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Pop-Top Addition in Englewood
Licensed pop-top addition services for Englewood and Arapahoe 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 Englewood, Colorado
Autotelic provides professional pop-top addition services throughout Englewood and the surrounding Arapahoe 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 Englewood (south central Denver metro) or nearby communities, our team delivers quality workmanship backed by Colorado licensing and full insurance coverage.
Permit Thresholds
Englewood permit thresholds
- Code reference
- In Englewood, Colorado, building permits for residential remodel work are generally required based on the specific type of work performed rather than a fixed valuation threshold. The City requires permits for most construction projects to ensure compliance with adopted building codes (including
- Code reference
- Repair of roofing or siding when the repaired area is less than 100 square feet.
- Code reference
- Decks under 200 square feet that are not attached to the house, do not serve an exit door, and are not more than 30 inches above grade (zoning approval still required).
- Code reference
- The City’s use tax rate is 3.80% applied to 50% of the project valuation (an estimate assuming 50% of valuation represents taxable construction materials).
- Code reference
- A reconciliation process is available post-project if actual materials differ from the 50% estimate.
- Code reference
- Relevant references include the City’s “To Permit or Not To Permit” guidance and the Sales, Use and Other Taxes page (with citations to EMC Title 4, Chapter 4 for sales/use tax rules).
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **The City of Englewood’s Building and Codes Division (part of the Community Development Department) issues residential building permits.
Zoning & ADU
Englewood zoning & ADU quick facts
- Englewood, CO (most common single-family residential districts are the R-1 serie
- R-1-A, R-1-B, R-1-C under the Unified Development Code/Title 16, adopted Sept.
- Code reference
- 2023 with subsequent ADU amendments).
- ADU permitted
- Yes, in all residential zoning districts (including all R-1 districts); R-1 districts limited to no more than one ADU per lot.
- Code reference
- (Specific standards updated via Ordinance No. 30-2026 and related Title 16 amendments.)Ordinance No. 30-2026
- ADU max size
- Up to 800 sq ft if detached; if attached or internal to the principal building, equal to the building’s footprint.
- ADU height
- 16 ft maximum, or 25 ft if placed above an operable garage.
- ADU placement/setbacks
- Restricted to the side or rear of the principal structure (or integrated); specific rear-yard or other setbacks governed by district standards or general accessory use rules in 16-4-4/16-4-5 (exact numeric values per district not extracted from primary code text in available sources).
- Max lot coverage % and max building height (principal structures/garages/additio
- Not located in primary sources reviewed (e.g., Chapter 4 Zone Districts & Uses / 16-4-5 District Performance Standards or the adopted UDC PDF); standards are district-specific and appear in tables for R-1-A/B/C (minimum lot sizes and graduated intensity noted, but numeric coverage/height values o
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **The City of Englewood’s Building and Codes Division (part of the Community Development Department) issues residential building permits.
Energy Code
Englewood energy code quick facts
- Code reference
- 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted by the City of Englewood with no specific local amendments detailed on the official building division page (effective for all permits submitted after May 31, 2026).
- Code reference
- This applies to the Denver-metro area (Climate Zone 5B).
- Code reference
- Key prescriptive requirements from the 2024 IECC (relevant to remodels/additions via the residential or existing-building provisions, e.g., R402 and related sections) include the following (standard base-code values, as no local amendments are specified):
- Code reference
- Vertical fenestration U-factor ≤ 0.28 (Table R402.1.2, Climate Zone 5 and Marine 4).
- Code reference
- Skylight U-factor ≤ 0.50 (Table R402.1.2, Climate Zone 5 and Marine 4).
- Code reference
- Air leakage ≤ 3.0 ACH50 at 50 Pa for detached one-family dwellings in Climate Zones 3–5 (or ≤ 0.27 cfm/ft² of enclosure area for smaller homes/attached units); testing required (R402.4.1.2).
- Code reference
- Additional common prescriptive envelope items (from 2024 IECC Tables R402.1.2/R402.1.3 for CZ 5) typically cover ceiling/attic, wall, and other assemblies, but exact R-values/U-factors should be verified directly from the adopted code edition as they involve trade-offs and footnotes.
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **The City of Englewood’s Building and Codes Division (part of the 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 Englewood and Arapahoe County
We serve Englewood, 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 Englewood 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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