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Structural Steel in Lafayette
Licensed structural steel services for Lafayette and Boulder County. Precision fabrication and erection.
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- Construction & Tenant Finish
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Precision fabrication and erection
EVERY PROJECT STARTS WITH DESIGN
Local Service
Structural Steel Services in Lafayette, Colorado
Autotelic provides professional structural steel services throughout Lafayette and the surrounding Boulder County area. Structural steel fabrication and erection including beams, columns, and full frames for commercial and residential projects. Whether you're in Lafayette (east Boulder County) or nearby communities, our team delivers quality workmanship backed by Colorado licensing and full insurance coverage.
Permit Thresholds
Lafayette permit thresholds
- Code reference
- This follows the City’s adopted codes (primarily the 2021 International Residential Code with local amendments in the 2023 Lafayette Colorado Building Code, effective August 1, 2023).
- Code reference
- Exempt work (from building permit requirements, per the City’s website and 2023 Lafayette Colorado Building Code amendments to IRC Section R105.2 / equivalent) includes (non-exhaustive list relevant to remodels):Section R105.2
- Code reference
- One-story detached accessory storage sheds under 120 sq ft.
- Code reference
- Retaining walls under 3 ft high (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall, unless supporting a surcharge).
- Code reference
- Sidewalks, driveways, and patios less than 30 inches above adjacent grade and not part of an accessible route.
- Code reference
- Window awnings projecting no more than 54 inches from a residence (no additional support required).
- Construction use tax
- Any person obtaining a building permit must pay a use tax deposit of 3.87% on 60% of the value of the permit (per Sec. 110-37 of the Municipal Code).Sec. 110-37
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **City of Lafayette, Colorado Building Division (part of the Planning & Building Department) issues residential building permits within city limits.
Energy Code
Lafayette energy code quick facts
- Code reference
- 2021 IECC (residential and commercial provisions) with local amendments, as adopted in the 2023 Lafayette, Colorado Building Code (effective August 1, 2023).
- Code reference
- This is confirmed on the City’s official Building Code & Design Information page and in the adopted code document (which includes Article 9 amendments to the 2021 IECC).
- Code reference
- The base prescriptive requirements follow the 2021 IECC (Climate Zone 5B for the Lafayette area).
- Code reference
- The City is in the process of considering 2024 I-Codes (including a Metro Cohort Model Code based on the 2024 IECC) but has not yet adopted them.
- Key prescriptive requirements relevant to remodels/additions (drawn from the 202
- Key prescriptive requirements relevant to remodels/additions (drawn from the 2021 IECC as adopted/amended locally; specific numeric values and sections are from the base 2021 IECC unless locally modified in Article 9 of the 2023 Lafayette code—local amendments focus more on electrification/solar
- Wall insulation (wood-frame above-grade)
- R-20 + R-5 ci or R-13 + R-10 ci (2021 IECC Table R402.1.2 / prescriptive path; applies to additions and alterations per R503).
- Ceiling/attic insulation
- R-49 (or higher per table footnotes; 2021 IECC Table R402.1.2; relevant for additions and certain alterations).
- Fenestration (windows/doors)
- Maximum U-factor typically 0.30 (or as specified in Table R402.1.2 for CZ 5; SHGC requirements also apply; relevant for replacement windows in remodels).
Codes are amended regularly — verify current requirements with **City of Lafayette, Colorado Building Division (part of the Planning & Building Department) issues residential building permits within city limits.
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What structural steel work covers
Structural steel in the Denver metro includes beams, columns, moment connections, stair steel, and reinforcement around new openings. Shop drawings follow sealed design. Field work is bolting, welding, and fireproofing as specified. A municipally licensed Denver general contractor coordinates the project, design professionals, and licensed specialty trades. Cost is project-specific and depends on tonnage, connections, and access.
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Drawings, special inspections, and hot work
City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development requires architectural and structural review when steel changes the load path. Commercial applications typically upload engineered drawings and calculations. When the design calls for special inspections, those reports go with the permit and can be uploaded in e-permits for inspector review. Welding, cutting, and grinding on site may also need a Denver Fire Department hot-work operational permit from the Flammables Group.
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Permits and who coordinates the work
Building permits run through CPD e-permits. 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 steel package. The GC is not the engineer of record.
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What buyers should prepare
Opening versus new frame, existing drawings, occupancy during construction, and whether field welding is expected.
FAQ
Common questions
Does adding a steel beam need a Denver permit?
Yes when it changes the load path. CPD requires structural review and, for commercial work, engineered drawings.
Who handles structural steel 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 a hot-work permit separate from the building permit?
Often yes. Denver Fire Department issues operational permits for welding, cutting, and grinding through the Flammables Group.
Is the GC the engineer of record?
No. Sealed steel design is provided by design professionals. The GC coordinates fabrication and erection around those documents.
What information helps define scope?
What is being opened or framed, existing drawings, occupied site yes or no, and city or county.
Service Area
Serving Lafayette and Boulder County
We serve Lafayette, 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 Lafayette 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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