Your house is in the right neighborhood. Your kids are in the right schools. You just need twice the house. A pop-top — removing the roof and adding a full second story — doubles your living space without giving up your yard, your block, or your commute.

Wes-Tec Builders has been building second-story additions across the Denver metro since 1986. We're a family company, BBB A+ accredited with zero complaints filed — a record we believe no other Colorado home improvement company can match.

Why homeowners pop the top instead of moving

Moving costs more than most people count: realtor fees, closing costs, moving costs, and a new mortgage at today's rates — plus giving up a neighborhood you chose on purpose. A pop-top keeps everything you like about where you live and fixes the one thing that doesn't work: the size of the house. It's also how many Denver families stay in older neighborhoods with smaller homes and smaller lots, where building out simply isn't an option.

A new second story typically adds primary suites, additional bedrooms and bathrooms, a laundry room upstairs where it belongs, and sometimes a home office or bonus room — all above-grade square footage, which is the square footage appraisers value most.

Structural and zoning considerations

A pop-top is a structural project first and a design project second, and it starts with honest answers to three questions:

Can your foundation carry a second story? Many Denver homes can, with reinforcement. Some need foundation work first. We assess framing and foundation capacity before design begins — this is the step that decides whether a pop-top is feasible and what it costs.

What do your zoning rules allow? Height limits and setbacks vary by city and by zone, and they decide how tall your new second story can be and where it can sit on the lot. We check your zoning during the free estimate, before you spend anything on drawings.

What happens to the house during construction? The roof comes off, so weather protection and sequencing matter. Many families stay in the home during parts of the project and move out temporarily during the roof-off phase — we'll walk you through the plan and the timeline honestly before you commit.

What the process involves

1. Free estimate and feasibility walkthrough — foundation, framing, zoning, and a straight answer on whether a pop-top works for your home.
2. Design and engineering — floor plans for the new story, a 3D model, structural engineering, and permit drawings.
3. Permits and construction — we pull permits, coordinate inspections, rebuild the roof over the new story, and finish the interior.

Pop-tops run longer than ground-floor additions: expect several months of construction, with design and permitting before that. Permit review time varies with the season and the project. A pop-top is not a quick project, but it is the project that changes a house most completely.

What a pop-top costs — and why

As an approximate Denver-market range (not a Wes-Tec quote), second-story / pop-top additions typically run $200,000 – $500,000+, or roughly $250–$500+ per square foot. Pop-tops cost more per foot than ground-floor additions because of the structural work: roof removal, reinforcement of the existing structure, rebuilding upper-level utilities, and a new stairwell.

What moves your number: the size of the new story, whether it includes bathrooms or a laundry (plumbing upstairs is a different job than plumbing on a slab), foundation reinforcement needs, and finish level. Final pricing comes from a free in-home estimate — we'll look at your actual home, not a stock photo of one.

FAQs

Will my foundation support a second story?

Often yes, sometimes with reinforcement. We assess it during the free estimate — it's the first question we answer, not the last.

Do I have to move out during a pop-top?

Many families stay for parts of the project and move out temporarily while the roof is off. We'll give you a realistic plan and timeline before construction starts.

Is a pop-top cheaper than buying a bigger house?

Usually, yes — once you count realtor fees, closing costs, moving costs, and a new mortgage. And you keep the neighborhood you chose.

How long does a pop-top take?

Design and permitting first, then several months of construction. Complex projects and slow permit reviews add time — we'll give you a realistic schedule, not a rosy one.

Love your home, need more of it? Call Wes-Tec Builders at 303-improve or visit westec-builders.com for a free in-home estimate. Forty years family-run, BBB A+ with zero complaints filed — a record we believe no other Colorado home improvement company can match.

Call Now: 303-improve