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Garage Conversion in Longmont
Licensed garage conversion services for Longmont and Boulder County. Turn your garage into livable space.
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- Construction & Tenant Finish
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Turn your garage into livable space
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Garage Conversion Services in Longmont, Colorado
Autotelic provides professional garage conversion services throughout Longmont and the surrounding Boulder County area. Garage to living space conversions across the Denver metro — studios, offices, guest suites, and ADUs with full HVAC, insulation, and code-compliant egress. Whether you're in Longmont (north Boulder County) or nearby communities, our team delivers quality workmanship backed by Colorado licensing and full insurance coverage.
Permit Thresholds
Longmont permit thresholds
- Code reference
- The City of Longmont has adopted the 2024 International Codes, including the International Residential Code, effective July 1, 2026.
- Code reference
- Retaining walls over 48 inches.
- Code reference
- Accessory buildings over 120 square feet.
- Code reference
- Accessory buildings 120 square feet or less in floor area, though it is recommended to secure them against wind damage, and they must still meet setback requirements.
- Code reference
- Fencing below certain heights (commonly 6 feet).
- Foundations
- For one-story accessory structures greater than 120 square feet, foundations must be designed by a Colorado-licensed engineer, and the drawings must be stamped and sealed by that engineer.
- Code reference
- The City of Longmont enforces the 2024 International Codes, which became effective on July 1, 2026, along with the Metro Cohort Model Code.
- Code reference
- The Longmont Municipal Code incorporates by reference the International Residential Code for One and Two-Family Dwellings, 2021 Edition, including various appendix chapters.
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **The City of Longmont Building Services (Building Inspection division) issues residential building permits.
Zoning & ADU
Longmont zoning & ADU quick facts
- Code reference
- The most common single-family residential districts that permit ADUs are Rural Residential (R-RU), Residential-Single Family (R-SF), and Residential-Mixed Neighborhood (R-MN).
- Code reference
- ADUs are permitted as an accessory use in the R-RU, R-SF, and R-MN zoning districts, among others.
- Code reference
- General ADU standards are found in Longmont Municipal Code (LMC) Sections 15.04.040 and 15.02.080.E.
- Code reference
- An ADU cannot exceed one-half (50%) of the finished, above-ground floor area of the main house.
- Code reference
- An ADU may total up to 800 square feet regardless of the principal dwelling's size.
- Code reference
- An ADU can be larger than 800 square feet if it does not exceed 50% of the finished, above-ground floor area of the principal dwelling.
- Code reference
- If an ADU is part of a garage structure, the combined area of the garage and habitable ADU space cannot exceed 800 square feet or 50% of the finished, above-ground floor area of the principal dwelling, whichever is greater.
- Code reference
- (LMC Sections 15.04.040.C.2 and 15.02.080.E.3)
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **The City of Longmont Building Services (Building Inspection division) issues residential building permits.
Energy Code
Longmont energy code quick facts
- Code reference
- 2024 IECC (Metro Cohort Model Code based on the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code, with local/regional amendments), effective July 1, 2026.
- Code reference
- Longmont adopted the 2024 International Codes (including the energy code) along with the Metro Cohort Model Code (MCMC, based on the 2024 IECC with regionally aligned amendments) via Ordinance O-2026-29 (adopted ~June 9, 2026; see Municode Chapter 16.22 for the energy conservation code adoption).Ordinance O-2026-29
- Code reference
- This aligns with Colorado state requirements for jurisdictions updating codes around this period (must meet or exceed 2021 IECC + electric/solar-ready provisions, with amendments not reducing stringency).
- Code reference
- Longmont follows its policy of adopting each new IECC version; it is not the Denver Green Code or Energize Denver program.
- Code reference
- Longmont is in IECC Climate Zone 5B.
- Key prescriptive requirements (from the adopted 2024 IECC/MCMC base provisions,
- Key prescriptive requirements (from the adopted 2024 IECC/MCMC base provisions, applicable to additions and alterations per the IECC scope for new construction elements in remodels/additions) relevant to remodels/additions in CZ 5B include (specific MCMC amendments may modify details; always verify
- Ceiling/attic insulation
- R-49 (or equivalent U-factor per Table R402.1.2/R402.1.3).
- Adopting ordinance/reference
- MCMC/2024 IECC Table R402.1.2 (or R402.1.3 component performance alternative) as adopted in Longmont Municipal Code Chapter 16.22.
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **The City of Longmont Building Services (Building Inspection division) issues residential building permits.
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What garage conversion covers
Garage conversions in the Denver metro turn an attached or detached garage into conditioned living space or, where zoning allows, an accessory dwelling unit. Work typically includes insulation, new openings, electrical, HVAC, and often a bath or kitchen. Parking on the lot still has to satisfy zoning. A municipally licensed Denver general contractor coordinates the project and licensed specialty trades. Cost is project-specific and depends on attached versus detached, ADU versus extra rooms, and how much of the envelope changes.
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Occupancy, energy code, and ADUs
Turning an unconditioned garage into a bedroom is a change of space conditioning. Denver Energy Code Chapter 5 [RE] treats that as a change of occupancy or use and applies addition/new-construction energy rules to the newly conditioned space. Creating a separate ADU is a different zoning path: the district must allow an accessory dwelling unit, and plans must clearly label the ADU and the primary structure. Transportation review is listed for ADUs, garages, and increases in dwelling units.
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Permits and who coordinates the work
City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development requires architectural and structural review for occupancy or use changes, plus zoning, building, and typically SUDP. Exterior changes on landmarks or in historic districts need Landmark review. 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 plus the design professionals required for the project.
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What buyers should prepare
Attached versus detached, living space versus ADU, whether a bath or kitchen is included, and how parking will be handled.
FAQ
Common questions
Does converting a garage need a Denver permit?
Yes. It is a change of occupancy or use. CPD requires building and zoning review, and typically SUDP.
Who handles garage conversion permits and licensing?
A municipally licensed Denver general contractor coordinates the project, design professionals, and specialty trades. Colorado has no statewide general contractor license.
Is extra living space the same as an ADU?
No. Extra rooms for the main house stay one dwelling. An ADU is a separate dwelling and is only allowed in districts that permit it.
Does energy code apply to a cold garage?
Yes once it becomes conditioned. Denver Energy Code uses turning an unconditioned garage into a bedroom as an example of a change of space conditioning.
What information helps define scope?
Attached vs detached, ADU vs extra rooms, parking plan, and city or county.
Service Area
Serving Longmont and Boulder County
We serve Longmont, 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 Longmont 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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