What a custom home costs in Colorado Springs

Most of the fully custom homes we design and build in Colorado Springs, Monument and Black Forest land between $1.5 million and $3 million or more, not counting land. Where yours falls depends mostly on size, the lot and the finishes you choose. Whatever the number, you'll know it as a fixed price before construction starts.

We get asked about cost more than anything else, and we'd rather give you a straight answer than a sales pitch. Here's what actually drives the number, what the design phase costs, and how we make sure the price you sign is the price you pay.

What moves the price

Two homes with the same square footage can be $1 million apart or more. These are the five things that make the biggest difference.

1. Size. Finished square footage is the biggest single factor. Most of our homes run 4,500 to 6,000 finished square feet, including the basement.
2. The lot. A flat lot with utilities at the street costs far less to build on than a sloped site with rock, a long driveway or a walkout to excavate. In Black Forest and other rural areas, a well, a septic system and wildfire mitigation add real cost that city lots don't carry.
3. Design complexity. Rooflines, ceiling heights, large window walls and the number of corners in the footprint all add labor and material. A simple, elegant shape often gives you more house for the money.
4. Finishes and selections. Cabinetry, stone, tile, lighting, plumbing fixtures and flooring have enormous ranges. This is where most of the movement between $1.5 million and $3 million happens.
5. Special spaces. Wine rooms, indoor sport courts, in-law suites, home theaters, covered outdoor kitchens and oversized garages each add their own line item.

Why we don't quote price per square foot

Price per square foot is the first number most people ask for, and it's the least reliable way to compare builders. One builder counts the garage and unfinished basement, another doesn't. One includes spray foam, solid wood trim and commercial-grade appliances, another lists them as upgrades. Two quotes can show the same per-foot number and describe very different houses.

A better comparison is a full price for a finished design with every selection made. That's exactly what our design phase produces.

What's already included

Our standard build includes things many builders price as upgrades: 100% closed-cell spray foam insulation, solid wood trim and doors, 4000 PSI rebar-reinforced concrete, real stone veneer, 10-foot main-level ceilings, extra-deep garages and commercial-grade appliances from brands like Wolf and Sub-Zero. When you compare our number to another builder's, compare it to their price after those upgrades, not before. See our build standards for the full list.

What the design phase costs

Every Elk Ridge home starts with a Design and Estimation agreement. It typically costs $30,000 to $40,000, depending on the size of the home, and takes about two to three months.

It covers architectural design, construction documents, structural and HVAC engineering, surveying, septic design when needed, interior design, and every selection down to the faucets. We also collect real bids from our subcontractors. At the end, you have permit-ready plans and a fixed price for the whole house.

If the number works, we sign a build contract and break ground. If it doesn't, we adjust the design together. And if you decide not to build with us, you keep the plans and everything we created together.

How we keep the price from creeping

Most custom home budgets that go wrong start the same way: a build contract signed against a rough estimate, with allowances standing in for decisions nobody has made yet. As those decisions get made, the number climbs.

We do it the other way around. Because your selections are made during design, the price is built on real choices and real bids, not placeholders. A few things can't be priced exactly until we dig, mainly excavation and foundation, so those are set as allowances based on our experience, and your contract spells them out before you sign. Our process page walks through exactly what a fixed price covers.

You can still change your mind during construction, and many clients do. When that happens, you see the cost of the change in writing, before the work is done, and decide.

Timeline

Plan on about 12 to 14 months from our first design meeting to move-in: two to three months for design and estimation, then eight to 12 months of construction.