ALPINE WEST HOMES:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- How long does it take to build a house?
- The entire building process, from that first meeting until you finally set out your welcome mat, takes a year to a year and a half. During that time, you and your builder will brainstorm, problem-solve, modify, and make decisions as you complete various stages of the project. Communication is key, which is why choosing a builder you can talk to is so important.
- When should we select a builder?
- Ideally, you would contact us after you've found some land you would like to buy, but before you put a contract on it. That way, we can discuss your building ideas and perhaps visit the site to determine whether it suits you from that standpoint. That is the typical design/build situation. Clients also come to us after they've purchased land. And some clients come to us once an architect has visited their site and completed a design.
- What is a "program"?
- A program is a wish list of "gotta have it," "really want it," and "why not ask" features that will distinguish your custom residence from a production or "off the shelf" home. Your program might include cathedral ceilings, a kitchen-family room, a cottage feel, a gabled roof, morning light, a luxury master suite, a walkout basement, whatever features are most important to you.
- We have a definite budget.
Is it possible to define a price range before we get started? - Yes. Budget usually comes up early in the dialogue, since it often limits how much of your program you can afford. It's a good idea to determine how much you will have to spend before you meet with prospective builders. That way, your program can be honed to match that budget. But don't leave out those "why not ask" details-some novel extras may not cost any more than standard fare! Again, dialogue is key. If we know you want something, we can try to work it in. The client must make the final decision about budget.
- What happens after we decide to work together?
- Typically, we generate a raw schematic and preliminary "ballpark" estimate for the project. Once you approve it, our team then comes up with some further sketches and a detailed cost breakdown. As you review the plans, you have the chance to ask questions and request changes that can affect budget or style. We might suggest that you visit one of the houses we have built to get a feel for what's possible. Once we have addressed all decisions and selections, we'll make a final set of construction drawings and submit a final contract price for your approval.
- Are you willing to work with clients who will live out of state until their house in Colorado is built?
- Yes. We have built a number of homes for out of town clients. We keep in touch via next-day air, email, fax, phone calls, and weekend visits with many out-of-state and overseas clients. We routinely send photos and material samples to keep our homeowners up to date.
- What styles of houses does Alpine West build?
- Alpine West is adept at bringing style and quality to any type of architecture. Our past projects have included both intimate mountain cottages and grand estates, principal residences and summer homes, in wood, stucco, brick, and stone.
- In what areas does Alpine West build?
- Our building projects are distributed throughout the Denver/Front Range area and Surrounding Mountains. We also design and build Timberpeg® and other residences for properties outside our primary building area.
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