Basement ADU

Yes, nearly all basement finishing projects and all home additions in Denver require a building permit through Denver Community Planning and Development. Structural work, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical changes each trigger their own inspections. We handle the permit applications on your behalf, and we never recommend skipping permits — unpermitted work can create serious problems when you sell or file an insurance claim.

Your HOA can require you to submit plans for approval and impose design standards, but it generally cannot override a valid City of Denver building permit once you meet its covenants. The practical step is to submit your project drawings to your HOA architectural review committee before we pull city permits, so both tracks move in parallel. We can prepare the documentation your HOA typically requests and flag any covenant restrictions that might affect your design.

A design-build firm handles architecture, design, and construction under one contract, which streamlines decisions and keeps accountability in one place. A spec builder constructs homes or units on speculation to sell later, with no client customization involved. We operate as a design-build remodeler, meaning we guide you from concept and drawings through finished construction rather than selling pre-built product.

We work with third-party financing partners that offer home improvement loans, and many Denver homeowners also use home equity lines of credit or FHA 203(k) rehab loans for larger projects. We can walk you through the options that typically fit projects of your scope during an initial consultation. We do not act as a lender, but we can provide the detailed cost estimates lenders require.

After a hail event, the first step is a professional roof inspection to document damage before you file a claim with your insurer. We can provide that inspection and a written damage report that matches the format adjusters expect. Once your claim is approved, we work directly with your insurance company to align our scope of work with the approved estimate, so there are no billing surprises on your end.

Waterproofing and basement finishing are separate scopes, and waterproofing should always come first. If your Denver basement shows any signs of moisture intrusion, efflorescence, or past flooding, we assess and address that before framing walls or installing flooring. Finishing over an unaddressed moisture problem is one of the most expensive mistakes homeowners make, so we treat it as a prerequisite rather than an upsell.

Denver has broadly legalized accessory dwelling units across most residential zones under its 2021 zoning updates, but rules on size, setbacks, height, and lot coverage still vary by zone district. A detached ADU on a standard Denver lot typically cannot exceed 35 percent of the main home's square footage or 1,000 square feet, whichever is less. We pull your specific zoning designation early in the design phase to confirm what is allowable before you invest in drawings.

Interior remodels — kitchens, bathrooms, basements — proceed without meaningful weather-related delays in winter. Exterior work like additions, roofing, and concrete flatwork is more sensitive to temperature and precipitation, though experienced Denver crews plan around forecast windows and use heating blankets for concrete pours. We schedule exterior phases to minimize cold-weather risk and build reasonable buffer into winter project timelines.

We provide a one-year workmanship warranty on all remodeling and construction work, covering defects in installation and labor. Manufacturer warranties on materials — cabinetry, windows, roofing systems, appliances — are separate and pass directly to you at project completion. If something fails within our warranty period, we schedule a correction visit promptly and at no charge to you.