General Contractor Serving Englewood, Colorado
Englewood is one of the metro's older incorporated cities: a compact grid of modest platted lots between Denver and Littleton, largely built out before the suburban subdivision era. Abricos LLC works with Englewood homeowners on kitchen and bathroom remodels, basement reconfiguration, rear bump-outs and additions, and exterior work. Because the buildable envelope here is usually the binding constraint rather than the budget, the first pass on an Englewood project is spent on what the lot can actually take.
Older housing on a tight grid: how Englewood projects start
Most Englewood houses are one-story bungalows and ranches on narrow lots, often with a detached garage reached from an alley rather than a driveway. That layout decides a great deal: a ground-floor addition may compete with the only usable yard, a second-floor or upward expansion may be the more sensible direction, and material deliveries and dumpsters have to be staged on a street with limited frontage. Setbacks, lot coverage and height are read from the parcel record and confirmed for the specific address and scope before a footprint is drawn.
Getting more usable space out of a small Englewood lot
Kitchen and bathroom remodels in mid-century houses
Opening up compartmentalized 1940s-1960s floor plans, with old plumbing runs, undersized electrical service and original wall framing all examined before layout is fixed.
Rear bump-outs and modest additions
Small-footprint additions — a dining extension, a primary suite, a mudroom — sized so that yard, setbacks and lot coverage still work for the parcel.
Basement reconfiguration and finishing
Older Englewood basements often have low headroom, small original windows and exposed mechanicals; whether a conforming bedroom is achievable is assessed on site rather than assumed.
Exterior refresh and detached-structure work
Siding, windows, exterior doors, porches and alley-side garage or shed work, planned around what the lot and the street allow during construction.
What constrains an Englewood remodel
Lot size and buildable envelope
Englewood's platted lots are small by metro standards, so setbacks, height and lot coverage tend to govern what an addition can be. These are confirmed for your parcel and scope, not estimated from the block.
Reviewing authority
Residential building permits and inspections for addresses inside city limits are administered by the City of Englewood; adjacent addresses with an Englewood mailing address may belong to another jurisdiction. The applicable authority is confirmed from the parcel record.
Age of the house and its systems
Mid-century construction commonly means original branch wiring, galvanized or cast-iron drainage, limited insulation and small electrical service. What has to be upgraded for the scope is determined by what is found, not by a standard package.
Alley access and site staging
Many properties are served by an alley and have no off-street area for a dumpster or material drop. Staging, access and neighbor impact are planned before work starts.
Accessory structures and garage conversions
Whether a detached structure can be enlarged, replaced or converted to habitable space depends on zoning and the specific lot, and is confirmed for the address and scope before it becomes part of a plan.
Weather exposure on original mid-century assemblies
Englewood's older housing carries Front Range weather differently than newer stock does. Roofs and siding face the same hail, wind-driven rain and intense sun as the rest of the metro, but the assemblies underneath are frequently original, with minimal sheathing membrane and little attic ventilation. When exterior work opens a wall or a roof plane, drainage detailing and ventilation usually need rethinking rather than replicating, and interior work that tightens a leaky old house has to account for combustion air for older appliances.
Reading the parcel before drawing a footprint
An Englewood project typically starts with reading the parcel: jurisdiction, zoning designation, setbacks, coverage and any recorded easement across the lot. Where the scope changes the footprint, adds structure or alters egress, stamped documents are coordinated with appropriately licensed design professionals before submittal. Requirements vary by scope and by property, so applicable zoning limits, submittal requirements and inspection sequence are confirmed for your address rather than quoted from a general rule.
Englewood's older neighborhoods are largely outside HOA governance, but individual properties can still carry recorded covenants or easements. Anything recorded against the lot is checked on the parcel record rather than assumed absent.
Building in an occupied house on a narrow lot
An Englewood project begins with a walkthrough of the house and the lot together, because on a small parcel the yard is part of the design problem. We discuss what the space needs to do, note the existing structural and mechanical conditions, and prepare a written scope with a preliminary budget band. Abricos LLC is based in Littleton and keeps no office or resident crew in Englewood; travel, deliveries and inspection windows are planned into the schedule, and specialty trades are coordinated within the project.
For how scope, budget band and schedule are set before demolition, see the Abricos LLC project process.
Coordination with appropriately licensed trade and design professionals may be required depending on scope. Actual availability, scope, and permitting depend on the specific property and jurisdiction.
What Englewood homeowners ask us to do
Kitchen Remodeling
Kitchen layouts reworked inside mid-century framing, with plumbing and electrical capacity checked before cabinetry is selected.
Learn more about Kitchen RemodelingBathroom Remodeling
Bathroom remodels in small original baths, where waterproofing, ventilation and old drainage runs decide the sequence.
Learn more about Bathroom RemodelingHome Additions
Modest rear and side additions scaled to a narrow lot, with setbacks and coverage confirmed for the parcel.
Learn more about Home AdditionsBasement Remodeling
Basement reconfiguration in older lower levels with headroom, moisture history and egress assessed on site.
Learn more about Basement RemodelingWindows & Exterior Doors
Window and exterior-door replacement in original openings, with flashing and trim detailed for aging wall assemblies.
Learn more about Windows & Exterior DoorsNot sure where your project fits? See the full list of services or browse recent projects.
Who reviews building work at an Englewood address
Residential building review for construction inside Englewood city limits is handled by the City of Englewood. Some addresses that carry an Englewood mailing address sit in an adjacent municipality or in unincorporated Arapahoe County, so the reviewing authority is confirmed from the parcel record before the permit path is set. Neither authority represents a local Abricos LLC presence — the company is based in Littleton.
Permit issuance and code approval are decisions of the reviewing authority, not guarantees we can make on their behalf. Timelines are factored into the schedule once the applicable process is confirmed.
Englewood homeowner questions
No. Abricos LLC is based in Littleton and has no branch office, showroom or resident crew in Englewood. Englewood is a core service area, so it is close enough for regular site presence during a project.
Often yes, but the size and direction of the addition are set by setbacks, lot coverage and height for your parcel rather than by the size of the room you want. We read the parcel and measure the house before suggesting a footprint.
It depends on headroom, egress and moisture conditions in that specific basement. All three are checked during the site visit, and if a conforming bedroom is not achievable we say so before scope is written.
Work on electrical and plumbing systems is performed by appropriately licensed trade contractors coordinated within the project. Where existing systems are inadequate for the new scope, the upgrade is priced as part of the written scope rather than discovered as a surprise.
That is planned before work starts. On narrow Englewood lots staging often uses the alley or a limited street frontage, and permitting for any right-of-way use is confirmed with the city for the specific address.
Whether that is permissible depends on zoning and the specific lot, and it is confirmed for your address and scope before it becomes part of a plan. Where it is not, we look at what the main house can absorb instead.
Adjacent cities we also cover
Not sure if we cover your address? Reach out — we work throughout the Denver metro and travel to selected Colorado communities for larger projects. Call (720) 722-1707.
Recent Colorado projects
A category-diverse sample of recent work. Full details are added once each customer approves publication.
