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Pop-Top Addition in Commerce City
Licensed pop-top addition services for Commerce City and Adams County. Go up, not out — add a full second story.
- Full Design Lifecycle
- Construction & Tenant Finish
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Go up, not out — add a full second story
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Local Service
Pop-Top Addition Services in Commerce City, Colorado
Autotelic provides professional pop-top addition services throughout Commerce City and the surrounding Adams County area. Pop-top second-story additions across the Denver metro — add bedrooms, bathrooms, and living space without expanding your footprint. Structural engineering included. 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.
Zoning & ADU
Commerce City zoning & ADU quick facts
- Code reference
- ADUs are permitted in single-family residential districts (e.g., R-1 Single-Family Detached Residential District and similar zones) under the 2025 Land Development Code updates. Only one ADU is allowed per single-family lot.
- ADU size limits (applicable across qualifying single-family districts)
- Cannot exceed 75% of the floor area of the principal unit or 1,000 sf, whichever is less; a minimum of 750 sf is permitted regardless of principal unit size.
- ADU height limits
- Must be less than the height of the principal building or 22 ft maximum, whichever is less.
- Code reference
- No specific numeric standards for maximum lot coverage %, primary building height, or district-specific setbacks for additions/garages/primary structures in the most common single-family districts (such as R-1) were located with direct code citations in available sources.
- Code reference
- For full district tables (e.g., R-1 standards in Article IV or equivalent sections of the Land Development Code), consult the official code on Municode or enCodePlus, or contact Commerce City Planning (Planner of the Day).
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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What a pop-top covers
A pop-top in the Denver metro raises or replaces the roof on the existing footprint to add a story or habitable attic. Walls usually stay; massing and bulk plane control the envelope. The existing foundation still has to take the new loads. A municipally licensed Denver general contractor coordinates the project, design professionals, and licensed specialty trades. Cost is project-specific and depends on roof structure, stairs, and how much of the first floor is opened.
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Bulk plane, height, and landmarks
Zoning height is measured in feet and stories from the front and rear base planes (DZC Sec. 13.1.2). Plans must show allowed versus proposed bulk plane, including roof overhangs. If the existing house already breaks height or bulk rules, elevations should distinguish retained structure from new work. Landmark Preservation lists pop-top/rooftop additions as a review type; designated properties need Landmark approval before zoning or building permits.
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Permits and who coordinates the work
City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development treats pop-tops like other second-story or attic work: structural review and a sealed structural-integrity letter from a design professional who inspected the existing foundation (DBCA 133.3), plus zoning, building, and typically SUDP. 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
Target rooms, roof and attic photos, known foundation issues, and landmark or historic-district status.
FAQ
Common questions
Is a pop-top different from a second-story addition?
A pop-top usually stays on the existing footprint and is controlled by bulk plane. A second-story addition may also expand walls. Both need structural review in Denver.
Who handles pop-top permits and licensing?
A municipally licensed Denver general contractor coordinates the project, design professionals, and specialty trades. Colorado has no statewide general contractor license.
Do historic houses need extra review?
Yes. Landmark lists pop-top/rooftop additions. Approval comes before zoning and building permits on designated properties.
Will the existing foundation work?
Only after a design professional inspects it. CPD asks for a sealed structural-integrity letter for second-story and attic work.
What information helps define scope?
Desired rooms, roof photos, landmark status, and city or county.
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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