If you’re looking to build your dream home in the Four Corners area and you’re relocating here from elsewhere, you may not know a local standing joke:
Q. What does it take to be a home builder in Colorado?
A. A pickup truck and a dog.
We don’t mean to disparage anyone who builds or remodels, shall we say, “informally” — many do fine work. But if you’ve come from another, more locally regulated state, such as California, Arizona, New Mexico and others, you may be surprised to learn that the state of Colorado does not require builders to hold a state-issued building license.
In areas such as greater Durango, construction is regulated by local rule. Many rural locations, including La Plata and Archuleta counties, adopt all or portions of the International Building Codes (IBC). Learn more about the IBC and get a sense of how La Plata County and Archuleta County have implemented the codes to fit local conditions.
If wading through all this makes your eyes glaze over and still leaves you wondering whether home builders you’re considering will meet your standards, the Home Builders Association of Southwest Colorado can help. When they join our organization, our members agree to be screened by their peers before being accepted. We take this aspect of our work very seriously.
The HBASC Membership Process
Prospective HBASC members know they’ll be evaluated on a number of criteria. They look forward to this examination of their business, understanding it will lead to an extra measure of confidence they can give their clients.
Our membership process includes:
- An interview conducted by local industry professionals,
- Reference checks,
- Outreach to partners and clients for input, and
- A look at whether accounts are current and subcontractors are treated fairly.
We understand that disputes seem to arise in the building industry as a matter of course—the work is enormously detailed, each trade’s work is interwoven with the work of others, and the stakes are high for everyone. We don’t expect a prospective member to have no issues at all in their background; we do expect that any problems have been resolved promptly and equitably.
Check Out our Members
Though many independent builders in rural Colorado do wonderful work, as in every other industry this is not universally the case. It always falls to the client to do their homework and vet prospective contractors.
Searching the HBASC’s member directory gives you a powerful tool to help you get started. You can rest assured that when you choose a builder from our list, they have been through a screening process in order to join our association. We take the measure of where they stand in our community, and since both La Plata and Archuleta counties are relatively small and everyone knows each other in the trades, not much escapes us.
If you’re looking to hire a Southwest Colorado builder, you’ve come to the right place! If we can help you more personally, give us a call at 970-382-0082 or send us an email today.
