Building a home in Colorado means access to breathtaking views and 300+ days of sunshine. However, before you relax on your deck watching a legendary sunset, you need a checklist for building a luxury home in Denver to help guide you and save time and money. We'll walk you through the steps involved in building a luxury custom home and show you what the new home-building process looks like.
Creating your ideal home takes careful planning, expert guidance, and a straightforward process. This custom home build checklist breaks down what you need to have in place before building a custom home. We've added details about the process to help you know what to expect at every stage.
This is just a fancy term for buying the land on which you'll build. Of course, the cost to build on your own lot also varies. If you're buying land in or around Denver, Colorado, you'll want to consider the following.
Your team will check if the land is zoned for residential construction and supports your home's size, style, and features. Work with your builder to confirm compliance with local regulations and to see what you can do to prepare for your new construction.
The land's orientation can dramatically impact your home's design and livability. A west-facing lot offers breathtaking sunsets and mountain views, while a south-facing home optimizes sunlight exposure in the winter. Remember: the direction your driveway faces impacts how quickly the snow melts on that surface.
A heavily wooded lot may require clearing, and all lot preparation entails grading. If your lot is remote, utilities and water/sewer lines may need to be connected—all of which add time and expense to the construction process.
You don't want a lot that you can't access. Part of the process is confirming that the lot allows access for construction vehicles (or making that access possible), checking on utilities, and setting them up if they're absent. It's the nitty-gritty details that matter. Our process allows us to walk you through every detail.
Site work is crucial to building a custom home and can significantly impact your overall budget. However, it's also a lesser-known part of new home construction.
What is site work? This term means prepping the land for construction, such as clearing vegetation, grading the terrain, and addressing drainage needs. In Colorado, site work costs can vary based on the lot's topography, soil conditions, and accessibility.
Other site work expenses include utility hookups for water, electricity, and sewer systems. Unexpected challenges like rocky terrain or poor soil may increase costs, so it's wise to set aside a contingency fund. Collaborating with a builder like Sheffield Homes allows you to get accurate estimates and helps you plan for this part of the process.
Before construction comes the pre-construction phase, which is crucial for setting your project up for success.
Know what you can spend (set a maximum) and allocate a realistic budget for your project. You want your money to match your goals, and building a budget like this helps avoid costly overages midway through the project. You also want to ensure your budget is realistic for a custom luxury home.
Select a builder who understands the requirements for building a house in or near Denver. You want experience, transparency, and a stunning portfolio of successful custom home projects.
Your builder will handle the permitting process, but it's helpful to familiarize yourself with local requirements to stay informed. When you trust your builder, however, you can confidently leave this often complicated process in their capable hands.
If you work with a design-build team, the design phase involves working with an architect on the same team as your builder. This is where your vision begins to take shape. You'll communicate with the architect to design a layout that best suits your lifestyle and needs and take advantage of the Denver metro area's stunning surroundings.
Detailed construction drawings are the blueprint for your dream home. These documents guide every building process step, helping everyone be on the same page. Your team should know if you want to make any changes before these drawings are finalized.
Partner with an interior designer to make finish selections that reflect your style and household's operation. From flooring and countertops to fixtures and lighting, these choices are the details that make your house a home. Your interior designer will help you choose both on-trend and timeless finishes.
In the construction phase, the hammer and nails finally get put to use, and you begin to watch your goals take shape from the ground up. Here's what you can expect during the construction phase.
The lot is cleared, utilities are installed, and the foundation is excavated to prepare for construction. Depending on the site, this phase may take longer than expected. It's imperative to do it right the first time.
This is when the foundation is poured, and the home's structure begins to take shape with walls, floors, and the roof. You can see that a house is starting to form.
Your team installs plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems, forming your home's working infrastructure. Think of this phase as your home's life force.
This phase includes installing drywall, flooring, cabinetry, siding, and roofing, bringing your home's design to life. This is when you see the personality of your home take shape.
Once the home passes inspections for safety and code compliance, your building team applies the finishing touches.
It's time to come home to your luxury custom home. When you work with Sheffield Homes, we conduct a final walk-through to verify that everything is completed to your satisfaction, and we provide a warranty to back up our work.
Here's a streamlined new home-building process to guide you. We've condensed the steps above so you can refer to them when needed.
We've discussed finding the right team multiple times and even mentioned how design-build can help you with this aspect. Understandably, choosing the right team is critical to your project's success. Use this luxury builder checklist to evaluate potential candidates and get a feel for what you need to look for.
Look for builders with a proven track record in luxury custom home projects. You don't want a builder unfamiliar with the work involved in the new home construction process. On every website, you should find a thriving portfolio that shows experience and skill.
You want a builder familiar with Denver's high elevation, terrain, and dry climate who knows when to assume hail or snow might fall. In addition, you want to be sure your team is comfortable with all permits and local regulations.
Read testimonials and reviews to gauge the builder's quality and attention to detail and to see if their building style matches yours.
Building a luxury custom home in Denver and surrounding areas is a chance to create a space curated for your family in one of the most desirable regions of the country. With this detailed custom home checklist, you'll feel confident every step of the way—from buying land in Colorado to completing the new home-building process. Our home-building services are designed to make this experience as enjoyable as possible.
Colorado's spectacular mountainscapes, focus on outdoor living, and inherent call to adventure provide the perfect backdrop for your luxury home. It's more than a house—it's a lifestyle. It's time for your custom home dreams to become reality. The mountains are calling, after all.
If this checklist has inspired you to build a new luxury custom home, our team is ready to help.
Contact us today for a consultation. It may be time to start building a home that rivals your dreams.