Lakewood's building boom and what it left behind
Lakewood, in Jefferson County, expanded rapidly in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Neighborhoods west of Sheridan and along the Colfax and Alameda corridors filled with ranches, then with bi-levels and split-levels as builders looked for ways to add space on smaller lots. Those decades overlap heavily with the years asbestos was used in residential materials.
Split-level and bi-level homes have a particular pattern. The lower level, partly below grade, often holds the family room, a bedroom, the laundry and the furnace. That is where you find resilient floor tile, older sheet flooring, ceiling texture, and the furnace and duct connections, all within a few feet. Lower levels are also where water tends to collect during heavy rain or a plumbing failure, which makes them the most likely place for an unplanned disturbance.
Upper level versus lower level in a typical split-level
| Upper levels | Lower level |
|---|---|
| Kitchen flooring layers and wall finishes | Floor tile and adhesive on the slab |
| Ceiling texture in bedrooms and living areas | Furnace, duct wrap and tape |
| Attic insulation above the top floor | Ceiling texture or older ceiling tiles |
| Disturbed mainly by kitchen and bath remodels | Disturbed by water damage and basement refinishing |
For Lakewood owners planning lower-level work
- Note whether lower-level flooring has ever been replaced, and look for older layers underneath.
- Have the ceiling texture and wall finishes sampled if they look original.
- Include furnace and duct connections if the project touches the mechanical area.
- Keep sump, drain and grading issues in mind; ongoing water problems can damage suspect materials.
- Confirm with the City of Lakewood what documentation its building permit process expects.
Who handles what
- Building permits inside city limits
- City of Lakewood building division
- Unincorporated Jefferson County addresses
- Jefferson County's building department
- Asbestos certification and permits
- CDPHE Asbestos Program
- Nearby areas with similar housing
- Wheat Ridge, Edgewater and parts of southwest Denver
Questions to ask on a Lakewood project
- Does the inspection cover both the upper and lower levels my project affects?
- If the lower level floods again, which materials should the mitigation provider avoid disturbing?
- Will the furnace replacement disturb any duct materials that should be sampled first?
- Is my address inside Lakewood city limits or unincorporated Jefferson County?
Common questions
My Lakewood split-level's lower level flooded. What should I tell the mitigation provider?
Tell them when the house was built and ask them to extract water and start drying without lifting tile, cutting drywall or pulling ceiling material until a certified inspector has sampled it. Most drying can begin while samples are analyzed.
General information for the Denver area, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.