Custom home builder in Boulder and Boulder County.
Custom homes in Boulder, Louisville, Superior, Lafayette and the mountain communities west of the city.
Building in Boulder County
Some of the most specific building rules in the state.
Colorado Custom Home Builder plans and builds custom homes in Boulder and across Boulder County. Few places in Colorado shape a new house as closely as this county does, through energy codes, wildfire rules and land use review, so those requirements belong in the design from the first sketch.
- Energy code
- Unincorporated Boulder County applies its BuildSmart green building code to new homes. Homes above 5,000 square feet of conditioned space must reach net zero energy. The City of Boulder has its own energy code.
- Wildfire
- The Marshall Fire in December 2021 destroyed roughly a thousand homes in Louisville, Superior and unincorporated Boulder County. It burned through grassland and neighborhoods, not forest.
- Wind
- Boulder is known for violent downslope windstorms off the foothills. Roofing, siding, windows and even landscape choices should expect them.
Local conditions
What shapes a custom home in Boulder County.
Designing for energy first
Under BuildSmart, energy performance is a design driver. Orientation, insulation, air sealing, electric systems and solar all get settled early, because they're difficult to retrofit once the plan is fixed.
Grass fire, not just forest fire
The Marshall Fire showed that wind-driven grass fires can reach suburban streets. Ember-resistant vents, noncombustible materials near the house and a careful landscape plan help on plains lots too.
Mountain lots west of town
Sites in the foothills and canyons add steep grades, private wells, septic systems and long, narrow access roads. Each one needs early engineering attention.
City, county or town
Boulder, Louisville, Superior and Lafayette each run their own permitting, and unincorporated land follows county rules. The address decides which codes apply.
Before you buy a lot in Boulder
- Confirm whether the lot falls under the City of Boulder, another town or unincorporated Boulder County.
- For unincorporated land, check whether site plan review applies and which BuildSmart tier fits the planned size.
- Ask the county and fire district about wildfire mitigation requirements.
- For mountain lots, confirm well, septic and road access before anything else.
Where we build around Boulder
We plan custom homes in the cities and towns of eastern Boulder County and on mountain sites to the west.
- Boulder
- Louisville
- Superior
- Lafayette
- Niwot
- Gunbarrel
Local questions
Boulder building questions.
What is Boulder County BuildSmart?
BuildSmart is unincorporated Boulder County's residential green building code. It sets energy, materials and indoor air requirements for new homes and additions, with tiered compliance based on home size. Homes above 5,000 square feet of conditioned space must reach net zero energy.
Does BuildSmart apply inside the City of Boulder?
No. BuildSmart covers unincorporated Boulder County. The City of Boulder enforces its own energy conservation code, and other towns in the county adopt their own codes, so check the rules for the specific address.
Can I build on a mountain lot west of Boulder?
Often, with more steps than a lot in town. Expect county land use review, road and driveway access requirements, a well and septic system, and wildfire mitigation. Some areas carry additional limits, so a site-specific check with the county comes first.
Start here
Building in Boulder County?
Tell us where the lot is and what you know about its jurisdiction. We'll talk through how the local energy and wildfire rules shape the design.