Custom home builder and remodeling contractor in Westminster

Westminster neighborhoods and the houses in them

Westminster's oldest housing sits in the south, around 72nd Avenue and the Historic Westminster area, alongside postwar ranches and bi-levels. North of US 36 toward 120th Avenue, the stock shifts to 1970s through 1990s subdivisions, then to newer neighborhoods such as Bradburn and the development on the former Westminster Mall site, now Downtown Westminster.

Each era brings its own project list. A 1950s or 1960s ranch often has a closed kitchen, small baths and a basement with low ceilings and no egress window. A 1980s two-story is usually sound but ready for an open kitchen, a properly vented bath and windows that seal. Newer houses lean toward a finished basement or a deck that actually gets used.

Some south Westminster houses are tired but solid; others have foundation movement and decades of add-on work. Someone who reads structure, not just finishes, can tell you if the answer is a remodel, an addition or a new house on the same lot.

One city, two counties: Adams and Jefferson

Westminster straddles the line between Adams County and Jefferson County. In general, the eastern part of the city is in Adams County, and the western part, including the area around Standley Lake, is in Jefferson County.

For building, the city line matters more than the county line. Inside city limits, the City of Westminster handles zoning, permits and inspections in either county. Some homes with a Westminster mailing address sit in unincorporated Adams or Jefferson County, though, and those are permitted by the county under its own zoning. Check the parcel's jurisdiction before design starts.

Soils, hail and permits for Westminster projects

Much of the Front Range sits on expansive clay that swells when wet and shrinks as it dries, and parts of Westminster are no exception. A geotechnical soils report guides the foundation for a new home or an addition, and affects how basement walls are framed over a slab that may move.

Summer hail is common across the north metro, so roof, siding and gutter choices should account for impact. Strong sun at altitude breaks down sealants, and freeze-thaw cycles punish flashing and grading mistakes, which is why the joints where houses leak deserve more attention than finish materials.

Building permits come from the City of Westminster's building division for work inside city limits. Additions, structural changes, decks, basement finishes and many roofing and window projects need one, and snow load and wind design values come from the city.

• Test for radon before finishing a basement, since radon is common in Colorado
• Plan egress windows for any basement bedroom
• Check HOA covenants before changing exterior materials or rooflines

The remodels, additions and new homes Westminster owners ask about

In older Westminster houses, kitchens and baths lead the list. Opening a ranch kitchen often means removing a bearing wall and adding a beam, covered on our kitchen remodeling page. Bath work in the same houses usually updates ventilation and waterproofing along with the tile.

On tighter lots, a Westminster home addition has to fit setbacks and lot coverage limits, so going up is worth comparing against building out. Where the house is past saving, a new custom home on an existing lot is the other path. Basement finishes and roof, siding and window work after hail round out the common requests.

Next steps for a Westminster project

Order matters. Confirm the jurisdiction, pull the survey and any HOA rules, get soils information if you're adding foundation, then design.

Near the city's edges, the neighbors have their own rules: building in Broomfield means working with a consolidated city and county, and Thornton projects start across Westminster's eastern border. When you're ready, tell us about your Westminster house.