QUICK ANSWER
Basement finishing in Centennial creates bedrooms, baths and family space in homes across the city. The same vetted, licensed contractor that serves metro Denver also covers every Centennial neighbourhood. Your free estimate takes place in the basement itself, and the written quote follows. The contractor applies online with the City of Centennial Building Division.
Centennial basements
The City of Centennial has its own Building Division. It issues permits, licenses contractors and schedules inspections. Everything is applied for online.
Centennial publishes a single-family basement finish checklist for permit applicants. It lists the floor plan details the city wants to see. Your contractor works from it.
Centennial falls inside the metro Denver contractor's south route. Its neighbours Aurora, Littleton and Highlands Ranch share the route. You hear from one contractor only.
Centennial basement guide
Plan on a 24-hour check-in, then about 5 to 20 business days of review when review is required. The City of Centennial lists those times in its building permit process.
After approval, fees are paid, contractors are added and the permit is issued. Permits stay active for 180 days, and inspections are scheduled online. Once every inspection passes, the Building Division is emailed to close the permit.
Centennial's checklist asks for a floor plan with the existing dimensions, every new room and all new openings. It also asks for window sizes and types, with egress windows and well sizes marked.
Watch these items closely:
You do if your home has fire sprinklers. Centennial's checklist sends sprinkler plans to South Metro Fire Rescue for review and approval. South Metro also enforces the fire code in the city.
Homes on septic need a separate sign-off when the basement adds a bedroom. Centennial asks for an approval letter from Arapahoe County Public Health in that case. Your contractor gathers both before the city reviews the plans.
Living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms in a Centennial basement need a ceiling at least 7 feet high, per the table in the city's basement finish checklist. Bathrooms need at least 6 feet 8 inches.
The same table sets a minimum of 70 square feet and 7 feet of width for living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms. It also lists natural light and ventilation as a share of floor area. Where windows fall short, the checklist points to mechanical ventilation and artificial light under the residential code.
Sources: City of Centennial, Building Division (September 2026) · City of Centennial, Single Family Basement Finish checklist (September 2026)
What a full finish looks like
Before
AfterExample of a full finish. Your contractor shows you photos of their own local projects.
Centennial pricing
$30K to $90K
Typical full finish, metro Denver. Source: one local builder's 2026 cost guide, checked September 2026.
Read the Denver cost guideQuestions
Straight answers. Ask your contractor anything else at the free estimate.
Yes, Centennial requires a permit to alter a building and for any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing work. A basement finish involves several of those.
Permits are applied for online only. Workstations in the Building Division office are there if you need help getting online.
The Building Division works from the Civic Center at 13133 East Arapahoe Road. Most contact happens by email or online.
The city treats it as an incomplete submittal and waits to review it until everything on the checklist is in. A complete first set keeps the review moving.
Free on-site estimate
What happens next