adjacent-owner permission, slopes steeper than 1.5:1, deeper retaining-wall excavations, and work needing non-prescriptive shoring or benching. Limited shallow work may fall under code exceptions, but the final call follows Denver CPD rules for the specific site.
Why do Denver projects talk so much about expansive soils?
Much of the metro area has bentonite-bearing clays that swell and shrink with moisture. Geotechnical reports often require removing unsuitable soil and replacing it with engineered, non-expansive fill compacted in lifts, along with drainage and moisture control, so foundations and slabs are less likely to heave or settle.
What is the difference between sloping, benching, and shoring?
Sloping lays excavation walls back at a safe angle. Benching cuts those walls into steps. Shoring uses temporary structural support—such as sheet piles, beams and lagging, braces, or tie-backs—when space or depth makes open cut impractical. Deeper or constrained sites often need engineered designs and a pre-construction meeting with Denver inspectors.
When is hydrovac excavation useful?
Hydrovac uses water and vacuum to remove soil with more precision and less risk of damaging buried lines. It is especially helpful near known or suspected utilities, in tight access areas, and where mechanical buckets would be too aggressive.
How does excavation affect neighboring property?
Denver code emphasizes protecting adjacent public and private property. That can mean proper sloping or shoring, fencing and signage on steeper deep digs, notice requirements, and careful control of vibration, spoils, and drainage so adjoining lots and structures are not undermined or flooded.
Service Area
Serving Commerce City and Adams County
We serve Commerce City, 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 Commerce City 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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