DESIGN · BUILD · AUTOMATE
COMMERCE CITY SERVICES
Second-Story Addition in Commerce City
Licensed second-story addition services for Commerce City and Adams County. Double your living space without moving.
What Commerce City requires
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). §5-5
See full local requirements ↓- Full Design Lifecycle
- Construction & Tenant Finish
- Smart Home · A/V · Edge Compute
Double your living space without moving
FREE PLANNING TOOLS
Both tools are free and take a couple of minutes — start in either one.
EVERY PROJECT STARTS WITH DESIGN
Local Service
Second-Story Addition Services in Commerce City, Colorado
Autotelic provides professional second-story addition services throughout Commerce City and the surrounding Adams County area. Full second-story additions across the Denver metro with structural engineering, framing, roofing, and complete interior build-out. Commercially licensed and insured. 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).§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.
The build sequence for a Second-Story Addition project
This service is a component of How a Home remodel project works in Commerce City.
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.§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.
text
What a second-story addition covers
A second-story addition in the Denver metro adds habitable floor over an existing house: new floor structure, stairs, roof, windows, and usually electrical, mechanical, and plumbing. The existing foundation and walls have to carry the extra load. A municipally licensed Denver general contractor coordinates the project, design professionals, and licensed specialty trades. Cost is project-specific and depends on structure, roof, and how much of the first floor is opened.
text
Structure and zoning height
City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development treats second-story additions as structural review items that exceed IRC prescriptive limits. The residential permitting guide asks for a letter of structural integrity sealed by a design professional who personally inspected the existing foundation and building (DBCA 133.3). Zoning height is measured in feet and stories from the front and rear base planes (Denver Zoning Code Sec. 13.1.2). Plans should show allowed versus proposed height.
text
Permits and who coordinates the work
Additions typically need zoning, building, and Sewer Use and Drainage (SUDP) reviews, plus electrical, mechanical, and plumbing when those systems change. Denver Energy Code Chapter 5 [RE] applies to additions. 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.
text
What buyers should prepare
Target rooms, existing drawings if any, roof and attic photos, and known foundation concerns.
FAQ
Common questions
Do second-story additions need a Denver permit?
Yes. CPD requires building, zoning, and typically SUDP, with structural review because the work exceeds IRC prescriptive limits.
Who handles second-story permits and licensing?
A municipally licensed Denver general contractor coordinates the project, design professionals, and specialty trades. Colorado has no statewide general contractor license.
Can the existing foundation take a second story?
Only after a design professional inspects it. CPD asks for a sealed structural-integrity letter for second-story additions.
How is height measured?
In feet and stories from the zoning front and rear base planes, not just from the sidewalk.
What information helps define scope?
Desired rooms, existing drawings, foundation notes, 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 →Let's design your perfect Second-Story Addition together
Get a personalized estimate in about 2 minutes — no pressure, no obligation.
How This Works (2 minutes)
- 1Tell us about your project (30 seconds)
- 2Answer a few quick questions for an accurate estimate (60 seconds)
- 3Get your personalized estimate instantly (30 seconds)
No pressure. No obligation. No spam calls. If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you — and even recommend someone who is.
Explore