Preconstruction and Estimating in the Aurora Metro
Budgets, constructability reviews and schedules built from local code, soils and utility facts, so owners decide with real numbers before design is final.
Three different editions of the building code are in force within the Denver metro at once. The Home Builders Association of Metro Denver tracker dated January 20, 2026 shows Adams County, Arvada and Castle Rock on the 2018 I-codes, Aurora and Arapahoe County on 2021, and Boulder, Golden and Cherry Hills Village on 2024. An estimate that ignores which edition applies to your parcel is an estimate of a different building.
Preconstruction is the work we do before a contract is signed to find out what a building will cost, how long it will take, and what could go wrong. It is the least visible part of a construction project and the most valuable, because decisions made at this stage cost a small fraction of what the same changes cost once a crew is on site.
We provide preconstruction as a stand-alone service for owners who have a design team and want a builder's view, and as the first phase of a larger delivery contract.
How we build an estimate you can use
An estimate is only as good as the information it is built from, so we begin by listing what is known and what is not: the program, the site, the soils report, the utility availability, the code edition and the quality level. Gaps become allowances or questions, never silent assumptions. As drawings develop, we update the estimate at each milestone, concept, schematic design, design development and construction documents, so you see how decisions move the number.
Quantities come from our own takeoff, and pricing comes from current subcontractor and supplier bids, not from last year's averages. We invite bidders for the major trades, level their scopes so that each includes the same work, and show the owner where two bids differ because of scope and not price. We also hold a constructability review with the design team on the structure, utilities and sequencing, listing every conflict between trades that we can find on paper before it turns into a field change. The final product is a document the owner can take to a lender, a partner or a board.
Costs that tend to be missed
Owners are rarely surprised by the cost of concrete and steel. They are surprised by site and municipal costs: utility extensions, off-site road improvements, detention, fire line connections, permit and impact fees, and the soils remedy that the geotechnical report recommends. We list these in a separate section of the estimate so they are visible and can be questioned. Where the soils report suggests dewatering, over-excavation or imported fill, we price it as its own line.
We also carry an explicit contingency and escalation line, with a note about what each covers. Contingency is for unknowns in the design, and escalation is for the passage of time before purchase. Separating them helps the owner see the risk that the design team can reduce, and the risk that only a faster schedule can reduce.
Reading the rules that apply to your parcel
Aurora's tracker entry shows the 2021 International Building Code with no plans to adopt the 2024 I-codes, and an update expected in the 2027 cycle. Parker was listed on the 2021 IBC with adoption of the 2024 I-codes expected in June 2026 and implementation in July 2026, and Castle Rock was on the 2018 IBC with adoption of the 2024 I-codes expected in the second quarter of 2026. A project that straddles an adoption date may need to choose its code, and the choice changes the estimate.
This is the sort of detail we put in front of owners early. We confirm the edition in force at the date of submittal with the building department, record it in the estimate basis and revisit it if the schedule slips. For parcels in Aurora, we also ask which city departments will review the site, because planning, public works, fire and the water provider each ask different questions and set different timelines.
A schedule that matches the estimate
A budget without a schedule is half an answer. We prepare a preliminary schedule alongside the estimate, showing design, permit review, procurement, construction and closeout, with the long-lead items called out. Many owners find that the schedule changes their decisions, for instance by showing that switchgear, elevators or dock equipment will arrive after the building is ready for them.
We refine the schedule as the design develops, and we use it to test options. Phasing a project, starting site work before the building permit or buying equipment early can all save time, and each has a cost and a risk. We present them as choices with numbers attached, which supports a clear decision. Long-lead procurement often begins during this phase.
Where preconstruction leads
Preconstruction is the first stage of every delivery method we offer. In design-build delivery, it shapes the design from the start. In construction management at risk, it leads to a guaranteed maximum price. In a traditional bid, it gives the owner a check on the bids. Permitting also benefits, because our permitting and entitlements work uses the same code review.
Developers of apartment communities rely on this work to test pro formas before purchasing land, and multifamily developers in particular ask us for a quick budget on a range of unit counts and parking ratios. The same method works for a warehouse, a clinic or a school.
Get a number you can plan around
Send us the program, the site and the drawings you have. We will tell you what the estimate will cover, what is missing and how long it will take.
Questions Owners Ask
What does a preconstruction agreement cost?
Fees depend on the size and complexity of the project and on how much of the work the owner wants us to do. Some owners ask for a budget on a handful of drawings. Others want a full estimating, scheduling and value engineering package. We scope the work and agree on a fee before we begin.
When should we bring in a contractor?
As early as you have a site and a rough program. The sooner a builder sees the project, the more of the decisions about structure, phasing and site that can be improved while changes are inexpensive. Before design starts is not too soon.
How accurate is an early estimate?
An early estimate is a range, and its accuracy improves as drawings develop. We state the assumptions behind it and the contingency we carry, and we update it at each design milestone. The final number is a firm price or guaranteed maximum price from complete drawings.
Do you value engineer?
Yes, and we do it as an ongoing process and not only a late-stage exercise. We suggest alternatives in structure, systems and finishes with cost and schedule effects, and the owner and architect decide which to adopt. We avoid options that save money by reducing quality or raising maintenance.
Which code edition will you price against?
The edition in force for your parcel at the date of permit submittal. We confirm with the building department, record it in the basis of the estimate and watch for adoption changes that could take effect during design.