Concrete, Landscaping & Remodeling in Aurora, Colorado
Aurora is about 18.9 miles south of our Brighton home base - a routine drive for us, and one we make regularly. Quote visits and scheduled work both fit our normal week here.
Working in Aurora
Aurora is one of the largest cities on the Front Range, with about 386,261 residents, and Aurora straddles Arapahoe, Adams and Douglas counties. Aurora sits on the east side of the Denver metro, at about 5,400 feet.
Below is what Aurora's own offices and water provider publish about permits, watering and backflow testing for the kind of work we do, checked October 13, 2026, with a link to each source.
Permits for concrete, driveways and walls in Aurora
Who issues building permits in Aurora?
City of Aurora Building Division (Building Permit Center, 303.739.7420).
Source: auroragov.org
What permit does driveway approach, curb or sidewalk work need in Aurora?
Work in Aurora's public right-of-way requires a Public Improvement Permit from the Development Services Permit Center (pipermits@auroragov.org, 303.739.7420). Any permit that affects traffic, bicyclists or pedestrians, including sidewalk repair or replacement and street cuts, needs an approved traffic control plan before the permit is issued.
Source: auroragov.org
Does a patio or driveway on private property need a building permit in Aurora?
Aurora's DIY home-improvement handbook says a concrete patio needs no permit unless it is more than 30 inches above grade, while driveways and sidewalks need a permit with a public improvement inspection. Replacing a driveway like-for-like needs no permit; a new or expanded driveway needs a plot plan reviewed by the Engineering and Zoning divisions.
Source: auroragov.org
When does a retaining wall need a permit in Aurora?
Aurora's DIY handbook lists retaining walls as requiring a building permit with plan submittal and a structural inspection (no height exemption is given) and landscape walls as requiring a permit with a public improvement inspection. Landscaping alone needs no permit unless retaining walls are installed or the site is regraded.
Source: auroragov.org
Water, sod and sprinkler rules in Aurora
Watering rules change with drought stages and seasons. These are the rules the water provider published as of October 13, 2026; check the linked page before you seed, sod or change a sprinkler schedule.
What are the outdoor watering rules in Aurora?
Aurora has been in a Stage 1 drought since April 6, 2026: non-drip irrigation is limited to two assigned days per week, with no watering from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (May 1-Sept. 30), and a run that continues past midnight counts as two days. A Sept. 28, 2026 ordinance bans spray irrigation Oct. 1-April 30 (Oct. 15-April 30 for residential yards, parks and athletic fields), so homes on residential meters must stop irrigating by Oct. 15.
Source: auroragov.org
Can new sod or seed get extra water in Aurora?
Installing or replacing sod or seed, or installing or renovating a sprinkler system, requires an Aurora Water lawn, seed and irrigation permit and inspection ($42.75 residential in 2026); the permit exempts new sod from watering restrictions for 20 days and new seed for 30 days. During Stage 1 only low-water grasses (e.g., buffalograss, Dog Tuff or Tahoma 31 bermudagrass, native seed) may be installed, and the Sept. 28, 2026 ordinance prohibits new cool-season turf such as Kentucky bluegrass and fescue citywide.
Source: auroragov.org
Does a sprinkler backflow preventer need testing in Aurora?
Aurora City Code Sec. 138-170 requires any required backflow prevention assembly (Aurora Water names irrigation systems among the connections that need one) to be tested by a certified backflow technician at installation and at least annually, with results submitted online through Aurora Water's backflow portal before the due date. The property owner is ultimately responsible.
Source: auroragov.org
Are there lawn replacement or sprinkler rebates in Aurora?
- Grass Replacement Incentive Program (GRIP) — Pays $3 per sq ft to convert existing irrigated, well-maintained lawn to a water-wise landscape, or $0.50 per sq ft for native or low-water grass; projects must be pre-approved (no retroactive rebates). The 2026 fall application window runs Nov. 1, 2026 to Jan. 1, 2027, with completion due July 31, 2027. auroragov.org
- Residential irrigation rebates — For upgrades to existing systems (new systems do not qualify): smart controllers $200 (one per household per 10 years), rain sensors $15 wired/$50 wireless, soil moisture sensors $100 each (max two), check-valve rotors $12, pressure-regulating pop-up bodies $9 and high-efficiency nozzles $6 each (up to 50 of each), and spray-to-drip conversion $75 per zone (up to three zones). auroragov.org
- Landscape Design Program — Free professional water-wise landscape designs (design area up to 2,500 sq ft) for Aurora Water customers, handled remotely by phone, email and aerial mapping. auroragov.org
Also worth knowing in Aurora
- Aurora's DIY handbook limits front yards to no more than 40% concrete and requires driveways to be at least 3 feet from the property line. auroragov.org
- Before a lawn permit is issued, turf areas must be amended with at least 4 cubic yards of compost per 1,000 sq ft, tilled 6 inches deep; during Stage 1 the online permit portal is disabled and lawn permits are requested by email to Aurora Water Conservation (303.739.7195). auroragov.org
- Aurora allows artificial turf up to a 50% coverage maximum (it is not rebated), and above-ground spray-head irrigation systems are not permitted. auroragov.org
What we take on in Aurora
Concrete driveways, walkways, patios and repairs (concrete), new lawns and lawn repairs (sod installation), sprinkler repair and winterization (sprinkler repair), plus xeriscape and retaining walls, kitchen, bath and basement remodeling, flooring and interior painting. A job that spans more than one of those is still one crew and one point of contact.
Questions we get from Aurora
Do you serve Aurora?
Yes. Aurora is about 18.9 miles south of our home base in Brighton, a routine drive we make regularly. Aurora straddles Arapahoe, Adams and Douglas counties, and the permit question for your specific job gets answered before work starts, not after.
When is the right time of year for this in Aurora?
At about 5,400 feet, the Front Range gives a reasonably long season for concrete and landscape work, though the shoulder months swing hard. Interior work - remodeling, flooring, painting - runs year round, and winter is usually the easiest time to get it scheduled.
Near Aurora
We work throughout these neighbouring communities as well: Centennial (7.4 mi), Foxfield (9 mi), Greenwood Village (10.2 mi). The full list is on our service area page.
In Aurora? Let's take a look at it.
Free quote, no obligation. Tell us what you are trying to get done and we will tell you straight whether we are the right crew for it.