Custom home builder in Fort Collins.

Custom homes in Fort Collins and the Larimer County communities around it, planned around the site as carefully as the floor plan.

Discuss your project What shapes a home here

Building in Northern Colorado

Fort Collins sits where the plains meet the foothills.

Colorado Custom Home Builder plans and builds custom homes in Fort Collins, from lots in established parts of town to foothills sites west toward Horsetooth Reservoir. The land changes quickly here, and so do the rules and utilities that come with it.

Permits
The City of Fort Collins reviews and permits homes inside city limits. A lot in unincorporated Larimer County goes through the county instead, with its own process and timelines.
Utilities
Fort Collins Utilities, owned by the city, serves much of town. Other parts of the area are served by separate water districts, and rural lots may need a well or septic system.
Wildfire
The 2020 Cameron Peak Fire, the largest in Colorado's history, burned in western Larimer County. Foothills lots west of town deserve a close look at wildfire requirements.

Local conditions

What shapes a custom home in Fort Collins.

  1. Foothills or plains

    West-side lots climb toward the hogback, with views, slope and bedrock close to the surface. East of town, lots tend to be flatter former farmland. The two call for very different foundations and drainage plans.

  2. Irrigation ditches

    Old irrigation ditches still cross much of the Fort Collins area. A ditch easement can limit where a house, driveway or fence goes, so check the survey for one before design starts.

  3. Which water provider

    Depending on the address, water may come from the city or from a separate district, and the tap fees and requirements differ. It's one of the first questions to answer for any lot.

  4. Wind along the foothills

    Strong downslope winds are part of winter along the Front Range. Exposed lots benefit from roofing, window and landscape choices that account for them.

Before you buy a lot in Fort Collins

  • Confirm whether the address is inside Fort Collins city limits or in unincorporated Larimer County.
  • Identify the water provider, and ask about tap fees and any raw water requirement.
  • Look for irrigation ditch easements on the survey.
  • For a foothills lot, ask Poudre Fire Authority or Larimer County about wildfire requirements.

Where we build around Fort Collins

Along with Fort Collins itself, we plan homes in the surrounding Larimer County communities, where the question of city or county jurisdiction comes up often.

  • Fort Collins
  • Timnath
  • Windsor
  • Wellington
  • Laporte
  • Bellvue

Local questions

Fort Collins building questions.

Who issues building permits for a new home in Fort Collins?

Inside city limits, the City of Fort Collins handles plan review and permits. For lots in unincorporated Larimer County, the county does. Some addresses near the city edge aren't obvious, so confirm the jurisdiction with both before you buy.

Do foothills lots near Fort Collins have wildfire requirements?

Many do. Lots where homes meet grassland or forest can fall under wildfire construction and defensible-space rules. Larimer County and the local fire authority can tell you what applies to a specific address.

Can I build a new custom home on an older in-town lot in Fort Collins?

Often, yes. Zoning sets the setbacks, height and lot coverage for the new house, the existing home needs a demolition permit, and Fort Collins has a historic preservation program, so check whether the property or neighborhood has any designation first.

Start here

Have a Fort Collins lot in mind?

Send the address or listing. We'll look at jurisdiction, water, slope and wildfire exposure with you before any design work starts.

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