General Contractor in Arvada

General Contractors Denver is a general contractor in Arvada for new homes, additions, renovations and work in Olde Town. Arvada spans Jefferson County, where most residents live, and Adams County. Olde Town is about 7 miles northwest of the State Capitol with RTD G Line service to downtown Denver and the airport, and the city sits at the western end of I-76. Arvada also made one of the larger code changes on the Front Range this year, which is the first thing we check on any project here.

The July 2026 code change

Arvada's Building Safety Division adopted new codes on March 24, 2026, effective July 1, 2026. The package includes the 2024 International Building, Residential, Fuel Gas, Mechanical, Plumbing, Property Maintenance, Fire, Existing Building and Swimming Pool and Spa Codes, the 2026 National Electrical Code and the 2017 accessibility standard. Energy moved to the Colorado Low Energy and Carbon Code, based on the 2024 energy code, which adds electric-ready, solar-ready and EV-ready requirements. Permits submitted before July 1, 2026 can generally use the 2018 codes, which means two projects on the same street can be built to very different rules.

Fire sprinklers in every new home

Under the 2026 update, fire sprinkler systems are required in new single family homes, duplexes and townhomes in Arvada. Existing homes are not affected. For a new house, the sprinkler system touches the water service size, the mechanical room, ceiling framing and the finish schedule, so we bring the sprinkler designer in during design rather than after framing.

Arvada's first wildfire code, the Arvada Wildfire Resiliency Code, adds structural hardening and defensible space requirements for certain structures in wildland urban interface areas. It mainly affects new construction but also brings some exterior and maintenance requirements for existing structures in identified risk areas.

Wind zones at Highway 93

Arvada's design wind speed is 136 mph from the eastern city limit west to Highway 93, and 150 mph west of it, with Exposure C unless an engineer's site analysis supports otherwise. The city's criteria also call for a 36 inch frost depth, a 30 psf roof and ground snow load, and ice and water shield, which is now required. Elevation is listed at 5,453 feet east of Highway 93 and varies to the west.

Olde Town and the historic districts

Any modification, addition, restoration or redevelopment in the Arvada Downtown Historic District or in Olde Town zoning has to obtain a Certificate of Compliance with the Olde Town Design Guidelines before anything else. The city also lists the Reno Park Addition and Stocke-Walter Addition historic districts. For a storefront renovation or an addition to an older home, the design starts from the guidelines, and our remodeling and renovation process plans the certificate ahead of plan review.

Ralston Creek and floodplains drawn after the houses

Arvada's history runs along its creeks; the first documented gold discovery in the Rocky Mountain region was on June 22, 1850, along Ralston Creek, at what is now Gold Strike Park. The city's floodplains took effect in 1974, after most neighborhoods along the creeks were already built, so older homes near Ralston Creek can sit inside a mapped floodplain. Additions there may need a Floodplain Development Permit. Beneath all of it, the Colorado Geological Survey reports swelling soil and rock under every major Front Range city, and the state health department says about half of Colorado homes test above the EPA radon action level.

Our Arvada work covers new homes and additions, custom homes toward the foothills and Olde Town renovations, each planned to the code edition that actually governs the permit.

Arvada on the map

Nearby, we also build in Westminster, Golden, Lakewood and Broomfield. See every Front Range service area, or request a consultation for a Arvada project.