Unison Builds, LLC

If you’re thinking about buying land to build a custom home in Colorado, there are a few things worth checking before you get too far into the purchase.

Zoning, access, utilities, soils, wildfire risk and site-development costs can all have a major impact on whether a property actually makes sense to build on.

I put together a quick video covering the 6 things I would look at before buying a lot for a custom home.

Hopefully this helps anyone currently looking at land or in the early planning stages.

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If you're considering building a custom home in Colorado, one of the first questions is usually:

**What does it actually cost per square foot?**

I put together a quick breakdown of the ranges we're currently seeing in Colorado and some of the biggest factors that can move the cost up or down, especially when building in the foothills or mountains.

Hopefully this is helpful for anyone in the early planning stages.

Custom Home Cost in Colorado Per Square Foot This Loom discusses the cost range of building a true custom home in Colorado in 2026. It estimates costs at about $350 to $550 per square foot, with luxury homes up to $600 a square foot or more. Unison Builds recommends planning around $400 plus per square foot, then adjusting based on location, d...

Thinking about a primary suite addition, a great room, or a second story to your home? A few things worth knowing before you start.

Additions in Colorado are more involved than most homeowners expect, tying into an existing foundation, matching snow-load requirements, and (if your addition is over 500 sq ft in a mountain or foothills area) meeting the state's new wildfire code all come into play. And additions often cost MORE per square foot than new construction, not less, because of all that tie-in work.

We broke down what counts as a luxury addition, how it's different from building an ADU, and what to actually budget for.

Read the full guide 👇

Luxury Home Additions in Colorado: What to Know Before You Build - Unison Builds What counts as a luxury home addition, how Colorado sites complicate them, and what to budget for — from primary suites to great rooms.

Colorado's new Wildfire Resiliency Code took full effect on July 1, 2026 — and it changes what's required for new construction and major renovations in mountain and foothills communities across the state.

If you're building or remodeling in a wildland-urban interface zone (think Evergreen, Vail, Summit County, and similar areas), defensible space and fire-resistant materials aren't optional upgrades anymore — they're code. And with Colorado's insurance market tightening the way it has, mitigation now has a direct impact on what you can insure and what it costs.

We broke down what the code actually requires, which materials matter most, how much defensible space you need, and how it all connects to insurance.

Read the full guide 👇

https://unisonbuilds.com/building-a-wildfire-resistant-home-in-colorados-mountain-communities/

What actually happens between "we want to build a custom home" and move-in day?

We broke our design-build process down into 4 phases: design development (soils reports, surveys, structural and architectural engineering, septic and water rights work where needed), permitting, construction, and final punch list/move-in.

Most Colorado custom homes run 10-18 months start to finish — and where your project lands in that range depends a lot on site-specific factors most homeowners don't find out about until it's too late to plan for them.

Read the full breakdown 👇

The 4-Phase Design-Build Process for a Colorado Custom Home - Unison Builds By Yaron, Unison Builds — Colorado-based residential design-build firm Last updated: August 2026 Building a custom home in Colorado through the design-build method moves through four phases: design development, permitting, construction, and final punch list and move-in. Unlike hiring a separate ar...

📍 Thinking about buying land in Colorado to build your dream home?

A great architect can't fix a lot with no buildable envelope, a bad well, or an easement you didn't know about. That's why we always tell clients: do your land due diligence *before* you fall in love with the view.

Our latest guide breaks down what to check zoning, water rights, septic feasibility, wildfire risk, and the site costs that catch first-time buyers off guard so you can evaluate a parcel with confidence.

Read the full guide (link below), and if you're eyeing a specific property, we're happy to help you evaluate it before you make an offer.

https://unisonbuilds.com/buying-land-to-build-a-custom-home-in-colorado-the-complete-due-diligence-and-site-cost-guide/

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What does it actually cost to build a custom home in Colorado?

Most custom builds run $350–$550 per square foot here, and luxury homes regularly go north of $600/sq ft. But the number that matters most is the one specific to YOUR project, location, design complexity, and material choices can swing your budget by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

We broke down exactly where that cost comes from: labor, materials, permits, site prep, and the Colorado-specific factors (elevation, snow load, county permitting) that don't show up in national cost calculators.

Read the full breakdown 👇

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Custom Home in Colorado in 2026? - Unison Builds By Yaron Pacht, Unison Builds — Colorado-based residential design-build firm Last updated: July 2026 Custom homes in Colorado typically cost $350 to $550 per square foot, with luxury builds regularly exceeding $600 per square foot. At Unison Builds, our Colorado projects benchmark around $400+ per...

Project kickoff in Evergreen, Colorado.

We’re excited to begin a full gut remodel on this mountain home with the goal of creating a more modern, open-concept living experience.

This home already has a beautiful mountain setting, mature trees, and strong exterior character. Our focus will be on reworking the interior to improve flow, update the finishes, and create a cleaner mountain-modern design that better fits how the homeowners want to live.

Full gut remodels are where early planning, thoughtful design, and strong construction management make the biggest difference. From layout changes to finish selections, every decision has to work together to create a home that feels both elevated and livable.

We’re looking forward to bringing this Evergreen home into its next chapter.

Unison Builds
Luxury remodels, custom homes, and mountain construction throughout Evergreen, Golden, Jefferson County, Denver, and the Colorado Front Range.

Most homeowners think a luxury remodel is all about choosing the right finishes.

In reality, the biggest factors that determine whether a project is successful often happen long before cabinets, countertops, or paint colors are ever selected.

Things like drainage, structural engineering, permitting, wildfire requirements, rock excavation, and site access can have a much bigger impact on your budget, timeline, and long-term satisfaction than the finishes themselves.

After years of working on custom homes and major renovations throughout Colorado's foothills and mountain communities, we put together one of our most comprehensive resources yet:

The Complete Guide to Remodeling a Home in Colorado's Foothills and Mountains (2026 Edition).

Whether you're planning a whole-home renovation, a major addition, or simply exploring what's possible, this guide is designed to help you make informed decisions, avoid costly surprises, and understand what it really takes to build in Colorado's unique mountain environment.

If you're considering a remodel in Evergreen, Golden, Genesee, Morrison, Conifer, Idaho Springs, Summit County, or the surrounding areas, we hope you'll find it valuable.

📖 Read the guide here: https://unisonbuilds.com/the-complete-guide-to-remodeling-a-home-in-colorados-foothills-and-mountains-2026-edition/

We'd love to hear your thoughts or answer any questions in the comments.

The Complete Guide to Remodeling a Home in Colorado's Foothills and Mountains (2026 Edition) - Unison Builds Remodeling Luxury Homes in Colorado’s Foothills and Mountain Communities (2026 Guide) Remodeling a luxury home in Colorado’s foothills and mountain communities like Evergreen, Golden, Genesee, Morrison, Conifer, Idaho Springs, and up through Summit County and Breckenridge isn’t just “a bigge...

Some homes don’t need to be torn down to feel entirely different.

Sometimes the right renovation can completely transform the way a home lives, feels, and connects to its surroundings.

This 6,800 square-foot Evergreen estate already had incredible scale, views, and character, but the goal was to elevate the experience of the home and bring new life into the spaces people use most.

From the dramatic entry sequence and soaring living spaces to the connection between indoor and outdoor living, every part of the home was approached with intention.

The best luxury renovations are rarely about “updating finishes.”

They’re about reimagining how the home feels to walk through every day:
the light,
the flow,
the gathering spaces,
the warmth,
the views,
and the moments the home creates for the people living inside it.

Large-scale mountain renovations come with their own challenges; structure, logistics, engineering, phasing, permitting, and blending new work seamlessly into an existing home, but when done correctly, they can completely redefine a property without losing the character that made it special in the first place.

Projects like this are why we love design-build.

📍Evergreen, Colorado