Building in Colorado’s mountain environments comes with a unique set of challenges. Higher elevations, colder winters, intense sun exposure, snow loads, wind, and wildfire risk all put more pressure on a home than typical Front Range or urban construction. That’s why you’ll often hear builders and architects talk about “performance,” especially when it comes to mountain homes.

For homeowners used to building or remodeling in cities or along the Front Range, it’s easy to assume that building a home in the mountains is mostly the same process, just in a different setting. In reality, mountain homes operate under a very different set of conditions, and those differences show up quickly once planning begins.