Addition to brick house... where to start?

[Julie Hill]

Hi all,  I am in the process of buying a brick bungalow in Arvada.  It's very small with no basement but eventually we would love to add a bedroom and bathroom onto the back.  Right now I'm just wondering where to start this process... is step #1 hiring an architect to design? If so, any recs (I'm assuming it should be someone local that knows all the permitting etc with the city?) 

[Travis Sperr]

A trip the city will allow you to understand what is possible, based on zoning, lot coverage, etc. A consult with a contractor or three will give you an idea if it is financially feasible and lastly an architect will be able to help you draw it up to pass the city and get a accurate contractor bids. Those are the steps I would follow.